Part 1 – The First Glimpse
The dusty lanes of the village came alive during the annual fair. Children ran around with sweets in hand, elders discussed politics under the banyan tree, and music floated from the temple. Amid this chaos, Arav, a simple village boy with dreams far bigger than his surroundings, saw her.
Gunjan, dressed in a pastel-colored salwar suit, stood near a stall, her eyes scanning the fair with curiosity. She was from the city, visiting her ancestral home for the summer. Their eyes met, and in that single moment, the world fell silent for Arav.
Part 2 – Silent Conversations
Arav never had the courage to speak directly, but fate gave him chances. At the well, he offered to help her draw water; on the temple stairs, he moved aside as she climbed. Their eyes began to exchange what words could not.
Gunjan felt a strange pull toward this boy. Unlike city men, Arav’s simplicity carried honesty. She began to look for him in crowds, her heart beating faster whenever he appeared.
Part 3 – Letters Without Names
In the evenings, Arav would sit under the banyan tree and sketch Gunjan’s face in his notebook. He poured his feelings into poems that he never dared to sign. One day, a folded page slipped into Gunjan’s prayer book at the temple.
The words read: “You are the breeze that touches a stormed heart. Even if I cannot call you mine, let me love you from afar.”
Gunjan held the page close to her heart. She didn’t need a name; she already knew who had written it.
Part 4 – The Festival of Lights
The Diwali festival brought the whole village together. Houses lit up with diyas, and the night sky glowed with fireworks. Amid the celebrations, Arav and Gunjan found themselves face to face, away from the crowd.
“Did you write that letter?” she asked softly.
Arav lowered his eyes. “Yes. But if it offends you—”
Gunjan interrupted with a smile. “It doesn’t offend me. It completes me.”
That night, two souls silently promised each other what words couldn’t.
Part 5 – Shadows of Reality
But reality soon cast its shadow. Gunjan’s family, deeply rooted in city prestige, learned about Arav. To them, he was just a farmer’s son, unworthy of their daughter. They warned her, threatened her, and reminded her of her “responsibilities.”
Arav too faced harsh scoldings from the villagers, who believed love between two different worlds would only bring dishonor.
Yet, the more the world pulled them apart, the stronger their bond became.
Part 6 – The Secret Meeting
They began to meet in secret, under the old mango tree by the river. Time stood still as they spoke about dreams, fears, and a future that seemed impossible.
“Will you wait for me?” Gunjan asked one night.
Arav placed his hand on his chest. “Till my last breath.”
The river carried their whispered vows, as though nature itself was witness to their love.
Part 7 – The First Betrayal
Their secret couldn’t remain hidden forever. A villager spotted them together and spread rumors. Soon, both families confronted them. Gunjan was locked inside her home, while Arav was warned never to see her again.
For days, they remained apart, hearts aching with the weight of separation. Arav wrote letters he couldn’t send, and Gunjan wept into the silence of her room.
Part 8 – Courage in the Night
One stormy night, Arav stood outside Gunjan’s window, drenched in rain. She opened the latch, tears rolling down her cheeks.
“Run away with me,” he whispered.
But Gunjan shook her head. “If we run, they’ll curse us forever. We must fight, not escape.”
Her courage surprised Arav. For the first time, he realized that love was not just about being together—it was about standing up against the chains that bound them.
Part 9 – The Breaking Point
Gunjan’s parents arranged her engagement with a wealthy businessman from the city. The news shattered Arav. He tried to reason, but his voice went unheard.
Gunjan begged her parents, but her pleas fell on deaf ears. The engagement date was fixed. The countdown to heartbreak had begun.
Part 10 – The Confession
The night before the engagement, Gunjan sneaked out and met Arav at the temple. Her hands trembled as she placed them in his.
“If I can’t be yours in this life, promise me we’ll meet in another,” she whispered.
Arav held her close. “No, Gunjan. This life is ours too. I won’t give up.”
Part 11 – The Protest
Word spread in the village about their love. Younger boys and girls began to support them, inspired by their courage. The elders grew more rigid, claiming this “madness” had to end.
A protest brewed—not against love, but against the chains of old traditions. Arav and Gunjan unknowingly became symbols of a silent revolution.
Part 12 – The Storm of Resistance
On the day of Gunjan’s engagement, Arav stormed into the city mansion where the ceremony was taking place. Gasps filled the hall.
With fire in his voice, he declared, “Love is not a crime. If she chooses him, I will step aside. But if she chooses me, will you deny her freedom?”
Gunjan, with tears in her eyes, held Arav’s hand in front of everyone.
Part 13 – The Courtroom Battle
Families dragged the matter to court, demanding justice for “honor.” The courtroom was filled with whispers and stares. Gunjan stood firm beside Arav.
The judge listened carefully, then asked, “Do you choose him by your own will?”
“Yes,” Gunjan answered without hesitation.
That single word shook centuries of rigid tradition.
Part 14 – The Turning Point
The courtroom silence was suffocating. As Arav stood beside Gunjan, their eyes met for a fleeting second, carrying the weight of years of unspoken emotions.
The judge adjourned the case, reminding families that law protects choice. For Arav and Gunjan, it wasn’t just hope—it was a lifeline.
Part 15 – Whispers in the Dark
That night, Gunjan wept silently in her room. Through the window, she saw the village lights fading into the horizon. She wrote in her diary: “A love that society rejects, is still love. Will destiny rewrite our names together?”
Meanwhile, Arav sketched her face under the banyan tree, whispering promises to the stars.
Part 16 – The Clash of Generations
The elders of the village and city united against them. To them, Arav was a poor dreamer, while Gunjan symbolized prestige.
But the youth whispered in secret—they saw in Arav and Gunjan a fight worth fighting. A change worth making.
Part 17 – A Letter Left Unread
Gunjan wrote a heartfelt letter to Arav, promising to fight till the end. But it never reached him.
Instead, he sat under the banyan tree, holding his sketchbook. “Even if the world erases us, these lines will keep you alive.”
Part 18 – The Storm Before Dawn
Whispers spread that Gunjan was to be married off. Desperate, she escaped to the village temple on the eve of her engagement. There, under the flickering lamp, Arav was waiting.
The storm raged outside, but inside, two souls found their way back.
Part 19 – The Final Stand
When both families arrived at the temple, Arav’s voice rose:
“Love is not a curse. If you want honor, let it be in truth, not in chains.”
The hall fell silent. Then an old grandmother stepped forward. “If love like this exists, why bury it?”
Part 20 – Echoes and Heartbeats
The winds shifted. Gunjan’s father reluctantly placed her hand in Arav’s. Temple bells rang, not just for union, but for change.
Their love story spread across towns—a tale where echoes of tradition met the heartbeats of freedom.
And thus, a love once forbidden became a legend whispered for generations
Also Read:
Graham Greene: A Timeless Voice in Literature and Journalism
