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" She walks in beauty, like the night ,Of cloudless climes and starry skies;" Lord Byron.
"Half a league, half a league, Half a league onward,
All in the valley of Death Rode the six hundred." Lord Tennyson.
"I Wander'd lonely as a cloud That floats on high o'er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd, A host, of golden daffodils"; William Wordsworth.
My "Palgrave's Golden Treasury" came cascading down my memory lane, as I entered the hallowed grounds of Cambridge and its famous Colleges. Were any of these poems written here by these great poets? They studied here at Cambridge, the first two at Trinity and Wordsworth at St. John's College.

Jawaharlal Nehru, Rajiv Gandhi , S. Chandrasekhar, Srinivasa Ramanujan, Amartya Sen, were alumnis of Trinity. Amongst other well known names from Trinity are Sir Isaac Newton, Lord Byron, Bertrand Russell.

Dr. Manmohan Singh and Vikram Sarabhai were from St. John's College, Dr. Shankar Dayal Sharma was from Fitzwilliam College. Stephen Hawking, Salman Rushdie, Keynes, Darwin, Oliver Cromwell, Emma Thompson, and so many others are all from other colleges of Cambridge.
Cambridge University began in 1209, when some scholars practicing archery at Oxford, accidentally killed a towns woman. They had to flee from there with their lives. Some went to Paris and some landed at Cambridge which had a number of monasteries. These fleeing scholars with the help of the Church founded the first College which was called "Peterhouse". Later on Kings helped in founding more Colleges. Today there are 31 colleges in Cambridge with about 15,000 students.

Since medieval times every student at Cambridge had a tutor and a Supervisor. The Tutor did not necessarily teach the student. He was a senior member of a student's college responsible for the overall welfare of a student, like a guardian. A tutor was called a Moral Tutor at the "Other Place". The "Other place" is traditionally what students of Cambridge refer to Oxford as. A tutor is responsible for the domestic arrangements and welfare of his own undergraduates, graduates, post-doctoral researchers, and staff in general.

The principal method of teaching at Cambridge colleges is the "supervision". These are weekly hour-long sessions in which small groups of students—usually between one and three—meet with a member of their Supervisor. Students are normally required to complete an essay or assignment in advance of the supervision, which they will discuss with the supervisor during the session, along with any concerns or difficulties they have had with the material presented in that week's lectures. This teaching system is unique to Cambridge and Oxford (where “supervisions” are known as “tutorials)

In medieval times lectures were held in the morning and the afternoon was left free for recreation and sports. Attendance of lectures was not compulsory, but attendance of Supervision was compulsory, without which a student was not allowed to take the examination. The Examination, called "Tripos" leads to a B.A. honour's degree. Tripos was originally a three legged stool on which the examiner sat and the student had to defend his proposition in an oral debate. Another unique tradition here is that a MA degree is awarded on request, it is conferred by right on holders of the BA degree of the University, and on certain other senior members, and is not available as a postgraduate qualification

In medieval times, colleges were founded so that their students would pray for the souls of the founders. For that reason they were often associated with chapels or abbeys. A change in the colleges’ focus occurred in 1536 with the dissolution of monasteries at the time of Henry VIII .He ordered the university to disband its Faculty of Canon Law and to stop teaching scholastic philosophy. In response, colleges changed their curricula away from canon law and towards the classics, Bible and mathematics. Churchill after visiting MIT at Boston laid emphasis on Science, and Engineering in a college which he founded here. All degrees awarded at Cambridge are Bachelor of Arts. There is no B. Sc degree here.

Amongst all the colleges at Cambridge, King’s College has the most imposing and grand building. King Henry VI founded the King's College in 1441. The Building and the Chapel at King's College are really magnificent. The windows of King's College Chapel are all very beautiful stained windows. One can simply marvel at the sheer artistry of the whole picture. There are 12 large windows on each side of the chapel, and larger windows at the east and west ends. The College Chapel is late Gothic architecture. The Chapel features the world's largest fan vault, stained glass windows, and the painting "The Adoration of the Magi" by Rubens. (See picture above).Originally, the college was to be specifically for boys from Eton College which was also founded by King Henry VI. From 1865 non-Etonian undergraduates arrived to study at King's.
Another beautiful College is Trinity which was founded by King Henry VIII. It is the richest and biggest College in Cambridge. On the beautiful gate of this college is the statue of the college founder, Henry VIII, in a niche above the doorway. In his hand he holds a table leg instead of the original sword.( See Picture). This College has an enormous central courtyard. Here traditionally, first year students attempt to run round the perimeter of the Great Court(approximately 367 m), in the 43 seconds during the clock striking twelve. Students traditionally attempt to complete the circuit on the day of the Matriculation Dinner. Trinity has a strong academic tradition, with members having won thirty-one Nobel Prizes. Sir Isaac Newton was a student and later teacher at Trinity.

Another magnificent building is that of St. John’s College, which has very huge grounds where the grass is mown only once a year, to allow the flower bulbs to grow undisturbed. These grounds are over very old burial grounds and traditionally every year the choir at the St. John's College get on top of the Church and perform their programme.

The idea of women attending the University was not welcome when the thought was raised in the 19th century. However in 1868 Cambridge's Local Examinations Board allowed women to take exams for the first time. They were taught by some teachers a little distance away from Cambridge. Only after The Girton College (1869) and Newnham (1872)colleges were formed for women that they were allowed into lectures, even that was at the discretion of the lecturer. By 1881, women were allowed to sit university examinations, and in 1921 were awarded certificates and not degrees. The Queen mother was awarded a degree in 1947 and women since then could get degrees

Cambridge has a strong tradition of sports and recreation. Rowing is a particularly popular sport at Cambridge, and there are competitions between colleges, notably the bumps race, and against Oxford, the Boat race. There are also matches against Oxford in many other sports, ranging from cricket, rugby to chess and tiddlywinks. The formalised version of the rules of football known as the"Cambridge Rules" were drawn up by Cambridge student representatives of leading public schools at Trinity in 1848.

Cambridge has a unique round Church.( Photo Above).There is an American War cemetry here,where amongst many others is also buried Joseph Kennedy, the eldest brother of JFK. The Cambridge University press is also another institution here.It is both the oldest publishing house in the world and the oldest university press.It has been producing books continuously since the first University Press book was printed in 1584.

The thought that studies have to co exist with recreation, sports and out door activities is rampant here. It is not only academics that are developed here. A student has to grow and evolve completely. There is so much emphasis given on building up knowledge as is seen by the use of the word,"defend" when giving their Tripos in the medieval times. It is said that once an examiner simply asked at the Philosophy Tripos, the question, "WHY?" Unimaginable today!!

Cambridge where walked the mightiest of men with its traditions and atmosphere of studies, knowledge and theories is a magnificent place. Here the pen was surely mightier than the sword! The very air that one breathes, remind us of all those people who lived, studied and made this place what it is today. Walking on the same roads, traversed by people who were guided, moulded and left such a huge impression on the world, by itself, was a thrilling experience. I loved my day at Cambridge, and left with the wish that someday, I would return here to attend the Graduation ceremony of some loved one from my family.

LONDON OF SHAKESPEARE & DICKENS

One of the things that I love doing is walking. I can walk and walk and walk. As soon as I read about the London Walks I had to go on the walk. Today was the 5th in the series, when I went on a tour called "The Dickens and Shakespeare Walk". It started from the St. Paul's Cathedral tube station. The walk was for two hours. Our guide has been taking people on these walks for the last 30 years. Was he good?? He was excellent!!! He loved his work and one could see the pride he took in conducting us through all those places connected with both Shakespeare and Dickens. It was aptly very theatrical and a lot of recitation of lines was a bonus.

As we walked we first reached the Guildhall. In Shakespeare's time, in fact even before that, in London, there were Guilds for the various trades conducted. They controlled the way in which trade was conducted in the town. The members of the Guilds also became involved with civic duties and were appointed to important and influential positions in the community. The chief spokesman of the Guilds became the Mayor of London. The various guild halls were Armourer's, Brazier's, Haberdasher's, Brewer's, Girdler's, Pewterer's, Goldsmith's, Wax chandler's, Carpenter's, Draper's, Grocer's, Mercer's, Barber-surgeons's. Note surgeons and barbers were termed together!! The barbers practiced surgery.

London was founded by the Romans in 50 AD, and they fortified the city within a wall which had seven gates. The four original gates were on the North, South, East, and West. They were Alders gate to the north, Ludgate to the west, Aldgate to the east, and the Bridge Gate to the south, over London Bridge at Southwark end. Besides this there are Bishopsgate, Moorgate, Cripplegate and Newgate. They were, and still are referred to collectively as the “Seven gates to the City” None of these gates have survived. Yet the names still continue to exist.

"The City" as it is called has very fascinating names of lanes. Aptly they were all named after the trade that took place on the street. There is Cheapside along which are lanes like the Pudding Lane, Milk Street, Bread street, Ironmonger lane, Threadneedle street, Oat lane, Honey lane, Wood street, Gutter lane, Mason's Avenue, Ropemaker's Street, Shoe Lane. Besides this there is the better side of trade like the Goldsmith Row, Silver Lane, Silk Street, etc.

As we reached the place where Shakespeare lived, near The London Wall, in Bishopsgate, we crossed the place where St. Leonard's Church existed in Shoreditch. It is believed that Shakespeare was either an atheist or an agnostic. However he would have regularly attended Church, as it was compulsory to attend the Church every Sunday. If anyone missed Church then he would have to pay a fine. (The photo in the center is the exact place where Shakespeare lived).

At that time, Shoreditch was a haven for artists and actors, and notorious for boozing, prostitution and violence. As plays and playhouses were banned within the City, Shoreditch, on its northern fringe, had become a haven for actors and writers. The St Leonard's church was also local for the playwright-spy Christopher Marlowe, and later Ben Jonson, Shakespeare's friend and rival.

None of the plays of Shakespeare were published during his lifetime. They were published by John Hemminge and Henry Condell, his co partner's in the Globe Theatre in 1623, almost seven years after his death. This publication was called "The First Folio". They gave their rights away and did not get any pecuniary benefits. What they did was priceless, as had they not got these dramas published, the world would have been deprived of the same.

Shakespeare owned the Globe theatre which was one of four theatres in London. The others were The Rose, Swan, and The Theatre. Theatre was booming business and a new form of entertainment. The ticket for the play was 1 penny so that people could afford to go to the theatre, theses spectators were called Groundlings as they stood in front of the stage and watched the performance.

Close by there is a famous meat market in this area which is called Smithfield . It has existed in this place for 800 years. In earlier times the cattle was brought and slaughtered in open air. The names of streets in this area are Cow Cross Road, Lamb's Pas, Poultry. After the cattle was slaughtered and meat removed for selling, the remaining portions which was of no use to the butchers went southwards into the river so we have street names like Skinner Street, Saddler's Hall etc.. Ultimately the skin went across the Thames to the other side of the river, where leather work was done. Smithfield place was also used for public executions. "Wife sale was also popular in early 19th century. Divorce was difficult, so men brought their unwanted wives alongwith normal goods to the meat market to sell them." - Quoted from plaque in this market. Barbaric!! (Picture on top left is of present day Smithfield Market). St. Giles Church in Cheapside was the church associated with beggars and cripples. It was also another place where executions were conducted publicly. (The picture on bottom left is of this church.)

Most of the buildings which existed at the time of Shakespeare would have been destroyed in the great fire of 1666. A few survived like the Church of St. Bartholomew the Great, where the movie "Four weddings and a funeral" was picturised. (A picture of this church is given on top right).There is also the St. John's Gate where the Revel's Office was located and Shakespeare had to get all his plays registered there before they could be played at the theatre. The author with his manuscript had to go their often as it was not easy to get the registration done. This office was the ancient version of the censor of today.

Charles Dickens lived in the 19th Century. The London of that time was quite crowded. There was a lot of poverty and filth. Houses were taxed as per the ground space occupied by them, therefore the ground floor was small and overhanging protrusions were made as top stories were added. This made the streets very dark and damp. Street sweepers attempted to keep the streets clean of manure, which was the result of thousands of horse-drawn vehicles. The city's thousands of chimney pots would belch coal smoke, resulting in soot which seemed to settle everywhere. Therefore we have stories of chimney sweeps going down the chimney to clean them. In many parts of the city raw sewage would flow in gutters that emptied into the Thames. There were street vendors who would hawk their wares and add to the cacophony of street noises. Pick-pockets, prostitutes, drunks, beggars, and vagabonds were everywhere.

Dickens, because of the childhood trauma caused by his father's imprisonment for debt and his consignment to the blacking factory to help support his family, was a true champion to the poor. He repeatedly pointed out the atrocities of the system through his novels. He also wrote vividly about children and apprentices and debt.

In Oliver Twist we have Oliver and Sykes passing through Smithfield Live Cattle Market, when they are on their way to burgle the Maylie home. They passed through this market as Sykes wanted to make Oliver horrified.

Walking across roads and streets which were used by Shakespeare and Dickens is a great experience. Imagining their world, seeing the nooks and alleys about which Dickens wrote was a journey walk back in time. Except for the stench, squalor, poverty of those days, London and its lanes and streets remain the same. I had a fantastic time and enjoyed my walk.