A walk down Memory Lane at TCE, Madurai

Walking down that long, winding pathway,
Basking in the warm glow of the morning sun,
Reflecting nostalgically on those good old days,
The very special days that were oh, so fun!

That was the poem I quickly wrote down as I visited my alma mater, the Thiagarajar College of Engineering (TCE) in December 2006.

So much has changed. Yet, the old charm and many of the familiar structures still remain!
It was just past 7 AM in the morning, and the sun was shining a warm, welcoming glow. The air felt really clean, and the morning quiet was only enhanced by the musical chirping of birds all round. Suddenly, you felt how different this was from the smoggy, polluted, noisy hustle and bustle of a big city.

I clicked pictures as I walked towards the Computer Science building.

Pictures DO say a thousand words, and I will only interrupt with short comments to put things in perspective for those who have not been back in the college for ages.

Here's the long, impeccable paved and maintained road leading to the college. The playground is on the left, and the canteen is to the right.














There is an impressive, modern Guest House on the right. It has three good-sized air-conditioned visitor's rooms, a modern Conference Hall and a Dining Room.


Guests, including placement personnel from companies, stay here.
















Here is the Department of Physical Education.


I remember a couple of my classmates who diligently practised singing "songs" for a Farewell Party for our immediate seniors!




















On the right is the entrance to the Men's Hostel. The erstwhile Madura Bank Extension Counter is no longer here. Also, there is a new hostel canteen here with decor that can seriously compete with a fancy restaurant in Chennai - I'm serious! The food I had at this canteen was also of the highest quality!


I also learnt that the Hostel now has a Home Theatre Room and several computers equipped with Internet capabilities.








Yes, it's official! TCE is around 465 metres above mean sea level. That must explain the "elevated" feeling we had at TCE!


There is a Security post to the right, after the entrance to the Men's Hostel.


This sign is right near the security post.














Further down, I was nearing the left turning that would take us to the main College building.


There is now a security gate to screen vehicles moving in.


I was told that security guys have been asked to take down name, address, contact details, branch and year of passing for alumni who might visit on holidays.


That shows the College is serious about rejuvenating and keeping in touch with its alumni.
















Next on the right is the new canteen. This complex now has the extension counter for the ICICI Bank (which acquired the erstwhile Bank of Madura), a photocopying centre, a large Canteen Hall, and a Dining Hall that is used for functions, symposia, etc.


The facilities are very modern, and are kept extremely clean. The original canteen (a short distance from the Computer Centre) has been converted into a Women's Rest Centre.








On entering the canteen "Arch", there is a beautifully landscaped, lush green path that leads to the Canteen Building. It's so nicely done, I couldn't help comparing it to some of the lush greenery at Sea World, San Diego!






























Another picture of the verdant surroundings of the canteen, including a beautifully maintained lily pond!
























Ready to turn left to the Main College building, I saw another welcome addition, a "Thought of the Day" board, with a nice quote by motivational speaker, Jim Rohn.


All vehicles need to be parked at this point. No more driving your two-wheeler all the way to the front of the Computer Science building!














Right next to this board was a nice schematic map of the TCE campus.


































Turning left, here's a view of the road leading all the way to the Computer Centre building. An international symposium was going on that day, and you can see flags on both sides set up for the event.


I instantly remembered a note in my autograph book, reminding me about a brilliant idea during Softaware '90 to measure the distance between flags using computer stationery! Each sheet was 1 foot long, and I measured this would be an easy way to find how much distance to leave between flags.


I thought at that time it was "Out of the Box" thinking, but winds soon proved what a hare-brained idea it was!


At this point I could see a magnificent view ot the famous dome of the TCE Main building.


I was particularly proud of this picture.




















Too many images on this page already!
The next set of pictures and narrative, including the famous "Maraththadi" are waiting in the post that follows!