Inside the Namdrooling Monastry, Coorg

Murals and Dieties in the interior of one of the Buddhist Temples

Nyingmapa Tibetan Monastry and Golden Temple, Coorg

49 years ago Prime Minister Nehru granted these lands to the Dalia Lama and the Tibetan refugees in a place called Coorg in the South of India. The land grant is for 99 years and by then the Tibetans have to vacate or assimilate. Second largest Tibetan settlement in India behind Dharamshala.

NIMHANS - Family Psychiatric Therapy Center

The Family Psychiatric Unit is an inpatient setting where families can stay anywhere from 2 days to 2 months. Situated around a nice courtyard with a fragrant magnolia tree at the center, are rooms where patients can stay with their families, cook meals, and commute to work if needed. In fact, when it rains, the fragrance from the blooming magnolias is amazing!

Families come from all over India to NIMHANS and as such, trainees also come from all over India and therapy occurs in different languages based on the need of the family. The Unit is one of the oldest and one of the first family therapy centers developed in India. So there is quite a legacy to the place. Training and treatment has been going on for a while and is now in its fourth decade. The rooms that you see in the picture here (by the courtyard) is where the trainees sit and where classes are held.

NIMHANS - the Fulbright experience

December, 2009
Its been a little over a month since Arpana has been at the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS), in Bengaluru. NIMHANS is a teaching university with an attached hospital. Located in a section called Kormangala, NIMHANS is a government funded institution. Arpana is based in the Department of Mental Health and Social Psychology and has been spending the last month in the family therapy unit, teaching post graduate (MPhil) students about family therapy. Its about a 20 minute autorickshaw ride from home. Although initially the rickshaw drivers gave her a run around she has finally figured out the route.

Floats for festival days and local scene at the temple

Tiruvannamalai - Aurnachaleswar Temple (Shiva-Parvati Temple)

This is one of the single largest temple in India. It covers almost 10 hectares. Construction started in the 11th century. The 4 gopras (towers) are 13 stories or 66 meters high. Both Shiva and Parvati are worshiped here.

A day trip to Tiruvannamalai (Sri Ramana Ashram)