Shades of golden, yellow, and brown scattered through the paved ground as a straw mop swept them away. The old neem tree in the courtyard was shedding its leaves, which floated away with the whispers of the wind.

Despite the abundance of leaves on the ground, the tree was still as dense as ever, extending its shade to the students huddled around it. Providing shade to generations upon generations of students, its trunk was charred brown, thick, and knotted, hunching midway like an old man stooping under the weight of his years.

Some people believed the tree had been there as a young plant when the university building was constructed in 1906. Others said it was planted in 1924 at the inauguration of what was supposed to be Prince of Wales Engineering College.

However, as the Prince of Wales was unable to attend the inauguration, the institution was named after the local investor and philanthropist Nadirshaw Edulji Dinshaw and became known as the NED University of Engineering and Technology.

In either case, the tree was about a hundred years old, just as old, if not older, than the buildings around it.

Now, the board of NED University (City Campus) hung over the metal gate, welcoming hordes of students into the campus housing departments of Architecture and Development Studies. Located in the heart of Karachi's historical district, it was no wonder that the university was surrounded by the timeless stone buildings designed by the colonial architect James Strachan.

Leaves crunched and rustled under the feet of the students who were enrolled in the aforementioned departments at one of the best engineering universities in Karachi. The straw mop swept those ocher fragments into piles again as the gardener tended to the courtyard, stopping by the tree to catch his breath. He nodded to the students who greeted him, like the neem, extending his warmth and familiarity to all.

Bags and T-scales hanging over their shoulders, hands weighed down by models and sheet holders, the students of the architecture department went straight past the old neem tree while the rest gathered underneath the cool shade.

"Gulfaam, you forgot your sheets!"

A boy ran up the courtyard, delivering the stack of sheets to the girl who had turned around, carrying what seemed like half of her weight in the form of her drawing tools and board.

"Give me a hand, will you?" she remarked, gesturing him to follow her to the studios in Building B1. They passed by the distinct chimney building that once was an exhibition hall and is currently under renovation.

"You're always making me carry your stuff up and down these stairs," he remarked, balancing the drawing board and the sheets as he climbed the grey steps.

"Not my fault that the studio is on the second floor," she remarked, trudging under the weight of the rest of her material.

The first day of classes after the semester break was always a hassle for most architecture students as they brought all their material for the next four months, storing it in the lockers.

"Alright, I can take it from here." As they entered the studio, she put her tools down on the closest table to the door and instructed him to place the board and sheets there as well. "Thanks, Raza."

A smile broke out on his youthful face, "No need to thank me. If you need help getting something down in the off timings, just call me up."

She nodded, "I will see. Also, when are your classes ending today?"

"Twelve, why?"

"I have a full day as always," she grimaced, "won't be free until four."

He checked the watch on his wrist, "It's alright. I will be under the neem tree. Hasnain is planning to hold a poetry session today with the freshies. It will be fun."

The clock on the plastered wall struck nine and Gulfaam knew the course instructors would be there any moment.

"I will tell you if I get free earlier," she rummaged in her bag for the locker key to place her tools in.

"Okay. Have fun," he teased, smile widening as he saw her roll her chestnut eyes at him.

"Fun is for the DS students. We're here to slave over our projects and die..."

He chuckled, "Don't be so doleful, Gul. It's just the first day. I am sure you will get an off early."

She shook her head with a sigh, "Early offs don't exist for future architects."

"Now, if you want to put it like that, I won't object."

The class was starting to fill up, so Raza stepped back, intending to return to his own department. He greeted the course instructors respectfully and then dashed down the stairs.

A few hours remained before his classes began, so he had plenty of time to enjoy the crisp morning air and look for the fun that his cousin, Gulfaam, had so easily attributed to the DS students, including him.

He spotted Hasnain waving over to him from the neem tree baithak. Most of his class fellows were already gathered there, greeting each other and exchanging pleasantries.

Seeing them, his eyes lit up and he sprinted to the tree, eager to know how their vacations went. A new semester lay ahead with a lot of possibilities and adventures, the thought of which made him quite excited.

The warm buzzing of voices already indicated the students were eagerly exchanging their stories from the break. Raza joined the group, his cheerful voice blending as well in the constant background hum that resonated in the campus courtyard.

Two students had offered to bring chai from the stall outside on Burns Road and everyone raised hands when counting the number of cups. Raza was not a fan of tea earlier but after joining university, he had been convinced to drink a cup a day by his peers.

Besides, there was something about tea served at Burns Road that really boosted his energy like a sugar rush minus the burnout. Soon, the soothing scent of freshly brewed tea ensnared their senses as the warm brown liquid was poured into paper cups and handed out to all the students standing in wait.

Above them, the leaves from the neem tree continued to fall, welcoming the students to yet another impactful year at the oldest engineering institution in Pakistan. 

***

Regional Words and Meanings:

Baithak or bethak literally means "seat" or "place to sit" in several Indic languages. In this case, it refers to a common gathering spot in the campus.

Chai (tea). Usually brewed with milk, crushed tea leaves, and a pinch of cardamom.

Image Courtesy: NED Chimney Building by Muhammad Ahmed (AR-21014)

Word Count: 1032 words