Mr. Heath Science |
Teacher: Shane Heath
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The U.S. teacher I traveled with to Chhatarpur, Deanna D'Onofrio, and I taxied to the Bangalore airport to catch our flights to Khajuraho (via Delhi and Varanasi), where we met our host teacher, TEA fellow Dr.Arun Khevariya. We immediately hit it off with Arun, who was welcoming, friendly, and scholarly. We spent our first night in Khajuraho so Arun could show us the UNESCO World Heritage group of Hindu Temples. There were previously over 80 of these temples which were constructed beginning over 1100 years ago. 25 temples remain in various states of preservation, and the group we visited, the western group, was utterly amazing. The temples are primarily made of various shaded sandstone (yellows, pink) and each is ornately carved inside and out. We spent nearly four hours visiting the western group and they were certainly one of the most amazing UNESCO sites I had ever been to. One of the temples was still actively used for worship, and we were able to go inside, with Arun as our interpretive guide, and get blessed and marked with a bindi, the first of many during our week in the area. Arun taught us so much about Hinduism and the history of the temples, which are often labeled (quite misleadingly) in the tour books as the 'erotic temples' due to some kama sutra carvings that can be found on some of the temples. Arun taught us about the four primary tenets of Hinduism: The Dharma (duties), Samsara (rebirth), Karma (right action), and Moksha. It was transcendent and surreal to learn about Hinduism from Arun at such a beautiful setting of cultural importance. Deanna and I both felt incredibly fortunate to be paired with Arun, who also showed us the Archeological Museum, the Architecture Museum, and the Folk Art Museum.
3 Comments
Ajen
4/22/2017 12:00:27 am
Its impressive and interesting journey.
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Bharat Taxi
8/6/2019 01:37:43 am
Khajuraho is a small town situated in Chhatarpur district of Madhya Pradesh..Such a wonderful place!!! I can’t articulate it. Those pictures are absolutely gorgeous! I love places with amazing beauty. I will be sure to visit this location. Thank you for sharing! Bharat Taxi a leading online car rental service provider in Khajuraho providing cheap and best cab service in Khajuraho. We provides Online taxi booking and affordable taxi services in Khajuraho. For Car rental in Khajuraho, call us at +919696000999
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5/2/2024 09:15:29 pm
Immensely grateful for your India travel blogs! Your meticulous attention to detail and passion for exploration shine through every post. Each destination feels more vibrant and accessible with your guidance. Keep inspiring us with your adventures and insights!
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AuthorI traveled to India in July 2016 as a member of the Global Teachers Fellows program, along with 15 other teachers from throughout the United States. We visited schools, taught in classrooms, and learned from Indian educators. ~Shane Heath Video Links BelowClick the above image to see video of what our daily commute to school was like in an auto-rickshaw.
Click on the above images to see video of the morning assembly at Kendriya Vidyalaya, my host school in Chhatarpur
The welcoming committee at Kendriya Vidyalaya on our 4th day, when the Deputy Commisioner of Education visited the school (video).
Videos of the Balloon Car Challenge linked above.
UNESCO temples at Khajuraho (VIDEO)
Intense math lesson, as part of a physics class, Kendriya Vidyalaya (VIDEO)
A Primary school lesson at Kendriya Vidyalaya (VIDEO)
Evening shopping at Chhaturpur market (VIDEO)
Music class at Kendrihya Vidyalaya (VIDEO)
Kindergarten class at Maharishi Vidya Mandir (VIDEO)
Welcoming ceremony by students at Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya (VIDEO)
Closing ceremony by students at Jawahar Navodaya VIdyalaya (VIDEO)
Botany lesson at RBANMS school, Bangalore (VIDEO)
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