A Day Out With Students

Every year students of 4th semester are taken on an educational tour or power plant visit and picnic by the faculties of our department. Last year I had been unable to go. So this year I decided not to miss out on the fun and to go on the picnic & tour even if it was on a Sunday in hot season of March.

So on 7th March, three college buses taking 91 students, 14 staff members, 6 catering people and their pots and pans, left for CREDA Energy Park with all students hooting and cheering. 🙂

The one hour journey was spent in playing Antakshari with students vs teachers 🙂

Energy Park set up by Chhattisgarh Renewable Energy Development Agency (CREDA) at Raipur is a park based on the theme of generation and usage of various forms of renewable energy sources. The park consists of a beautiful garden with lots of  greenery and flowers, a fountain,an artificial lake and water falls.

There is a statue of the Hindu Sun God (Solar energy is the biggest renewable energy source) and a shloka in His praise at the entrance of the garden. Personally I don’t like giving this Hindu touch to any public place by the government. 😦

The park has been set up to create awareness against pollution and depletion of fossil fuels and educate the public about various forms of renewable energy sources. There are huts having indoor exhibits,working models and interactive games along with some outdoor exhibits too.

There is a generator which generates electricity from the energy contained in our muscles. All we have to do is to run in it :)No one was able to light up the connected lamp. 😀

There are solar energy driven cars for children.

There are solar energy driven and paddle boats in the lake but that area was locked. Also the fountain is used to give a musical fountain show in the evening which is quite wonderful to see, so I have heard.

From there, we left for Champaran or Champajhar.

Champaran, formerly known as Champajhar, is a village in Raipur district, 60 km from the state capital via Arang. The village is identified with Champaranya and therefore has religious significance as the birthplace of the Saint Vallabhacharya, the reformer and founder of the Vallabh sect. A handsome temple has been constructed in his honour. Near this temple is a temple of Champakeshwara Mahadeva.

The place was full of langurs and I came to know it is considered auspicious to feed “chana” to langurs.

The temple complex was huge and very beautiful with paintings,displays and brightly colored walls. This is one of the temples in the complex.

There are several other temples outside the complex, mostly of Lord Krishna with beautiful art work on walls.

After that we decide to spend time chatting and playing games while lunch was being prepared.

Even after being told none of the students had bought any games!! Not even a single badminton racquet or a bat and ball! Nobody had even brought a bed sheet or something to sit/recline on, just in case!

So while we faculties (read: oldies) played “Langdi Billas” the students just passed their time doing nothing and getting bored. After a wonderful buffet lunch and a little rest they all became adamant that they want to the famous mall in Raipur city; the boys wanted to play the video games and the girls wanted to do window shopping. 😐

Such is the young generation. 🙄 Picnicking with food basket, blanket to sit on and outdoor games has become obsolete!

Anyway, as we had to stick to the schedule we denied their request and departed from Champaran after the evening tea and bhajiyas and headed straight back to our city.

At the end of day I had enjoyed seeing new places but not the boring picnic with students.