Shanti Niketan Public School

Shanti Niketan Public School is out in Bhadra, which is part of the Hanumangarh district. It is a fairly simple life out here in Rajasthan. The school is a basic building with a large open area around it. We do not have many of those fancy city amenities, but we have enough space for everyone. The dust can be a bit of a problem when the wind picks up, so we are always sweeping the floors. The local kids come from all around the Bhadra area, some walking quite a distance. Our teachers are mostly from the nearby villages too. They know the families well. During the summer, it gets incredibly hot, so we try to get things done early before the sun is too high. The classrooms have fans, but sometimes they just move the hot air around. We have a water cooler that everyone congregates around during break time. It is a central part of the school, really. The playground is mostly just dirt, but the kids do not care, they play cricket and kabaddi whenever they can. We do not have much of a formal hierarchy here; everyone just pitches in to help. If a desk breaks, someone finds a hammer. If the garden needs watering, one of the older kids might help out. It is just a regular town school where everyone knows each other’s business and we get by in 335501.