Reed in Nepal

Program/Course Name: Reed in Nepal: Sacred Sites and Literary Imagination
Location, Country: Kathmandu, Patan, and Lumbini, Nepal
Code: TBA
CNR: TBA
Units: 0.25 (F) + 0.25 (S)
Term: Fall 2026 Orientation and Nepal Program in January 2027
City, Country: Kathmandu, Nepal (+ local excursions)
Program Affiliations: Chhewang Lama, guide with RESPONSIBLE TREKS PVT. LTD.
Program Directors: Kristin Scheible, Kritish Rajbhandari
Academic Discipline/Department: Religion and English
Application Form: https://www.reed.edu/ipo/reed-in-nepal.php
Application Deadline: May 19, 2026
Program Dates: January 4-19, 2027

Housing: Students will be staying in shared double rooms with two twin beds and a bathroom in hotels for 13 nights in Kathmandu and 2 nights in Lumbini.

Program/Course Description

Kathmandu, the capital city of Nepal, is a major South Asian metropolis where ancient cultures thrive alongside modern life. The Kathmandu Valley has been at the crossroads of cultural exchange between India, Tibet and China for millennia. Newars, the indigenous inhabitants of the valley, have developed and preserved Buddhist practices, architectural sites, teachings, art and literature, which uniquely blend Buddhist elements from across Asia with local sacred traditions. Buddhist ideas of space and place, specifically the conception of Nepal Mandala—the city and environs as a reflection of cosmic order—continue to shape the culture and literature from the region to this day. Buddhism also played a crucial role in the emergence of modern Newar literature in 20th century Kathmandu, specifically as a counter-hegemonic movement against the ideology of the modern nation-state that asserted itself as Hindu. In this course, students will develop an understanding of Nepalese (specifically Newar) Buddhism through visits to major Buddhist and Newar cultural and religious sites, museums, art studios, and monasteries on the one hand, while reading modern literature inspired by the city, the land, and its Buddhist heritage. Students will also get the opportunity to interact with contemporary Nepali writers, artists, scholars, and publishers, including authors whose work they will read as part of the course. Through reading, discussion, lectures, and site visits, students will examine how local setting, cultural environment, and community shape narratives and, conversely, how stories shape the experience of a place and get a deeper understanding of the relationship between religion, place, and literature in the context of South Asia. Students will be expected to read primary literature, attend meetings, and complete some preparatory assignments in the fall semester in anticipation of the trip. Readings include Chittadhar Hridaya’s Sugata Saurabha, a literary retelling of the Buddha’s biography written while the author was imprisoned for using his mother tongue (Nepal Bhasa), and Rishi Amatya’s speculative novel Radha (Safu Press, 2023), inspired by tantric Buddhist practices.

Learning Outcomes:

develop an understanding of local religious, social and cultural environment through visits to cultural sites and reading of literature
analyze how local setting, cultural environment, and community shape narratives and, conversely, how stories shape the experience of place
discuss elements of Nepalese Buddhist traditions, thought and practice through analysis of material culture and literary texts
analyze the role of material culture, cultural practices and literary texts in perpetuating religious traditions in modern contexts
examine how ancient traditions coexist with modernity in the context of a South Asian metropolis

Program Fee

Program fee: TBA

Includes the following:

Housing in Nepal
Site entry, excursions, and activities fees
Airport transportation
Local transportation
Meals
Study Abroad administrative fee
International health and travel insurance
International flights

Program fee payment deadline: Fees must be paid in full by TBA.

The program fee does not include:

Personal spending money
New passport fee ($165)
COVID-19 testing related to travel, if applicable (entry or exit requirements)

Program participants who currently receive need-based Reed grant funding and have accepted all components of their aid packages, may be eligible for financial assistance. More details on financial aid assistance will be available shortly.

Health, Safety, and Travel Documentation:

Travel Documentation: US/UE Passport. Passports should be valid for at least six months after you return home and have two or more blank pages, depending on your destination
International health and travel insurance (included in program fees)

The course does not apply to Group or major requirements.