Fall Foliage in Princeton University Campus

It’s autumn now; days of misty mornings, soothing cold, refreshing and sporadic rains and shades of red, vermilion and gold leaves blowing in the wind. It feels dramatic. It reminds me of my visit to the Princeton University Campus during one such fall.

Fall foliage in Princeton

Reaching Princeton University from New York

Early in the morning we started from New York to reach Princeton. I was excited to visit this renowned university, Siddhartha’s alma mater. It was late autumn and was cold. When I reached the Princeton train station, I was greeted by the vibrant fall colors.

Fall foliage in Princeton

Wherever I looked, far, near, left or right, it almost felt as if I was walking through a painting gallery.

Fall Foliage in Princeton

Wherever I looked, far, near, left or right, it almost felt as if I was walking through a painting gallery. Click To Tweet

While Siddhartha was walking away amidst those golden leaves on two sides, I could feel those leaves whispering to me,

I depart from materials,
I am as one disembodied, triumphant, dead.

By Walt Whitman

Walking through the Princeton University campus

Siddhartha walks through the Princeton university campus

While walking through the Princeton university campus, exploring the Firestone library, hearing stories of Siddhartha’s Princeton days and seeing the vibrant spell spread by autumn, I felt content; I was inspired by them all. It was fulfilling, peaceful and joyous.

Fall Foliage in Princeton

It was fulfilling, peaceful and joyous. Click To Tweet

Fall foliage in Princeton

As of 2016, forty Nobel laureates have been affiliated with Princeton University; one of its visitors being Einstein. The heritage of this university is beyond words. While walking through its paths, I was thinking that “perhaps I am walking on the same lane where once Toni Morrison had walked”. That autumn day gathered tiny pieces of me and gave it back to me in the right order. It invigorated me.

Fall foliage in Princeton

While walking through its paths, I was thinking that perhaps I am walking on the same lane where once Toni Morrison had walked. That autumn day gathered tiny pieces of me and gave it back to me in the right order. It invigorated me. Click To Tweet

The fallen leaves from the trees made the ground glow and burn with light. I felt I was walking on a golden carpet. I simply loved the crunching sound of leaves under my feet in a quiet university campus.

Park like campus of Princeton University

Fall foliage in Princeton

Princeton is well known for its beautiful and park-like campus. The open campus also features extraordinary architecture that includes a variety of styles and some of them span more than four centuries.

Siddhartha an almamater of Princeton

Far away from my home, I discovered a whole new world on that autumn day. Scholars come, work to build something new and add to the existing body of knowledge. A serene place where knowledge is worshiped; a treasure trove of great minds; a melting pot of ideas!

Fall foliage in Princeton

Scholars come, work to build something new and add to the existing body of knowledge. A serene place where knowledge is worshiped; a treasure trove of great minds; a melting pot of ideas! Click To Tweet

As I was watching the leaves fluttering to the ground, I felt that nature’s cycles are mirrored in our lives too. Autumn reminds us the impermanence of everything or in Wallance Steven’s words

Death is the mother of beauty

Fall foliage in Princeton

Our immortality should not lessen our zest of life.

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Chirasree Banerjee

Hello. My name is Chirasree. I have been traveling for almost 11 years to places all over the world. I enter into a separate reality during my travels and enjoy the allure of escape from the mundane. I seek beauty through nature and human-made creations. Because beauty is powerful. I seek knowledge. I observe, absorb, and write about the places I visit and the profound realizations and inspirations that each place has to offer.