There are two ways of making one’s
trip; either as a lone ranger and rediscovering places on your own or find a
group of like minded people and make your experience a really constructive one,
by sharing knowledge, perspectives and ideologies about the destinations.
Coming across a fifteen years old circle ‘KLoD.B: Knowing Loving Delhi Better’,
made my walk in Jawahar Lal Nehru University a more insightful one. For me
everything is rediscovery since I have been back to Delhi after a long-long
period of time; and it’s now that I explore traces of left over Aravali Hills
in Delhi. JNU is about a thousand acres campus known for its academia, food and
politics. In fact; food and its natural landscape of unblemished Aravalis and
greenery is one of the main reasons why it’s on the list of many young Delhites
to hang-out. There is another reason as well; but well let’s not highlight that
in my blog (Let’s say ‘Sandwich’).
One finds JNU within the cliffs
that lie between IIT Delhi and Vasant Vihar. In fact it’s believed that IIT
Delhi was established in the Valley of the Aravalies and JNU over the
Aravalies. Here you find the highest natural point in Delhi; the Partha Sarthy Rocks
and it’s a completely different world from the peak. Amidst the busy, urban and
polluted South Delhi, you find yourself over a range surrounded by wilderness
on all sides (Thanks to the current season, we often crept through the shrubs
and thorns). I found the campus as a pretty good spot for weekend rock climbing
and trekking. The Dhaabas; and their food are known to most Delhites for their delicacy
and the economic price (I mean really economic). You find them everywhere, whether
it be behind the central library on the rocks overlooking the green campus, or
the famous Ganga Dhaaba in the valley right opposite to the Ganga hostel. And
then, there is one which is operated by an ex-student of JNU because he just
didn’t wish to leave the campus; known as ‘Mamu ka Dhaaba’. When one can’t find
food anywhere in Delhi late in the night; 24/7 is perhaps the only Dhaaba which
serves you delicious food no matter what time it is.
I personally didn’t interact with
a student there; however the culture is quite apparent from the ambiance of the
place and the magnificent and evocative posters that you find everywhere in the
campus. Among common students; it’s here that I first witnessed art inspired by
true reason and political and social views. Some of them, I found just loud
enough judging by the use of colours and strokes. Other members of the group
who had seen enough of JNU then enlightened me that one observes politics
whether it be left, right wing, or capitalist in its full swing amongst the
students in JNU and indeed some of them later do get a seat in the parliament. And
yes; every now then you observe students distributing pamphlets for some
seminar, or event. 
I almost expected to find the
twenty years old history of JNU, from a personal diary of 1993 which was pushed
between couple of rocks; but unfortunately only the dirty hardbound cover was
left behind with no pages in it. Apparently someone did want us to read; but
the rains which might have dissolved the papers over years didn’t. There is yet
more to explore, the caves and the haunted house that I was told of further
south to the Partha Sarthy Rocks; but I have left them to another visit. 
Thnaks
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