Won't You Let Me Show You Around...

...I'd love to show you our home away from home!

Drive along here, then turn left...

Here is our Guest House...and one of my favourite guards...I've never seen him look so serious! Only for the camera, I can assure you. He used to salute, but now puts his hands together and says, "Namaste"; we are friends.

Welcome to NC Nigam House

Before we go too far, I should show you the most amazing bamboo that I've ever seen...it's growing right beside our entrance!

Tall, huh? A grown man is a few inches taller than the white wall!

Once we've gone through the front part of the building we enter cross the courtyard...isn't it lovely?

Looking from our flat across to the dining hall.

I still can't get over how warm (30C plus...) the days are, and yet it is autumn! The leaves are falling from the trees, and many of the plants have been pruned for the winter. Also, the pool and fountains have been drained, as you can see is the case with our courtyard fountain above.

Here is a view from one of our windows.

Now, I'll take you for a walk around the beautiful campus. I think we'll start with the Main Building, which is just alongside us. That is the building shown in my blog title at the top. Quite grand! It was designed by an infantryman with no experience in architecture, and built by the Brits in 1852.

There are a lot of proud lions all over campus and around Roorkee...
I love them almost as much as elephants!

Just around the corner...sorry, I really can't take a straight photo to save my life!

This is the path to the Director's House...
it's rawther nice and I'll show it to you another day.

We can walk along here to get a better view...

Just add peacocks and gin & tonics!

Now I'll show you some of the sports fields - essentials in a university!

The Cricket Field

The grounds at IITR are huge and used to be bigger. The Cricket Field used to be a little further out and was next to the Polo Field..both fields were encircled by a Race Track! Essentials to the University experience, don't you think!

The Cricket Pavilion was erected In Commemoration of Peace in 1919
(second storey added later)

A lot of the courts are located outdoors and games are played in the evening, when it is cooler. Here's one of the Basketball Courts.

Play starts after 7:00 pm

Other outdoor courts include volleyball and badminton, although there are also indoor facilities for competitive play. Practices are still often held outdoors.

Football Pavilion

There are places for people of many denominations to worship. 

St. John's Church - Protestant

This sweet little church almost looks as if it were plucked from an English village!

Gates to the Hindu Temple

Let's go inside the gates for a moment...here are the two temple buildings.

The lights have been added for this weekend's Diwali celebrations.

There is also a Muslim Mosque as well, but my photo didn't turn out...I'll try another time!

The Mahatma Gandhi Central Library's new building is only about six years old, but has been amassing its collection since 1848, and proudly houses one of only four of Shakespeare's original folio's. I'm still trying to sweet talk my way into seeing that...promise to share, if I do! The rotunda inside is quite beautiful...I'll take you along on my next visit.

Mahatma Gandhi Central Library

Not all campuses have other schools on their grounds, but IITR has primary, secondary, and hearing-impaired schools.

Ardash Bal Niketan Senior Secondary School

I am lucky enough to spend some time with the fabulous students and staff at Anushruti...I'll introduce you to them soon.

Anushruti Nurturing Silence, Creating Lives
Formerly Roorkee School for the Deaf

Yep...that's grass...not, astroturf!

Just around the corner, and past some more beautifully manicured gardens, is Convocation Hall.

You guessed it...it used to be a hangar in WWII!

If we walk along a little more, I'll show you some buildings that may not be typical to most campuses.

Typical pathway...

Here's the Women's Centre...anyone on campus, from professors to support staff, is welcome to come and learn how to cook, sew, embroider, knit, crochet, and maybe take IT or literacy lessons.

Sandhya and I will bring you back here soon...it's a great place!

The fruit stall

The University Tailor...yep, tailor.

Mr. Sukhram - just look at all his fabric! Walls of the stuff!
And he'll get you Scottish tweed, if you ask! Sorry ladies, this is just for the gents.

If you look closely, you'll see the University Hospital, Pharmacy, and ambulances.
This hospital is just to serve patients, it's not a research or teaching facility.

This sign is as old as the Bakery - started in 1937.
I guess if you can read the sign, why make a new one?

The University Bakery's goods are reputedly excellent! And I must admit to hankering after them once I gained a peek. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

There are an assortment of other services, including a couple of dry cleaners, a convenience store, and three shaded outdoor cafes. I'll show you the Student's Club later - it still has the original billiards tables! And beauties they are.

And last, but not least, because I couldn't resist the idea of this, here is the University Dairy. Sadly, now defunct! It was closed in the '80s. But, I could just imagine the pastoral scene with the sumptuous array of organic dairy products. It makes me happy.

The University Dairy...ah, to think what was.

See you soon...xoxo