KOLKATA: Education smashed all barriers of religion in central Kolkata on Monday morning as 26 students — from pre-primary to Class IV, many from the Muslim community — walked into a Kali temple to attend classes while doting parents kept an eye on them.
As part of the post covid open-air classes outside the school classrooms initiated by the state, 26 students of classes pre-primary to class IV of Taltala High School’s primary section, Sri Krishna Chandra Adarsha Vidyalaya and Sishu Siksha Kendra – around 90% of them being Muslims, began their first day of school after a two year’s covid break inside the premises of Sri Haro Gouri Kali Mandir at Haro Kumar Tagore Square in Taltala from Monday.
“The parents were a bit apprehensive in the beginning. Some of them approached me asking how they could enter a temple but we made them understand that education is above every religion and religious edifices and sought their cooperation in resuming the classes at the best possible place available with us.
The parents agreed and more importantly, the children were extremely upbeat to come back to school,” said Namrata Bandyopadhyay, the venue in-charge.
Those in charge of manning the temple were also open to the idea and welcomed the children with open arms as they spread out rugs kept in the temple office for devotees during Kalipuja organised in the temple and arranged for drinking water and readied the washroom for the kids and the teachers.
“We could see the plight of the children stuck at home and not being able to go to school. How could we say no to such a pious idea of turning the premises into a makeshift school? It doesn’t matter which religion the kids come from,” said a functionary of the temple, where a priest was also holding daily puja rituals alongside the area where the children attended the classes.
Bandyopadhyay said she had sought help from the local councillor for an open space after the state government floated the idea of Paray Shikhalaya. “We had pleaded for a space with a shed so that children are not inconvenienced during heat or rain. This temple was the best place we had on offer and we grabbed it,” she said.
As per schedule classes will be held at the premises every day between 10.30am and 3.30pm with an hour’s gap in the noon when mid-day meal would be served to the children. On Monday, six teachers from the three schools taught them lessons in English, Bengali and personal hygiene.
“Even moments before sending my child to the temple to attend the class, I was a bit hesitant. I didn’t know how the temple authorities would react to us. But we were amused at the reception. My child couldn’t follow the classes properly during online sessions. I am glad she can finally attend offline classes in the midst of her friends and teachers,” said Nazma Parveen, mother of class III student Nasrin Dia.
Nikita Begum, mother of another class III student shared the same vibes. “It’s a unique concept and will certainly help our children to understand the value of religious harmony alongside her usual studies,” she said.
The students were the most excited as they chirped, pinched classmates, sitting beside them, checked out the gong bells and other artefacts inside the temple before the teachers began the day’s lessons with the national anthem and a homage to late singer Lata Mangeshkar who died on Sunday.
“This is the first time I stepped into a temple. It is similar to a mosque and I enjoyed studying here and meeting friends and teachers,” said class II student Nafisa Ali. Other students like Aarav Gupta of class II and Mohd Alhem of class I were also equally thrilled at attending the class on Monday.
"It's a unique concept and we love it," said Alhem.
