Every college has it. Every college needs it. None is ever complete without it. A place which is more than what it is. A place without which a college is never really a college. Yes, not an exaggeration. A place where most stories on the campus often begin, are discussed and sometimes even end.
Which or what is this place?
The canteen.
Yes, the canteen but not quite. The canteen but not the proper or designated college canteen.
What?
The hangout which is every bit what it is, a hangout and has nothing to do with food really, even though that’s what it is primarily open for. The hangout where the quality of food and hygiene might actually qualify it for the opposite of a Michelin star. But still a place more frequented than one with three.
A canteen, an eatery, a dhabha, call it what you wish, it is known by several names. A place right at the entrance of a college or near about.
A place more about relationships, friendships, bonds than food.
We had one too. It was called Pancham. Yes, it looked every bit the kind of place you should avoid unless you really wanted the stomach bug. But that did nothing to deter the scores of students, year after year, crossing its threshold.
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An open area with a makeshift roof, wooden tables and benches, not the most hygienic of kitchens but one which served food most students would swear by. A hotbed of everything that happened on the campus.
It was THE PLACE to be, well, at least for the boys. Whether it was the tea, those hot samosas or chats, they swore by it. Ours being mostly a college full of conservative professors, the girls weren’t really found there but that didn’t deter us from sourcing our samosas from there. But it was never about the food really.
It was the place to be after bunking a class. It was the place to be in between classes. It was the place to be after class. It was the place to be at all times.
It was the place where serious discussions happened over a half plate (samosa and chaat) and a special chai.
It was the place to be before campus selections and after. Like I said before, it was the PLACE to be.
If you liked a girl, it was the place you would wait for her. Yes, even if just for a glimpse. If you liked a boy, nine out of ten times you would spot him there.
It was the place where seniors and juniors got together. It was the place where legs were pulled and dates were fixed on behalf of the other. It was the place where serious discussions happened over a half plate (samosa and chaat) and a special chai.
At that time, I used to think it was only something that was integral to our college. But boy, was I wrong?
Around a month back while on one of my journeys, I happened to pass a stretch full of Engineering and Medical Colleges and that’s when I realised it.
I realised no matter how old or new, good or bad, well built or in shambles a college is, it always has that dhabha kind of canteen. It is almost always near the vicinity of the main gate and is the perfect vantage point for everything in that college. No college was, is or can ever be complete without one.
Every college has a Pancham, so tell me about yours.
Yes, oh yes. This post brought back so many memories. We had a Pancham too; except it was called Swastik – it is no longer there, but whenever I cross that road, I think of it, and can visualize it being there. It was a very big part of the whole college experience. 😀
Oh the kokha! We all obviously have it. And some of us who used to smoke this place was more of heaven 😀
So true.. Our canteen was even more discrepit and no lady will step foot in it. So, the library and the gym was the next alternative. But, we had many meaningful, and uh.. insightful conversations there.
Canteen of my school was so Small. Two phones were available. Only two persons can sit there. Other needs to wait outside.
First of all I went to an all girls college. But strangely even though I came from a co-ed school, we had fun. Our college was a small shack and we bought stuff there and headed for the huge rocks behind the college to eat and gossip. Sadly the rocks have now made way for a bigger building and the college has a proper cafeteria. 😉
Awww, you reminded of my days at DU. Such a heartwarming post this is, left me nostalgic 🙂
Oh yes, during MBA, we had Panchu. The same wooden benches, tea in those little glasses, the makeshift roof. Those days…
By the way – did you study at MMM? I was born in that city and my roots are there. My uncle graduated from there and my grandfather really wished I had got admission there 🙂
wow…in what way is it different frm a canteen ??
Wow, this took me down my memory lane. 🙂
Oh yes! We had a place for our cutting chai, grilled sandwiches and vada pao when doing MBA. So pocket friendly as well for the hard on cash students.
Oh yes! We had a place for our cutting chai, grilled sandwiches and vada pao when doing MBA. So pocket friendly as well for the hard on cash students.
oh you brought back my college memories. I had a famous "sharma dhaba" in BIT, popular for its samosas and chai, and budding romance too. Very recently, I was quite amazed to see a facebook page of sharma dhaba 😀 I am sure it is still popular among my juniors and will continue to be for years.
Oh we had a canteen that was so filthy that we only used it when we wanted a sure case of diarrhoea. The tea boy who was called Shiva ( a friend actually thought that Shiva was the generic name for all waiters in our canteen) would serve the tea with one finger in the glass. So when we ordered tea, he would ask " ungli bina ya ungli sath? " " with or without the finger?"
We never used to be in canteen and in fact, no one did. It was the restaurant Savera opposite the gate at Fergusson College in Pune, where we would bunk classes, have intellectual discussions and admire our crushes for we knew the girls would be there. Or, the Katta was a good place inside the campus to hang around.
Hey, I did an interview of MTV former RJ Ramona and do read, if you find time:
https://vishalbheeroo.wordpress.com/2016/05/23/the-enchantress-ramona-arena/
Yes, we had that too. Where we ate boiled eggs and puffs and discussed important issues like – is the college president Single 😛 Those were such carefree and fun filled days 😀
I went to a big state university, so there was probably more than one. I remember an Italian restaurant where I'd order lasagna, but it was really a bowl of melted cheese. This place was in the basement of a building, so dark you could hardly see. When our table was crashed by cockroaches one evening, we got our meal for free.
I went to a big state university, so there was probably more than one. I remember an Italian restaurant where I'd order lasagna, but it was really a bowl of melted cheese. This place was in the basement of a building, so dark you could hardly see. When our table was crashed by cockroaches one evening, we got our meal for free.