A Modern-Day Idgah

The Spirit of Inclusivity at Pehchaan The Street School

“Hamid ke paas sirf teen paisey the. Lekin uska dil saaf tha, uska irada nek tha, aur uski soch sabse badi thi.”

(“Hamid had only three paise. But his heart was pure, his intention noble, and his thinking the greatest of all.”)

Munshi Premchand’s ‘Idgah’ was once introduced to us in our grade five Hindi class. Looking back at the story stirs a much bigger image of the story that we once innocently learnt in our childhood. Idgah is a mirror into the soul of a child who understands life far beyond his years. Set against the backdrop of Eid, a festival of joy and indulgence, the story follows four-year-old Hamid who, unlike his peers, chooses not to spend his meagre three paise on toys, sweets, or swings. Instead, he buys a pair of tongs for his grandmother so she won’t burn her fingers while making rotis. His act, though seemingly simple, is monumental in its moral weight.

In the narrative we learn how Premchand paints Hamid as an emblem of sacrifice, emotional maturity, and quiet resistance against the selfishness of the world around him. While others indulge, Hamid chooses to care. While others consume, he gives. One of the most prominent quote that stood to me in the story is, “Isne apne liye kuch na kharida, sab dadi ke liye tha” (“He bought nothing for himself, everything was for his grandmother”)—depicts Hamid’s instilled yet compassionate devotion, empathy, and service in the path of love.

The story further explores one of its key themes: Inclusion and empathy. Hamid includes his grandmother in his experience of Eid not by sharing what he enjoys, but by understanding what she needs. In this simple act lies the foundation of true inclusivity: seeing others, valuing their needs, and acting with compassion. Inclusion, not through institutional mechanisms but through human connection.

It is this same spirit of seeing, valuing, and uplifting others. That forms the heartbeat of Pehchaan The Street School. In a world often blinded by privilege and performance, Pehchaan The Street School, like Hamid, chooses to look beyond its own limits to meet the needs of others. The parallels between a fictional character, Hamid and an NGO run to educate underprivileged children sounds unusual yet prominent. They divulge how a century-old story continues to shape the way we think about equity and belonging today.

In this timeless narrative of Idgah by Munshi Premchand, Hamid becomes the symbol of empathy, love, and inclusion. Despite having just three paise, he represents a far richer message than many around him. In many ways, we can point out how the mission of Pehchaan The Street School reflects this very ethos, by creating an environment that embodies inclusivity and empathetic roles that empowers the underprivileged, gives voice to the voiceless, and builds a community on shared growth.

Pehchaan The Street School: A Vision Rooted in Empathy

Pehchaan The Street School is a movement. A movement that, like Hamid’s simple gesture, begins with the smallest of actions but holds transformative power. It brings children who live on the margins of society, children for whom even basic education is a luxury into the fold of learning, safety, and self-worth.

Much like how Hamid, though orphaned and poor, walks through the bustling fair with a sense of quiet dignity, the students at Pehchaan The Street School carry within them stories of struggle and resilience. Pehchaan The Street School gives them the tools to define their own identities, their own Pehchaan in a society that often forgets they exist.

Idgah and the Language of Love

Premchand’s Idgah might be a tale of a festival and a child’s visit to a fair but it is also a narrative of moral maturity, emotional intelligence, and inclusive love. Hamid does not see himself as lacking; instead, he is deeply devoted to the needs of his grandmother. While the other children are caught up in their excitement over toys and treats, Hamid’s focus is on her burnt fingers and the absence of tongs in their kitchen. His love transcends age and wealth; he includes her in his joy, sacrificing personal pleasure for shared comfort.

At Pehchaan The Street School, inclusivity is practiced in a similar fashion. Volunteers of the school treat students as equals, carrying an environment where every child is heard, seen, and valued. It’s an inclusivity that goes beyond representation; it’s about creating a shared experience of respect and care.

In Idgah, Eid becomes the scene for a powerful emotional lesson. Likewise, at Pehchaan The Street School, learning becomes a collective celebration. Despite the lack of formal infrastructure, children come together with eager eyes and open hearts. The school thrives not in lavish buildings but in several open spaces proving that education, much like love in Idgah, does not require opulence to be meaningful.

Here, Eid is a celebration of progress, no matter how small. A child writing their name for the first time, a teenager solving a maths problem, a volunteer helping a student read a story aloud. Each moment is a festival of its own. Just as Hamid’s tiny gesture lights up his grandmother’s world, every success at Pehchaan The Street School brings light into the lives of those who need it the most.

Redefining Sacrifice in Modern Contexts

Hamid's sacrifice of choosing utility over indulgence is a theme that echoes deeply within Pehchaan The Street School's community. Many of the volunteers are students and working professionals who devote their time and energy to teaching children after long days of their own. They, like Hamid, choose to give rather than take, not because they must, but because they care.

Similarly, the children themselves often come from homes where going to school means giving up daily wages or household duties. And yet, they show up—determined, brave, and hopeful. Their presence is an act of resistance against systemic exclusion. Their learning is not just academic; it is a form of quiet revolution.

At Pehchaan The Street School, learning goes beyond books. Volunteers sit with children under trees or in open spaces, turning simple lessons into fun stories, games, and art. The act of it signifies more than charity but a noble initiative of giving children a sense of hope and belonging. Festivals are the heart of their togetherness. Whether it’s Diwali, Eid, Holi, or Christmas, they celebrate with colors, laughter, songs, and homemade sweets. Everyone joins in students, teachers, even the local community. These moments light up their lives, teaching them joy, respect, and the beauty of sharing, no matter where they come from.

The Fair Outside the Fair

One of the most poignant metaphors in Idgah is the fair itself. A world of shiny distractions and fleeting joys. Hamid walks through it unaffected, driven by a greater purpose. The students at Pehchaan The Street School, too, walk past many distractions, be it societal indifference, economic hardship, or the lure of short-term gain, in pursuit of something bigger: knowledge, dignity, and self-reliance.

Pehchaan The Street School, then, is the “fair outside the fair.” It offers joys that are not loud or fleeting but deep and lasting. It teaches that being included is not about being invited to the table, but about being part of the conversation that sets the table in the first place.

Building a New Narrative

In India’s fast-paced development narrative, stories like Idgah and institutions like Pehchaan The Street School remind us to slow down and look around. Who are we leaving behind? What does real progress look like? Is it enough to build tall schools if the children from underprivileged surroundings cannot enter them?

Premchand answered this question a century ago through Hamid. Pehchaan The Street School answers it today, every time a child writes, reads, asks, and dreams. It builds not just learners, but citizens that are aware, kind, and confident. It creates a future where inclusivity is not a checkbox, but a culture.

Conclusion: Hamid’s Legacy Lives On

Hamid, in Premchand’s Idgah, is a quiet hero. His tale ends not in applause or reward, but in the silent satisfaction of having done something beautiful. Similarly, the work at Pehchaan The Street School is often unseen, unglamorous, but immeasurably impactful.

By drawing inspiration from stories like Idgah, Pehchaan The Street School reminds us that inclusivity is not a grand act but a series of small, conscious choices. It is the tongs instead of the toy, the chalk instead of the coin, the classroom under the sky instead of no classroom at all.

In every child who dares to learn, in every volunteer who chooses to give, and in every parent who dares to hope, Hamid lives on. And so does the dream of a world where no child is forgotten, and every child has a name, a voice, and a pehchaan.

To know more about Pehchaan The Street School and its dedication kindly visit the official links below:

Website: https://pehchaanstreetschool.org

Facebook page link— https://www.facebook.com/PehchaanTheStreetSchoolOfficial/

Instagram— https://instagram.com/pehchaanstreetschool?utm_source=ig_profile_share&igshid=181sger2fozl7

To Donate via Instamojo— https://www.instamojo.com/@pehchaanthestreetschool

To Donate via NEFT— https://pehchaanstreetschool.org/donation/

Email id— pehchaanschool@gmail.com

Youtube channel— https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXd4gnTazJh3JugKENt5yog

Twitter— https://twitter.com/Pehchaan_School?s=09