School’s Out! How Ashoka Spent the Smog Break

After an overwhelming number of signatories (1000+) on a petition to declare a week-long holiday due to the declining air quality, the university administration conceded. This resulted in the impromptu “Smog Break,” a sudden holiday which meant lots of students leaving campus in order to escape the situation. Many students made the most out of it by catching up on rest on campus, visiting home or planning a trip to the hills. Here are some anecdotes and photographs of how Ashokans spent their smog break:

1. “I took a couple of my friends home in the outskirts of Dehradun and took them around Dehradun and Mussoorie.” — Vidipt Dhasmana, UG ‘22.

2. “I went on a solo trip to Bir, Himachal Pradesh, where I went paragliding, explored monasteries, and went mountain biking with other solo travellers who I met at the hostel I was staying at.” — Isabel, UG ‘21.

3. “I spent most of the week on campus. The environmental cost of traveling within such conditions is significant. Also escaping is a privilege. Can millions of inhabitants of Delhi afford to escape? What about the environmental cost of tourism to the hills? Thankfully the air was clear during the day and I captured the warmth in a photograph. I was convinced that getting an air purifier was the most sustainable and ethical response — and that’s what I did.” — Sachin Bhatia, UG ’20.

4. [On campus for the duration of the break, facing the harsh realities of the situation.] — Anjana, YIF ‘20.

5. “I visited Shimla with some friends, and we did a lot of climbing and walking around, because even though the weather was cold, everything was so beautiful. [A friend and I went on an exploratory walk and after climbing up a steep slope, found a stairwell to sit down and catch our breath. The view from our apartment was stunning too.]” — Sahana Anand, UG ‘22.

6. Visited Shimla. — Khushi Shetty, UG ‘22.

7. “Roaming in the mountains, under the stars, listening to the whispers of the cold wind is how I would describe my stay at Dharamshala. This place isfilled with people and their amazing stories. Spending early mornings meditating followed by wandering into the mountains listening to pahadi music and exploring parts of the cities in the afternoons; evenings spent watching a movie or two at the Film Festival.” — Pranathi Jammula, UG ‘22.

8. “We organised an impromptu trip to Manali as soon as the song break was announced, immediately followed by a trip to Dharamshala during the weekend. Thirty students each went for both these trips.” — Club Atlas