Edited by: Yashasvi Arunkumar (UG 2020)
I came to Ashoka without taking the campus tour and without interacting with anyone on the new admissions group. Bad decision. On the first day, everything was new. The red bricks looked terribly stand-offish. The walk from my residence to the mess didn’t seem to end. When I finally made it, I was greeted by a sea of new faces. So, I went to the first floor. It took me a minute to figure out how to operate the coupon machine. Grabbing the white slip of paper, I stood in line to get my food. Looking at the bright orange gravy, I was already missing home. I took my half-empty plate and went to the mess extension. As I ate the disappointing fare, already contemplating taking the next shuttle to Delhi, I noticed a dark mass jump onto the table: the mess cat.
As I saw this adorable creature licking its paws, a smile crept onto my face. The din of the mess was muted and the world seemed calmer. As I stretched my hand to pet it, it shot me a quizzical look as if sizing me up. Then deciding I was not worthy, it hissed and pranced away. The noise returned and so did the feeling of dejection. But for a moment, in an unfamiliar place, about to embark on the daunting rollercoaster of college life, I had felt comforted.
Okay, that may have been a tad bit exaggerated. But nevertheless, I adore the mess cats. Whenever I spot them around campus, no matter how shitty my day, I always smile. And while I still haven’t had the privilege of petting them, they make me very happy. Recently, these cats have been getting a bad reputation, and I feel that we need to be reminded of their positives, So here is a cat appreciation post.
Here we see a catto waiting to greet Ashokans coming back to campus after a tiring shuttle journey. And it is skipping snack hour to do so, mind you. So selfless.
And this is a baby catto slinking near SH4, looking to steal some morsels off the used mess trays kept near the entrance. When the kittens were born, they used to stay close to the mess. So this kitty ventured far from home in search of food. Relatable.
Some people say that the cats are always pawing at plates, but they’re just looking to keep you company. They will sit in front of you, waiting patiently while you eat and follow you when you go to drop your plate.
The cats sometimes have to scavenge for food in the dustbins. They are putting themselves in danger to make sure no organic material remains in the recyclable bins. I must say, I admire their dedication to proper waste disposal.
Like the Dhaba, the cats are an integral part of the Ashokan landscape. The cats are unpleasant at times, but they do distract you from the stress of deadlines. They make you stop and look, because they are adorable, and also because they are usually doing something worth watching. Like meowing at the Dhaba, asking for their order of honey chilli potatoes and special chai.