Onam: Delhi University students from Kerala bond at Lodhi Garden

To give the feel of home away from home, some senior students of DU invited freshers, hailing from Kerala, to hang out in the city.

Walk into Lodhi Gardens on a regular Saturday evening, and you would usually find families picnicking, young ones running around, and couples clicking selfies in front of the historical tombs. But this Saturday, the popular garden acquired a different vibe as nearly 150 youngsters sat in a huge circle, with a few in the centre seen strumming a guitar compelling others to sing along! Most of these were students of Delhi University (DU), who had come together to experience Delhi for the first time, guided by their seniors who are part of YuvaKairali, a city-based Malayali student collective.

.Mingling with strangers, the young made the most of the Saturday evening singing Bollywood numbers such as Samjhawan and Zaalima. (Photos: Raajessh Kashyap/HT)

For many newcomers, this gathering was the first-ever chance to turn strangers into friends and celebrate Onam (August 16 to 26) away from home. Among these was Niranjana Uthaman, a first-year student of Ramanujan College, who confesses, “When you come to such a big city like Delhi, far away from home, it’s easy to feel lost and intimidated. But, to have witnessed a jamming session amid such greenery that too right in the centre of Delhi isn’t something I was expecting when I left home to start my life at DU!”

“Moving from Kerala to Delhi can be a major transition, and we wanted them to know that they have a community here, to rely on. As seniors, we wanted to create a sense of warmth, camaraderie and belonging for the juniors. “We wanted to create a home away from home for Malayali students who’ve moved to Delhi, especially those experiencing the Capital and DU life for the first time... No better time than Onam to bring everyone together!”

says Devabala Padmakumar, a student of MA Political Science and president of the youth collective. Adding to this, Sreevarun, a final-year student of Hansraj College and vice-president of the collective, informs, “We had sent out a simple message: ‘On Saturday, let’s meet at Lodhi Garden’. Even we didn’t expect such a huge turnout.”

Sreyas C, a first-year student at Atma Ram Sanatan Dharma (ARSD) College, shares, “The part that lured me the most was to meet at Lodhi Garden, which is a big part of Delhi’s culture and historical character.”