When Butterflies Took Over a Classroom

It wasn’t just another day. For years, movies like Taare Zameen Par had left an impression on us—the idea of being in a classroom full of children, sharing something that might open up their imaginations, was a quiet dream. That dream came alive one afternoon when Ananya di called and asked if we (myself Subhendu and Ankit) could visit a rural primary school in Purulia district named Binduidih Primary School to have a session for their primary students about biodiversity and the magical world of butterflies.

We said yes before thinking twice. And then, the challenge hit us. How do you talk to children who are just four to nine years old? Facts and figures wouldn’t work. After several conversations, an idea took flight: instead of information, we would bring pictures, colors, and stories.

With Wiki Loves Butterfly holding more than 17,000 photographs, we dove into that visual treasure chest and hand-picked a hundred of our favorites.

The Road to Binduidih

The evening before the session, with monsoon clouds pressing low and rain sprinkling across the road, we packed our bags, hopped onto our bikes, and rode out. The journey itself was an adventure, wet and full of wind and full of promise. That night, Debasri di and Bodhisattwa da welcomed us into their home, where we sat up late, laughing and talking—about butterflies, conservation, Wikimedia world and about how tomorrow might unfold.

Eighty Small Faces, Two Nervous Heart

The next morning we walked into a room full of nearly 80 children, their faces shining with anticipation. And suddenly, we were nervous—the kind of nervousness that arrives when you realize that 80 young minds are trusting you to spark their curiosity.

We began with biodiversity, slipped into the stories of local host plants, and then slowly, like turning pages in a picture book, introduced them to butterflies. We showed them colors. We spun tales. And something wonderful happened. The room began to hum with curiosity. Their hands shot up with answers. Their laughter bounced off the walls.

 It no longer felt like a “talk.” It felt like we were all discovering together.

A Walk Into the World of Wings

When the stories ended, we stepped outside for a little field walk within the school grounds. Ankit bent down to point out a common baron butterfly and its caterpillars, camouflaged perfectly on leaves. The moment the children spotted it, their eyes widened—wonder caught them mid-breath. That instant was pure magic: tiny humans and tiny creatures sharing a silent connection. Their excitement was like that of butterflies breaking free from a cocoon.

Leaving with a Full Heart

“Kids deserve the right to think that they can change the world,” Lois Lowry once said. And what better way to spark that dream than through a story?

We carried with us a little tale – Sharat er sokal O Tinnir gopon Bondhu (An Autumn Morning and Tinni’s Secret Friend), a gentle story written by Sandip da and Ananya di about a little girl and her magical friendship with a butterfly. Printed simply on a leaflet, it held a world inside it. 

Before ending the programme we  placed those leaflets in the small, eager hands of the children, something beautiful happened. Some opened it right away, their eyes following the words, already wandering into Tinni’s world. Others hugged it close, as if saving a treasure for later. 

We don’t know how many hundreds this story will eventually touch. But we do know this – the children who are already living inside that story today, talking to Tinni and flying with her butterfly, will one day grow up to inspire thousands. Because sometimes, a story is all it takes to teach a child that they, too, can change the world.

By the time it ended, none of us wanted to say goodbye. We packed up our pictures and waved back at the little hands that clung to us till the very last second. We left with a bittersweet feeling, carrying the sounds of their giggles and their endless questions long after the rain-washed road had swallowed us again.

That morning in Binduidih Primary School reminded us of something simple: sometimes the best way to teach is to tell a story, and sometimes, in the smallest classrooms, you find the biggest wings.