Whispers of Beauty: A memoir of the IIT-T Campus

Have most of us forgotten the magic that surrounds this campus, or have we grown too accustomed to it? Walked by the same things everyday like clockwork and taken their presence for granted? 

Team Udaan has compiled a piece dedicated just to that! We decided our beautiful campus needed a good round of recognition, in celebration of its fresh air, boundless freedom, uncountable experiences and even secret personal preferences. Here’s to the sights we walk past everyday, recalling the same wonder we felt when we first saw them during our first days on campus! 

the passage between hostel blocks…

Walking towards the majestic mountain, early in the morning, accompanied by deep inhales, mostly in awe of the magnificence of the view, the sharp cold air vaporising every sickening feeling on the list of things that kept you awake the previous night… We’re willing to confirm this stroll is an experience with serious healing energy… Some associate this trek with going out with their friends, arm-around-shoulder, to get on their cycles and ride away into the distance. This is the true college life…

Well, on the other hand, if you’re heading to a class in the CRC in the middle of the afternoon, with the unforgiving sun beating down on you… well, that’s a different story altogether.

the basketball court…

A vast bright blue canvas, a garden full of the roses of camaraderie and the thorns of competition, the basketball court is art. Such a simple design, yet so intricate. A court of length exactly equal to the distance you can run back and forth before your body gives up its basic functions. A three-point line exactly far enough from the ring to make you miss every shot by a hair's width. A ring suspended high enough to make you feel tall yet small. A free throw line at the exact distance from the ring to ensure the shots feel well-earned but unrewarding. A ball of the perfect size and perfect grip which will always slip off your fingers when your shot counts the most. A net intended to simply let you know if the ball passed through the ring, but all the magic...all the joy...all the glory...all those moments of harsh training...all those droplets of sweat...and all those hopes and dreams reside in that net. A "swish", a legendary feeling, neatly sums up what basketball is all about. 

Generations of friendship, discipline, laughter, falling down and getting right back up - this is where it all happens, as the ball sails straight through the ring, silently. Graciously. Beautifully. Perfectly.

the badminton court…

You can’t deny it; most of us spent a major part of our first year here opening ourselves up to the freedom of college and allowing ourselves to move freely without being overly conscious. We gained confidence by playing badminton (coolly or clumsily, so be it) and forged some lasting friendships, the court being the officiant of the bond. The acoustics of the indoor complex deserve their own recognition - tiptoeing into the empty building for a cool splash of water in the middle of the night with the temptation to belt a note out to the ceiling, walking back from Sargam practice sessions with a blanket of fulfilment and a pronounced sense of euphoria, and watching movies with friends on a Saturday night - with the acoustics, limitless spirit of the court, and the freedom of the night, we could go as far as to say the indoor complex is a temple for the soul.

the OAT…

Sometimes, the moon is pink.

Festivals and college nights bring to life a chain of trees twinkling in a tangle of fairy lights. Bordering the steps of the OAT, you can always find a wandering soul taking pictures under the lights with a smile as pure and bright as the decorations. On most nights it’s the perfect spot to sit under the sky and cool yourself down in the gentle breeze where the sky moves and you want to be taken along with it. Calls home are made here after dinner, on a full belly after leaving the mess. Sometimes it feels pleasant to just sit on the grass, among frogs and mosquitoes and watch the sky. On hot summer mornings, the trees are an escape under the light breeze and shade.

the OAT stage…

This is our collective happening. This is a symbol of our oneness as IITT, where people walking on separate paths come together to share a moment or two under the skies and on a grassy carpet. The nights spent here give rise to chaos, butterflies, stomachs aching from laughter, shoulders hoisting up each other, and perhaps even a fist or two flying around in the spirit of festivity. Pictures. Unflattering pictures. Pictures that will go down in history as the most beautiful moments to be captured; pictures that do justice to smiles, tears, shared experiences and friendship. Memories we’ll hold on to and talk about long after we’re gone. Love letters about a certain someone in red who vanishes into the crowd. The lights blind you when you’re on stage, making you forget who you essentially are and where you come from - leaving you with the urge to give everything you have to the outside world.

the lab 2 building…

Easily the most happening place on our campus, this is one for the crowds. This is where legends are made, and where stories are told. For many people, for many nights, this place is home. This could be considered the college equivalent of a temple hall, where you have a sit down with your family and eat prasad while exchanging niceties. Being the perfect junction for every path on our campus, nothing escapes the eyes of these pillars. Meetings, events, celebrations, drama, gossip, fights, you name it, we've seen it here. The seniors would remember the open mic culture that used to kick off back in 2019 - those were some of the most comedic moments when everyone sat out in the open and laughed to their hearts’ content. Moreover, every couple of weeks or so, you can walk by to see people preparing for events, having rangoli competitions, making wish cards for Christmas trees, watching Xcite dance rehearsals or eating pani puri at the Rasoi food stalls. But when we get dressed at the crack of dawn to attend pujas here or gather to decorate Christmas trees, it reminds us of home and how festivals would be celebrated amongst family; it gives strangers a beautiful peek into the festive culture as we celebrate each other’s occasions.

the CRC balcony…

Oh if only walls could talk, if only bricks and concrete had voices, if only we could hear the whispers of the wind from up here, what stories would they tell, what legends would they write, what news would they bring? Would they sigh in melancholy? Would they weep for your sins? Would they giggle with glee? Would they whisper about scandals? Would they cheer with your joy? The perfect location for you, your 3 am thoughts, and the ghosts of your past. If you are here with your friends at night, you can talk about the most random topics, and make fun of each other while the wind blows on your face as you see the night lights go off, one by one.

Overall, the second-floor CRC Balcony is one for the drama, one for the show, and one for the romance. 

the main inner road…

Sometimes you walk this path with your best friend in the whole wide world, and sometimes with someone who broke your heart, but you pretend it's just a nightmare.

Sometimes you nervously smile at someone you’ve never smiled at before, anxiously stare at the ground, or look the other way - anything to avoid eye contact with them.

Sometimes you don’t notice anything because you’re engrossed in laughter and chatter, and sometimes you pause, to take a breather, or wait for a friend to catch up.

Sometimes you run like the world is ending because you’re going to miss the bus.

Sometimes you notice the path has black and red tiles, and you count the number of rows to ensure it’s not uneven.

Sometimes you sit on the ledges by the hostel blocks under the calm sun until it suddenly starts pouring, and you run back inside your hostel just for it to be a passing cloud.

But you walk down this path again and again and again, until one day, you’ll walk down it one last time, and never come back.

under the neem tree…

Under the neem tree is a sanctuary. It is solace. It is peace. Proving to be a perfect shroud from the noise of the world, this tree is one in whose shadows, you can set down your burdens, and float away on a breeze. Under her embrace, you are safe, you are protected. She is gentle and she is kind. Be it with your friends, or just one cough, or alone, this tree surely is one for the memories. Sitting under this tree, gazing over the ground, the rest of the campus fading into white noise, it is not hard to understand why trees are worshipped.

the CC lab…

The computer lab in the early hours of the morning is a most beautiful and serene space. The stillness of the air, punctuated only by the soft whir of the machines, creates an atmosphere of peace and tranquillity. The lab provides a sense of solitude that can be hard to find in the bustle of college life. The rows of desks, each with its own computer, stretch out, inviting you to sit and do what you please - be it work, learning or downloading something the hostel wifi would not grant you the privilege to, all while catching a glimpse of people typing away in their own intriguing fashions and getting their work done for the day. There’s something reassuring in how people collectively and individually complete their goals, one at a time, and the lab sets this reassurance in motion. But how can we possibly end without mentioning the server room, with its racks of gleaming machines and the soft purple light that dances across the walls casting a mesmerising glow over the room? The hum of the servers and people typing away at breakneck speeds all come together to create a symphony that bears testament to the power of technology and its ability to transform our lives. 

hostel Malhaar…

Walking across it at midnight is amazing. It looks like a stream of light spanning an abyss of darkness.

“According to legend, Malhar is so powerful that when sung, it can induce rainfall.”

If you're someone who likes late-night strolls around our campus, there is no way you would have missed the glittering expanse of G block sitting on a road that seems to stretch forever. Named after the powerful raga of torrential rains, Malhaar can only be described as a hostel of immense potential. There is nowhere to go but up. Being the newest hostel block of our campus, it is the newborn child of the hostel management. As annoying as infants can be in their formative years, causing chaos and ruckus, there is no doubt that this new jewel in the crown of IITT has far to go in the future. The peace and solace of a single room, your privacy and your own personal space is bliss. The gentle trek to the new mess and the drilling noise in the background truly make staying here an immersive and unforgettable experience. As diverse as the student group in this hostel is, in those moments of the rush to catch the morning bus connecting these students to anywhere else, we are all one. Between dusty roads, hilly terrain, crowded buses and mass emails, Hostel Malhaar (or G-block as it was once known) residents sure have a lot to tell their children about their college days. 

the IIT Tirupati board ledge...

Did you even attend IITT if you haven't taken a picture in front of this wall?

This ledge isn't just a wall, it's a tomb. It's a tomb dedicated to every first picture and every last picture. A tomb to the memories of every student who ever set foot in the institute. This wall has seen the tears of family parting ways, and years later, those of yet another family parting ways. Seemingly a monumental landmark proudly proclaiming your position, it is a gilded memoir of memories long gone. Sitting on this ledge, it is not hard to see the ghosts of every group of friends who have taken pictures here, hear the laughter of every birthday party here, and feel the tears of every batch group as they say their goodbyes. A testament to college life, this wall carries not just the name of the institute, but also the heavy sighs of bittersweet memories to bear… 

A special thank you to Anant, Noble, Debeshee, Sneha, Satya, Krithi, Keshav and Akhil for their inputs on this article.