Pyres burn on one side while, just a few meters away, children study in a school located within a crematorium in Muzaffarpur, Bihar. Despite the surroundings, the students say they feel no fear and attend classes regularly.
The school began operations in 2017 after a young man, Sumit Kumar, attended a funeral there and noticed children from impoverished families loitering around the premises. This sparked a question: why not provide an education to these helpless children?
After significant effort, a learning center was established at the Muktidham crematorium. Though the children were initially hesitant to attend, Sumit's persistence eventually brought hundreds to the classroom. Today, 140 students regularly receive an education within the crematorium grounds.
The school serves grades 1-11, providing uniforms, bags, stationery, and sitting mats, as well as sweaters and blankets for the winter. Among the students, aspirations run high - some dream of becoming IPS officers or judges, while others aim to be engineers or doctors.
"I don't feel scared. Everything related to my studies is available here," Anisha Kumari, who has been studying at the school for seven years, said in Hindi when asked if she is scared to study in a school near a crematorium. She wants to be an engineer.
Mahi Kumari, another student at the school, also said the same thing.
"Yes, I do not feel scared," Kumari, who wants to be in the Indian Civil Services, said.
In addition to academics, the school provides Wushu (martial arts) training for self-defense. This program was introduced in response to increasing crimes against women, ensuring the students become physically and mentally resilient while learning to protect themselves and others.
