MICA...Shela...where?

So you have decided to visit MICANVAS this year. The college is MICA, the place Ahmedabad. All in place till here.

You catch a flight to the city, and land at the Sardar Vallabhai Patel Airport. You ask the auto wala outside to take you to MICA, and he gives you a short weird glance, as if to say ‘Why the hell?’. Now if you were a MICAn and knew the auto rates around the place, about 175 is all you’ll need to pay. But bad news - you’re not, and the auto wala knows it. He asks for a mammoth 250, and after a moment’s hesitation in which you wonder whether he plans to transport you back to your home town, you foolishly agree.

250, eh? Frankly, that is a little too much. Wherever it might be, MICA stills falls within the limits of Ahmedabad city. But that said, be prepared for a marathon ride, one that at least feels worth 250, if not more.

The first half an hour would be spent making your way through the busy Ahmedabad traffic. You would probably thank the gods for the fact that it’s November and not June with the sun beating down on you. Somewhere along the way, the auto would take a turn which would lead to quite a drastic change in the landscape. The traffic would suddenly reduce and the road would be flanked with trees and small gallas on both sides. My dear reader, this is where civilisation roughly ends. You have officially entered the Bopal area. Some more distance and you would reach the Bopal market. Stay patient as the journey isn’t quite over yet. The market is the small, momentary dose of civilisation you are given before you are thrown back into the hinterland.

The final part of your journey, the road from Bopal to Shela village can be quite unsettling for someone who’s been there for the first time. The road is narrow, and really, the colour green is all you can see if you look sideways. To you, it might even appear that you’re going nowhere. You might even wonder whether the auto wala’s tricking you and want to ask a passerby for directions. The advisable thing to do in such a situation would be to stay put and stay patient.

And then, just when you’re about to lose hope, finally like an oasis in the desert - MICA. The first question that would flash in your mind is the most obvious one – why the hell does MICA have to be here, in the middle of nowhere?

Well, there must be reasons. Not that we can help you with any. We’re sure that someone somewhere has a story to tell. What is guaranteed, however, is that once you enter through the gates, the whole trouble and anxiety would prove worthwhile. Perhaps, even more than that.

Stay tuned.

-Abhinav Krishna