Khalsa College sets up traditional ‘gurukul’

New Delhi: Delhi University’s SGTB Khalsa College has become the first college in the varsity to set up a traditional classroom named “Gurukul” in its botanical garden where classes are conducted for ecology, taxonomy and environmental sciences.

The botanical garden, which was christened as “Sri Guru Har Rai Botanical Garden” after the name of the seventh Sikh Guru, has various sections such as herbal garden, mushroom cultivation hut, rockery, bonsai house, nursery, green house, and vermicompost area where students carry out their practical lessons, besides
having theory classes. Even the entrance displays various tools to make students aware of the gardening techniques.

“The ‘Gurukul’ facility is the first of its kind in DU where traditional classroom teaching has taken a turn towards a learning process that is closer to nature. Life sciences students carried out a census of tree species present in the campus, second year students were involved in preparing name plates for the plants and tree species present across the campus, while botany (honours) students baskets for the bonsai house from waste,” said Dr Anjana Sagar, assistant professor of botany.

The herbal garden has around 56 medicinally important and some rare healing herbs such as Rauwolfia, Amla, Chirata, Giloe, Hadjod, Naagdon, black and white Datura, Dambel, and eight species of Tulsi.

“The garden has been named after Sri Guru Har Rai Sahibji because his period in Sikh history is remembered for showing compassion for fauna and special care for flora. His gardens were known for rare collection of healing herbs,” Ms Sagar, who is also the garden convenor, added.

SGTB Khalsa College also participated in the 59th annual flower show held by the university on February 23 this year, where it bagged the second prize under the herbal garden category.