Children brave dangerous waters to row to school in this Maharashtra village | WATCH

In a heart wrenching yet inspiring saga of determination, children from a remote village in Maharashtra's Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar district were forced to cross a treacherous river on a fragile thermocol raft to attend school due to the lack of alternatives. The pupils of Bhiw Dhanora village, situated in the shadow of the Jayakwadi dam's backwaters, row their way to education using makeshift rafts and sheer will power. A video of the students going to school on a thermocol raft has emerged on the internet. 

Located approximately 15 kilometres away from the sub-district headquarters of Gangapur and 45 kilometres from the district headquarters, the village has been grappling with an increasingly dangerous predicament since the construction of the Jayakwadi Dam on the Godavari River. The dam's backwaters have disrupted the village's connectivity, dividing it into two parts comprising around 50-60 'Bastis'--local settlements.

Every school day, a group of students, driven by their unwavering thirst for knowledge, gather at the banks of the Godavari River. There, they carefully board a fragile raft constructed from thermocol. This makeshift vessel becomes their lifeline as they navigate a perilous kilometre-long stretch of the dam's backwaters. The daunting journey requires them to summon their courage, as well as paddle with hand-crafted oars.

The imagery of these young scholars determinedly setting out on their unconventional voyage has captured both the struggles they face and their fierce determination to improve their lives through education. While fear undoubtedly accompanies them on their journey, it is overshadowed by their unyielding resolve to access the opportunities that education might bring.

(Image credit: ANI)

Local voices echo with a blend of frustration and hope as they recount their appeals to the government for assistance. "We are facing the same situation since the Jayakwadi Dam is being constructed as the backwaters flow here. We have made several appeals to the government, but nothing happened. The village has been divided into two parts and one part of it is facing adversities. I would like to appeal to the government to provide us with basic facilities," a local said. He stated that around 200-300 people cross the river by risking their lives. "The administration is not doing anything," he added. 

Rajendra Khimnar, Headmaster of Jila Parishad Prathmik Shala, revealed that six dedicated students are part of this perilous commute. "Six students come from 'Basti' who belong to farmer communities. They have to cross Godavari backwaters to come to the school," the headmaster said.

Tehsildar of Gangapur, Satish Soni, shed light on the origin of this predicament. "When Jayakwadi Dam was constructed on the Godavari River, the backwater used to flow to Bhiw Dhanora village, so the whole village was relocated to a new place. In the new village, people have been allotted plots but there are 7-8 families who don't live in the village but on farms, since farming is their livelihood. So, the children of these people cross the river to reach school," Soni said.

(With inputs from ANI)