Eco Park gets thousands of visitors daily but not everyone goes there to feel the attractions. Students of Calcutta Blind School recently went to the Seven Wonders section there, where they touched and felt the structures and enjoyed as much as anyone.
Forty-four students between classes IV and IX went over from the Behala school. They were accompanied by teachers and walked around in small groups or held hands, visiting the miniature monuments and listening to the narrations.
As the students entered the Colosseum, their teacher Nazma Ahmed described the ancient amphitheatre of Rome. “This is called the Colosseum. It is a round-shaped structure with passages in between and the walls have a brick-like effect,” she explained as the children touched the walls for a feel.
Then, in groups, they entered the pyramid. This was a structure most of them enjoyed. They touched the exterior and some wondered out loud if they could climb it up.
A teacher explained how the pyramid was built by stacking blocks on top of one another, and about the sphinx next to it, which had the body of a lion and head of a human.
All this amazed Ananya Nisha of Class VII. “I am very excited and happy to be here today,” she said. “I have come here before but it is a lot more fun with friends.”
But Chaitali Tudu of Class IX clasped her teacher’s hand tightly inside the pyramid. “My friends have scared me,” she said crossly when asked why. “They said the mummy inside is a real one! They kept weaving tall tales about it and I doubt I’ll be able to sleep alone tonight.”
The Taj Mahal was a favourite too and when their teacher introduced it as Agra’s Taj Mahal, someone quipped: “Sir, we all know the Taj Mahal is in Agra,” making the others chuckle.
Manik Das, who has partial blindness, was asking his teachers to click him before every monument. “I am having a wonderful time and want pictures to upload on social media. The Taj Mahal is the best,” said the Class XI student.
The tour was sponsored by the West Bengal biodiversity board. “We are associated with many schools for the visually-impaired and try to give them memorable experiences,” said Sweta Banerjee, on behalf of the board. “These students may not be able to see but their other senses are accentuated and they can understand everything clearly.”
“Last year we went to the botanical gardens and this year, everyone is enjoying Eco Park,” said a teacher, Suddha Kalian Sarkar. “The students knew about the Seven Wonders but visiting them was a great experience.”