Khargone: Sometimes, the most powerful lessons aren’t taught in classrooms—they’re lived on rain-soaked bridges over raging rivers.

Former guest teacher Maya Verma, 24, had every reason to turn back. The monsoon rains were relentless, her scooter was struggling through the deluge, and ahead lay 55 kilometres of uncertain terrain between her current home in Pandhania and the Kamodwada Integrated Primary and Middle School in Khargone district’s Jhirnia block on Sep 4.

Her former students had specifically requested her presence for their Teachers’ Day celebrations and she didn’t want to disappoint them.

“I once thought of going back home, but the insistence of the children was so strong that I kept going despite adverse conditions,” Maya told reporters, her voice still carrying the warmth of someone who has never truly left the teaching profession behind.

The real test came at the Veda river crossing near Kamodwada. What should have been a simple bridge became an impassable torrent, with floodwaters flowing over the structure like a liquid barrier between Maya and her destination.

Most people would have called it quits. Maya parked her scooter and started walking into the churning water.

“Halfway, I realized my mistake,” she admits with the kind of honesty that makes great teachers. But then came the moment that defined her journey: “I remembered the innocent faces of the children and kept moving forward.”

Village residents, witnessing this determined figure battling the current, rushed to help guide her safely across. It was a community spirit meeting unwavering dedication—a perfect metaphor for education itself.

When Maya finally appeared at the school gates, soaked but smiling, the reaction was pure magic. Deepika from class III, Sunanda from class VII, and Ayush and Vaishnavi from class VIII erupted in joy. Their former Sanskrit teacher—who had taught them during the 2024-25 session—had kept her promise.

Even her former colleagues, Akhilesh Golkar and Prashant Gosale, were moved by the gesture.

Maya’s story carries deeper currents than just one remarkable journey. Now working as an Anganwadi worker earning Rs15,000 monthly—Rs5,000 more than her previous guest teacher salary of Rs10,000—she reveals a truth about teaching that goes beyond paychecks.

“I liked teaching because there was job satisfaction in it,” she explains, her BA in political science and MA in geography credentials secondary to her obvious passion. “If I am asked to teach again, I will prefer a teaching job.”

The return journey proved equally challenging, with rising water levels forcing Maya to take a lengthy detour to retrieve her scooter. But by then, the mission was accomplished.

“The smile on the faces of the children shows how much affection they had for Maya Verma,” observed Raghvendra Joshi, Jhirnia’s Block Resource Convenor, capturing in simple words what elaborate ceremonies often fail to achieve.

As fellow teacher Prashant Ghoshle noted, Maya was advised against making the journey due to the weather. But her excitement to meet the children proved stronger than caution, stronger than comfort, stronger than the very river that tried to stop her.

In an age where digital connections often replace human ones, Maya Verma’s Teachers’ Day journey stands as a testament to bonds that neither distance nor floods can break. Her students didn’t just get a visit—they received a masterclass in commitment that they’ll likely remember long after they’ve forgotten their Sanskrit conjugations.

Sometimes the greatest teaching moments happen when school is out.