Dhaumya Public School

Our school is way up in the hills at Post Office Village Kandi in Shimla. It is a beautiful spot, but it can be quite a challenge when the winter sets in. The students walk up the mountain paths from the villages nearby to get here. We have a small building that sits near the post office, so we are right in the heart of the community. Inside, the rooms are simple and we try to keep them as warm as possible when the mist rolls in. The windows look out over the valley, which is a nice view to have while teaching. We don't have a big computer lab or a gym; we just have our classrooms and the open space outside. The teachers here are used to the quiet life of the mountains. We follow the local schedule, and sometimes if the snow is too deep, we have to close for a few days. The desks are old but sturdy, and we keep our library books in wooden cupboards. It is a slow way of living and learning. You hear the wind and the birds more than anything else. Most of the families around here have sent their kids to us for a long time, so there is a lot of trust. We just do our best with what we have, making sure the kids know their numbers and letters before they head back home in the afternoon.