The Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies Summer University invites eager learners to explore Hinduism, ritual, and tantric traditions of Nepal. The programme allows students to engage deeply with the beautiful traditions, deities, practices, foods, festivals, architecture, philosophies, and people of the Kathmandu valley through a variety of expertly-crafted lectures and excursions.
The Kathmandu Valley is beaming with rich intricacies that students will get to witness first-hand, including learning how to engage in rituals and diving into unique local experiences, people, and cuisine.
Exploring the sites of religious practice means diving into a new realm of religious knowledge and understanding. The course will connect to a variety of fields including Study of Religions, Indology, South Asian Studies, Anthropology, Sociology, Sanskrit Studies, and History of Religions. Participants can meet religion and spirituality as it is lived, engage their curiosity, open their minds, and let the world be their teacher.
Join us from August 4-August 17, 2024. Everyone is welcome to apply to the programme. If you are not enrolled in an academic institution, you are also very welcome to apply. We appreciate a variety of approaches and students. ECTS accreditation will be awarded to participating BA and MA students. Course completion certificates will be administered to all participants.
Maanya’s experience
“Travelling with the OCHS to Kathmandu was the most amazing experience I’ve ever had. I learned so much about culture and religion in Kathmandu, about ascetic practices and experienced live rituals. We were guided by specialists, taken to places and introduced to people I would otherwise never have had access to. It was most definitely an experience of a lifetime!“
Maanya Patel
BA student, Oxford University
What You Will Get
★ Daily lectures and workshops by leading international and Nepali scholars
★ Expert-led tutorials and engagement with rituals, religious spaces, and traditional practices: understanding through participation
★ Unique fieldwork experiences and opportunities for ethnographic observation of Nepali culture
★ Exclusive insight into some of the current cultural preservation and academic research projects being undertaken in the Kathmandu Valley
★ Expert-led excursions to World Heritage sites, influential places of worship, cultural hotspots, and unknown tantric locations, connecting theory to practice
★ Festive traditional Newar and Himalayan dinners
★ Leadership and advisement from academic experts throughout the experiences
Where you will live
You will be housed at a small traditional Newari hotel in Patan right next to Durbar Square. The hotel will be open just for us and will ensure students have a safe and comfortable place to rest after long days of exploration, and a quiet place to complete course readings throughout the duration of the program.
Included in your stay will be airport pick-up and drop-off, and amazing breakfasts.
Standard accommodation for students is in shared rooms. For single room accommodation requests, or for queries regarding accommodation arrangements, please contact the course staff. The deadline for changing room arrangements is May 1st, 2023.
Where you will live
You will be staying at the historic Yak and Yeti Hotel. Students will get to experience this 100 year old converted palace, a 5-star hotel featuring beautifully preserved design, artefacts, and antiques.
Formerly known as ‘Lal Durbar’, this palace was built by the Rana family – the opulent dynasty known for bringing neoclassical architecture to Nepal.
We value a good quality hotel to rest after long days of excursions, do course readings, and host our morning lectures. Included in your stay will be airport pick-up and drop-off, and amazing breakfasts.
Standard accommodation for students is in shared rooms. For single room accommodation requests, or for queries regarding accommodation arrangements, please contact Managing Director Gitte Poulsen at gitte@ochs.org.uk.
The deadline for changing room arrangements is April 1st, 2024.
Course Description
From Florence
“The course was absolutely fantastic, bridging theory and practice; classroom study and ‘out there’ experiences of religion and culture in the field. As an anthropologist-turned-theologian, my passion for ethnography and qualitative fieldwork has been reignited as I continue to study in Nepal. I am excited to be developing some of my findings into a forthcoming symposium paper, as well as my University of Cambridge Masters’ thesis due in December. Many thanks to the Spalding Trust Fund and Cambridge Divinity Faculty for supporting me in pursuing this learning experience.”
Florence Harry
Cambridge MPhil candidate
From Iona
Oxford University
From Lucas
“The OCHS Summer University in Kathmandu was really an incredible experience. Being in the city accompanied by academics, from Oxford as well as from Nepal, and all of their nous and knowledge was unlike any trip that I could have had taken on my own. I came back having met yogis and priests and having been at late night Aghori practices and tantric rituals. I would recommend the trip to anyone who has an interest in witnessing Nepal and its religious culture in a way usually difficult to access for an outsider.”
Lucas Quinn
Oxford University
Timeline
Event Details
Practical Information
Health & Safety and FAQ
Programme
View the full programme here
Photo Gallery
From previous summer schools in Kathmandu
Sign up
The course fee is 1,950 GBP. If you would like to secure your spot for the Kathmandu Summer University program please pay a non-refundable deposit of £950 below. You will have to pay the remaining 1,000 GBP before May 1, 2024.
You will also have to fill out this form:
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to course director gitte@ochs.org.uk.
For more info about the course fee and how to pay click here!
Our team
Professor
Gavin Flood FBA
Tutor and Researcher
Dr Bjarne
Wernicke-Olesen
Tutor and Researcher
Dr Silje Lyngar
Einarsen
Tutor and Researcher
Dr Rajan
Khatiwoda
Tutor and Researcher
Manish Manandhar
Tutor
Gitte Poulsen
Managing Director and Tutor
Laura Anderson
Manager and tutor
Monish Mulepati
Local Manager and Logistics
Prema Goet
Tutor and photographer
Professor Sondra Hausner
Tutor and Researcher
Tanja Jakobsen
Webdesign and consultant
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