जाति बड़ी या प्यास

the heart of Nawadih Chas, where the school told stories of neglect and the strength of its 113 students, my 21-day journey took an unexpected turn. The school, standing plain and simple, echoed the challenges faced by these young minds. Picture this: only two classrooms were lucky enough to get a coat of paint, and the school was a mix of three different schools. There was no construction magic, no playground dreams. To make things more challenging, the only hand pump for water was outside the school, forcing the kids to cross a busy road just to quench their thirst or wash their plates. One day, I found myself in the middle of a real-life drama. The head of a Brahmin family was upset about plates being washed in a way that water found its way to his house. He decided the kids from the school, mostly from lower castes, couldn't wash their utensils and sent them to a pump 100 meters away, near the national highway. Things got heated, fast I become his redirection of his anger and getting threats like “Dekh lete hai gawaon may kaise rehta hai tu” and many more that I couldn’t mention here I also couldn’t control my anger and started arguing but not in a manner he was doing he was extremely abusive.

In the middle of this chaos, the seeds I planted during my temple helper days sprouted. The villagers, aware of my 21-day mission, stood with me. The confrontation became a turning point for the whole village. United, they stood against the chains of caste differences. The heated conversation with the Brahmin family head transformed into a symphony of voices demanding change. In that moment, I felt a deep acceptance among the villagers. As the dust settled, a solution emerged. The kids could now wash their plates nearby, escaping the tiresome 100-meter journey. It was both the worst and best moment of my community immersion. The chaos and resolution became a symbol of hope for the future of Primary School Nawadih Chas.

As the village embraced a new harmony, a lingering question remained: Can the unity forged in challenging times become the bedrock for lasting change in the lives of these young learners, breaking the chains of caste issues? So, as the sun set on that eventful day, the village held a story of change, a story with a question to ponder about breaking the barriers that had held them back for too long. Making this story rememberable for my whole life and also making my best and the worst experience of my Community Immersion journey.