Away from citys din,they study under streetlights…..Shreya Bhandary
Mumbai: Its late in the evening and 18-year-old Aakash Tirmal,an HSC student,leaves his house at Century Bazaar and walks a good 20 minutes towards Podar Gully in Worli.Once there,he finds a bright halogen light and quietly spreads some newspapers on the footpath,underneath the light.This is where Tirmal and hordes of other students get together every evening to prepare for the examination.
I study at my house till late afternoon and then play football for an hour or so.In the evening,there are too many people at home and I cant concentrate on my studies, says Tirmal.Podar Gully is where this student of science from SIWS College ends up concentrating more on his subjects and prepares for his HSC examination.The good thing is that if I dont understand something,I can ask the others who study with me, adds the boy.
Podar Gully is just one of the many such points across the city where students make the most of the quiet and serene ambience and study till the wee hours.The S K Patil Udyaan study centre is situated at the end of a dingy lane,but the lights and seating area at the garden is perfect for many students.We usually get together here to solve maths and accounts problems.It becomes difficult to attend lectures every day.Whatever I miss in class,I am taught here, says Baijul Parikh,a student of Bhavans College in Chowpatty.Parikh works at a cyber caf five days a week and attends college rarely.But he has made good friends at the study centre.They help him with the subjects he has problems in.
While many students make use of the extra study material at the Asiatic Library near Colaba during the day,an equal number sits under the halogen lights on the stairs of the library to study.From 7 pm,these students are glued to their seats till almost midnight to 1 am.
And those who thought its only school and college students who come to these centres,40-year-old Ravi Sankpal proves them wrong.An employee at the Sales Tax Office,Sankpal is appearing for his departmental examinations for the purpose of promotion and finds it difficult to study at his house once hes back home.I studied in Podar Gully for my HSC and degree exams.I am back here to study further, says Sankpal.Also present there was 36-year-old Ravi Kamble.Tired of his nine-tofive job,he is aiming to become a lawyer.My daughter never switches off the TV and neither do I force her to.This place is peaceful and I get to study her till 1 and 2 in the morning, says the second-year law student.
* LET THERE BE QUIET: Students gather under halogen lamps to prepare for exams.Podar Gully is one of many such points in the city where students study till wee hours