Aligarh : Walking in the AMU
Our large university campuses have a beauty, a feel of their own. Having savoured the environs of the Maharaja Sayajirao University, the Banaras Hindu University, the Allahabad University and the Forest Research Institute I was keen to put in time - doing nothing in particular - at the Aligarh Muslim University. Finally was able to visit Aligarh and walk the campus. The campus is open, treed and neat. The buildings it houses are inviting. Many of these buildings are old, some have the exposed brick exteriors and most seem to have windows which had us pause our walk and re-look. Jarokhas made for stories! Next to the very graceful jaali , the air-conditioner looks very much out of place! The art gallery is clean and spacious. Some of the paintings displayed were - to put simply - exceptional. Next to the art gallery sits a canteen - the late morning winter sun lent it a special feel. Just outside the art gallery sits an art installation made with used glass bottles. Inside a spiral sta...