Nervous smiles, heart-rending tears and giggles against the backdrop of downpour provided the familiar setting to the customary welcome accorded to class one students across the district.
More than 10,000 students stepped into classrooms for first time in over 1,000 government, aided, and unaided schools in the district.
Some of the newcomers revelled in the reception they received. Many schools jazzed up the occasion with traditional chendamelam, some others screened cartoons to evoke a homely feel among children. Classrooms were decked up festoons.
Many were obviously excited to be in the company of children of their age, away from parents and grandparents. They picked up from their goody bag, one by one, pencil boxes, umbrellas, and lunch boxes and showcased before their soon-to-be friends.
But then there were others who hollered in the classroom. Neither sweets nor popular cartoon characters populating the classroom could pacify them. Some of the parents were as concerned as their children and stayed back outside classrooms knowing that the first day in the school will be brief and that they can accompany their children back home.
