The Khasi Hills – home to one of the largest populations of Unitarians in the world ¬- lie in the far northeast of India, below Bhutan and above Bangladesh. Since 2003, First Unitarian Church has been a sponsor of the Annie Margaret Barr Higher Secondary School in the Khasi village of Kharang.

Now there is a new opportunity to join a UU pilgrimage to the Khasi Hills from October 21–30, 2025. Travelers also may choose to join a 10-day pre-pilgrimage tour of India’s “Golden Triangle” or a five-day post-pilgrimage tour of the Kingdom of Bhutan.

This is the first organized UU travel opportunity to the Khasi Hills to be offered since 2019. Any profits from the trips will support the Unitarian Union of Northeast India.

The first Unitarian Church in the Khasi Hills was founded in 1897 by a Khasi man, Hajom Kissor Singh. This very poor and rural area is now home to about 10,000 Unitarian adults and children in about 45 congregations. The school our church sponsors is one of 34 Unitarian schools in the region that are open to all children.

In 2023, our minister, Rev. Dr. Kate R. Walker, was an honored guest speaker and church ambassador at the closing ceremony of the school’s year-long commemoration of the 50th death anniversary of British Unitarian minister, Rev. Annie Margaret Barr, the school’s founder. First Unitarian members and friends who have traveled to the Khasi Hills in recent years include Maureen Porter (2019), Lois Hurt (2018), and Karen Litzinger (2015).

For costs and details of the October, please contact John Dale (jdaleuupcc@yahoo.com). Please also reach out to Karen Litzinger (karen@karenscareercoaching.com) of First Unitarian’s Khasi Hills Partnership Team to obtain our guidelines for church ambassadors and seek team support.