

2026 INDIA
ALLEGHENY COLLEGE
ALUMNI TOUR

Allegheny College Faculty Co-Leaders:
Dr. Ishita Sinha Roy (Media & Cultural Studies) and
Dr. Brian Miller (History & International Studies)
Tentative Tour Dates: 13 May-01 June, 2026

Click here to go to the Allegheny College 2026 India Tour website

eat
The bottom of the pan was a palette -- Friends brought silver leaf.
paprkia, cayenne, dhaniya I dropped it on khir --
haldi, heaped like powder paints. special rice pudding for parties.
Melted ghee made lakes, golden rivers. I tasted the landscapes, customs
The keema frying, my mother waited of my father's country --
for the fat to bubble to the surface it's fever on biting a chilli.
"Indian Food" By Moniza Alvi. From Best Poems of the Underground, U.K.



TRADITIONAL THALIS TO INDIAN FUSION CUISINE
From traditional thalis that present a well-balanced regional meal (shown above) to the cross-pollination of Indian flavors with Italian, Chinese, Japanese, and Western influences, sample the richness of it all.


WHEN THE GOING GETS HOT, TRY THE LASSI
Yoghurt milkshakes (lassi) whether plain, or blended with fruit, quench your thirst and replace the electrolytes you lose when sweating. Fresh lime soda is another excellent antidote to the summer swelter. And of course, the British claimed that a good old gin and tonic in the evening kept the mosquitos at bay!


AND THEN, THERE'S CHAI
A Hot Drink on a Hot Day Can Cool You Down! “What we found is that when you ingest a hot drink, you actually have a disproportionate increase in the amount that you sweat,” says Otto Jay, a researcher at the University pf Ottowa. “Yes, the hot drink is hotter than your body temperature, so you are adding heat to the body. But the amount that you increase your sweating by—if that can all evaporate—more than compensates for the the added heat to the body from the fluid.” Curious about how commodity histories have shaped culture? Here's a Quick Read: The dark history behind India and the UK's favourite drink, tea.


TRY YOUR HAND AT INDIAN COOKING
You will see Indian food being made in the homes of the Bishnoi village outside Udaipur, in roadside stalls all along our travel, and in the communal kitchen at the Sikh temple in Delhi. However, a special treat is the cooking demo and dinner at the home of the descendants of royal courtiers, in Jaipur.


STREET FOOD: THE HEART OF A CITY ON A PLATE
Indian street food is a symphony of flavors, where every bite tells a story. Street food isn’t just a meal; it’s an emotion. Every vendor is an artist, crafting masterpieces with spices, sugar, and love. In the hygienic cafes we have picked, these unforgettable traditional delicacies are for you to enjoy, the recipes for which have been handed down generations and guarded zealously. Learn how the jalebi conquered India; how the humble Vada Pav is a tale of conquests, industry and politics; and how the samosa traveled to the sub-continent and became a staple snack!


ROMANCING THE SENSES. FEEDING THE SOUL
Feast on sumptuous buffet breakfasts at the hotels we are staying at. These are covered in the tour cost. Also covered are amazing experiential dinners at hand-picked venues that let you sample a diversity of cuisines. Our lunches are covered when we're at the Ranthambore Tiger sanctuary, and then again, at Jawai. The few lunches you do pay for are again, at places selected for their ambience and their gastronomic delights.