Kolkata: In an era of chaos and violence, a school in West Bengal has become a symbol of religious unity. Located in the Purba Bardhaman district, a primary school has ended an age-old practice of separately cooking and serving mid-day meals to its Hindu and Muslim students, according to reports.
The Kishoriganj Manmohanpur Primary School in Purbasthali I block is around 150 km away from Kolkata. There are 72 students in the school, including 43 Hindus and 29 Muslims. Since 2000, the school has maintained separate kitchens and utensils to prepare meals separately for students from two communities.
Moreover, the school authorities built a one-foot-high wall in the kitchen to mark the seperate spaces Hindu and Muslim cooks would use. Also, there were two cooks, one from each community. Once cooked, the food was served to students in separate classrooms based on their religion.
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A change in the situation
The district administration became aware of the issue and ordered a probe. Ayesha Rani, District Magistrate of Purba Bardhaman said, “We sent an inquiry team to the school. Action will be taken based on the report.”
On June 25, the school authorities held a meeting with parents, officials from the local police station, block administration and the panchayat, and there was a consensus that the practice of separate cooking should stop. Resultantly, for the first time in many years, the meal was cooked using the same utensils. The students sat together and had their meal. From now on, the meals will be cooked in the same kitchen, with the two cooks from different communities unitedly preparing the food, and children will be served food together.
Tapas Ghosh, the school’s headmaster, said he learnt about the practice in 2024, the year he joined the school. He said, “I tried to stop this, but as it was a sensitive issue, I didn’t want to do it forcefully or rush through. But it was always on my mind that this practice had to end. There is progress. This practice cannot be allowed. But nothing can change overnight. We are still trying to make people understand.”
Both the cooks, Ranu Bibi and Sonali Majumder welcomed the change. The parents and local people have accepted the latest move with an open heart. The schools in Bardhaman stand as an example of communal harmony against all odds.
