The good-
· LSR, Kamala Nehru College, Stephens – Built disabled- friendly campuses with ramps, disabled-friendly toilets, recording studio for visually impaired et al.

· The Delhi High Court put breaks on all fresh faculty appointments in colleges in Delhi University unless they filled up the 3 per cent quota that that the government reserves for the physically disabled people.

· Infrastructural development in DU meets its inception as Ramjas, LSR replaced blackboards with LCD projectors.

· DU saw a glorious year of successful college fests. The winter sun and the flair for fun added to the delight. Best Fests- ‘Tarang’ and ‘Mecca’.

· The Delhi Metro saw a 25 per cent rise of its users during 2007. From Rs 189 crore, the total earnings shot up to Rs 236 crore in the period.

· For the first time ever, Delhi University has been ranked among the top 500 universities of the world by the prestigious Times Higher Education Supplement, QS World University Ratings 2007.

The bad-
· This years DUSU elections were a melange of confusion, rage and defiance. DU witnessed a poor turn out of 30% voters across Campus while the Lyngdoh Committee recommendations added to the confusion, and received flak from the major candidates of the elections.

· Dr. Aruna Sitesh, the Principal of Indraprastha College passed away after prolonged illness. The College and the University deeply grieved the loss.

· St Stephens’ students were suspended after they allegedly sprayed a first year student with cologne and threw a matchstick on him.

· Bangladeshi writer, Tasleema Nasreen was ousted from Kolkata and placed under house arrest in Delhi. Voltaire must have turned in his grave. DUB regrets such intolerance towards free speech.

· Students of DU duped in a case of fraud hysteria created over a disappointing O8 New Year Party at Chhatarpur.

· As part of the sealing drive in Delhi, some of the most popular lounge bars, cafés, and markets have been shut. The sealing of Turquoise Cottage and Café Mocha has left many, deprived and homeless.

The ugly-
· Disgraceful lapse of security in campus and harassment of DU girls sparked off a protest march led by the students of IP College.

· Students alleged sexual molestation in Ramjas College by the Vice Principal, BN Ray, leading to his suspension.

· An American national, studying Ancient India in addition to Sanskrit, at St. Stephens was molested by a professor.

· Violence in schools assumed dramatic proportions as a student of class 8 was shot dead by his class mates, following a fight.

· The ‘High’ Capacity Bus Service in South Delhi slowly caught up with traffic and slowed it to such a pace, that everyone’s hoping this is the gag before the surprise.

· Over the past year, there has been an increased influx of drugs in Delhi University. Despite their apparent absence on campus, the number of circles that consume drugs is on the rise.

By Aniruddh Ghosal

Paharganj, with its tangled up lanes, has become famous for cheap hotels that many tourists use while staying in Delhi. However, if one was to untangle these lanes and explore what are probably the craziest streets in the world, one would realize what a treasure trove this place is. Life threatening rickshaws driven by maniacal drivers will appear out of nowhere while salesmen will pounce upon you from all directions. Cows will eye you with unnerving intensity while dogs will materialize out of what had earlier seemed like an oddly shaped puddle. Blank eyed and smooth talking- drug dealers and pimps will come up to you and ask you if you are interested in their wares. And while your brain is still trying to catch up with all the frenzied excitement around you, you might just find yourselves in one of the many shops in Paharganj that make the place such a delight for the gastronomically inclined.

Everest Café:
Inside the main market, it is located in a small lane, opposite a surprisingly cheerful Reebok outlet. A small cosy shop, this place can hold a maximum of fifteen people. Dimly lit and eccentrically decorated with elaborate Tibetan artwork this place claims to serve almost everything including Thai cuisine. However we would strongly recommend sticking to continental cuisine and the bakery. A humongous slice of chocolate cake for Rs 35 is actually reason enough to trek up to Everest Café.

The Metropolis:
Metropolis, claimed to be 78-years-old is one of the many continental restaurants in Paharganj. However, what truly separates it from its contemporaries is the eclectic array of food that they offer. From Greek, French, Italian and even Israeli, they have it all. But as is with most places in Paharganj, one has to be very careful with what they order. Chicken a la Kiev is a breaded boneless chicken stuffed delightfully with butter. It is probably the most scrumptious thing on the menu and is a must for anybody who goes to Paharganj.

Sam’s Café:
Located inside a rather shady hotel, it’s one of the most popular destinations in Paharganj. The roof top restaurant is strongly recommended as it offers a beautiful view of Paharganj. A favourite haunt of Italian tourists, Sam’s café offers you one of the best pastas in Delhi.

Ajay Café German Bakery:
This shop, armed with a pool table and an eloquent salesman who will try and sell you handicrafts will probably not fit into your mental image of a bakery. They offer a wide variety of baked products including bagels, cinnamon rolls, doughnuts, croissants etc. But what truly set them apart are their delicious cakes. The cheese cake and the honey-raisin cake are an absolute must.

Hare Ram Café:
Don’t be disheartened by the name of this shop. You are likely to find pita bread, falafel and Israeli salad here as opposed to oily Paalak Paneers. This shop is famous for its Israeli cuisine and Israelis who come to Delhi are often surprised to find the food from their country here. Originally these shops gave free food and accommodation to Israeli tourists in exchange for lessons in cooking Israeli food. Today even the most discerning foodies find it hard to believe that the food has been cooked by an Indian. This place is famous for their Matbucha; a salad mainly made from tomatoes, roasted pepper, oil and garlic cooked together, and their kebabs. A dip called the hummus is also worth trying.
The easiest way to go to Paharganj is to take an auto to the railway station. The entrance to the main market is right opposite the “In� gate of the railway station. All the shops are located on the main streets and one can reach there by asking shopkeepers for directions. Stay wary of pickpockets and more importantly, go with an empty stomach.

Modern Jerusalem

-By Jonathan Daniel Luther

If the archaic and modern co-exist, the closest they can get is at Jerusalem. This modern city is as diverse and vibrant as New York or Singapore or any Indian metropolis.
Built on four hills, Jerusalem has no skyscrapers barring a few hotels that loom larger than life over an otherwise double story horizon. However, in the easternmost corner of the city is the Holocaust Museum; a modern building that stands to commemorate those who lost their lives at the hands of the bloodiest dictator the world has known- Adolf Hitler. The garish pictures in the Museum would make anyone’s breakfast churn. It makes one wonder about the realities of the where we live, where such monstrous hatred goes by forgotten and lies in a corner of the world.
The Museum is the queen of all ironies. Tranquil and solemn, the building squats upon Mount Scopus surrounded by elms and pines. Inside, nightmares and horrors abide. A visit to The Holocaust Museum is not for the faint hearted. A genuine interest in history and the happenings of the past is imperative. The Holocaust Museum serves as a study center for many universities and students who are pursuing history or various other cultural specific studies, which in fact is a must for all Jewish students in Israel.
The main city of Jerusalem houses the Hebrew University which, with its modern architecture and structure, is a vision.
If you happen to be living in the Jewish quarter during the Sabbath you must expect no help from any of the orthodox Jews. Observing the Sabbath very sanctimoniously, they will neither talk nor assist you in any way. Dressed in somber black with trailing coats and tall top hats, the men and women go about only praying and chanting. Conversation is limited. On the Sabbath (also called the Shabbat), no food is prepared in Jewish homes and everyone flocks hotels for their meals. The most visited hotel is ‘Kocher’. The name, surprisingly, does not refer to any secret ingredient, it simply means that the food has been blessed by and prepared under the supervision of a Rabbi.
Jerusalem is also a constant target for extremists of every kind; it is beset by scud rocket attacks and other insurgent activities. I witnessed the after affects of one such attack when the entire city was swarming with military and police personnel. The people here live under this constant threat and seem benumbed to it.
Although Jerusalem is a modern city vast in its dimensions, it is not the capital of Israel because of the constant threat it is subject to. While it has spacious avenues and boulevards replete with buildings that reflect modern architecture in every way, its crown jewel is the Old city. Its historicity and religious importance make the region a danger zone, where a tiny spark can set a fire blazing. Yet it is a treasure trove for the insatiable historian, the passionate adventurer, the travel-monger and the pilgrim, for Jerusalem is a pilgrimage for three of the world’s religions.

By Olina Banerjee

UPBEAT:

ASI plans to give the Taj Mahal a Multani-Mitti face-lift

That’s not nearly as fun as Mayawati’s Shopping mall. Damn!

Spider man’s marriage annulled after twenty years

That’s only good news as long as that means we won’t have to put up with a red haired, nasal Kirsten Dunst in the next Spiderman movie.

Clowns universally hated by children, says survey

You don’t say. Who likes grinning idiots anyway? Oh wait….America does.

A US biotech firm has announced a genetic test kit that can predict the likelihood of baldness in men

Well that’s brilliant! Couples can now plan their mid-life crises years in advance.

One in twelve US combat troops suffer from trauma

…. And not one of them was called Bush.

DOWNBEAT:

DeGeneres dethrones Oprah as America’s favorite talk show host

Gay woman vs. Black woman. America’s republicans must have shot themselves.

Hillary Clinton would love to be America’s next top model

With all due respect, your husband’s already cheated on you. So this is hardly going to help….

Eklavya out of Oscar’s race

ChUk De India!

Britany Spears wants to convert to Islam

The only thing funnier than this headline is TOI’s absolute insistence that converting to Islam is a mentally deranged thing to do….

Australia has outlawed uranium sales to India because Delhi has not signed the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT)

Yeah! First you call one of them a ‘monkey’ and then you expect them to play nice….

People often ask me what DU Beat is. And my standard answer to that is, “Well…we are an independent student newspaper”. But then what does this phrase that I so casually throw around mean. What exactly does it imply?
DU Beat is constituted by students of the Delhi University – we all come from different backgrounds and have different ways of looking at the same thing. But what unites us is our belief in the power of truth. Collectively we form the independent student organization that we call DU Beat.

Our principles aren’t very complicated, nor do they flirt meaninglessly in the realm of the flamboyant. Our principles are that of truth and freedom. We don’t believe in blotting out reality to manipulate the perceptions of our readers. For us truth is not only violated by falsehood but is equally outraged by silence.

Here in DU Beat we understand the power of expression. The power that comes with the expression of what is right. It could be in the form of a whisper. It could be a muffled grunt. It could even be a full blooded scream. It doesn’t matter how loud you are. What matters is that sitting silently as empty seconds go by isn’t going to get us anywhere. The easiest way to change things is to act yourself.

Unnervingly, it was in Spiderman that I heard a dialogue that changed the way I looked at things, “With great power comes great responsibility.” Now Spidey’s great powers and his great responsibilities are quite obviously pronounced. But the same axiom when applied to students and their powers of expression comes with its own brand of great responsibility- The responsibility of providing our readers with accurate news and most importantly, the bare truth.

As is probably apparent in my ramblings; DU Beat can’t really be defined. An Independent Student Newspaper, is more than just a phrase that can easily be categorized and explained. It’s an idea. It’s an idea that lets us believe that with the truth…there can be a spark. And with a spark, there can be a fire.

So we say, let there be truth. Let there be fire.

– Aniruddh Ghosal

Our readers tell us what they think of DU Beat:

“A beat apart!”

Akanksha Saxsena, Hindu

“I Enjoy doing the crosswords every week, they’re fun yet challenging.”

Mannat Sant, Hindu

“Du Beat is informative and a good source to know what’s been happening on campus.”

Kaustav Ghosh, Ramjas

“Its something thats handed to me, hence i read it, when i’m fairly free… I need a reason to read it if i’m on the run. It’s cool to see how DU Beat have gotten Darlymple and Tsundue to write for dub or get their puraana stuff printed. Also typos and language gadbads are more or less in control now … not that they should’ve been there in the first place but its an improvement.”
Indrani Basu- LSR

The Blacks were the Whites???

No, this isn’t an obscure reference to the latest fashion trend or one of the “pink is the new black” alerts from the High Life of ramp walks and designer labels. My reference is slightly less glamorous but definitely attention-grabbing.
Permit me to cite a few hypothetical headlines to illustrate my point.

“1939-London celebrates, Black Government grant Independence” or how about this
“1947,USA negotiates terms with Black colonizers”

Yes that’s right…there’s nothing wrong with your eyesight or my IQ level. I did use the term ‘Black Colonizers’. I can assure you I wasn’t sleeping through my History lessons either. All you really have to do is use your IMAGINATION. Picture the world as the Kingdom of the African race or even us, Indians for that matter. It would give a whole new meaning to the phrase ‘Black Beauty’! What if everything that’s beautiful was Black instead of White? What if the African and Indian races were THE SUPERIOR RACES? Everything would be the opposite of what we know it to be. History books would tell a different story. All that’s associated with Blacks and Browns would be the order of the day. Paganism would probably have been the revered religion-THE RELIGION. Half the world would be wearing leafy garments, sewed together by twigs, singing traditional tribal African songs prancing around a bonfire worshipping the ‘Wind God’. Christianity, considered animalistic, primitive. The White race wouldn’t have been pointing fingers at us, referring to us as ‘the-race-which-got-burnt-in -the-oven’. Instead we would be pointing fingers at them, laughing our pants off at how the Sun God forgot to bake them at all…the Raw Race! Not to mention the ‘Matrimonial Columns’ in newspapers, which would read something like this, “Wanted DARK, beautiful, qualified girl for equally DARK, tall and good-looking boy earning six-figure salary per month”. The protagonists in movies and books would have followed this norm, ‘Snow White’ might have been ‘Charcoal Black’. The World might have been obsessed with Dark skin and the Ponds seven-day challenge would have followed a slightly different tune, ‘Become Dark in just 7 days or get your money back!’ In view of this, the recent controversy involving Harbajan Singh’s ‘rude’ comment (read: monkey) might not have been such a controversy after all-it would have been a compliment of the highest order, “being called a Monkey by Mr.Singh! oh I’m so honored!”
Who knows, it might happen.

By Dipali Mathur

In the wake of controversial Sydney test DUB Sports asked its readers for the rules they would like to bend. We got some interesting suggestions. The best have been compiled for you. Is ICC Listening?

Ø Ricky Ponting (THE TRULY GENUINE CRICKETER OF THE CRICKET ERA AND WHOSE INTEGRITY SHOULD NEVER be DOUBTED) should be considered as the FOURTH UMPIRE. As per the new rules, FOURTH UMPIRE decision is final and will over ride any decisions taken by any other umpires. ON-FIELD umpires can seek the assistance of RICKY PONTING even if he is not on the field. This rule is to be made, so that every team should understand the importance of the FOURTH UMPIRE.

Ø While AUSTRALIAN TEAM is bowling, If the ball lands anywhere close to the AUSTRALIAN FIELDER(WITHIN 5 metre distance), the batsman is to be considered OUT irrelevant of whether the catch was taken cleanly or grassed. Any decision for further clarification should be seeked from the FOURTH UMPIRE. This is made to ensure that the cricket is played with SPORTIVE SPIRIT by all the teams.

Ø While BATTING, AUSTRALIAN players will wait for the ON-FIELD UMPIRE decisions only (even if the catch goes to the FIFTH SLIP as the ball might not have touched the bat). Each AUSTRALIAN batsman has to be out FOUR TIMES (Minimum) before he can return to the pavilion. In case of THE CRICKETER WITH INTEGRITY, this can be higher.

Ø UMPIRES should consider a huge bonus if an AUSTRALIAN player scores a century. Any wrong decisions can be ignored as they will be paid huge bonus and will receive timely incentives.