IIT Delhi Canteen (and other things)
IIT Delhi is located between the vast green campus of JNU and the sizeable green patch of Rose Garden in SDA ( Safdarjung Development Area). It, therefore, borrows birds and fauna from both these areas and has done a lot to preserve ecology, itself. Unlike it's greener neighbourhood campus, IIT Delhi is less chaotic. The streets are wide and the greenery is landscaped. Some argue, that this makes it less 'green'. That might be true of it’s jungle cover ( I do not have the statistics for it), but the campus has taken multiple steps to "Be the green change you want to see" - as their Environment Group's tagline says.
The streets are lined with solar lights. Some of the common buildings also have solar panels. The Eco group has carried out plantation drives and you will see some native trees on your walk through the campus. Jamuns are a favourite and if you park your car ( or preferably cycle) next to the main canteen, you will return to a windshield/cycle seat splashed with purple pulp, during summers.
The tree lined boulevards have frequent, nonchalant peacocks, walking alongside students. The Eco group has meticulously recorded calls, clicked photos of birds found on campus – you can click and play with this, on an idol afternoon (http://sustainable.iitd.ac.in/iitdbiodiversity/list.php?cat=2&lid=1).
The campus buzzes with student activity groups – from dancing to aeromodeling, during evenings. I watch and vicariously share the adrenaline rush that one feels when doing something they love, from a safe distance. Spic-Macay, amongst others, holds concerts in IIT Delhi – the location and infrastructure makes it quite a favourite for cultural event organizers.
But my favourite spot is the main canteen. There is a sit-out with tree branches drooping onto your tables. Sometime birds come and join you – mostly mynahs. You get the most mango-ey mango shake throughout the year. There is samosa and chole in the evenings and a fulfilling and filling thali for meal times. The menu is very exhaustive. And you feel very happy – to spend so little, eat so much in such a pretty place.
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