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~In the market's vibrant chaos, our eyes first met,
Spark of connection, a heart skipped a beat.

The day I met you, i met my passion's fire,
A flame that burns bright , my soul heart's desire.

In that instant, i knew our lives would entwine,
A first encounter that would forever be divine.~

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23rd September 1890
Calcutta, Bengal

DARSH POV~

I look out the window as we nears Dumdum circular station, Calcutta.... a new place, a new town and a fresh start.

"Gather all the bags and stand in line, we're about to reach the station" Baba says. We all line up, checking our belongings to make sure we don't leave anything behind.

"We are finally here" I murmur, feeling nervous yet excited.

Riya is in maa's arms, my grandparents stand by my father, who's holding our bags and suitcases.

"Give me some, baba... I'll carry them" I offer, moving to help my father to help him carry the bags.

As the train stops, father steps out first, followed by grandmother, grandfather, maa, Riya with me trailing behind.

I step down onto the new soil, glancing up at the sun shining brightly, It's around noon. I inhale deeply, stretching my tired body, feeling the soreness from sitting in one place for 5 days.

The station bustles with people, busy either boarding or exiting the train. Tea snack stalls line up the corridors, filling the air with the comforting aroma of warm ginger tea mingling with the earthy scent of the station.

"Hey bhagwan! Meri kamar!!" My Grandmother exhaustedly sighs while rubbing her aching back, feeling tired.

[ MY GOD ! MY BACK!! ]

"Maa, just wait a few more hours. you can rest peacefully once we reach our new home" my father tries to reassure her, but she smacks his shoulder "tumne apna sthanantaran kyu nahi rad karaya... tumhari wajah se main yaha peeth dard se mar rahi hun !!!"

[ WHY DIDN'T YOU CANCEL YOUR TRANSFER.... BECAUSE OF YOU I'M SUFFERING WITH THIS BACK PAIN !!! ]

I stifle my laugh as my father is getting scolded and beaten up by his mother, but Riya giggles freely and Maa hides her smile behind her hand.

KAVITA POV ~

It's evening, and Prachi, Payal didi and I are out shopping with maa, Anjali chachi and our neighbor, Surbhi maasi.

Browsing through a stack of clothes, my eyes fall on a pink frock. "Maa, look... this one looks nice!" I hold it up to my mother, with hope .

"No Kavita, it's too expensive! I can't buy it, " Maa replies, making me pout.

"Maa what about these?" Payal didi suggests, showing a different pink coloured long frock with the same designs as what I chose just now, for me and a blue coloured saree for herself.

Maa considers the choices of the frock and the saree, then glancing at the prices, she continues "can't you both understand at once, I have already said it's expensive" being slightly angry.

Then she turn towards the shopkeeper and starts selecting some kurta and shirt for Nakul bhaiya.

It's always Nakul bhaiya first for her. It's always him who gets anything he ever wants without a second thought. I wish, just once, that maa would say yes to me too.

She picks a blue coloured shirt and off white coloured kurta for him... which is certainly more expensive than the combined price of the clothes Payal didi and I choose for ourselves.

"Show me what you selected for yourselves" Anjali chachi asks, taking the dresses from our hands.

"Wow~ such beautiful choices you both have" Anjali chachi praises our choices and then asks us happily "you both liked it right ? Let me buy it for you !".

Before Payal didi could stop her, saying "No !...it's okay chach---", Anjali chachi mockingly glares at us and says "why? Do you both have any problems? I am buying these for my daughters".

Payal didi and I smile, looking at her and then she turns to the shopkeeper, paying the bill before keeping the dresses in a new jute bag.

Turning around, she hands the bags to us, saying with a smile "for my daughters" and winks. We too chuckle, seeing her dramatic yet affectionate antics.

Maa also selects a green cotton long frock for me and a yellow-orange coloured saree for Payal didi at a lower price.

DARSH POV ~

Sitting beside Riya, I'm captivated by the bustling streets...Riya looks outside the window happily, her eyes wide and she chimes " Bhaiya... this place is so colorful !!" I nod with a smile agreeing with her.

When we reach the bus stop, we all step down on the blustering road in the local market.
The area isn't too crowded, but I held Riya's hand firmly, not wanting her to slip away in this unfamiliar place.

"Bhaiya Bhaiya !! Give me one, I will help too " she proposes to help me in carrying one of the two bags which I am carrying. I start chuckling, hearing her determined words.

"No Shona! It's okay... you don't have to. You just enjoy the scenery, okay my goofball !" I giggle and ruffle her hair while she pouts, showing me her narrow eyes.

"I am as strong as you !!" She proclaims, making me laugh more heartily.

"I know Shona... in fact you are even stronger than me... that's why let me learn from you and give me a chance to be as strong as you... I want to be as strong as my sister~" I hum while giggling.

The people, especially women, are shopping, and there are few small street food stalls too. The market looks like a vivid, vibrant and colorful display of colors, sounds and scents.

I look around all of these new places and cultures, up close. Their clothing styles are different from ours. The men are wearing dhoti like most of the men from our side too but the ladies here are wearing saree in different styles and have very long and thick hair like spider webs. For those who make the braids, it looks like some cobra to me... but beautiful.

I look at the shops and stalls ---- Colorful Fabrics hanging outside, dazzling and fluttering under the evening sunlight. Sarees in sapphire blue, deep red like ripe pomegranate, emerald green coloured with intricate golden floral embroidery stitches and sunny dusk yellow borders. Each draped over wooden beams, glowing in the sunlight.

Merchants are shouting over one another, their voices rising above the crowd in a symphony of pitches, each trying to lure in customers.

I glance at the fruits and vegetables stalls, which are filled with customers.

Pomegranates in warm hues of glossy red and tinged with purple, resembling a jewel under the evening sunlight. Bunches of deep purple grapes almost like a black skin, glossy and smooth with a round shape.

Scarlet chili peppers with a pungent earthy smell and turmeric powder of bright golden-yellow hue, reminiscing sunshine.

The warm scent of cumin and turmeric drifts from the spice stalls, blending with the sweetness of fried jalebis and the fresh fragrances of herbs and flowers.

I feel anxious as my heart is racing and my palms are sweating but still the excitement and curiosity are much bigger than the anxiety and nervousness that are building inside me.

As I start having difficulty holding the two heavy bags and Riya at the same time, maa picks her up in her arms.

I walk closely with them. After all, it's a new place for me too and I don't even know the Bengali language to communicate with anyone. If I get lost here----- "hope they talk in Hindi too" I pray and sigh.

Father is walking ahead with my grandparents to the trams stopping, while me, riya and maa are walking a little back behind them.

While walking beside my mother, carrying two heavy bags with me... my feet get stuck into a small stone in a pit, making me lose my balance and I stumble, closing my eyes as I brace myself for the impact.

But instead I collide and fall upon the person who's passing by my side.

"Ahh!! Step aside, you are sitting on my leg".

~ The day I met you, I met my passion.

჻჻჻჻჻჻჻჻჻჻჻჻჻჻.✾.჻჻჻჻჻჻჻჻჻჻჻჻჻჻

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Please I'm really sorry for updating late... As I'm on my periods, I forgot the day and thought that today is Monday.

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