The Flattering Fauna of Banasthali University:
A Student's Review
Meghna 'Phoenix' Ghatak

Banasthali University or Banasthali Vidyapeeth is a women only, deemed university established in 1935 by Rajasthan's first chief minister, Pandit Hiralal Shastri. Lovingly known as Apaji; he,his wife, Ratan and daughter, Shanta dedicated their lives to rural reconstruction in Banasthali, a town in Tonk district, near Niwai approximately 72kms southwest of Jaipur. Here, Apaji and Shantabai handcrafted an educational institute for women, brick by brick initially known as ' Jeevan Kutir' that today provides affordable education to girls from provinces with little or less educational opportunities. Unfortunately, Shantabai passed away at the mere age of 12 but her mission lives on, as myriads of Shantas are trained to pass the legacy to the next Shantas.
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Hoopoe |
Today, one simply has to book a train ticket to Banasthali-Niwai railway station or take a Rajasthan roadways bus from Jaipur bus stand to reach the university brimming with female students right from class one to PhD. It's a fully residential university where students and the entire staff live either on campus or in the surrounding villages. I do not need to elaborate on the empowerment it provides to the villagers who work for the sustainment of the university's day to day life in the form of cooking, cleaning, chauffeuring and commercializing.
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Red wattled Lapwing |
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House Sparrow |
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Indian Munia |
I wish I could say I had the best days of my life here but sadly I didn't. They don't have good doctors in the hospital who can detect a simple fracture, but upon further complaint, a warden accompanied me to a medical facility in Jaipur and helped me with the necessary treatment. We had insensitive faculties in our department who were biased towards certain students but then there were other faculties who sat extra hours with me when I couldn't fathom certain aspects of my dissertation. We had restrictions on going home alone or relatives visiting us but when my mother visited me, she didn't have to pay anything extra for her lodging or food. Yes, some girls were horrible with me, to the extent they formed groups to bully me but I forged lifelong friendships with others.
So, despite the fact that I was admitted reluctantly, my sojourn in the university turned out to be a hate-love relationship filled with a mixed bag of experiences. Hence the moral being, it's your demeanor and outlook that shape you and your future and not the university. But if you want an escape to a study hub like our princes of the old, learning life skills in the midst of wilderness, this may very well be the place for you.
Not bad. Some reorganisation& some good syntsx is r equired, then it may bec8me a lot -
ReplyDeleteThankyou for your valuable feedback.I will work on it.
DeleteVery nice!! Enjoyed your story
ReplyDeleteI am also a Banasthali Alumni and I can relate to each word here. Well written 😊
ReplyDeleteI am also an alumni.I think author was observant and has done really well in terms of writting.
ReplyDeleteReally amazing info provided by you...ekdm dil ko chuu gaya aapka article
ReplyDelete