Visit to St. Stephen's College

Visit to St. Stephen's College

Course: B.Sc. Computer Science 1999-2002

I did not realize I studied so much during my stay in college as much I realized after stepping out of college. I may not be the person whom some of my professors or my batch mates would re-collect as the hallmark Stephanian ethos; however personally college left an indelible mark on my life and its ways.

Whenever, I happen to visit Delhi, I try to visit college and feel it once again.This time when I went to Delhi during April, the first thing I did after getting down from the auto ( who agreed to come to Delhi University after a lot of haggling and using choicest expletives to one and all on the street) was to get into a 'rick'. So very Delhi, to call a rick and go about to near by places. In spite of the heat and dust, the ricks are all over the place...There were days when even calling a rick was reserved for ‘rich days’; usually it was walk down to most places.

These pics below are from Rajpur Road to College and the campus. With Delhi Metro Rail Project being functional, the whole landscape looked a bit unfamiliar, but as soon as I got into the Delhi University Enclave, everything seemed to be as it was years ago.

I reached the Allnutt Gate, the security at the gate asked for an ID card. I removed my helmet and told him old student 2002 batch, he let us in. Andrew's Court, Main Corr, Library, Audi, Princi's office, Dean's office, LCR, the cafeteria... These spaces though so distant from where I reside now, did not seem strange to me.

I could sense signs of movement on the campus in spite of the heat. Examinations were on and I was expecting sparse population on the campus; however I spotted some people on the campus. The similarity between the faces then and now was big re-assurance that it has not been decades since I graduated out.I was quite disappointed to loose access to ladies residence which was earlier my block. To my utter shock there was a bright pink curtain on the window too!!!. My single room in Mukherjee East was now given out on a twin sharing basis; and the new occupants had put a 'Do not Disturb' placard neatly as their forefathers did.

The Chapel was serene and was inviting us for a sojourn; we stepped in and for a moment everything fell silent. I thanked the Lord for letting me into this institution which changed my life ever since.

I made quick entry to the cafeteria and thulped the all time favorite minced cutlets and nimbu paani...The arrangement of the cafeteria had been altered, not sure why...

The College Grounds were under renovation for the Commonwealth Games 2010; the science block had been slightly renovated and the Computer Science Department also looked to have been revamped.

While I was walking out of the college, I could not exactly say what I was thinking, but the one thing at the back of my mind was, when will I get to come back here again.