Banaras Hindu University (BHU) is a major university located in Varanasi, India. BHU is among the top 3 largest residential universities in the world having more than 128 independent teaching departments. Several of its colleges, including engineering (IT-BHU) and medicine (IMS-BHU), are world renowned.

Campus

The main BHU campus is 1300 acres and includes faculty housing and student hostels.

The university comprises 3 Institutes, 14 Faculties, 124 Departments, 4 Inter-displinary Centers, a constituent college for women and 3 constituent schools.It has 6 centres of Advanced Studies, 10 Departments under Special Assistance Programme and a large number of specialized Research Centers.

The university teaches a vast range of subjects pertaining to all branches of humanities, social science, technology, medicine

Besides academic buildings and sports facilities, included within the campus are:

• A Shiva temple (Birla Mandir)
• An air strip and flying club
• A library system including the central Sayajirao Gaekwad Library with over 14 lakh (1.4 million) volumes
• A famous museum of rare collections (Bharat Kala Bhavan)
• A 927-bed hospital affiliated with the medical college, IMS-BHU
• A printing press

Another campus of the university at Barkachha, in Mirzapur district, covering an area of 2700 acres is being built.

Four off-campus Degree Colleges of the city of Varanasi are affiliated to the University.

Apart from concrete buildings, the campus is indeed a beauty with lot of open space, greenary and peacocks! The national bird of India can be found roaming around at almost every part of the university.

History

The Founding of BHU

BHU was founded by Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya, in 1916 with cooperation of Dr Annie Besant. It was created under the Parliamentary legislation - B.H.U. Act 1915, when India was under British Raj. Its 1350 acre (5.5 km²) campus was built on land donated by the then Maharaja of Kashi.

The Foundation day was February 4, 1916, the day of Vasant Panchami or Saraswati Puja.

The Word Hindu

Contrary to the first impression from the name, which is having "Hindu" word, the university was always unbiased towards the religion of the members, including students and faculty. The message on its website says:

"India is not a country of the Hindus only.

Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya

The icon of Banaras Hindu University is associated more with National struggle for independence and gaining self-reliance in terms of Education. It is known as the Oxford of the East.

The Core Streams of studies are Languages and Literature, Humanities, Social Sciences, Natural Sciences, Mathematical Sciences, Biological Sciences, Medical Sciences, Agriculture, Visual Arts, Applied and Performing Arts, Management, Legal Studies, and Engineering.

Hostels by College

There are 38 hostels for boys:

Institute of Technology (IT-BHU) :

• • Vishwakarma Hostel
  • Vivekanand Hostel
  • Dr. S. C. DE Hostel
  • Limbdi Hostel
  • Rajputana Hostel
  • Vishvesvaraya Hostel
  • Dhanrajgiri Hostel
  • Morvi Hostel
  • C.V. Raman Hostel
  • Gandhi Smriti Mahila Hostel

Institute of Medical Sciences (IMS-BHU) :

• • Ruiya Hostel (Medical Block)
  • Dhanwantary Hostel
  • Old P.G. Doctor's Hostel
  • New P.G. Doctors's Hostel
  • Nagarjuna Hostel

Institute of Agricultural Sciences (IAS-BHU) :

• • Dr. S.R.K. Hostel
  • Bal Gangadhar Tilak Hostel

Faculty of Science :

• • Dr. C.P.R. Aiyer Hostel
  • Dr. J.C. Bose Hostel
  • Bhabha Hostel
  • Rama Krishna Hostel
  • Dalmia Hostel
  • Broacha Hostel

Faculty of Social Sciences :

• • Raja Ram Mohan Roy Hostel
  • Mahendravi Hostel
  • Acharya Narendra Deo Hostel

Faculty of Commerce :

• • Dr. I.N. Gurtu Hostel

Faculty of Law :

• • Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Hostel
  • Dr. Bhagwan Das Hostel

Faculty of Arts :

• • Birla "A" Hostel
  • Birla "B" Hostel
  • Birla "C" Hostel
  • Dr. A.B. Hostel (Kamachha)

Faculty of Education :

• • New P.G. Education Hostel
  • Dr. R.P. Hostel (Kamachha)

Faculty of Management Studies :

• • Management Hostel

Faculty of Performing Arts :

• • Reewa Kothi Hostel

Faculty of Visual Arts :

• • Ram Kinkar Hostel

Faculty of SVDV :

• • Ruiya Hostel (Sanskrit Block)

There are 14 hostels for girls:

• Gargi Girls Hostel for Science Faculty
• S.N.P.G. Girls Hostel for Science Faculty
• Kasturba Girls Hostel for I.M.S. Students
• Ganga Hostel for all P.G. Students
• Yamuna Hostel for all P.G. Students
• Saraswati Hostel for all Research Scholars
• I.T. Girls Hostel for I.T. Students
• Gandhi smriti Girls Hostel for I.T. students
• Jyoti Kunj Girls Hostel for P.G. Students
• Swasti Kunj Girls Hostel for U.G. Students
• Kirti Kunj for U.G. Students
• Kundan Devi Malaviya for U.G. Students
• Naveen Girls Hostel for U.G. Students
• Pougi House for U.G. Students

There are 3 hostels for foreign students:

• International House for Boys only
• Siddhartha Vihar Boys only
• International House Annexe for Girls only

Books

1.   Leah Renold, A Hindu Education: Early Years Of The Banaras Hindu University (Oxford University Press).