In an unusual attempt to counter the summer heat, the principal of Delhi University’s Lakshmibai College Pratyush Vatsala was seen applying cow dung on the walls of a classroom, calling it a “desi” solution to heat-related complaints.
The effort, captured in a series of videos, was shared by the principal herself on the college’s WhatsApp group for faculty.
In the images and videos circulated on the group, Vatsala is seen standing on a chair, applying cow dung to the walls of a room in C Block, assisted by college staff. The principal wrote on the group, “Desi methods are being adopted to address complaints about the heat in C Block. Those who have classes here will soon receive these rooms in a new form. Efforts are underway to make your teaching experience more comfortable.”
Speaking to The Indian Express, Vatsala said, “It is part of the research proposal by faculty called the ‘Study of Heat Stress Control by Using Traditional Indian Knowledge’” and did not elaborate further.
While cow dung has been traditionally used in rural Indian homes for its natural cooling properties, its application in an urban educational institution has raised curiosity amongst students.
A final-year undergraduate student said, “Although basic facilities like fans are present in the classroom, a back-to-the-roots solution was given by the principal to beat the heat. It was surprising.”
Another student, who is part of the college’s student union, said they have been receiving several complaints over the past week about rising temperatures and malfunctioning fans. “This particular classroom is above the canteen and is part of one of the older buildings. We are not sure how the classroom will function after the cow dung has been applied. We plan to visit next week and speak to the students,” the student said.
A section of the faculty criticised this move.
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Neelam, Academic Council (AC) member and Associate Professor at the college, told The Indian Express: “Basic infrastructure facilities must be addressed seriously. How can one start making changes to classrooms without passing it in the Council? Just because a classroom is old doesn’t mean its infrastructure and maintenance can be ignored. The facilities in our college need urgent attention.”
“Washrooms are unhygienic for both students and teachers, classroom window panes are broken, and there are a lot of mosquitoes. We need practical solutions to these problems — not the application of cow dung on walls,” she added.
Prof Pankaj Garg, Chairman of the Indian National Teacher’s Congress, said, “Such approaches are taking us back in time instead of moving us forward. Instead of addressing infrastructure issues on campus with practical solutions, we are resorting to activities that belong to the Stone Age. That is not right. We are about to enter the fourth year of the National Education Policy, yet there are still no concrete solutions on the table for how we’re going to accommodate students in classrooms with such poor infrastructure.”
The initiative comes at a time when several colleges under Delhi University are grappling with ageing infrastructure and rising pressure from students to ensure better learning environments during the scorching summer months.