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The many firsts of college life

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College is the beginning of a new phase of life. You leave the often claustrophobic (read protective) environment of school and home and move into the ‘real world.’ As you get busy with admissions, moving out of home, moving into a hostel and then with the general life in this entirely new setting, here are a few a few milestones you pass as you meander through the three years.

1. First elections

Quite a lot of universities have a well formed political base with strong student unions. Delhi University has an extremely active political environment and a student union which remains in news throughout. As a fresher, you are literally thrown into the vortex of student politics when college begins as different political parties persuade you to cast your vote for them in the elections and campaign around day in and day out. And for most of the students, these are the first elections they witness, albeit on a smaller scale. Enjoy the elections; make an informed choice and most of all relish your first experience of taking part in your very first elections.

Image Credits: Youth ki Awaz
Image Credits: Youth ki Awaz

2. College Fests

The Delhi University fest season is crazy. The season which begins in February has each college organize a festival which involves a series of extra- curricular activity competitions, lip smacking food and a hectic line up of events. The fests also see a myriad of artists performing on star nights to close the fests. This year, Delhi University saw artists like Salim Sulaiman, Farhan Akhtar and many more perform. The fest season is like one never ending party and something that every fresher waits for with bated breath.

Image Credits: Chirag Sharma for DU Beat
Image Credits: Chirag Sharma for DU Beat

3. Freedom

College gives you a taste of unrequited freedom, a way to get away from the shackles of the protective environment of home and school. For many students this freedom is very new, something not a lot of them get to experience very often. Bunking classes is easier in college and helps students to explore the city and what it has to offer. It is often in college that many students realize their love and passion for travelling and exploring the unknown. I for one can vouch for that!

Image credits: modifylifestyle.com
Image credits: modifylifestyle.com

4. The home away from home

Relevant mostly for outstation candidates, the home away from home- the PG or hostel experience is something the majority experiences for the first time. The mess food is a struggle of its own kind and the deadlines are often infuriating. But the PG/ Hostel life has so much to teach! For one, you become a pro at handling your expenses (keeping in mind the amount of times you have to order in.) Accommodating and adjusting are not words but virtues that you add to your skill set.

Image credits: Gettyimages/ Hindustan Times
Image credits: Gettyimages/ Hindustan Times

Featured image credits: bestofpictures.com 

Akshara Srivastava

[email protected]

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Admissions 2016

DU to allow students to apply for vacant seats without cancelling admissions in 2nd phase

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In a major relief to several aspirants, the under graduate admissions committee of Delhi University has allowed students to apply for the vacant seats in various courses across colleges under this round of admissions. Students can now apply for the same by logging into their respective accounts in the undergraduate admissions portal. The link for the same shall be made available from tomorrow i.e-26th July 2016. Tomorrow is also the also the last date for accessing the admission portal for applying for the same.

The students who have already been admitted in any college of Delhi University need not require to withdraw their admissions from their current colleges to apply to other colleges. Furthermore the candidates are not required to submit the print out of their application form at the colleges they are applying in.

The students are also advised to confirm their name in the merit list of the colleges before cancelling their admissions at their current colleges. Neither Delhi University nor the college shall be responsible if the student cancels his/her admissions in one college and fails to get admission elsewhere.

 

For any further clarifications regarding the issue the students can call University Helpline numbers given below.

011-27667092

155215(Without any pre code)

011-27006900

 

Picture from www.du.ac.in

Srivedant Kar

[email protected]

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Campus Central

DU North Campus: Where the Insiders go

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Jyoti Chinese Corner at Patel Chest Situated amidst the gazillion printing shops and book stalls in Patel Chest, Jyoti is a small stall dishing out excellent food. For such a tiny establishment, it certainly boasts an extensive menu starting from the famous momo and chowmein, to thukpa and shyapta (a Tibeatan meat dish). The portions are also quite large. The only glitch perhaps is that it is constantly packed and seating is limited to about 5 persons. However, for such good food at reasonable rates, who would even complain waiting for a few minutes? One insider tip is to order the ‘home delivery momo’ which although priced substantially higher than the regular momo they serve, is definitely a must have! Le-phing at MajnukaTilla The best reason to visit the famous Tibetan Market, which is a 15 minute auto ride away from North Campus, is perhaps to try ‘Le-Phing’ which is only available here. A famous Tibetan street dish, Le-Phing is usually priced at Rs30 a bowl, and served both dry and with soup, and you can either choose it in yellow or white. Most stall owners are tight lipped about how they prepare it, so you probably won’t even know what you’re actually having. It’s basically a cold mung bean noodle dish dolled up with soya-beans, soya-sauce, salt, vinegar and some magical chutney-like concoction. Perhaps an acquired taste, Le-phing has some serious die-hard fans. If you join the club, expect frequent trips to MajnuKaTilla in between classes to satiate le-phing cravings. Waffle Hut at Kamla Nagar This is a waffle joint in a small bylane in Kamla Nagar, behind the McDonalds on Bungalow Road. Be-fitting its name, it boasts a wide range of freshly made waffles with both sweet and savoury toppings. In case you want to try an extensive variety, it is advisable to order quarter sized pieces with different toppings. The unique pizza waffle is definitely worth a try! Since it is tucked in between many other shops, you might overlook it, so asking for directions is helpful. Bistro at Kamla Nagar A perfect way to ‘TRY’ to beat the summer heat is to have one of the various drinks and sundaes available at this stall. While there are many places around campus offering the same, its main attraction is its pricing. An almost half-a-litre glass of Virgin Mojito comes at 50rs, and a substantial helping of chocolate fudge sundae at just Rs.60. In addition, veg sandwiches and snacks are also available. Although seating isn’t available, you can’t help yourself from going back once you’ve tried it. FUNKY at Bungalow Road A mini Sarojini-Nagar, Funky is a clothing shop that many DU students frequent. Although there are many vendors selling cheap clothes on the streets, the collection here is the best. Tops, dresses, trousers and shorts are priced at around Rs.150 to 250. An occasional gem in the form of a cocktail dress or branded item isn’t uncommon here. However, sometimes the clothes are a little costume-like, so a keen look through the racks can go a long way. Also, they do bring in new stuff quite frequently. Since it is somewhat hidden in a basement amidst the shops in Bungalow Road, it is best to ask seniors or friends for directions.   Swareena Gurung [email protected]]]>

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DUB Speak

5 College lessons to learn at the start of your first year

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College life initially feels like a slow brutal transition from a cushioned environment of importance to an equal platform and everyone’s ready to dive. It’s important that you know that everyone around you is feeling the same way, watching everyone else’s steps and calculating how they’re handling it.

Here are some lessons that you can probably learn before you take that first step into campus unlike a lot of other people who only had these epiphanies once they were done with their first year.

1. Can’t win ’em all, my friend:

Image credits: Indian Express
Image credits: Indian Express

School and College are too very different institutions of education (unless you went from a Christian girls school to a Christian girls college), so attacking exams is not going to be the same. About three months into college you’re going to be very confused about course structure and sadly the professors’ jaded monologue will not give you closure. If you were some inconceivably thorough kid in school, those days are over. Studying for exams in DU is concise and precise. The professors will scare you about an array of topics (do not lose sleep over it). When you find yourself fairly acquainted with the subject, search for past year papers, go through about three papers for the subject, pick the common four or five questions and target them as your syllabus (trust me, with all the chilling, you won’t even have time to reach out for the 6th question).

FYI: A Delhi University paper usually offer you a lot of choice – attempting 4-6 out of 8-10 questions.

2. Present:

Image credits: huntercuny.edu
Image credits: huntercuny.edu

Most of the times we get so caught up keeping up with all the partying after school that we kind of carry it with us to college too. (Never a bad thing!) However, a lot of us take a bullet at the end of the year when we get our mark sheet and there is this beautiful column of loops under our attendance or well our internal exam marks. In colleges where attendance carries marks, it’s crucial to assert that 5 additional marks in each subject can really turn that frown upside down. Calculate what constitutes 85% in your college and then limit your weekly holidays accordingly. This way you don’t fall short and you also don’t compromise on those much needed holidays to just sleep in.

 3. Compulsory what?:

Image credits: cliparts.co
Image credits: cliparts.co

There is this ominous period at the end of the year in college where literally every student runs around campus like there’s a clearance sale and their favourite Zara top is going for 200 bucks. This grief is brought by a college clearance slip that calls for signatures, approvals, a lot of pleading and it also really gets your creative juices flowing. At the beginning of the year, students are asked to pick a compulsory society (DO IT!). Go and register yourself with whichever society interests you or brings out the philanthropist in you because when the clouds are overhead and everyone’s begging for clearance, you want to be the one that gets a straight signature. Most of these societies involve NGOs and very modest work. Pick a day in the week, stay back for an extra hour and do the work. Bee very smart when you’re picking a society. Do not go for complicated societies which require you to work outside college and also require more than 10 hours per semester for clearance. At the end of the day, this is gratifying, feel-good work and you get a shiny certificate at the end of the semester.

FYI: Incase you don’t complete the requisite 10 hours you can make up for it next semester, if you’re a few hours up or actually more likely to be down, then be a likeable person so that society convenors do you some favours.

4. Societal Pressure:

Image credits: Divik Gupta
Image credits: Divik Gupta

When you first enter college, there are waves of students being swayed from one society’s auditions to another. It’s great to try out all your options but if you’re actually looking to join an additional society to showcase your talents, make sure it’s really what you want to do. Society Members tend to attract quite a lot of grief from professors (Don’t fight back). Your professors are looking out for you because you’re going to be missing a whole load of classes. Just make sure it’s worth it. If you choose well, it can be one of the most enterprising decisions you make in college and can really shape your growth but entering societies or external organizations because you think you can get to higher levels in a shorter time is not worth the effort. All societies have wacky culture, you have to make sure you keep your personality separate from it and not merge the two. You don’t want to try and fit in; you need the society or organisation to fit you.

5. Communicate and Elucidate:

Image credits: Hindustan Times
Image credits: Hindustan Times

One very important aspect of college is the part where you actually build a database for life. Make yourself open to conversation if you aren’t because these people that you associate with are the ones you want to keep in a lifelong contact book. Our generation tends to find people with common interests and form interest groups that have issue or topic related discussions and we have a separate group of friends for our affectionate rendezvous’. This is a great quality to have because people with the same interests will help each reach greater heights within their field. Always keep one eye on their endeavours and seek to be inspired by the people around you. A lot of people were stars in school but everyone you meet in college worked just as hard as you, so toss that ‘know it all’ attitude and seek to be inspired. Fellow students might be involved in projects you never knew existed. It’s a two-way street so surge to inspire as well, help people grow and don’t be afraid of giving other people opportunities that you might have turned down. It definitely makes you look pretty damn good!

Feature Image credits: Vibhana Kanwar for DU Beat ([email protected])

Baani Kashyap
[email protected]

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DUB Speak

The Political Landscape In Delhi University

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One’s political acumen takes a tangible hit when confronted with DU politics. By the time one believes to have understood its nitty gritty, the politics changes its form.

Political symbolism is at its full bloom around the rainy month of August. Pamphlets, flyers and posters seem to take over almost every wall, classroom, canteen and road. Even cars seem to flaunt their ‘poster-friendly’ being at you. During this time, the multi-layered being of politics becomes more than obvious. Class level, department level, college level and university level elections happen around the same time at the varsity.

At the university level, it’s a contest between the Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP, the student wing of BJP), National Students’ Union of India (NSUI, the student wing of Congress), All India Students’ Association (AISA, the student wing of CPI M-L), Students’ Federation of India (SFI, the student wing of CPI M) and Chhatra Yuva Sangharsh Samiti (CYSS, the student wing of AAP) apart from other smaller parties. Calling this contest a microcosm of mainstream elections would be an understatement, as the number of voters in varsity is roughly the size of a Vidhan Sabha electorate.

The diverse forms of campaigning techniques make it clear that there’s no need to be a part of any political party in order to be political. Political speeches and deliverances become a common scene during the new session, with promotional hoardings acting as backdrops. You’re bound to find many on-the-move political pundits around the campus during this time. Unmissable is the insightfulness displayed by rickshaw waalas whose predictions about rain and elections never seem to go wrong.

Featured Image Credits : www.indianexpress.com

Sidharth Yadav
[email protected]

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DUB Speak

Get out of your shell: There’s a whole world waiting for you

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Writer: Have you watched the American T.V. series named Breaking Bad?

Readers: No, we haven’t!

Writer: Okay, but can you please try to remember the scene from season 2 episode 9? Pinkman and Walter had been cooking for 4 days, somewhere near the Indian desert, and suddenly the truck’s engine exploded because of Pinkman’s antics. But the fun part was Pinkman’s hilarious arguments. He refused to take the blame himself!

Readers: But dude, we have not watched that serial!

Writer: Oh, now you remember, right? Wasn’t it funny?

I know this whole conversation is not funny but annoying. If a person hasn’t watched a particular series, how can I expect him to remember a particular scene? But isn’t life the same as an American T.V series, and aren’t your experiences like those scenes?

Can you feel the same emotions when I tell you that for the last four days, I have been sleeping inside a brothel, and working for the rights of prostitutes and their children? Will you understand when I tell you that for the last 7 months I have been working as a photo journalist for one of the best media houses? Will you understand how it felt when I covered Farhan Akhtar’s concert as my first assignment? Will you be able to feel the same way when I tell you how it felt, sitting in the park, with a cigarette in my hand, at 3:00 AM, discussing how to change the scenario? No, you won’t. You won’t understand a bit of it, because a year ago, I didn’t understand it myself. I had no idea how it would change the way I look at society, because I hadn’t experienced it before, because, maybe I was busy sleeping, like you are now. Your small town might brighten your life with simplicity, but it will keep you in a closed cocoon—your family will guard you at every point.

When I took my first puff of those crystals, I saw the power of freedom that this new city gave me, far from my native town. Then, I took my second puff and I saw my freedom juxtaposed with fear and anxiety for all the things I had left behind, and of the future that was all alone. And then, the dawn of realisation knocked on my door. Only then was I ready to take responsibility for my actions. I was robbed and badly beaten, because I took a decision to go on a solo trip without telling anyone. I slept for 3 consecutive days, only to realise that now, no one will wake me up. But didn’t these experiences make me the person I’m today? Didn’t these experiences ‘make’ every person who tried to come out of their shell, and out of the luxurious life that their parents provided them with? It has been a year and I have achieved a lot and learnt a lot from my mistakes. Like any other waterbug who didn’t want to be a ‘Junior Sharma’ or ‘Junior Bajaj,’ now I have my individuality.

Now, let’s discuss the problems. I know you have a hundred reasons to remain in your native town. We also had those reasons—maybe your family is too conservative, maybe your family’s financial condition isn’t that good. My grandma told me, “You have got your family business. I’ll die in the next two years. Why do you need to go out and explore the world of art? Don’t you see my face, it’s full of paintings?”

But isn’t that the true essence of life? To survive amidst all the difficulties? Tell your parents that it’s time for you to fly like a dragonfly and inspire other waterbugs to come out of their shell. It’s your time to face the reality and create your own scenes so that one day you can watch your own TV series.

That’s what Walter White did. No matter what, he survived. Oh I forgot! You haven’t watched Breaking Bad.

Image credits: www.nawa.org

Vegh Daswani

[email protected]

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Beyond the Obvious of Delhi University Colleges

Spotlight: Indraprastha College for Women

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20-06-2016 06.38.57 The college is situated in the posh area of Civil Lines with an excellent metro connectivity from the college walls. Yes, the college has its own Metro Gate!

Infrastructure:

Free periods are mostly spent in the college’s circular canteen, the library, bleachers, back lawns, gymnasium, tut-rooms, front lawns, pavilions or even empty classrooms. In winters especially, one can find girls sunbathing in the college field or soaking the sunlight in the back lawns. [gallery size="medium" ids="43088,43089,43093,43090,43092,43091,43095,43094,43096"]

What to do in between classes:

  •  The only neighbouring site to the college though is the National Centre for Vector-Borne Disease Control. But, IPites are undeterred. The college campus is sufficient enough to kill time in, it is that huge!
  • While most girls like to remain in the campus, there is Moet’s-the Chinese restaurant and Mocha’s for the affluent who prefer to drop there in groups.
  • Sant Parmanand Hospital across the college has Bikano, which is very affordable for anyone.
  • The Momo’s Point and the Roll Point near the Metro Station are also frequently visited sites, along with the Wai-Wai noodles in the Metro station premises.
  • The college’s favourite eatery remains the Bun-Tikki Wala aka Banta Wala, just outside the college gate.
  • A 40 rupee ride to Kamla Nagar and GTB Nagar is all it takes if one wishes. Shopping, partying or simply singing loudly from their cars on the Ridge is what Ipites generally enjoy doing.

Delights to catch on:

The college canteen is often flooded with students, who have a variety to offer from the menu, at affordable prices. Chhole Bhature, Dosa, Chilli Potato, Cold Coffee, Sev Puri, Juices and a lot more is never kept out of service. A huge demand is always catered by a large supply. The college is a photographer’s heaven! With peacocks and parrots around 365 days of the year, the college’s green campus with sprawling environment all around is natural photographic scenery. IPCW boasts of a beautiful front garden with a breathtaking variety of roses and other flowers and a scenically placed fountain. Another photographic place is the graffiti wall in the college. [gallery size="medium" ids="43097,43098,43099,43101,43100,43102,43103,43104,43105"]

Once here, keep an eye for these societies:

The college has a wide range of societies to offer. 1. Abhivyakti, the well-reknowned DramSoc in the DU Circuit 2. Afroza, the much-praised Western Dance Society 3. Alaap, Indian Music Society 4. Mridang, Indian Dance Scoiety 5. Gandhi Study Circle 6. Enactus, IPCW The college has individual achievers too, from mountaineers to academic achievers, to national-level sportswomen. [gallery columns="2" size="medium" ids="43109,43111,43112,43110"]

Annual Fest, Shruti:

Shruti, the annual college-fest is a favourite amongst the DUites. With Singers like Kailaash Kher and Euphoria having performed here in the past, the wide range of activities keeps everyone on their toes, in a fun way. The college-hostels are proud hosts of their independent Proms/ Guest Nights, held in February, which sees a lot of enthusiasm and dancing all evening.   [gallery ids="43107,43106,43108"]

Why join IPCW?

As a part and parcel of an IPites’ life, every student is imbibed with the values of ‘keeping the college clean and tidy’ and ‘helping the needy’. An IPite is fashionable, fun, studious, helping, aware, success-oriented, opportunistic, crazy and hungry-for-food. But, the best part is that the life of a girl of IP College is guy-free. When in IPCW, you won’t miss guys for long, you will have girlfriends and they will be your best mates for life!   Image inputs by Gerush Bahal for DU Beat Ayesha Sareen [email protected]]]>

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Reviews

Play review: 'I Don't Like It As You Like It' by Rajat Kapoor

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I don't like it as you like it

‘ was not Rajat Kapoor’s first, second or even third play with a red nosed cast but his fourth, and he’s definitely got a lot clown culture in his bag without the concept being overcooked. It was an alluring take on the Shakespeare’s comedy ‘As You Like It‘. The play was filled with constant tussle and even role reversal, igniting applause and laughter in perpetuum. The Shakespearean story, by the end of it, will start looking incredibly confusing and you would deem some parts to be quite illogical as part of the original edit. The Clown Corps was lead by the Striking Popo (Joy Fernandes), the play director, who would actually be consistently striking the mischievous rears of his actors. This play dissects each clown’s love life in the background of an economic and identity crisis. While the actors are playing their respective parts, all fiction-life internal jealousy and friction among the characters comes out in their rehearsals. Coco (Aadar Malik) and Mimi (Faezeh Jalali) are star crossed lovers who play the roles of Orlando and Rosalind, who in this play have met online. These characters bring out a funny twist of insecurities that affects their on stage performances and causes them to transition in and out of their roles and, say their usual dialogues in unusual ways. Fifi (Shruti Vyas) was the queen of ‘Friend-Zoning’ with Fido (Vinay Pathak) being the poor obsequious victim, fetching Fifi’s tea and painting her toenails. Their parallel characters Phoebe and Silvius of course correlate with their fiction-life positions and make them share the same one sided chemistry, mostly, being concocted in Silvius’s head. Soso (Cyrus Sahukar) is a classic example of a romance pessimist who plays the character of Melancholy Jacques. The only relationship he can seem to sustain is one where he can successfully predict the outcome to be in his favour, which is with his sock puppet Toto. Gigi (Rytasha Rathore) is the recently flown in ruffle-puff foreign edit of this hopeless lot who is either causing trouble among the actors or passing advances to Popo in order to land a significant role in his production. When the cauldron starts to boil over with all the tension, that’s when the abstract comes to life “To find yourself… you must become the other”. The men and women both puff up with confidence knowing that they understand the opposite sex to the tee. It’s a hysterical circle of events as the women play the men and the men play the women and all the stereotypes attached to each of them are thrown into the audience. The highlight of the play, however, has to be Toto’s frustrated, insightful monologue mocking the entire intent behind the production and the petty fall outs of the characters. It was as if Rajat Kapoor made room for the talent’s as well as the critic’s job. Baani Kashyap [email protected] Image Credits: http://www.mid-day.com/]]>

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Indraprastha College for Women

IP College for Women launches a bilingual website

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IP College for women (IPCW), University of Delhi has recently unveiled the new bilingual website for the college. The website has been made available in English and Hindi now.
“The college’s Hindi/bilingual website has been launched. It can be accessed at www.hindi.ipcollege.ac.in and also from the link on the homepage at www.ipcollege.ac.in” Dr. Babli Saraf, principal of IP College told Hindustan Times.

Ms. Yogi, the union advisor at IPCW said, “It is a part of the national agenda to make all content available in Hindi too. Taking cue from this, the principal took an initiative to make the website a bilingual one.” “The content on the website was translated to Hindi with the assistance of an alumna of IP College, who can be said to service her college”, further added the Union Advisor.

Akshara Srivastava

[email protected]

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Uncategorized

5 reasons why Darjeeling should be on the top of your holiday list!

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With temperatures soaring up to 47 degrees and most parts of India being engulfed by the devilish summer heat, a getaway to the Himalayas can never be overrated. Regardless of the brutal temperatures in other areas, this region seems insulated from the heat and perfect temperatures reign throughout the summer. Of the many beautiful places to choose from, Darjeeling which has aptly been called the “Queen of the Hills,’ should be on top of your holiday itinerary this summer! While any travel magazine or website may provide a generic insight into this place, here’s a local’s report of her hometown!

1. Nepali Cuisine

Nepali Thali
Nepali Thali ( Image credits: https://kellysiew.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/thakali-thali-set.jpg )

People of Darjeeling pride themselves over the delectable local cuisine, which ranges from a full-fledged Nepali thali to the spiciest street food. An average Nepali thali comprises rice and dal along with an assortment of side dishes including sukuti (dried fish), sidra (another dried fish), gundruk (fermented saag) and the infamous kinema (fermented soya bean, which takes the nose some ‘getting-used-to’).
However, as always, the street food is the real showstopper! Although in the pan-Indian scene, the momo has overshadowed its eminence, Darjeeling’s famous aloo-dum, is a local favourite! Obviously the Indian favourite – momo, has its origins in this quaint little town. But beware! The momo-mayo combination here is not only unheard of but, close to blasphemy.
Then there’s the sel-roti (a type of bread which you have to try to know what it is), phaley (Tibetan bread), thukpa (noodles in soup) and so much more waiting for you in Darjeeling.
I could ramble on all day about the local food, but I have a list to complete!

2. Music in the city

music
Saraangi performance (Image Credits: http://im.hunt.in/cg/Darjeeling/City-Guide/music.jpg )

We are a music-loving lot!
Although the Darjeeling carnival happens in winter, music performances on the streets are not uncommon here. And if you’re lucky, you may witness a ‘saarangi’ performance as well. A ‘saarangi’ is a local instrument, somewhat like a violin but with a very distinct sound. For all the rock and jazz lovers, there are many pubs with local bands performing live music lining the streets. A lot of musical talent erupts from here, and you have to be here to soak in the glorious ambiance.

3. For the Adventure-Junkies!

Sandakphu
Sandakphu ( Image Credits: http://www.airtraveller.org/media/reviews/photos/original/b2/ba/2b/Sandakphu-2-73-1417767135.jpg )

To kill the mundane, an adventure seeker should definitely visit Darjeeling! The local Himalayan Mountaineering Institute offers courses on rock-climbing and conducts expeditions to Sandakphu, a nearby village which has the shortest aerial distance from Mt. Everest. Apart from that, one can hike to nearby places including – Tiger Hill where you can witness the most beautiful sunrises. Bikes can also be hired to soar along remote roads rich in landscape and one can also paraglide over town. For lesser adventurous individuals, a morning jog around the scenic Mall Road may also prove a memorable experience.

4. Shopping

selfhelp_centre
Shopping (Image Credits: http://www.sinclairshotels.com/assets/images/darjeeling/sightseeing/selfhelp_centre.jpg )

Tourists often pick up mementos to take back home in order to reminisce their eventful vacation and luckily, Darjeeling abounds in such knick-knacks. The curio-shops here are veritable treasure houses where one can scavenge everything from – Tibetan Masks, jewelry, gems, traditional attire to the infamous weapon of the Gorkhas- the khukuri! On the hand, art or any handicraft enthusiast should definitely take home a ‘thanka,’ a valuable scroll painting depicting Buddhist gods.

5. The people

img_3980

But what is a town without its people? Needless to say, in keeping with the vibrancy of the town, its inhabitants are equally as friendly and welcoming. Striking up a conversation with locals at pubs or at Chowrasta (a meeting place of sorts) couldn’t be easier and proves rather helpful to the enthusiastic traveler.
The people are the real gems here, and it is they who can guide you to the best bakery in town or the cheapest haunt for local ‘daaru’ (it’s called ‘tongba’).

Lastly, in case you couldn’t keep up with the entire local lingo that this article abounds in then, that is just one more reason for you to visit Darjeeling this summer!

Swareena Gurung

[email protected]

 

 

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