I looked outside the window while a song played on the car's radio. Everything I saw was green trees passing which felt like a dancing cartoon. Me and Mumma were on a road trip just like every Sunday, us, music and the silence. The road was quiet, like everyone had gone to sleep. Only our car moved... until it didn't.
Mumma stopped the car and sighed again. I knew that sound. She was tired. Something was wrong with the car, and I saw her already calling someone-for help. I didn't really care about the car; I was happy to just look outside.
But then I saw something strange. A group of people... not many... just a few... walking up towards a small, shiny building. It had a round golden top and orange flags flying high, as if they were talking to the clouds.
"Mumma," I tugged her sleeve. "Why are people going in that house?"
She followed my finger with her eyes. Her lips didn't smile like they usually did when I asked silly things.
"That's not a house," she said after a pause. "It's a mandir. A Krishna ji ka mandir."
<Mandir = temple>
"Oh," I said. I didn't know what to say next.
She kept looking at it for a long time, like she was thinking something very deep.
"People go there because they trust that he listens," she added softly. "Blindly..."
I looked at her, but her eyes weren't on me. They were somewhere far, like she had left her seat and gone to a place in her head. A place I didn't know.
We sat quietly for a while.
I played with my fingers, looked out, and watched the birds fly by, free and noisy. I wasn't free. I was stuck in this seat, again. Waiting. Always waiting.
I let out a small sigh, not like mumma's - mine was just boredom.
"Mumma?" I asked.
She turned her head slowly.
"I'm bored."
Her brows lifted.
"Can I go outside? Just for a little? Please?"
She looked uncertain. I knew that look. That meant 'no'. But I also knew how to make her say 'yes' in this case.
"I promise I won't go far. I'll stay very close. Right beside the car."
She looked at me for some time, then at the mandir again, then at the road. It was really quiet, almost like the road belonged to us alone.
Finally, she nodded. "Okay. But wait- let me help you out."
I smiled wide. Victory!
She opened the door, came around to my side, and gently lifted me out. Her hands were always warm, always careful.
She set me on my wheelchair, adjusted my legs, and fixed the small blanket over my knees.
I was free.
Just then, a bike pulled up near our car. The man on it was dressed in an orange uniform-just like the ones I usually see at the garage Mamma and I visit every month. We go there together every time, just like we do for everything else-shopping, walks, or hospital visits, which happen almost every other day.
"Remember, close to the car," she reminded.
"I won't move a mile!" I grinned, rolling forward just a little.
The air outside was cooler, softer than I thought. The sun peeked out from clouds like it was playing hide and seek. The road smelled like dust and leaves and something old, it felt great.
I looked at the mandir again. I forwarded the joystick present near my fingers to move the wheelchair closer to the mandir.
There were bells, flowers, and a sound coming from it - soft, like someone was singing from inside.
I wondered what it was like to go inside.
What did Krishna ji look like?
Would he talk to me?
Would he think I was weird just like other people?
I was staring curiously at a vendor arranging baskets of flowers, coconuts, and a packet of something long and yellow - maybe incense sticks? Just then, my eyes landed on a boy.
He looked... different.
He wasn't wearing full clothes like other kids. A towel-like cloth was stylishly wrapped around his waist, and he had jewelry around his neck, in his ears, around his wrist and even something shiny on his forehead. A peacock feather was tucked into his hair like it was made for him. He looked straight out of a storybook.
He walked toward the temple gate with a man and a woman - probably his guardians. The man bent down to help the woman remove her slippers, while she carefully balanced a plate in her hands. The boy slipped off his sandals too - but instead of following them in, he started walking toward me.
Wait... me?
I blinked. Was he actually coming to me?
I looked behind me quickly to check if someone else was standing there. Nope. Just me.
Then I heard him.
"Hiie! My name is Ved," he chirped, holding out his hand for a handshake.
I blinked at his bright smile but slowly shook my head. "Mumma says not to talk or eat anything a stranger gives you..." I mumbled.
But I didn't want to send him away.
He didn't look scary or mean. He looked... kind. And curious. Just like me.
Ved leaned a little to the side, peeking at my wheelchair. "Same does my Dadi," he said seriously, then smiled again. "But it must be amazing to hide a chair like this under you, right?"
I stared at him, shocked. No one ever said that to me. I didn't even know how to react. But suddenly... I felt good. His words made me feel proud.
"Yes! You know, I can go from here to there without using my feet!" I announced and zoomed forward with my joystick, did a small circle, and came back to him.
Ved's mouth was wide open in awe. "So cool! What's your name?"
"Vani Sharma," I beamed. That word - cool- it felt extra special to me.
"Nice to meet you." he said but I was too zoomed in on my thoughts.
Someone called me cool!
"Oh! You're not coming inside the mandir?" he asked after a tiny pause.
I shook my head. "No... but do you know how Krishna ji looks? All these people are here to meet him, right?"
Ved's eyes sparkled. "You can look at me! I'm dressed like Krishna ji today!" He pulled a tiny flute from his waistband and struck a pose, placing it on his lips like a little flutist himself.
I tilted my head. "Is he a freedom fighter or a famous person you've dressed up as?"
He giggled. "No, silly! He's not a freedom fighter - he's God! He created us, the flowers, animals, this whole world!"
My eyes widened. "And what does God actually look like?"
"I don't know exactly," he said thoughtfully. "But my Dadi says he is very cute, super mischievous, and very powerful."
"Are there more Gods? Like... him? Powerful and mischievous?"
"Oh yes! Many! I don't remember all their names, but they're all powerful!" He made a little fist like a superhero and puffed his chest.
I nodded, quietly memorizing everything. Mumma never told me all this.
"But if you're not coming inside... why are you here, Vani?"
I pointed toward our car parked near the entrance. "Our car broke down. That's why we stopped here." I gave him a crooked smile. "And you? Is there a fashion show going on inside the mandir as you are dressed up like a god?"
Ved burst out laughing. "No! We're here to pray and ask for blessings. You know one secret?" He leaned closer, eyes twinkling.
I leaned toward him, curious. "What?"
"Don't tell anyone, okay? He grants wishes."
I gasped softly. "Is he a magician?!"
"You can think of it like that," he nodded seriously. "But he listens to kids more than adults. Papa told me that!"
That made me think... maybe that's why Mumma looked so tired earlier. Maybe Krishna ji didn't listen to her wish. But now that I know this secret - maybe I can ask wishes for her.
"When will Krishna ji come out of the mandir?" I asked hopefully.
"He can't come out, Vani," Ved said gently. "There's a statue of Krishna ji and Radha Rani inside. People go in to see them and do Pooja and ask their wishes inside."
"Radha Rani? Who is she?"
"She's Krishna ji's first love. Some say she's his wife too."
I nodded slowly. "Okay... but where can I find them if not inside?"
"They're up there!" Ved pointed toward the sky. "Looking at us all the time."
I tilted my head back. All I could see were clouds. "Where? I don't see anyone."
He chuckled. "You can't see them, Vani! But they're there. Dadi also says every person has God inside their heart - because we're all part of him."
I looked down at him and placed my hand gently on my chest.
Really? Right here?
"If you're not coming in, wait here okay? I'll be back in a second!" Ved said, then ran off toward the mandir, skipping up the steps like he had wings.
I watched him go, glancing nervously at Mumma near the car, who kept looking at me between her conversation with the mechanic uncle.
I really hoped Ved would come back before Mumma did.
Then I saw him again -rushing back down the steps with his hands cupped together. He stopped right in front of me and opened his palms gently above my head.
"I brought you the Aarti- that means Krishna ji's blessings," he whispered proudly.
I looked at him and then at Mumma. Something warm bloomed in my chest.
"Can you bring more?" I asked shyly. "I want to take some for my Mumma too."
Ved looked at me for a moment, then smiled big. "Of course!" and off he went again, vanishing into the crowd like a little hero in a palace in the story.
The wind suddenly blew stronger, and I hugged myself a little. The sky was darker now - like it might rain.
Ved returned faster than before, grinning wide. "I got the Aarti midway!" he said and opened his palms once more. I joined my hands and took it like he did.
"Thank you so much," I squealed, my heart fluttering.
"Friends don't say thank you or sorry, Vani," he teased.
I giggled and nodded. Friends? Yes. I have a friend now. My very first one.
"Ved, can you take this cloth off my legs? My hands are busy."
"Uh... okay!" he said, a little nervous, but carefully unwrapped the cloth.
"You can have it," I smiled. "You might feel cold."
"Thanks for this," he laughed, wrapping it around himself.
I smirked. "Friends don't say thank you or sorry, Ved."
His eyes widened and then we both burst out laughing. That's when we heard someone calling our names.
Ved turned. "Okay, I gotta go. See you!" he said, waving as he ran back inside.
I just smiled back, staring at the mandir.
I don't know if Mumma believed in Krishna ji... but maybe I could.
Just a little. Enough to ask for what she wants.
"Vani..." Mumma stood in front of me, brushing my hair back. "Let's go?"
"Mumma... bend down please?"
She knelt, instantly worried. "What happened, baby?"
I reached out and opened my palms above her head, just like Ved did for me. "Now let's go!" I chirped.
Her eyes blinked in confusion before softening into a smile. "Let's go," she said, pushing my chair gently.
"We have to prepare for our test. Remember?"
"Yes!" I nodded, looking back once at the mandir. I really hope I see Ved again there.
I placed my hand on my heart.
'Krishna ji... please help me meet him again.'
Please grant my very first wish.
∆∆∆
The temple courtyard buzzed with the quiet hum of morning prayers and rustling footsteps of few people. The temple was calm and still like it was meant to be.
Suddenly, the stillness was interrupted as ved came running inside, his feet pattering against the cool marble tiles. He held something tightly in his hand - a piece of cloth, patterned and folded neatly, his grip possessive, like a child guarding treasure.
He skidded to a stop in front of an elderly man standing near the steps -Raghav- his voice rising just as the elderly man turned toward him.
"Where were you lost, Ved? You know your Dadi was so tense," Raghav asked, his voice laced with concern, though his stern expression softened the moment he saw the boy's flushed face.
Ved grinned, the mischief in his eyes unbothered. He waved the cloth like a flag. "Come on, Dadu, Dadi is not tensed by me but by you!" His voice rang with playful defiance.
Meera appeared from behind, walking down the temple steps, worried etched across her forehead. She adjusted the edge of her pallu over her shoulder and eyed her grandson with both relief and questioning eyes.
"Ved, where were you all this time?" she asked, her brows arching as she placed a gentle yet expectant hand on his arm.
Ved turned quickly to her, excitement bubbling in his voice. "Dadi, I made a new friend! And you know she is too cool and sweet. See-she gave me this to cover myself." He lifted the cloth with pride, showing it off like a medal.
Meera's eyes softened, her mouth curling into a smile as she reached out and cupped Ved's cheek. "That's so sweet of your new friend," she said warmly. "What's his name?"
Ved's expression shifted to mild offense, correcting her immediately. "Not his, her. Her name is Vani Sharma. And you know-she rides a chair like a car!"
Raghav, now half-listening and half-chuckling behind them, exchanged a look with Meera, who bent down a little closer to Ved's level.
"She seems to be very cool," Meera said thoughtfully, brushing a small thread from his bare body. "Do you know where your friend is now so we can share the prasad with her?"
Without a word, Ved turned on his heel. "Wait, let me just check if she is still here," he called out, already halfway down the steps.
His feet moved fast, his body small yet determined. The cloth Vani gave him still fluttered slightly in his hand as he disappeared beyond the mandir gate - his friendship, perhaps, already stitched into its threads.
"Ved, go slow beta," Meera called out gently, as Ved dashed down the temple steps like a firecracker on legs.
Raghav chuckled beside her, watching their grandson disappear into the courtyard. "You know, it's fun to be a kid," he said wistfully, hands in his kurta pockets, eyes tracing the boy's energy.
"Missing your fun days, old man?" Meera teased, casting him a sideways glance, her bangles jingling softly as she turned toward the corner to wash her hands at the temple tap.
The place was unusually quiet - no crowd, no rush. Just the sound of water flowing and soft temple bells from inside.
Meera bent down slightly to rinse her hands under the cool stream when she felt a tap on her shoulder. She looked over, a little startled, and found Raghav standing behind her, his smile mischievous.
"What?" she asked, brows raised.
Raghav leaned in, voice low and playful, "Having you by my side is always a fun day, Meera."
Meera blinked. "Huh?"
"I mean," he added dramatically, arms spreading as if making an announcement to the gods, "after marrying you, life has always been fun."
Meera rolled her eyes with a snort, grabbing the edge of her saree to wipe her wet hands. "Haan haan, mujhe pareshan karne mein maza jo aata hai aapko."
<Yes yes, of course you enjoy troubling me.>
She tried to step past him - but before she could escape, Raghav slid his arms around her waist from behind, pulling her gently back into his chest.
"But didn't you enjoy every second of it, Mrs. Shekhawat?" he whispered near her ear, his voice deeper now, no longer teasing.
Meera's breath caught. Her hands instinctively tried to push him away, but her heart wasn't cooperating.
"Leave me," she whispered, looking around nervously, her cheeks glowing like ripe cherries. "What if someone sees us?"
He didn't budge. Instead, he held her wrist and gently turned her around, so her back brushed against his chest again.
"Humne aapko kabhi door jaane diya hai... Jo aaj denge?" he murmured, right beside her ear. She shivered - not from the wind, but from him.
<Have I ever let you go away... that I will do today?>
"And anyway," he continued with a soft chuckle, "everyone's inside. There's absolutely no one here."
"Aap kitne besharam hain, Raghav ji!" she mumbled, finally turning and hiding her face in his chest, playfully hitting it with her soft palm.
<How shameless you are, Raghav ji!>
"Jaise bhi hain, aapke hi hain, Meera ji." he grinned, placing a gentle kiss on her head while his fingers played with her pallu.
<How ever I am, I am yours, Meera ji."
The moment was tender, deliciously stolen, wrapped in years of love and comfort - like a familiar old song that still gave you butterflies.
"Dadi! Papa came!!"
Ved's voice came like a thunderclap, slicing through their intimacy like a temple bell mid-silence after ringing the bell.
Both of them flinched.
"Hatiye ab," Meera huffed, flustered, pushing him away with both hands and quickly fixing her saree pleats and hair. Her face-still pink, lips trying hard not to smile.
<Move aside now,>
"Everyone in this house is a mood breaker," Raghav muttered under his breath, adjusting his kurta as he sulked.
Meera turned toward him with suspicion. "What did you just say?"
Raghav straightened and cleared his throat dramatically. "That... you look beautiful, Meera."
"Oh, too late for that compliment now, Mr. Raghav Singh Shekhawat." She said, hands on her hips, sass loaded in every syllable.
"But listen-" he began again, but she'd already turned away.
Before walking off, she blew a kiss over her shoulder and winked.
"Thank you, handsome."
Raghav froze. His eyes widened as if Krishna ji himself had descended.
"Hah... damn me," he muttered, rubbing the back of his neck, ears now visibly red. He turned away slightly, trying to hide the wide, helpless grin stretching across his face.
She still had that effect on him.
Every single day.
Even after all these years, she made him fall for her... a little more, every time.
---
A few moments later...
"Why did you come this late?" Meera asked Shourya, who just entered the temple courtyard.
"Traffic," he replied, almost apologetically.
"Acha, okay - now both of you go and take blessings from Krishna ji. The Aarti thal is inside. Don't forget to bring it back!" Her tone shifted into a commanding Dadi-mode.
"Yes," both chorused.
"And if we forget, we won't return," Ved added cheekily, mimicking Meera's serious tone.
Meera gasped. "Ved?! What did you just say?"
"Papa, run!" Ved yelped and grabbed Shourya's hand, dragging him toward the mandir before Meera's glare could turn into a lecture.
Raghav chuckled in the background, arms folded, watching the chaos unfold.
Ved looked at the ideal of Krishna ji and prayed with his eyes closed,
"Krishna ji, can you please help me meet Vani again?"
He asked with intensity like this was the one thing he wanted to happen to him. While Shourya was looking at his son's devotion-hoped that it would come true.
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