Buds & Butterflies of IIMC, Dhenkanal

The lush green campus of Indian Institute of Mass Communication, Dhenkanal attracts all eyes. A loud ‘wow’ is expected from everyone who visits the campus.
The rustle of leaves, the chirp of birds and the whistle of insects creates a symphony which is admired by all. The eight acre campus is a house to 200 species of plants & animals.
The hut shaped building has been constructed on the slope of Paniohala(Hanging water) hill which is densely covered by Teak trees. The height of the roofs has been kept high to cozy the students from extreme heat. The entire construction has been done in a sloping manner keeping into consideration environmental concerns i.e. to prevent soil erosion & conserve rain water.
Heavy iron content makes the water taste sweet. In the world which is facing scarcity of freshwater, it is noteworthy that the total water demand of IIMC is met by a single tube well. This is an outcome of roof water & ground water harvesting.
The umpteen varieties of flora & fauna multiply the beauty of the campus.

FLORA: Nature’s perfect gift
IIMC encompasses numerous herbs, shrubs, creepers, crotons, cacti, ferns, medicinal & ornamental plants.
The name of the institute and its logo has been carved out of Hedge plant which has also been used to underline the stairs of the garden. This lemon green shrub can survive without water for 15 days.
Basil, Mint, Sweet neem, Coriander, Anapurna & Amarpoi are the herbs used for medicinal purposes. They also add flavor to food. Mint & coriander make delicious sauces. Ah…….mouthwatering! Amarpoi grows in one of the pots near Academic block. The most peculiar feature of this shrub is that, its leaves are sown to grow a new plant.
Another astonishing fact is the presence of Mango, Guava, Papaya, Blackberry, Mulberry, Lemon, Orange, Date palm, Plum, Bel and several other fruit trees within the campus. Though some of these trees are located in Dr. Mrinal Chatterjee’s house. However, most of them are outside but the bitter reality is that they are eaten by animals before being ripen.
Coming to vegetables, IIMC grows Jackfruit, Awla, Drumstick, Kanchan flowers & some other seasonal vegetables. It also has a spice tree named ‘Tezpatta’.
Hargora, Hibiscus, Bouganbellia, Rose & Rangoon are the flowery plants embellishing the campus. Purple periwinkles are omnipresent. Butterfly weed with vibrant orange & purple miniscule flowers grows alongside the stairs leading to Tank Top. Tank Top is the topmost part of IIM C water tank from where one can view Dhenkanal & also enjoy the cool soothing breeze.
For the beauty conscious girls, IIMC offers Alovera plant which is sown near the entrance gate. Even the boys can use its pulp to smoothen their skin. Beautiful women can make their hairs look prettier by putting wreath of Mogra flowers planted near Brahamputra.
Money plants in the reading room are growing very fast depicting the growth graph of the students.

Plants with mythological significance
Would anyone believe that an educational institution has Rudraksh tree? This tree is planted in the garden adjoining Audio Visual block. IIMC also encompasses Bel tree whose tree paired leaves are offered to Lord Shiva on his birthday (Mahashivratri). The institute also owns Hibiscus, Champa & wood Champa flowers which are offered to different Gods & Goddesses.

Lotus garden
A leaf shaped area has been filled with water to grow Lotus. Though, Lotus couldn’t grow in it but it does have pink colored water lilies.
If one still has a desire to see lotus, they can view the ground lotus tree in front of Brahamputra. This single tree bears peach, orange, white & yellow colored flowers. It’s amazing to watch these different colored flowers in the same tree.
IIMC is a paradise for photographers. One can click awesome pictures of the scenic beauty of the campus. If properly clicked, some of the pix resemble nature wallpapers.

FAUNA: Speechless innocent creatures
Fauna of IIMC comprises of insects, reptiles, mammals, domestic & wild animals.
Pigeons, Parakeets, Crows, Kingfishers & Salik are the species which enjoy their freedom in green campus.
Dogs form an integral part of IIMC family. Head of the institute Dr. Mrinal Chatterjee says, “There is a close relationship between animals & students. Monkeys & dogs visit the campus only during the presence of students.”
The beautiful butterflies enhance the charm of the campus. The ugly looking insects like Moths, Oil insect, Grasshoppers, Cockroaches & Houseflies may seem to be dangerous but they are not so.
Scorpio, Rat snake, Sand boa & Vine snake are the poisonous reptiles from which one needs to be cautious. However, it is not justified to kill them as you see.
How can one forget the monkeys hopping & jumping from one window to another in search of biscuits & cakes? They also visit IIMC to spend their weekend by taking dips in Lotus garden.

Remarks
After giving a brief description of the ecosystem, I interviewed some people.
Satpati Head of Science centre, Dhenkanal said, “IIMC is one of the best eco friendly campuses. I admire its scenic beauty.”
Ananta, student of Oriya journalism adoring the campus said, “IIMC has hygienic atmosphere where you can lead a healthy life.”
Shelly, student of English journalism added, “I have fallen in love with IIMC.”
Putting my personal opinion, I would say that I have never seen a more exquisite eco friendly campus than this one before!

Little bud, Nicest presence, Soft touch, Wonderful sacrifice, the fulfilled love is IIMC!!!

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

People's queries for People in Power

What is Ecoplore?

How I fell in love with 6 kids?