Noval Alpine Boarding School

Thiruppattur is a quiet place and that is where you will find us, specifically in the 635601 zip code area of Vellore. Being a boarding school means the lights never really go out here. There is always someone awake, whether it is the night watchman or a teacher finishing up some paperwork late in the evening. The dormitories are plain and functional, with rows of metal cots and cupboards where the students keep their belongings. We have a dining hall that smells like sambar and rice almost every afternoon. It gets very loud during meal times because that is when the kids finally get to talk after being in class all day. Our staff lives on the grounds too, so we are all like a big, slightly messy family. The grounds have some trees that give good shade during the hot months, which is lucky because Vellore can get really burning hot in the summer. We have a small library where the books are a bit old but still get read quite often. Students come from different parts of the state to stay here, so you hear a lot of different accents in the hallways. It is not a luxury hotel, just a place where kids live and learn. We spend a lot of time making sure the water tanks are full and the kitchen has enough vegetables for the next day. It is a lot of work keeping a place like this running day and night for the students.