Eid was celebrated a second time at a school in central Kolkata’s Bowbazar, where most students are first-generation learners.
At St Stephen's School, which stands in a congested Phears Lane, gifts were distributed among students from Lower Nursery to Class IV.
The children assembled in a hall, where they received water bottles, tiffin boxes, toys and fancy hats.
Their flowing dresses, bright salwars and smart suits were matched only by their faces as they laid their hands on the goodies.
The people running the school said Eid embodied the spirit of giving and the programme was an attempt to put a smile on the faces of the children after two gruelling years of the pandemic.
Before Covid, the school had over 700 students from Lower Nursery to Class X. Now, the number has come down to less than 500.
"Many have dropped out in the past couple of years. Many families lost livelihood and were forced to go back to their villages. Some never came back. The students have completely gone off our radar," said Ayesha Iqbal Siddiqui, principal of the school.
Sabia Rashid, in Class III, was beaming on Friday. Her father sells chappals and her mother is a homemaker. Her favourite subject is mathematics.
"The gifts are the best Eid surprise," said Sabia.
Tamanna Khatoon, in Class IV, lives with her parents and three siblings near BB Ganguly Street. Her father is a carpenter.
A magic show was the main attraction on Friday. Tamanna was cheering the magician at the top of her voice. "Best Eidi (Eid gift)," she said.
The children also got their hands and faces painted by a make-up artist.
Teachers at the school said despite all odds, the students were keen to learn.
"At most homes, there are many members but only one smartphone. The rooms are cramped. But still, many students attended online classes as much as they could," said Zahida Parveen Niyazi, coordinator of the junior section.
Imran Zaki, a social entrepreneur who is attached to various NGOs, is secretary of the school committee.
"Eid embodies the spirit of giving. We wanted to celebrate that. The smiles on the faces of these children is the biggest Eid gift for me," he said.
Debanjan Chakrabarti, British Council director in East and Northeast India, was the chief guest at the programme and he promised books from the British Council library for the school.
Despite the challenges of space, the school has a small library.
“It was an overwhelming experience. A child's smile is the greatest reason to celebrate. Two hundred smiles are invaluable,” said Kanchan Datta, whose ad agency had sponsored the gifts.
