BANGALORE: This was not the usual early morning walk to wake up your senses, but a walk with a difference that a few school children undertook for a cause.

What were a group of 150 people, including 65 children aged between six and 18 years accompanied by their teachers, parents and other friends, all clad in white T-shirts, walking for from Bangalore University premises towards their school in Varadenahalli village, 35 km away?These were all students, their parents, teachers and alumni of the Centre for Learning on the outskirts of Bangalore. They walked distances of anything between 5 km and 35 km along Magadi Road to the school campus at Varadenahalli.

The walk was undertaken to raise money for two purposes: to get solar energy in the school and to fund two village schools in the neighbourhood.

"Our students have made a study of the energy needs of our school, and we are planning to convert our lighting and hot water needs to solar energy. This will cost approximately Rs. 7 lakh. Also, there are two village schools in our neighbourhood, and we have been interacting in different ways with those students for six years. Now we wish to provide the Varadenahalli village schools with additional classroom space, furniture and books. This will cost approximately Rs. 3 lakh," school authorities said.

The students were given a boost for their long journey through the verdant surroundings of Magadi town through a stretching session in the morning before the walk with Anju and Bobby George, who came to give the youngsters some encouragement.

Another reason for walking is to remind ourselves of the long distances that children all over India walk simply in order to get to school. Whether in the hot and dusty plains of Tamil Nadu or in the cool mountains of the north, thousands of courageous and curious minds are going through a lot of trouble in order to be educated. Our day of walking is a way of reminding ourselves of their spirit, they added.

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