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CleanupDU : An Initiative by Hindu College Students to Promote Cleanliness
By DU Beat
Related: Read more from the life at Delhi University series here
What sets it apart?
The choreography societies were formed from 2002, a young conception, it is currently under operation in colleges such as Sri Venkateswara College, Lady Shri Ram College, Hindu, Hansraj, Kirori Mal, Gargi College, Kamala Nehru College, Netaji Subhas Institute of Technology (NSIT) and Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi (IIT-D) Students choreograph their production often with the help from professional dance choreographers. The piece is built around a theme or a story based on social issues, mythologies, and fiction while others take inspirations from movies and books. It is story telling in the form of dance; abstract yet meaningful. The ten-minute production is accompanied by a voice over in the beginning and in the end, that explains the theme and concludes it respectively.Not just a hobby
Being a member of the dance society, it is both, physically and mentally challenging. With practices stretching for as long as six hours it is no more just a casual hobby. In school, dances would be put up in 2 days time; college productions on the other hand, are a result of months of training, planning and choreography. Since it involves a storyline, students have to come up with ideas and concepts and build them in such a way that they leave an impact on the audience.Blood, Gut and Sweat
Initial months consist of rigorous training and stamina building. Blood, sweat and injuries are an every day passing thing, the body is perpetually agonized by sores and clots with pain in places you could never imagine. And yet, the members remain passionate and turn up day after day for the love of dance.The Challenge
It is important to have dancers that exhibit the same level of experience and training when on stage, decreasing the disparity between first, second an third years, which in fact, is natural. There is always an effort in making these differences less apparent and bringing the dancers to, if not same, but to at least a similar level.Just Friends Or…
There is no body you see more than your society members. You spend almost quarter of your day with them, everyday for 6 months. These people become your friends and eventually, the more clichéd, family. Most often your best friend would be your co society member and your purpose coming to college changes from your academic subject to your society. There is natural bonding just by the virtue of being around each other all the time and sharing memories from the outstation trips and DU festivals.All Rounder Much?
A dancer of the dance society is not only good at dancing but also other facets such as multitasking, crisis management and teamwork. Learning here is beyond dance, extending to life in general. The society builds you as an independent, dedicated, empathetic person, while also increasing your social circle. The fun and good times sneaked between practices always remain with you. It’s a place that makes you feel bad for the people who aren’t a part of this crazy rollercoaster. Being a member of the dance society, commitment, is the key for realizing your growth along with hard work and practice. Each day counts. The strenuous dance schedules and long hours of practice can sometimes take a toll, both on the body and studies. Time management is integral to work out a balance among various spheres but in the end, the magic of stage and lights shared with your tribe make it all worthwhile. [gallery columns="1" size="full" ids="36617,36618"] In pictures: Nritya, the choreography society of SVC Shefali Bharati [email protected]]]>
Haven’t been to the oh so famous Dilli Haat yet? Here’s why it should be your first destination to hit after the exams.
Set up to promote local handicraft and provide trade to craftsmen from all over the country, it’s not just a market. Instead it showcases the Indian culture in a beautiful and colourful light. You can visit it anytime between 10.30 am to 10.00 pm everyday with just an entry ticket of Rs.20.
Flatter yourself with Ethnic Wear
If you are looking for traditional wear like kurtis, shawls, trousers and dupattas, you’ll be stunned by the collections here brought from Rajasthan and North East. You can also find ‘Jootis’ (Footwear) straight from the deserts of Rajasthan. The lac bangles and earrings found in all colors of the rainbow from Kolkata make for great gifts!
Adorn your house with handicrafts
The black pottery and ceramic wares from Manipal, stone art and Mughal paintings from Rajasthan, Madhubhani art from Bihar and the cane and wooden handicrafts from North East will add beauty to your home interiors.
Pamper your taste buds
There are more than 25 stalls serving lip-smacking dishes from various parts like Momos from Sikkim, Bamboo Hot Chicken from Nagaland, Kahwa and Kebabs from Kashmir, Pooranpoli from Mahrashtra and Dhokla from Gujrat. Make sur to give your tummy a nice fill.
Paper-Mache fancy stalls
These stalls are sure to catch your eyes selling various hand painted items made from Paper-Mache like bangles, jewellery boxes, trays, toys and decorative pieces which are rare to find in the local markets.
All this at Pocket-friendly rates!
The Dilli Haat offers all these things at a very reasonable and affordable price so as to make artisans and craftsmen competitive in the market.
Still reading? Go take the yellow line and hop down at INA station!
Tanya Agarwal
The World Trade Organisation deals with the formulation and implementation of international trade rules. Its objectives also include raising the standards of living in member nations, ensuring full employment and expanding the production of goods and services. A Ministerial Conference, that is held every two years, conducts the business of the WTO. The General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) implies that WTO members have varying degrees of commitments in individual service sectors, like transport, education, banking and health.
At the Nairobi Ministerial Conference, slated to take place from 15th to 18th December, 2015, education is on the agenda. India is expected to sign the WTO-GATS agreement at Nairobi, according to which foreign direct investment will be permitted in the education sector. Foriegn universities will set up their campus in the country, and this entails service charges. The WTO will also be given the rights to control India’s education policy through its own accreditation body. Those opposed to this agreement claim that it transforms education into a ‘tradeable service,’ thereby commercialising an important aspect of public welfare. Once the education sector is placed within the purview of WTO norms, it is alleged that the people’s right to education will be rendered redundant, denying education to the poor.
Once it is considered a ‘commodity’ that can be traded in, the sanctity of education will be destroyed. Commercialisation of the education sector can lead to the destruction of the autonomy that academic institutions may enjoy in terms of the syllabus or academic research. Those companies that ‘trade’ in education will be wooed, and their interests protected by the government. Education will then become a ‘market,’ governed by the forces that all markets that trade in goods and services are subject to.
The mere presence of foreign universities in the country can only be beneficial, however, if the purpose of this entry into the country is business and profit, the overall quality of education in the country will only be hampered. The commodification of an essential service, and global trade in the said service, can have two consequences- in India, it can either provide Indian students access to foreign universities and their resources, or contrarily, it can lead to a decline in the overall quality of education in the country owing to unnecessary institutional and administrative influences and restrictions. Thus, India’s stand on the WTO-GATS agreement must be carefully considered, with the Indian education sector in mind.
Sources: http://thecompanion.in/fight-against-inclusion-of-higher-education-in-wto/
Abhinaya Harigovind
“I asked my soul: What is Delhi?
She replied: The world is the body and Delhi its life.”
-Mirza Asadullah Khan Ghalib
Once you’ve transcended and forgiven the horrors of head-ache inducing crowds and traffic, Ghalib’s words might ring true to your ears. Of the myriad experiences that life in Delhi has to offer in terms of its overwhelming sights, sounds and smells, the qawwali at the Dargah of Hazrat Nizamuddin is the soothing balm to the city’s chaos.
The Nizamuddin Dargah is the mausoleum of Nizamuddin Auliya, an eminent sufi saint. The shrine of Amir Khusro, a sufi musician and poet, who was a disciple of Nizamuddin Auliya, is situated within the dargah complex. The tomb of Jahanara Begum, the eldest daughter of Shah Jahan and a follower of Sufism, is also located within the complex. The Nizami Brothers, whose family has been associated with this art for seven centuries, are the traditional qawwals of the dargah. The qawwali session at the dargah has been popularised by its depiction in several recent movies.
Make your way to the dargah on Thursday evenings, at 5:30pm or 9pm (there is just one session at 9pm during the winters), for a unique spiritual experience. At the end of a thronging, narrow market of vivid colours and food, lies the dargah. Women must keep their head covered, and footwear must be left outside, with one of the several shopkeepers at the market. The white marble dome, lit up in soft yellow light, against the evening sky, and the notes of a harmonium guide you towards the courtyards and arches of the dargah; the crowds, gently miling around; evening prayers are to be offered. The smell of rose petals and incense, quiet prayers and gentle connections with a higher power-the experience remains indelible.
A low key tuning of the harmonium, with devotees and tourists alike, gathered around it, gradually develops into a sufi qawwali. The courtyard of the dargah is packed with people, most engrossed in their own spiritual trances, others mesmerised by this declaration of love for the Divine. The power of the music and the lyrics washes over you in waves, as the crowd collectively sways to the music, seated and enthralled. Peace is not as elusive as it usually is.
Dargah of Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya, Mathura Road, Old Nizamuddin Bazar, New Delhi
Nearest metro station: Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium
Abhinaya Harigovind
That time of the year is here when the photocopy machines are occupied, the students with notes are being pampered by their fellow classmates and attempts to finish an entire semester’s topics in a few days are being tried out – college semester-end exam time for DU Students.
Nervousness and sleepless nights take over for some. The sudden change of routine, the stress of wanting to pass or get a good percentage and the typical turmoil surrounds us as we mark the few weeks of intensive studying and hoping for the best. For fucchas, it’s tougher because the experience from getting marks as high in 90s to a sudden drop to 60% is definitely not a good one.
Here we have some of the ways to beat the procrastination as well as the exam blues.
1. Go outside – Yes, it’s time you keep your notes aside if you’ve been studying for hours and go out of your room. You need the break to relax and clear your thoughts out. ‘Outside’ here simply refers to taking a break away from your study area or your room. Set a time period for which you’ll take this break, and just for a short period of time, don’t think about studying and its consequences at all. If possible, engage in exercise (or even dancing) to feel a little more active.
2. Step back and think – Do a reality check. How much have you studied so far? How confident do you feel? If the nervousness or even laziness is taking over you, this is needed. If you’ve done even 60% of what you’ve aimed for, you’re good to take a break. Else, feel free to study just a little more till you feel confident enough to relax.
3. Set a routine – This is perhaps the most important key to beat the blues. Have a fixed time for studying and taking breaks. If possible, set the study time close to the timing you’ll actually be giving your exam so eventually you’ll be more focused during those hours of the day. Make sure to set your hours to sleep so you don’t end up pulling too many all-nighters.
4. Let go of Expectations – Here’s a disclaimer: The marks you get do not define who you are. College exams are really different from school ones and always keep that in mind. Marks definitely matter a lot, but they are not a measure of your intelligence or success. Work hard, but don’t begin to revolve your life around the marks you get. The purpose here is to see your will, dedication towards your work, understanding your subject and diligence.
5. Do that one thing that can de-stress you – Whether it is dancing your heart out, watching a movie or calling up your best friend for a pep talks, just do it. Yes, it’ll take some of your precious time where you could study, but that’s where the planning comes in. Plan the amount of time you’ll spend studying and taking the break. During the break time, simply do that one thing unique to you which can make you happy.
Bonus: Getting back to studying – Taking too many breaks for your own good and you’re unable to study? Read “This” article to get back on track so you can prepare to pass the exams.
Good luck and hope for the best!
Shaina Ahluwalia
Image courtesy: www.encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com
What started out as a fight for democratic reform, a fight for a better life and for liberation from an oppressive regime in Syria four and a half years ago has not only lead to the biggest humanitarian crisis of the 21st century, produced the biggest threat to the free world in the form of the Islamic State but has also prospectively set the stage for a third world war.
As people across the world mourn the victims of the November 13th terror strikes in Paris, there are many who are yet to realize the sheer gravity of the situation in Syria and why the problem of ISIS is not one that will easily go away. France’s declaration of war against the ISIS and subsequent attacks on the city of Raqqa has lead people to wonder whether France will choose to invoke Article 5 of the NATO’s founding treaty which would compel all members of the military alliance including the United States of America to fight alongside them in Syria. A NATO military presence in the region will not only guarantee more bloodshed and destruction but can also lead to further complications. With Russia, backed by Iran and Iraq, already present in the region fighting the ISIS but at the same time protecting the Assad regime, NATO’s involvement could very well be interpreted by Russia as a disguised effort to unseat Assad. As a result two powerful, nuclear-armed military forces with conflicting interests would be within a stone’s throw away from one another, in the most hostile region in the world.
So the question at hand is are we indeed waiting on the edge of a war we cannot escape? The answer is yes, and no. Experts feel that France is unlikely to invoke the aforementioned right primarily because the United States will oppose such a move as they have maintained their stance that military operations on the ground in Syria will be a mistake. On the other hand while Russia reiterated the need to support armed opposition in Syria at the G20 Summit, it came to an agreement with the United States for UN mediated negotiations between the Syrian opposition and regime after a ceasefire.
Hence, whereas the world is not headed towards another Cuban Missile Crisis just yet, it is not waiting on the edge of a war but is already in the midst of one. As the threat of the Islamic State continues to grow and hope for the plight of the Syrian migrants continues to diminish, the world is already a scarier place than it used to be. With over two hundred thousand people dead, nearly eleven million displaced and hundreds adding to those numbers on a daily basis, the war in Syria has already altered the course of human history and remains a problem without an immediate solution.
Shraman Ghosh
Image Courtesy: www.listaka.com
Q. Dear Amma I have been seeing this guy for a few months now, but due to exams our dates have reduced. I am afraid that due to spending less time together he might end up losing interest in me. How can I prevent that?
A. Aiyyo my troubled idli! Do not let your inner insecurity lead you astray.
Foremost, there is no guarantee that you might suffer a dry phase in your relationship due to exams and reduced date time. So little idli shun away your inhibitions and let technology come to your rescue. Sexting can keep the fire burning even if you can’t meet that often. Secondly, with exams just a fortnight away it is imperative for you to focus on completing your syllabus and urge him to do the same or atleast reach an understanding that this is just a phase and will last for a few weeks!
The trick is to strike a balance, without letting your focus slip you can manage to maintain a healthy relationship. But it is also important for you to understand this little idli; exams do require a little sacrifice and that it never goes in vain. Do not fret, reduced dates will not harm your relationship especially due to exams, Amma suggests you pull out the big guns and go all in for your exam prep because the time nigh!
Amma wishes all her hardworking macchis best of luck for exams!
To send in your queries to Sex Amma email us at [email protected]. We respect your confidentiality as much as you do.
Now, that the exam season is on and we all are running to the Xerox shops for the notes; let’s not forget the stuff we would need on the D-days!! Yes, there would’ve been those painful exam days when you would have definitely forgotten that little eraser or sharpener, times when you would have opened your pencil box only to find that damn ruler to make that graph absent. And yeah, some of us had that day too when we did forget the most important thing, the ADMIT CARD!! So, here is the checklist for all of you to follow on the D-Day.
1. Admit Card and College Id-card
I don’t think I need to emphasize much on the importance of the admit cards since, it’s one of the reasons why many us attend those painful lectures. But seriously guys, your exam day shouldn’t be the day to forget your admit card. And in case you do forget it then, you must have your college I-card. College I-Card would be your only saving grace because with no admit card you’ll have to run all over your college to get permission to sit in the exam. Trust me, your college’s Administration people and Principal would not be very kind to you if you wouldn’t even have that college I-Card. But, carry both the things to be on the safe side.
2. Stationary
3-4 good pens: Either you bring your own pens or risk borrowing the pen which may/may not stop in the middle of exam or make your handwriting horrible. Use the pen which makes your handwriting more beautiful because the only thing that impresses the examiner other than the content of your answer is your handwriting.
The next thing should be sharpener, eraser, 2 pencils (already sharpened, you wouldn’t want to waste time sharpening those pencils), ruler and other geometrical stuff if you need it.
And yes, check your pencil box for little chits and paper because they may be treated as cheating material. Save yourself the drama and embarrassment of getting caught in cheating scandal.
3. Water Bottle
Carry your own water bottle unless you want to run all the way to water cooler to calm down your nerves or quench your thirst.
4. Watch
In an era where almost every third person is addicted to their phone and watches have merely become accessory, during exams it is one of the most important thing. Since, electronic devices are not allowed in examination hall, you’ll have to go back to looking at watch to manage your time. Unless, you want to rely on the examiner to tell the time after every 15 minutes! Your own watch will help you manage your time according to your speed and you’ll finish your exam on time.
5. Calculator or spectacles
Calculator for that exam in which you are allowed to carry it. You’ll save a lot of time by doing long calculations in seconds. Also, don’t forget to carry your spectacles if you need them. It would be extremely frustrating and difficult to write an exam with blurry vision.
6. Cardboard
Always carry your cardboard. You never know when the stars may change and you have to sit on damaged or broken furniture during your exam. Carry cardboard for those ‘canteen turned exam halls’ where furniture is not at all reliable.
7. You and your confidence
Yes, this is the most important thing. You’ve to be present in the examination hall to actually write the exam. It is always advisable to reach the exam hall before exam starts. You never know about the traffic or the metro. Take no chances and be there before time. Also, even if you’ve not prepared well, just don’t sit in the exam all worked up. Nervousness will only worsen things for you and make you forget the stuff that you already know. Sit in the exam like you know everything, even if you don’t. Be confident. Gather all your strength and face the exam with a smile on face.
All the best for the exams!!
Nidhi Panchal
Two semesters at Delhi University taught me one thing straight-Smart work is more important than hard work. Cheating not only helps you in efficient time management but also assures a better grade in an environment where failure is not a learning process but simply a badge of shame. It obviously isn’t a very fair and moral way of passing your exams but if you do cheat, try to do it right. Here are some of the tips and tricks which will definitely bring heat in the cheat-
1. Don’t be complacent– Make sure you do study a little (even if by 10 years) with a minimum target of passing the exam. Don’t ever entirely depend on cheating. Also, make sure you have the following: pen, spare pens, admit card, and most importantly BRAIN.
2. Whisper the words of Wisdom: It’s alright you don’t have the courage to carry chits in examinations. DU teachers are too old to care about what’s happening, a little whisper here and there never killed anybody.
3. Seven seas apart, yet in my arms. Get a water bottle and gently remove its label, which is usually thick enough to write on. Note down all the important things on the back of the label and stick it back with glue. Some caution and you’re ready to cheat right through clear water.
4. Ma’am can I borrow his calculator? This is one of the most efficient and risk free ways of communicating answers specially in a practical examination. Even if your invigilator does mind exchanging supplies, switch calc’s without her noticing, with answer entered.
5. Don’t give up- If you see yourself falling down the rabbit hole, Swallow the evidence.
6. Sweater weather- I love winters, this is what sleeves are for..
7. Technology with human touch- Either you spend 10K buying books for all the time you’re in college or just buy a smart-watch.
8. Don’t rely completely on the hidden books in washroom- After the second hour bell, I went in search of my friends to the washroom and accidently flushed down some hidden notes as I heard someone approaching. Those notes got me 75/75 in that subject but apparently never worked for the guy who planted them.
9. Kindness doesn’t always pays off- A friend of mine was repeating her 1st year paper and was caught cheating from the notes she had made. She was sitting on the first bench and she wouldn’t have been caught if she hadn’t distributed the chits to everyone around her to help them too.
Tamanna Goel