Living in a Palace, Eating in a Tavern!!!

Food, clothing & shelter aka roti, kapda aur makaan – the basic necessities of life. Now coming to the situation in hand – the average hosteller. Of course, the college can’t provide clothing to us. But they are in-charge of food and shelter while we are in college. Till last year, we used to curse both our shelter and our food – but now we realize how wrong we were to curse the food. Now the curse is upon us….

7th Block with I Mess!
That was the situation last year – a hostel which seemed as though it was built during the reign of the British, filled with cracks and a mess which seemed a little below average in a fleeting glance. But however bad we said it was, it was always full during lunch hours. In fact, people had to reserve places for the next round. Such was the demand… And the monthly special messes were really a treat to a connoisseur of good food.

In spite of the hostel and the mess being on the two extremes of the college campus, no one had second thoughts about walking the distance – for we knew what awaited us there! And now even though the “food court” is a stone’s throw from our rooms, we think twice before going there to eat…

1K with Food Court!
This is the situation this year – a grand hostel room, a comfy bed, a cushion chair, well-furnished cupboards, a computer table, 24hr internet connection. We couldn’t have wished for more. But as the principle of equivalent exchange states (I’m speaking alchemy I guess) – “In order to obtain something, you have to give something of equal value in return”.

So the “something of equal value” we had to give was our food. The crowded mess gave way to a deserted food court. Many left it and began eating outside (including me). But, however one may praise the food outside, it’s a pain going out each and every time just for the sake of filling your stomach. In case a class gets extended or your teacher leaves you 10 min late from the lab – you are cursed to attend the afternoon classes on a hungry stomach…


Do we really deserve to be sentenced to a life befitting of a prince but with the cuisine suited for a pauper!? Perhaps we do – coz some of us chose to run away to eat outside rather than strive to improve the situation and the rest remained unfazed. Or perhaps, it is just the principle of equivalent exchange…