BANARAS :

The English writer Mark Twain wrote that ‘Banaras is older than history, older than tradition, older than legend and looks twice as old as all of them put together’. Well it might reflect the true description of the city but again Banaras has always defied description. It is as old as living memory of Indians and over the period of its existence, it has acquired many names like Varanasi and Kashi. Varanasi is derived from two tributaries of the mighty Ganga - Varuna, that comes in from the north and Assi that comes in from the south. However, Banaras has been aptly defined by its most popular name Kashi - ‘the city of light’

Poets, historians, musicians, politicians, and philosophers have been fascinated by this place and have tried in vain to describe this place in their own ways.Each description shows you a different note, different hue, and aspect of the city. Yet, all of them put together cannot give you the true picture because, people coming to Banaras are effected in different ways.There is something about this place that stirs up some hidden, dormant corners of your soul. And you realize the new unknown dimensions of your own existence. That is Banaras. Banaras is famous for Ganga and its ghats, the temples, its silk palaces, its brass works, its wrestlers, its mangoes, its paan, its lingo and life style, its sweets and of course BHU.

The mighty Ganga through out its course of 2,575 km supports over3000 million people, more than any other river in theworld. Banaras has 6km of this riverside as its share. The splendor of Banaras, rising from the western banks of Ganga, when seen from the river in the dawn is unbelievable. Its best described by Mark Twain :

‘The ghat front is the supreme show place of Banaras. Its tall bluffs are solidly caked from water to summit, along a stretch of three miles, with a splendid jumble of massive and picturesque masonry, a bewildering and beautiful confusion of stone and platforms, temples, stairs, rich and stately palaces -- no where a break, no where a glimpse of the bluff itself; all along the face of it is completely walled from the sight by this crammed perspective of platforms, soaring stairs, sculptured temples, majestic palaces, softening away into the distances: and there is a movement, motion, human life every where and brilliantly costumed- streaming in rain bows up and down the lofty stairway and massed in metaphorical gardens on the miles of great platforms at the rivers’ edge’.

It is no wonder that students coming out from BHU carry with them not only the knowledge obtained in the University but also the more invaluable experience given by Banaras and BHU.

BHU :

BHU was first visioned by Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya back in 1905. He dreamt of a different University that would not only be a center of excellence for modern education but also would integrate Indian philosophy and culture with modern science and technology. He travelled across the whole of India to raise money through donations to realize his dream come true. And people from all strata of the society responded overwhelmingly to his vision. From the Maharaja of Banaras who donated the land for the University, to women who gave their bangles, to workers who donated their daily wages to beggars who donated their day's beggings -- people wholeheartedly contributed their might.

The foundation stone for one of the most beautiful and largest University of Asia was laid on February 04, 1916 by the then Viceroy of India, Lord Hardinge. The occasion is also remembered for the first political speech given by Gandhiji at BHU on this day.

The grounds of the University are laid out like a half-wheel, semi circularly: at the core are the administrative buildings. The inner circle houses the various teaching departments and on the outer rim are hostels and faculty residences. The campus has many play-grounds (indoor as well as outdoor). It continues to be one of the leading universities in the Indian sub-continent.

Students enrolled in MHG have an option of staying at the hostels in the sprawling campus that has nearly 80 hostels. Hostel facility is essentially open to all BHU students and it is by far the most preferred mode of accommodation in Varanasi. Boys are allotted individual rooms while girls have to share their rooms. Every hostel has an accompanying mess in which the students must enroll.

Hostel life in BHU is one of its only kind, needs to be experienced, worth it and truly forms part of the learning experience at BHU. Not to be missed at any cost.

Library: Students can get books from: Central library (CL) :- BHU has huge collection of books onall topics and subjects at a well-maintained library : All the national and international periodicals/journals are available here. Students can also avail free Internet facility here. Departmental Library :- The departmental library at Zoology department has many interesting books. Latest editions and books on hot topics can be found here. MHG library :- This is one of the several privileges MHG students enjoy. They have a separate collection of books, exclusively for MHG students, which are issued to them overnight.

Laboratory :

Students of the M. Sc. in MOLECULAR & HUMAN GENETICS carry out most of their laboratory work in the very well equipped research labs in the Cytogenetics Section of the Department of Zoology. These research labs are comprehensively equipped for carrying out research work in Drosophila Genetics and Cytogenetics, Human Cytogenetics, Molecular Cell Biology and Genetic Engineering. Since the research interests of the different faculty members are diverse, the cumulative facilities are extensive. These laboratories also house the country’s first Multi-photon Confocal Microscope. A unique feature of these laboratories is their completely “open” organization with all the facilities being fully accessible to all the students.

One more unique feature of this course is that students learn all the molecular and bio-chemical techniques ( from classical Drosophila crosses to hardcore molecular biolgy like sequencing and everything in between) in thier first year. And in their second year they get to do a project under the guide of their choice.

The final year students also visit the out-patients’ departments (Hematology, Endocrinology, Pediatrics, Gynecology) at the S. S. Hospital of BHU and under the guidance of medical faculty learn to diagnose different inherited disorders and, in many cases, the students themselves undertake chromosomal/molecular identification of the cause for the disorder.

The Department of Biotechnology, Govt. of India, N. Delhi, has provided an Equipment grant specifically for this course and the necessary equipment are being procured for the specific use by the M. Sc. students. It is expected that a small building (with lecture rooms and laboratories for practical work) will be ready in the near future for teaching of the Molecular & Human Genetics.

Weather :

The weather is “normal” for most part of the year – well, it rains heavily in rainy season, is very hot in summer, and very cold in winter! This is “normal”.

Students would be better off by getting some warm clothes for winters (November through mid February.)

Miscellaneous:

• Students can shop for basic necessities at the shopping center on campus.
• In addition, there is Bank, Health center with free facilities, athletic center, post office and all other paranephrilia that are associated with a standard University, on campus for the students.

Life at BHU : Banaras has its own traditions and customs. One can find a true amalgam of the ancient and modern life here. BHU students are part of that tradition. Students get to participate in various events organized on campus. However, what make BHU one of the unique universities are the events conducted off campus in Varanasi. Through out the year there are programs organized in the city where, renowned artists from whole of India come and perform for the people of Varanasi. Often these programmes are free of cost and these artists come here for the sheer love for their art which they feel is aptly appreciated by the people in Banaras.

The Sawan mela in the month of August heralds the monsoon season and it can give the students a sweet taste of rural India.

The traditional Dev-Diwali ( God's festival of light) performed on the ghats of the majestic Ganga is unique to this place. Countless number of 'diyas' (earthern lamps) light all the ghats along the river in the night. It is like a blanket of stars covering the ghats. It’s truly a Diwali fit for gods.

The Bharat Kala Bhavan, founded in 1930 has more than 90,000 art objects dating from 2nd century B.C. to 1950 A.D. It is the only university museum in India and ranked next only to the national museum.

New students will learn or rather forcefully taught by their seniors that there can be only one hang out for them - Assi ghat. Visits to the ghat on full moon days can act as great rejuvenant.

The main temple in the city of Varanasi is worth a visit and then you would prefer the nearer version of it VT on the campus. Sarnath, waterfalls at Rajdhari and Lakhaniya dhari, Aarthi at the main ghat are some of the must sees. Of course, you get to do all this and much more if you find time from your course - just look at the syllabus or ask the seniors !

For more information on Banaras and BHU,visit :

http://www.varanasionline.com/

http://travel.indiamart.com/uttar-pradesh/varanasi/

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