Miscellaneous – Rendezvous

Beyond the beaches

Srivatsan — Mon, 16 Oct 2023 07:13:29 +0000

There seems to be significant interest in Tanzania now more than ever before, thanks to the upcoming IIT Madras Zanzibar campus, which is gearing up for a grand opening in October. The time is ripe for some of us to brush up on history: from when the Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama stepped foot on the shores of Unguja, to the time people’s revolution led to the formation of the United Republic of Tanzania, we bring you some of the (fascinating) lesser-known facts about Zanzibar that you might not have come across

By The Office of Global Engagement

Islands of joy

There is a common misconception that Zanzibar is an island; it is an archipelago located in the Indian Ocean. There are several smaller islands and two large ones; Unguja (colloquially known as Zanzibar), and Pemba Island. If you go further down South, there is Mafia Island, which is part of Tanzania’s Mafia Archipelago. With secluded sandbars, nesting turtles and migrating whale sharks, Mafia Island is a unique destination. The place is known to be quieter than Zanzibar.

A trade hub

Zanzibar was once a thriving trading hub. According to multiple reports, traders from Arabia, Persia and India began arriving in the islands of Zanzibar during the 1st century AD by sailing across the ocean. Wealthy port cities began to spring up along the coast, and a large, sheltered harbour was constructed at present-day Zanzibar city. Therefore, Zanzibar became a hotspot for trade and to explore the coast of Eastern Africa. It also made a perfect stop-off location for traders en route to Asia, the Middle East and the interior of Africa.

As a matter of fact, Persian traders gradually settled in Stone Town permanently and their influence on architecture, cuisine and culture can be seen even in present-day Zanzibar. One of the interesting facts is that it was often believed that traders from Yemen built the earliest mosque in the village of Kizimkazi on the southern coast of Zanzibar. But based on an inscription on the wall of the mosque, it was found that it was built in 1107.

The birthplace of Freddie Mercury

He was one of the famous musicians in the world who goes by the name Farroukh Bulsara. Doesn’t it ring a bell? Perhaps you might know him as Freddie Mercury, the lead vocalist and pianist of the famous rock band Queen. Till today, you can see so many tributes to Freddie Mercury at various places around Stone Town. Fans of Queen often flock to the Shangani area of Zanzibar, where Mercury grew up.

Born in 1946 in Zanzibar to Parsi-Indian parents, Mercury attended English boarding schools in India from the age of eight and returned to Zanzibar after secondary school. In 1964, his family fled the Zanzibar Revolution, moving to Middlesex, England. The charismatic performer, along with the other members of Queen, was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2001, following 15 studio albums and unprecedented global success.

When Vasco da Gama arrived in Zanzibar

The famous Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama, who was the first European to successfully reach India by sea, was said to have arrived in Zanzibar in 1499. It is believed that the European way of life and culture was introduced to the islands upon his arrival. Zanzibar became officially part of the Portuguese Empire in 1503 0r 1504, where Portuguese ruled with the mutual assistance of Zanzibari leaders. In fact, it has been reported that the people of Zanzibar had assisted the Portuguese in attacking the coastal city of Mombasa in Kenya more than once.

The land of spices

While tourism is the major source of economy for Zanzibar, the second is spices. So much so that the islands of Zanzibar are sometimes referred to as the Spice Islands. Some of the popular spices are cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon and black pepper. Some tourists take a trip to Zanzibar in order to experience the smell and tastes of spice farms.

A British Protectorate

In 1890, the remains of the Sultanate in Zanzibar were proclaimed a British protectorate. On the death of the ruling Sultan in 1896, however, the royal palace was seized by Khalid bin Barghash who proclaimed himself Sultan. After he refused to step down, the British attacked the palace, leading to the Anglo-Zanzibar War, which was otherwise known as the shortest war in history, which lasted under an hour.

After Khalid bin Barghash’s defeat, the British installed a Sultan of their choice, and British rule through a Sultan became the norm. In 1897, the new Sultan brought an end to Zanzibar’s reputation as a centre for slave trade by banning slavery and freeing all the slaves on the islands. In 1913, the British appointed their own governors and implemented important public health initiatives such as the construction of a sewer system, garbage disposal system and burial system so that the beaches of Zanzibar reeked no more of bodies, excrement and garbage, finally eliminating the foul smell of Stone Town.

On 10 December 1963, Zanzibar received its independence from the United Kingdom as a constitutional monarchy under the Sultan. This state of affairs was short-lived, as the Sultan and the democratically elected government were overthrown on 12 January 1964 in the Zanzibar Revolution led by John Okello, a Ugandan citizen who organized and led the revolution with his followers on the island. Sheikh Abeid Amani Karume was named president of the newly created People’s Republic of Zanzibar, which was a short-lived African state founded in 1964, consisting of the islands of the Zanzibar Archipelago.

The People’s Republic of Zanzibar existed for less than a year before it merged with Tanganyika to create the United Republic of Tanganyika and Zanzibar, which would be renamed to Tanzania in October of 1964.

Your food is being prepared…

Srivatsan — Tue, 26 Sep 2023 08:30:17 +0000

Whether it’s a snack or multiple orders from different eateries, the Isthara Food Court at the Himalaya Student’s Mess has cut down the waiting time of orders for those who are in a rush and may have skipped their meal

Hathim Syed Mohamed

As the clock strikes 6pm, signalling the end of what was a rigorous class, Kritika Nautiyal’s mind shifts from academic pursuits to her rumbling tummy. Instead of surrendering to the usual eatery on her way back to the hostel, Kritika logs onto the Isthara app. A few taps later, her order is placed. She gets a notification that the estimated time is 30 minutes, just enough for Kritika to indulge in a much-needed nap.

After a brief interval, Kritika now walks into the Isthara Food Court, a co-living brand that specialises in smart food court, at the Himalaya Student’s Mess in the hostel zone of IIT-M, to collect her piping hot chai from Chai Waale, and a plate of samosas from Chaat Corner. She takes a seat at the nearest table and, along with many others, enjoys the ICC World Cup Qualifiers’ match between Netherlands and Zimbabwe projected on the screen.

“All other places on campus get crowded a bit so I prefer coming to Isthara because it’s quiet and peaceful. Here, we can sit and not worry about anything – even about the monkeys,” says Kritika, a second year student from the Humanities and Social Sciences department.

Located on the ground floor of the Himalaya Mess, the Isthara Food Court was launched in 2021. It has a wide variety of delectable choices across the seven eateries it hosts — Chai Waale (for tea and snacks), Cool Biz (juices and milkshakes), Chaat Corner (savoury snacks), Vineyard (baked and fried snacks), Deli Pizzeria (fast food), Waah Hyderabadi (biryani, bread and gravies), and Hotel Ananda (vegetarian main course).

Ever since its launch, the food court and its app have been serving the purpose of cutting down the waiting time for those who hate standing in the queue, waiting endlessly to collect the food. Upon entering the food court, customers can conveniently place their orders at the designated payment counter, where an operative guides them through the process using the user-friendly Isthara app.

Whether it’s a single food item or multiple orders from different eateries at the food court, the customer receives a customised QR code — one for each stall in their order. This vouches for a smooth and streamlined experience, ensuring that each stall is promptly notified of the new order and can begin with the food preparation.

Once the order is placed, the delivery team springs into action. The Isthara app has the option of delivering food anywhere within the campus, be it a student waiting for the breakfast they might have missed in the morning or faculty members grabbing a quick lunch. While this seems to be the app’s intention, some students feel that ordering food in person is much easier since the app can be a pain sometimes; the payment portal can be an endless wait, say students. “I only use the food court to have tea or juice. That too when it is not rush hour. Generally, it takes me six minutes to cycle from the department to Himalaya and three more minutes to pay and collect my tea. Who wants to wait for twenty minutes for a tea?” says Sherwin Rodriguez, who is an alumnus and is currently a teaching assistant.

Although the QR method is quick and efficient, it forces you to think of everything that you want to eat before proceeding with the order. In case you crave a cold coke in the middle of the meal, you don’t have the luxury to pay ₹20 to get a bottle. Instead you have to go stand in the queue!

Apart from sales people from each shop, the food court is driven by the efforts of Isthara’s 22 employees. Right from housekeeping, payments to delivery, every member plays a key role in ensuring a seamless dining experience at the 400-seater mess. The housekeepers are prompt, and the food court is clean and hygienic.

Beware of cats and other pet animals, if you are visiting Isthara. There is a ₹1000 fine for anyone caught feeding animals inside the food court, unless a monkey snatches the food from you.

Legend hs it that

Srivatsan — Tue, 26 Sep 2023 05:48:42 +0000

Did you know that there’s a third elephant and a supposedly haunted well on the campus? Rumours and myths passed down from seniors to juniors keep the fresh batch of students entertained every year

Aenakshee Roy

No educational institution is spared from myths and rumours. Apart from survival tactics, what also gets passed down from our seniors are the must-see places on campus and relatable stories; some shared with laughs, some with hushed whispers.

At IIT-M, take the Aerowell, for example. It’s the most famous spot on the list given to us. Ask any student what happened there and they all claim to know. Yet, it is likely that each version of the tale will contradict one another. For instance, people say that someone jumped into the well and died. Regardless of what people claim to know, almost everyone seems to believe, to some extent, that the Aerowell is haunted.

This well is usually a place to tick off the bucket list for freshers. That too, from a list that one can easily ignore. But those who visit the well are often spooked by the eerie atmosphere of the area. Or they get confused by the scribbling on the nearby walls; one of which says: “Kalyan Kumar (with roll number and department name) was here.” The adjacent wall has this written: “Until he wasn’t.”

People who see the scribblings on the wall tend to return to their hostel rooms thinking about what really led someone to write those words there. Who knows, it could well just be a prank or an attempt to scare freshers. But only a select few are privy to the mysterious tale of Kalyan Kumar, the boy who existed until he didn’t.

Perhaps the older batch might recall a boy in the Aerospace Department who was exactly like any other student: attending classes, holding PORs (post of responsibility), living in the hostel and making friends with people. Except one day, the person everyone knew as Kalyan was not even Kalyan to begin with. Apparently, he was a different person who took the identity of Kalyan Kumar on campus. The most impressive part was that he somehow managed to get all documents verified as Kalyan Kumar. The only time he was caught was when he attended a class that the real Kalyan hadn’t registered for. Now whether or not the real Kalyan Kumar was on campus is yet another unsolved mystery.

Legend has it that the imposter just disappeared. No one knows where he went. Some joke that he lived near the Aerowell and hence, the creepy evidence on the walls. We cannot ignore the mysterious graffiti in front of Godavari Hostel if we are talking about mysterious things. There are so many spray-painted faces and caricatures on the walls, most of which were done by seniors from the 2015 batch. But the graffiti in the middle remains unclaimed. No one knows who drew it. The graffiti now stands tall as you enter Godavari.

Another interesting IIT-M trivia is the existence of railway tracks in the midst of trees. If you look at it in passing, nothing would seem out of the ordinary. But if you look at it closely, you will find that the tracks don’t lead anywhere, nor do they have a starting point. What are these random railway tracks doing here? We never know.

Of course, no one really knows or has any explanation for these myths and legends. For example, as silly as it may sound, once you spot a white blackbuck on campus, you wish you saw it on the morning of the quiz. There is a belief that the animal would fetch you an ‘S’ grade. The reasons might seem silly but these legends make our experiences memorable. For example, the noise from the jet propulsion lab that we hear randomly in the thick of the night.

There is no rhyme or reason. But these campus myths get passed down to the next generation and someone would end up believing that the Sangam Ground is the safest place on campus. Like J.R.R. Tolkien in the Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien, we too tend to believe that myths and legends are based on some “truth”. Like the existence of the third elephant (excluding the two at Gajendra Circle) proves this point.

Originally meant to be a treasure hunt question, freshies would be asked to locate the rumoured third elephant in IIT-M. Now, over the years, many people were in fact able to locate the third elephant, although how it ended up there is not known. But at some point, people were made to believe that this particular elephant was once part of the Gajendra Circle.

And so the list goes on. Whether you believe this or not is up to the individual. But it doesn’t hurt to look out for the lucky blackbuck.

This article first appeared in The Fifth Estate, the official student body of IIT-M. You can check out its official website: https://www.t5eiitm.org/