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The canteen is the only section that sees lively presence of students
TIME FOR A BREAK: Students of Mata Sundri College for Women at their canteen Photo: Sandeep Saxena
Considering the stereotypes, the general silence on the campus of Delhi's Mata Sundri College for Women intrigues you. A few serious-looking individuals pass by, a stern-faced guard at the gate throws an unfriendly look. Cars are neatly parked nearby. So, where are the people, you think? And then, the eyes rest on the colourful board - canteen.
Overlooking a jumbo-sized manicured lawn, it looks welcoming. On entering, you find half the chairs vacant! The place doesn't seem to be the most happening corner of the college!
"The time is wrong. We are having exams. So there are very few girls around," says a student on being approached.
"Otherwise, this is the only section which has full attendance of all students," laughs another. Over a glass of juice and bread pakoras, a gang of no less than 10 girls is conducting the post mortem of the exam paper they have just completed.
Exam time
The canteen manager, addressed as Saini Bhaiya, is seen sitting quietly at the counter. Soaking in the din. Though on usual college days, he is a busy soul taking orders from both students and teachers, exams give him "some time to relax." Saini says though he has a lengthy food list, during exams, he serves only rajma-chawal, bread pakora, plain bread, samosa, uttapam, dosa and a few other items.
"The most expensive dish here is the cheese dosa at Rs.20, and the cheapest is tea and also samosa at Rs.3 each," he says.
Claiming to use only "branded oil, branded water and branded masala" in his cooking, he adds, "girls these days are health conscious. They want to keep their body fit. So, they prefer branded stuff." Though he keeps processed chips packets, only a particular brand sells. "I told you already, they want to remain slim," he pads up his argument.
With thin attendance of students due to the ongoing exams, Saini no doubt is losing out on daily profit, but he seems to have swallowed the fact with ease, "I have been running the canteen for four years now. I am aware of this season."
Well till now, we only knew of tourist season and not a canteen season. A new angle, isn't it?
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