Prominence in University cities should be given to the seats of learning, to the structures that house some of the finest brains and intellect in the world and the pictures below signify and tell you that.

But first the du Vin. A center, as the name suggests, for the tasting of fine wine. Equipment and facilities for which seemed to occupy a pride of place within the premises.

The premise was compact and small, its narrow and limited area giving rise to a labyrinth of staircases, turning and twisting their way into the maze of odd shaped and odd named rooms. The numerous sign boards stating and warning us ‘To mind our Heads’ was sufficient testimony to the fact that space constraints were far too evident.. and prominent.

As I was shown into my room after several sharp negotiations, I was horrified to find that the main entrance to it was through the bathroom. Yes.. the bathroom !! The front door opened up into the bathing area of the suite, past an old world functional bath tub, toiletries and all. This was obviously an underground area. The looped and wood beamed ceilings spelt it out. A door at the far end of the bedroom opened up to an outdoor terrace and a dungeon like entrance by the side of the bed was introduced to us by efficient managers, as the ‘cinema room’. On gingerly groping my way into said room after the formalities of welcome were over, I discovered actually that there could not have been a more apt description of it.

In a narrow, dark, tavern-like cozy and extremely small architecture, were 2 large reclining chair sofas - those old world divan like semi beds, facing a large TV screen at the end of this Metro-Eros-Liberty private viewing theatre, where once would have been the wine cellars of the city.

It was minimal, cozy, full of little artifacts of yore and warm. Warm enough to give me the courage to sit and rehearse and learn those lines that were to come in enactment, the following day. Warm enough to overcome the stresses of life by understanding certain basic issues.

And then holding the script, or ’sights’ as modern day cinema assistants would define and refer to them, by the side of my pillow, reciting my words even by the overcoming slumber, I drifted away.

Gosh .. !! its almost like effective coincidentality (?) - I drifting off, now, myself after a hard day’s work.

So while you shall hopefully live with the grandeur of St John’s College, I shall catch up with some energy to be refreshed in memory by the ‘morrow’.

Do excuse the indulgence then. I would rather be horizontal than a half vertical, head bobbing, wreck, were I to continue any longer.

Good Night !!

Amitabh Bachchan