IIT Bombay Campus - Then (1972) and Now (2019)

2019 12 20

[Please click on the photographs to see the full version.]

I have sourced the 'Then (1972)' photos as screenshots of the movie Jawani Diwani, which was, in part, shot on campus.  Since these are screen grabs, the resolution is not that good.
The 'Now (2019)' are shot by yours truly.

So, here we go:

The first location is the East-End of the Corridor:

The second location is ME Lawns, with the Main Building in the background:

The third location is ME Lawns, with the ME Building in the background:

The next three shots are from near the Lecture Theatre.

Fifth:  LT Foyer, seen from the MB side: 

Sixth:  MB Annexe as seen from near the LT:

Seventh, looking North from near the Breznev tree (yes, it is still there):

Finally there is a shot from in front of the Convo Hall towards the Main Building:

Some shamiyana-work was going on today.  Preparations for the Alumni Day, I suppose.

But the Main Building looks very the same:

 And so does its annex, where we had out drawing halls:

Finally, here is a panoramic picture from the West footpath of the Main Road.

The road is our Main Road.  Main Building is towards the left, Main Gate is towards the right.  The left building is the School of Management and IRCC, the centre one is the Computer Centre, and the right one is the Kanwal Rekhi Building.  The 'ghosts' in the picture are people, compressed by the camera software while processing the panorama.

The Deserted Hostel 8. IIT Bombay Campus.

2019 12 19.

Hostel 8 is unlivable.  All students have left (and not just on vacation).  Today morning when I visited, a lonely watchman was on guard.  No one in the corridors, no one in the rooms, no one in the mess.

Hostel 8 is abandoned and will be demolished.  Another version of Hostel 8 will be built in its place.

I have never seen a hostel so deserted.  This reminded me of the poem "The Deserted Village", by Oliver Goldsmith.

I am told the same fate awaits Hostel 4 and Hostel 7.

Some More Pictures of IIT Bombay Academic Area

2019-12-18
[Added one picture on 2019-12-20.]

(Please click on the photographs to see the full version.)

The Civil Engineering Department Building:

The Lecture Theatre and the LT Lawn:
(The LT is now called P C Saxena Auditorium, PCSA.)

The Central Walkway, from Main Building to IDC and beyond:

Remember the open space and gap in the corridor between Maths and Library?
There was a tree there, which died.
We now have a gazebo at that place, with a sculpture "Hands Reaching Out":

Here are the details.

And here is a bottom-up-view:

Coming soon:  Some photos of Hostel 8.

Some Pictures of IIT Bombay Academic Area (Nostalgia, Then-and-Now)

2019-12-17.

(Please click on the photographs to see the full version.)

While going through my old collection, I came across a 1973 photograph of the Mechanical Engineering Department Building:

I walked up the Main Building on 13-Dec-2019 to try the 'now' version of the same photograph.  Unfortunately, we now have so much of greenery, fortunately, that I could see hardly any part of the ME Building.  I tried two different angles:

I think the only common thing in the two photographs is the big palm tree.

Many of us do not realise how green the IIT Bombay campus has become, over the years!

BEST Route 602, Mumbai

Today, I rode BEST route 602 from Hiranandani Bus Station, Powai, to IIT Main Gate.

For Rs 5 I can skip a 1.5 km walk.  

However, I do not save any time - the bus takes a very circuitous route.

Today, sitting up front, I noticed two old things which still remain unchanged on BEST buses:

• Conductor's bell (top left in the picture above).
• The hand-operated horn (seen near the driver).

I think there are advantages in using the manual bell and horn.

• The conductor/driver will not use the bell/horn unnecessarily - operating them requires effort!
• In the cacophony-on-road in Mumbai, the sound made by the bell and horn is soothing.  It almost sounds like music!

Bottle Palms in IIT Bombay Campus

The road from Main Gate to Main Building in the campus of Indian Institute of Technology Bombay was originally lined with bottle palms on either side.  They looked nice, but did not provide much shade.

Over the years, they were almost crowded out by neem, mayflower, and rain trees.

There is a younger generation of bottle palms, but they are not prominent.

Many of the old ones are dead, and I noticed different types of shrubs/trees growing in them:

However, there are some which are left standing as stumps:

I hope these eyesores are removed soon.

Old Part of Mumbai - near Flora Fountain

Last Sunday (2019 11 17), I found myself doing nothing at Flora Fountain.  So, spent some time loitering around the place, and clicking photographs of old places where I spent quite some time during my childhood and student days.

St Thomas' Cathedral

I parked my car near St Thomas' Cathedral, the original 'zero point' of Mumbai.  Its gate (now no more in existence), west of Flora Fountain, led to the name 'Churchgate' for the railway station nearby.  

Here is a view of the cathedral proper:

St Thomas' Cathedral

Just outside the cathedral, there was an old knife-sharpener (dhaar-waalaa in local lingo).

Dhaar-waalaa

I then walked down to the Flora Fountain traffic island.
Said hello to Madame Flora:

Flora and her Fountain

She complained about the crows that perch on her for no reason.

Here is the Mahatma Gandhi Road (towards Dhobi Talao):

M G Road

And the Veer Nariman Road (towards Churchgate and Marine Drive):

V N Road

The CTO is no more the CTO and looks forlorn:

Finally, noticed the only remaining length of tram tacks in Mumbai (next to Flora Fountain):

Tram Tracks

In this photograph, notice the family being photographed, and the photographer.

I do not think they were aware of the history under their feet!

Dog-Blog

A blog by Chidanand Rajghatta in the Times of India:

Let Sleeping Dogs Lie

Great dogs, great blog!

Marieke and Zenn

Came across the following item on BBC:

Marieke Vervoort

What an athlete, and what a life!

I noticed this picture is the news item:

Zenn

Zenn was her assistance dog.  Please see the images of M and Z:

Marieke and Zenn

R.I.P. Marieke.

Zenn - I am sure someone will take very good care of you.
Your place in canine heaven is assured.

A Fishy Story

Something which I told my niece in a light-hearted way has been converted by her into a nice post.
Here is the link.  Enjoy!

A Fishy Story

My Photographs 12 - Trees at Salford Quays

This has two photographs - one into the Sun, the other away from the Sun.

2019 March 25, near Lowry, Salford Quays, Manchester.

Shooting into the Sun is not a good idea.  However, here the results are not bad.
But, when you compare the two, you realise how important it is to have Mr Sun back you up!