-Pallavi Shambharkar
This week, we planned to take the children for an adventure visit. For girls from the Beda, stepping out of their homes is not an easy task. They have household chores to do and responsibilities towards their younger siblings.
But all the girls were excited to go outside. In my class, there is a girl named Riddhi. She is always curious, eager to learn, and loves discovering new things. She would often say to me, “Madam, I want to see Maharajbagh, please let’s go!” In these words, one could see her innocent desire to explore the world, learn something new, and take a small step for herself. Her excitement to go out and explore was evident, and I decided not to let that enthusiasm fade away.
One day, I asked the class, “Who all want to go to Maharajbagh?” The girls participated enthusiastically. Then I told all the children that we would go to Maharajbagh, but only I would accompany them. We also needed to inform our parents, seek their permission, and collect the ticket money ourselves. Once all of this was arranged, I would speak to the parents.
Within two days, all the children had collected the money, and the day of the visit was finalized. On that day, everyone gathered near the school at the designated time, dressed in clean clothes with bright, happy faces. When we reached the gates of Maharajbagh, the joy on Riddhi’s face was indescribable. This was not just an excursion; it was a decision they had made for themselves. While observing this, I realized that this marked the true beginning of their learning journey.