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Experiencing Delhi Like a Local

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Visitor’s say it’s polluted, messy and always so crowded but have you ever asked a Delhite? They would probably talk about comfort in the chaos. A million people and unspoken stories, small happenings and heartwarming feelings all reside here.

If you’re planning to take a day off from classes and go around exploring, this might just be the most authentic way to experience Dilli, a local’s tried and tested guide.

1. Start from the campus
Both North and South Campus are home to the top colleges of the city; and of course, the top eateries. The canteens of the colleges are famous for their savories, often popularized by Bollywood films. Have some chai at the hangout spots like Sudama’s Tea Stall set up on the University bylines. You can also head to seminars being held in colleges or participate in the events, specially with fest season around the corner.

Tip: Do not forget to carry your college ID card. The guards won’t listen otherwise, you know.
2. Head to Majnu ka Tilla
Majnu ka Tilla, or Aruna Nagar is a Tibetan settlement in North Delhi, known for its quaint little cafes, bakeries, boutiques and souvenir stores, it is home to multiple monasteries and a huge Tibetan market. To get there, take the yellow line metro and get off at the Vidhan Sabha metro station. A rickshaw ride later, you will find yourself in streets that smell like the coffee your body so desperately needs. The streets have pretty architecture that can add up to your Instagram aesthetics.

Tip: Talk to the locals there and not just for directions. They have great stories to tell.

3. Explore Chandni Chowk
Chaotic and unbelievably busy, Chandi Chowk in Old Delhi is often recognised as Delhi’s retail market. It is hub to a number of food places, jewelry shops and clothing items. You can also find some unique and hand-crafted stationery and accessories. Visit the Jama Masjid, Lal Mandir and Sis Ganj Sahib Gurudwara and witness the religious harmony co-exist. Grab some lunch in Paranthe wali Gali and put that tick on your checklist.

Tip: Keep notes of Rs10 and 20 handy with you and commute through e-rickshaws. Enjoy the hustle bustle of the street at its fullest.

4. Spend the evening cycling at Lodhi Colony
Started in 2016 and officially inaugurated in 2019, Lodhi Colony is India’s first public art district. The walls and bylines are adorned with beautiful art and graffiti, providing visual delight, and making the ride extremely pleasant. Rent the cycles from Jor Bagh Metro Station Gate No.1 for Rs 60 for an hour. There are theatre nearby so you can also watch a play at Indian Habitat Center or Lok Kalayan Manch.

Tip: Chauhan Ji’s chhole bhature are quite the ‘World’ famous here. Just in case you had some space left in your stomach.

5. End the day at India Gate
This place is always brimming with picnickers and vendors selling ice cream, bhelpuri, fruit chaat, soft drinks, packaged food, colourful toys and so much more. While it does seem to be pretty cliched, a night visit here must be on top of all the to-do-in-Delhi lists. Surrounded by grassy lawns, the 42 metres tall monument is brilliantly lit every evening. At a closer look you’ll find the names of brave martyrs engraved all over its surface.

Tip: Play some Rang De Basanti music, the vibe is always worth it.

Feature Image Credits: D for Delhi

Aishwaryaa Kunwar
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Campus Central

Government Targets the Educated First

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Universities, the breeding ground of education and ideals, echo today with chants of Azadi, and Faiz’s Hum Dekhenge. They think we’ll let go and surrender. However, they don’t know that our resistance is stronger than their hatred.

 
As another year goes by, the ‘one who must not be named’ reigns back to power and, yet again, the country erupts in massive dissent in one of the ways propagated by the moderate protests. While more universities get labelled as ‘anti-national’ by the followers of the ‘party that must not be named’, I am reminded of Satyajit Ray’s Hirak Rajar Deshe (1980); as the protagonist says, “Era joto beshi pore, toto beshi jaane, toto kom mane.” (The more they learn, the more they know, the less they obey).
Nandini Sukhija, a student of Mumbai University, said, “Our political leaders gain power by mobilization of groups, which are usually composed of brainwashed partisans. The intellectuals know better than of all for their cheap and divisive tactics, by which they threaten the Government’s power. It’s not hard to connect the dots and realise why fascist governments will always clamp down the educated and shut down channels of information.”
The well-read are rational critics whereas the ideologists are the irrational ones. Targeting universities, the educated, scholars, and writers, is an age-old gameplay to curb the anti- establishment voices, to curb nothing but dissent and voice.

Forcing the well- read to obey the regressive actions coerced on the vulnerable sections of the society is a task of great objection. The very reason why their voices are silenced is that the establishment is aware that they are wrong, they know that they’d fail if the truth prevailed, if the educated people’s voice reverberated.

The youth is the ‘future’ of India, long ahead after the remains of the politicians have vanished into thin air, their remnants left as a by-product of hate, fear and, fascism, the youth will still exist.

History is evidential of the exemplary contribution and corrupt silence that students are bestowed upon by fascist governments. When the ones to oppose, the ones to criticise cease to exist, their propagation, their ideology, their reign thrives. Democracy without opposition is no democracy at all. Arresting the well-read and labelling them as urban Naxalites is a reminder of the very failure of democracy.
Central universities ordering students to not protest, charging them of disciplinary action to prevent dissent or questioning the Government, Is everyone an accomplice here?

“Educational institutions are the hotspots of awareness. Silencing educational institutions to gain peace is like burning the Amazon and then expecting the earth to be ecologically sound. The consequences will only intensify. “Finger on your lips is not something appealing to the youth,
neither is it going to stay for too long,” Priyanshi Banerjee, a student of Lady Shri Ram College rightfully explains.
If we go down the pages of history, Nazi Germany right before World War II reminds us of eerily similar circumstances. Sonderaktion Krakau, a German terror operation against academics at Jagiellonian University performed in order to eradicate the Polish intellectual elites.

Along with this, Frankfurt University was the first university targeted by Nazis for their liberal, exuberant academic record, scholarships, international faculty, and uphold of democratic values and ideals.
The times we live in are scary, they attack unarmed students, name-call academicians, murder journalists, hush down voices, curb protests. Where is dissent? Where did the safety valve of democracy go?
All revolutions, all rebellions, nationalist movements, demand for rights, protests, agitations, all starts from the students; the very foundation of a stable country. The recent attacks on students at various universities are nothing but an act of cowardice in the world’s largest democracy; the very country which once upheld the ideals of secularism, democracy, justice, liberty, and equality.

Feature Image Credits: DU Beat

Anandi Sen 

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Campus Central

ABVP’s Game Play With Anti-Left Posters at North Campus

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ABVP-led DUSU slams the Left for 5 January JNU violence and anti-CAA protests with hoardings all over North Campus. ABVP and NSUI exchange words regarding no official meetings, securing permission and wasting union budget. 

University’s North Campus has been covered with hoardings put by the Akhil Bharatiya Vidhyarthi Parishad (ABVP)  led Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) blaming the Left for the January 5 violence inflicted at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU). They have also blamed the Left for protesting against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act. 

 Akshit Dahiya, President, Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) has accepted that the provocative hoardings have been installed by the ABVP. “They (the Left) are speaking about breaking India and slogans and banners seeking freedom for Kashmir have sprung up at their protests. There are attempts to project students’ protest in a negative way,” said Dahiya. 

The DUSU sits on an unbalanced note as three of the members are affiliated to ABVP while the post of Secretary comes from a rather different ideology; led by the Congress-led- National Students’ Union of India (NSUI). Dahiya added that three hoardings have been put up near Law Faculty after attaining the required permission from authorities. The hoardings have messages such as “CAA ke naam par desh jalana bandh karo” (stop burning the country in the name of CAA) and “Left attacks JNU,” carrying pictures of ABVP members injured in the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) January 5 violence and those injured due to anti-CAA protests all over the country. One of the hoardings also shows mob pelting stones.

However, the National Students’ Union of India slammed the rather cheap move by ABVP. Ashish Lamba, Secretary of the DUSU questioned the ABVP’s decision to put up such posters as there was no official DUSU meeting regarding the same. Dahiya countered the claim by stating that DUSU Executive Council which comprised 15 members, including the four DUSU office-bearers who came to the conclusion with the consensus of 10 members.  

The Delhi President of NSUI, Akshay Lakra, criticised the wastage caused by ABVP-led DUSU of the Union’s budget. Accusing the ABVP in indulging in dirty left-right politics in free university spaces, Lakra continues, “Despite being exposed many times by media and JNU students, ABVP still hasn’t accepted its defeat in its own propaganda. The NSUI strongly condemns any sort of hate campaign run by political parties on university campuses. It’s high time that we restore peace and harmony on campuses,” he said. To counter this claim, Akshit Dahiya, DUSU President, denied using the budget for putting up the hoarding rather the Executive Council contributes 200 INR per member. 

January 5, 2020, went down quite unfortunate on JNU as masked men and women barged into the campus with weapons, vandalising and injuring people as the Delhi Police observed in silence. Media debated and conspired to blame the Left for inflicting violence on the left, thus perpetuating the idea of ‘Left Terror’. However, within a few days, Pinky Chaudhary of Hindu Raksha Dal took to video to claim responsibility for the merciless attack on unarmed students. In the video, Chaudhary says, “For several years, JNU has been a bastion of communists and we will not tolerate it. Hindu Raksha Dal, Bhupendra Tomar, Pinky Chaudhury take the responsibility of what has happened in JNU…all of them were our volunteers. Those who cannot do such work for Mother India don’t have the right to live in this country.” The violence instigated on students was deadly as over 30 injured students and professors were admitted to AIIMS Trauma Centre on the night of 6th January. 

Featured Image Credits: Jaishree Kumar

Anandi Sen
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Admissions 2019

DU Extends Relaxation for Outstation ECA Aspirants

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University of Delhi (DU) extended a day’s relaxation in case of any delay incurred while arriving at the venue in time for the extra-curricular activities (ECA) trials for outstation students who have their trials scheduled on 25th and 26th June.

Outstation students witnessed a sigh of relief as University of Delhi (DU) declared relaxation in case of delay incurred while reaching the venue in time for the extra-curricular activities (ECA) trials. A day’s relaxation shall be extended by the varsity to the outstation students.

The ECA trials- a two level process– have commenced today,  kick-starting with Indian Classical Music (Vocal),  Dance, and Debate. The trials will be continuing till 5th  July, the results of which will be announced on 6th July on the official website of the University. This would be followed by the final round of selection, thereby giving the selected students a gateway to Univerity of Delhi.

The spatio-temporal glitches which are evident during the admission season turn out to be the major cause of stress for many outstation applicants. Hence, the flexibility in such a case emerges as a bliss. However, the relaxation is only extended for students having their trial slots on 25th and 26th June 2019.

“The relaxation is a welcoming step, as the schedule put forth by the University of Delhi has undergone frequent changes and delays. These delays and changes have posed as problems, given that the arrangements for transportation are difficult to be settled on a short notice,” says Shreya M., an outstation applicant from Odisha.

As reported by the Asian Age, an official of the University said, “The applicants who are unable to reach on given dates are instructed to reach venue at the earliest date, which is preferably on June 27 and contact the registration desk of the relevant category. The relaxation option is not available for those candidates whose trials are scheduled for any other dates for a category or for those categories for which trials are scheduled for a single day”.

The official site of the University of Delhi has also laid emphasis on the fact that the condition is selectively applicable for those who reside outside the National Capital Region (NCR), having their respective trials scheduled on 25th and 26th June.

 

Feature Image Credits: DUB Archives

 

Priyanshi Banerjee

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Bazinga

Bazinga: DU to have a Strict No-Cellphone Policy Inside Campus

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A tug-of-war between students and the administration is common across colleges in the University of Delhi, where the former sees the policy as regressive, and the latter is welcoming of it.

In an official statement by the Delhi University (DU) administration, dated 1st January 2019, it is declared that DU college campuses are to be strictly cellphone-free. The policy is to be implemented from the coming semester in all the colleges that come under the umbrella of the varsity. The statement further read that any student carrying a cellphone will have to hand it in, and it will only be returned to them when a parent or a guardian has duly signed a letter stating the reasons for the breach of rule.
This ruling has resulted in student agitation, on grounds that cellphones are a basic human need these days, and everything from class timings to syllabus and notes are discussed over platforms like WhatsApp and E-mail.
“We fail to understand why in the 21st century such prehistoric rules are being forced on us,” says Ashwin Gupta, a
student from North Campus. “It would be an extreme inconvenience for students and teachers alike.” In accordance with what the students are saying, the professors, too, are against the said policy. “While DU claims to be modernising the system in every way they can, what we see today goes against that claim,” said a professor under conditions of anonymity. “Are we expected to hand out printed notes, which may go up to a 100 pages per student, per paper, every semester?”Protests were seen near the gates of the Arts Faculty, North Campus. However, little solution came out of the incident. Speaking to DU Beat, Nitin Alok, a member of the varsity administration board said that cellphones and the internet serve as distractions in classrooms, and that students should focus on the professors rather than their phone screens. “I am sure that the GPA of the students will increase this semester because of our policy,” Alok added.The efficacy and implementation of this policy will be judged in the coming days when college starts again for the term.
Disclaimer: Bazinga is our weekly column of almost believable fake news. It is only meant to be appreciated, not
accepted.

Feature Image Credits: CBS Philly

 

Maumil Mehraj

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DUB Speak

The Life Cycle of an Introvert

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Approximately one third of the global adult population exhibits introverted traits, yet young adults often have difficulty using this personality trait to their advantage.

A college campus is a kaleidoscopic mix of hundreds of young adults, bustling with activity at any given point of time. There are people to see, clubs to join, and parties to turn up at. Oh, and sometimes there are classes to attend.The chaos of student life can prove to be quite overwhelming for most students. Some exhibit major FOMO, some procrastinate endlessly, some won’t speak up in class even when they know the right answer to a question, while others end up completely isolating themselves. In other words, the fear of losing what are supposed to be ‘the best years of your life’ sets in, and it’s daunting.

Everyone has extroverted and introverted traits, people just lean into different sides of the spectrum. In the first year of college, most of us face a personality overhaul. Generally, this change is a three tier process.

1. The Epiphany

School is a safe and gated community. Most students are extremely comfortable in the familiarity of their local schools, and the first few weeks at college introduces them to the hardships of adjustment, compromise and initiative. Students end up realizing or at least considering the fact that they might not be as social and amiable as they thought.

2. Denial

It is expected of people to want to be social and enthusiastic, most borderline introverts force themselves into uncomfortable situations to fit in better. We live in an over-competitive and capitalist society that particularly values extroverted traits because introversion is often considered to be a weakness. Susan Cain, famous author and Harvard Law School graduate, calls this the ‘Extrovert Ideal’. It is the omnipresent belief that the ideal self is gregarious, alpha and comfortable in the spotlight which causes introversion to be considered a ‘second class trait.’

In a university where class participation, group assignments with randomly assigned members and ‘networking’ are over emphasized, colleges often neglect to cultivate the introverted side of their students’ personalities.Anushree, a first year student at Lady Shri Ram College for Women says, “I am a very reserved person, it takes me a long time to adjust to change since I don’t connect with people that easily.”

Long story short, several people feel disadvantaged due to their social skills (or lack thereof) or disdain for excessive human interaction. Be it regarding employment prospects, co-curricular activities, class participation or human relationships, they feel like they are missing out.

3. Acceptance

After a couple of miserable months spent in pretense, people realize that at the end of the day, it’s important to remember that different people flourish in different environments. A textbook introvert may feel more comfortable in an intimate setting or in one on one interaction. They add value to any piece of work because of their scrupulous nature and creativity. In friendships, feeling the tranquil pleasure of being near a gathering but not quite in it like resting your head in the backseat of a car listening to your friends chatting up front, bonding with a friend at a party while everyone dances inside. The feeling is blissfully invisible yet still fully included feels pretty great.
Feature Image Credits: Tee Public 

 

Nikita Bhatia

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Campus Central

Things To Do When You Encounter College Life for the First Time

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We are often very busy worrying and preparing for the first few days of college. In the process, we tend to forget some things that can enhance our experience as we step into our college for the first time. Here are a few of those reminders:

Take a Few Pictures

It is understandable that when one first encounters life as a college student, one’s priorities are really different. But it is a good idea to take a few pictures here and there, during the day. Not only will you thank yourself for it later, but you might also want to remember what you wore on day one, or perhaps recreate a similar photo at the end of your college life. It is an important phase of life and you would want to capture it a little.

Build Strong Networks of Contact With Seniors

It is good to build contact networks with people who can help you expel your confusions and doubts on the first few days itself. The seniors are generally very enthusiastic to invite the freshers and are mostly willing to share what they know with them. It will be all the more productive if you can exchange numbers with the Union Members of your department in college and ask them to coordinate a small interactive session between your class and the seniors’ classes.

Be Presentable

The first impression is not always the last impression, but it is important. Be yourself and do not overdo anything. However, at the same time, try to be presentable in how you look and what you do. You will feel confident if you look amazing on day one itself. Besides being on time for college, you must also be presentable in the way you treat people.. While maintaining your politeness,  you must also be bold in whatever you do. This will help you interact with like-minded people and maybe even create some good friends!

Understand That Everyone Feels Similar to How You Feel

You need to remember that you are not the only one feeling confused, apprehensive, self-conscious and even excited! Everyone around you feels the same way. They are as desperate to make friends, as excited for what the future holds and as confused about how a college functions. You are not alone and the confusion and uncertainty settle after some time. You won’t even be able to discern when your college would become home to you. Before you know it, you would be laughing with your friends about all the insecurities and first impressions you had of each other on day one of college.

 

Feature Image Credits: Hindustan Times

Khyati Sanger

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Campus Central

How safe is our campus?

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A student spends most of his/her day in the campus, but is it really a safe place? With recent incidents of sexual harassment at college fests, the dilemma has become even more prominent in the eyes of the youth.

Meghna Singh, a student from Miranda House, got masturbated on at SRCC’s annual fest, Crossroads. But she isn’t the only one who has gone through an assault like this – many students have recounted their horrific accounts where they have been sexually harassed on campus. When Meghna told the details of what happened with her at SRCC on social media, thousands of people didn’t believe her. Soon enough, she became the topic for jokes, memes and internet trolls where people labelled her as a liar.

Meghna’s story might be the first one to surface online, but it isn’t the first time a girl on campus has been assaulted like this. Sukhwinder Singh’s gig at Hindu College’s fest Mecca also saw a molestation incident where a girl got groped twice in public. One would think that being a student friendly area, the campus would be a safe place where one could walk freely, but is that really so?

Public gatherings like fests and concerts have witnessed many incidents like this take place and most of the time the victims don’t talk about it. And not just public gatherings; horrific incidents involving middle aged men on bikes stopping in front of girls’ PGs and masturbating to the ones standing in the balcony occur on campus on a daily basis.

Roads around colleges become almost abandoned after college gets over, because of the hostel/PG deadlines, and the empty streets have become a nightmare for anyone who is walking on them post 8 pm. Theft and assaults happen regularly and the police is doing the least about it.

As a resident of the campus and a student of the University, me and my friends have faced similar situations where the length of our skirts got men on bikes to slow down next to our rickshaws and call us out. Where simply walking on the roads of Kamla Nagar have gotten old men to masturbate to us. Where being part of protests got us groped and threatened with rape.

On a campus that is clearly not safe, it is appalling that people had problems believing Meghna’s story.

 

Image credits: DU Express

 

Anagha Rakta

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Deen Dayal Upadhyaya College

DDUC to shift to new Dwarka campus by mid-June

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Deen Dayal Upadhyaya College, currently based in Karampura, is shifting to a new campus in Sector 3, Dwarka in mid – June before the new academic session begins.

The college, which started in 1989, has been using a school building for 25 years. It was in 2013 that the foundation stone of the new Dwarka Campus was unveiled by Sheila Dixit. The new campus reportedly has five times the space of their current campus.

The new campus of DDUC is multi-storeyed. It has an auditorium with a  seating capacity of about 400 people, along with two seminar rooms, 12 lecture theatres and 26 lecture rooms for 2500 of its currently enrolled students. In addition, it has better infrastructure facilities for sports which has a provision for indoor squash, table tennis, archery and a gymnasium among other facilities. It has also been claimed to be eco-friendly, with rain water harvesting system and ongoing work on solar power generation system. The old school building will be given to Ambedkar University, Delhi.

The President of DDUC students Union, Garvit Choudhary, welcomed the change. However, he also expressed his concerns and said, “When there is  change, it is always accompanied by mixed responses. While most are looking forward to the new campus, some are not. For instance, it would be difficult for some students travelling from Noida and North campus to travel to Dwarka. Nevertheless the new campus has mostly been welcomed by one and all”

 Featured image credits: du.ac.in

With inputs from Hindustan Times

Tooba Towfiq

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