Teacher TRĂISTARU NICOLETA

ʺCostin C. Kiritescuʺ Economic College, Bucharest

Teacher RUSAN OANA-RALUCA

Secondary School No.195, Bucharest

RAESCU ERMINA

Contry Director IIU Romania

The program “The Biggest Interactive Knowledge Exchange ” – Season 2, was held in India, between July 25-30, 2023. It was organized by Swarna Bharat Parivaar Trust who promote cultural exchanges and knowledge sharing. BIKEP was a successfull adventure with the delegates from Romania, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Zimbabwe, Lebanon, Puerto Rico under the strong leadership of project, Dr. Inga Kharchilava.

It was a fantastic tour with:

*Learning;

*Training;

*Knowledge Exchange;

*Culture Exchange;

*Awards;

*Excitement etc.

On 25th July, the delegation of BIKEP visited INDIA GATE, an emblematic monument situated in New Delhi. India Gate is a sandstone arch like The Arc of Triomph from Paris. It was a tribute to the Indian soldiers who fallen during WORLD WAR I and the Third Anglo-Afghan WAR. It has 42 metres tall.

At the CONSTITUTION CLUB of India, we participated the same day to an International Conference on Early Childhood Care and Education.

BAHÁ Ï HOUSE OF WORSHIP or THE LOTUS TEMPLE was another monument which we visited. Its design (the blooming lotus flower) symbolizes the purity and the divinity of the Bahá ï faith. The building is composed of 27 free-standing marble-clad ʺpetalsʺ arranged in clusters of three to form nine sides, with nine doors opening onto a central hall. The temple is open to all, regardless of religions or any other qualifications.

The GURDWARA BANGLA SAHIB or GOLDEN TEMPLE is in Amritsar, Punjab. There, we noticed the beautiful golden dome (the Sikh houses of worship) and the pristine Sarovar (the pool). The Golden Temple is an open house of worship for all people, from all walks of life and faiths. It has a square plan with four entrances and a circumambulation path around the pool. The four entrances to the gurudwara symbolises the Sikh belief in equality and the Sikh view that all people are welcome into their holy place. We aim the Sikh traditions and rituals. We served Prasad, a sacred food symbolizing blessings from the divine. We also visited the Langar, the kitchen who offers a vegetarian meal to all visitors without discrimination.

The Sacred Heart Cathedral is one of the oldest Catholic Churches of Delhi visited on 25th July. The building was financed by the colonial officers of the British Empire.

Glimpses of the Grand Welcome of the BIKEPians at E-Village Aluwamai Kunda (Pratapgarh, Uttah Pradesh) by the staff (E-Village team) and the students of the ʺJames International Schoolʺ was on 27th July . This visit allows BIKEPians to discover the authentic village life (the traditional cuisine, the life of farmers, India´s rural tourism, the village transport: by pickshaws).We spent here 2 nights in tents . We had the honour of celebrating the FOUNDATION DAY of the Swarna Bharat Parivaar Trust. The guests were Dr. Shyam Sunder Pathak and Mr. Tripti Shakiya, a very well-known Indian singer. The students of the ʺJames International Schoolʺ presented mindblowing cultural programmes. We enjoyed the bullock cart ride, horse and camel rides. The discussions with the villagers exchanged knowledges, shared best practices.

The visionary entrepreneur, philantropist, lawyer PEEYUSH PANDIT, launched the ʺGaav Darshan Yojanaʺ, an initiative who introduce India´s rich heritage and vibrant culture of village life to the global community, promoting rural tourism.

We also visited Shree Siddheshvar Maharaj Ashram. We seek blessing of Lord SHIVA and the divine personality of Guruji. We had Prashad and we visited Gaushala. We immersed in the Rudrabhishek ritual dedicated to Lord Shiva (The HINDU Culture). We observed the Vedic Education in Ashram (The Hindu Scriptures, The Vedic Texts, The Ancient Sanskrit Language, Astronomy, Mathematics, Philosophy, Ayurveda).

The next day, we visited a computer institute and a hospital in rural India (Kunda). We think that the progress in Indian society is remarkable.

Mangarh Bhakti Dham is a wonderful building, a Hindu Temple located in Kunda. This divine temple was established by Jagadguru in 2005. It is maintained by Jagadguru Kripalu Parishat, a non-profit, charitable, educational and spiritual organisation. The temple is situated on the northern side of Ganga River. It has life-sized Divine Deities of Radha Krishna (on the ground floor) and Sita Ram (on the first floor) and adjacent to it is a large dome-shaped structure, known as the Bhakti Bhavan. The temple is a magnificent tribute to the glory of Jagadguru Shri Kripalu Ji Maharaj and overlooks Bhakti Mandir. The delegates immersed in the spiritual ambiance, the significance of the dham and its cultural importance.

The Taj Mahal, the most proeminent monument in Agra, is a symbol of love, one of the Seven Wonders of World. It is an ivory-white marble mausoleum on the right bank of the river Yamuna. It was commissioned in 1631 by the fifth Mughal emperor, Shah Jahan, to house the tomb of his favourite wife, Mumtaz Mahal. The tom bis the centrepiece of a 17 hectare complex, which includes a mosque and a guest house. It is set in formal gardensbounded on three sides by a crenellated wall. We were marvaled at the architectural grandeur and historical significance of the monument. ). It was added to the list of World Heritage Site by Unesco in 1983.

Qutub Minar is a minaret and ʺVictory Towerʺ that form Qutb complex, which lies at the site of Delhi´s oldest fortified city, Lal Kot, founded by Tomar Rajputs. The monument has a shaft that is fluted with stalactite bracking under the balconies. The Qutub Minar is a synthesis of South Asian and Islamic Architecture (Hindu-Muslim traditions). It was added to the list of World Heritage Site by Unesco in 1993.

These days were too shorts for our united team, bound by shared experiences and full of mutual respect.

Each day was a cultural event: we had the chance to understand and to appreciate the differencies and the similarities. We relished various cuisine, swayed to electic music, celebrating the unique tradition. That enriched our cultural experience.

We express our deep gratitude to the founder of International Internship University, Peeyush Pandit, dr. Inga Kharchilava and entire E-Village team for the amazing opportunity to discover real India, especially rural India, for their trust, for their friendship. We also express our gratitude to our ambassador of Romania in India, Nepal and Bangladesh, Mr. Daniela Sezonov-Tane.

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BIKEP Program

Aautor

RUSAN OANA RALUCA