A Day in Tikamgarh

A couple of weeks ago, I visited Tikamgarh (a small district in Madhya Pradesh and about 250+ km away from Bhopal). Pratham runs various educational programs in the region, so I wanted to get a first-hand experience and interact with the community. My colleagues and I took an early morning train from Bhopal, almost a 5-hour journey. As the train rolled along its path, a parade of chaiwalas and snack vendors made their way through the aisles. It was a quintessential Indian experience. By the time we reached Tikamgarh, our local team had arrived, ready to guide us through the day. But before diving into our field visits, we decided to get some breakfast.

After a hearty aloo paratha, we headed to a small village, Karimnagar. Our first stop was a primary school in the village, where we were welcomed by a very enthusiastic group of children. Pratham runs learning camps with primary school kids, helping them catch up with their fundamental skills through in-school and community-based interventions in the area. Stepping into the open verandah classroom, the children were doing an activity using their barakhadi charts. They were making a list of things they could associate with summer – including some of the things they love to eat and drink during the summertime. In a matter of minutes, they marked their territories, writing with chalk on the floor and started to create a marathon of a list. With each new addition, the floor became a colourful tapestry of summer delights. Most of them seemed inclined towards writing their favourite mithai, and I also got them to add a few of my favourites. The competition started to set in, and they wanted to out-list each other. By the time they were done, we realized there was no more room on the floor to write further. After saying our goodbyes to them, we were ready to move on.

I was particularly looking forward to seeing how the rest of the day and my interactions would go.? Next were visits to some of the members of the community, especially mothers. When we reached, I saw a group of women sitting together in the shade of a large banyan tree, vibrantly dressed in sarees, dawning a long ghoonghat. So, I comfortably sat with the group and introduced myself while trying to establish a connection, but the veil made it difficult. Soon, I realized, looking at us intently, were a group of men. They were interested to know what the conversation and fuss were all about. So, I requested one of my male colleagues to engage with them separately. This immediately made the women more comfortable, and I was able to make some eye contact. The group spanned generations from women in their 20s to grandmothers. This diversity made the conversation more interesting as most started sharing their aspirations for their children. Despite their initial shyness, the women were incredibly warm and welcoming. They had a sense of camaraderie and shared understanding within themselves, making the conversation effortless. They even started to nudge the ones who were quiet and encouraged them to share, too. There was a sense of solidarity, and they gave each other a voice. They had a deep-seated desire to ensure a brighter future for the next generation. The thought was so comforting. Early marriage was common, but now they actively supported their families while working farms during harvest season. By the end of our conversation, I felt privileged to have spent time with these remarkable women, and I left with a renewed sense of purpose.

After spending some more time in the village, our next stop was at our Second Chance centres. These centres are the heart of Pratham's Second Chance program, which focuses on providing school drop-outs, especially girls and women, another chance at education by helping them complete grade 10. It was a busy time for the faculty and learners, who were engaged in preparing for their exams. But they welcomed us with bright smiles and tons of questions. They were curious about my family and me, and I was happy to oblige. I was in awe of the sheer commitment and perseverance of these girls. Each of them had made a conscious decision to reclaim control over their destinies, to carve out a future defined by their aspirations and dreams. Most learners were young girls forced to drop out of their education due to the lack of secondary and higher schools near their homes/ villages.? Some were employed now, hoping to get better money and positions, while some, even after years of marriage and having kids, found it valuable to get back to their education, a right they all felt was taken away from them. Whatever the reason, they were all now on a mission.

It was time to prepare for the journey back to Bhopal, and we had a train to catch. Despite the length of the day, the richness of the interactions stayed with me, making the exhaustion worth every moment. The trip was yet another first-hand experience to witness the transformative power of education and community engagement.