The sound of temple bells travelled through the narrow streets of Vrindavan before the sun could fully rise.
The air carried the fragrance of incense and fresh flowers, while distant chants blended with the soft footsteps of people heading towards the temple.
For most people, it was just another morning.
For Radha, it was home.
"Radha!"
A voice from the other side of the small room pulled her out of sleep.
"Radha, uth ja beta. College nahi jaana?"
A sleepy groan came from beneath the thin blanket.
"Dadi... bas five minutes."
Her grandmother stood at the doorway, holding a cup of tea.
"Tumhare ye five minutes kabhi five minutes nahi hote."
Radha slowly opened one eye.
"Achha, toh aaj chhod do."
"Bilkul nahi."
Dadi walked over and pulled the blanket away.
"Utho. Tumhari zindagi ke pehle college day par hi late hona hai kya?"
That sentence was enough.
Radha immediately sat up.
"Pehla din!"
She looked at the clock.
Her eyes widened.
"OH GOD!"
Dadi laughed.
"Ab yaad aaya?"
Radha hurried out of bed, almost tripping over her own dupatta.
"Dadi, aapne pehle kyun nahi uthaya mujhe?"
"I have been calling you for the last ten minutes."
"Main sun nahi rahi thi."
"Wahi toh problem hai."
Radha smiled sheepishly before rushing towards the small mirror hanging on the wall.
Her room was simple.
Nothing expensive.
Nothing fancy.
Just a small bed, an old wooden cupboard, a study table covered with books, and a little shelf where her neatly arranged Kathak ghungroos rested.
She looked at herself in the mirror.
A simple kurta.
A small pair of earrings.
Her hair tied loosely.
No expensive makeup.
No designer clothes.
Just Radha.
She smiled.
Today was the beginning of something new.
College.
A BA degree.
A new chapter of her life.
Although somewhere inside, she was terrified.
She picked up her bag and turned towards her grandmother.
"Dadi..."
"Hm?"
"What if I don't fit in?"
Dadi's expression softened.
Beta, tumhe kisi mein fit hone ki zarurat nahi hai."
She gently fixed a strand of hair near Radha's forehead.
"Bas apne jaisi rehna."
Radha smiled.
"I'll try."
Dadi handed her the cup of tea.
"Pehle ye khatam karo."
"Dadi, late ho raha hai!"
"College ek din mein band nahi ho jayega."
Radha laughed.
She took two quick sips.
Then stopped.
"Dadi..."
"Hm?"
"Fees ke liye paise..."
Her grandmother immediately understood.
"Uski fikr mat karo."
"Lekin—"
"Radha."
The firmness in her voice made Radha quiet.
"Tum padhai karo. Baaki sab main sambhal lungi."
Radha looked down.
She knew the truth.
Her grandfather's pension was their only stable source of income.
It wasn't much.
And whatever little she earned from tutoring neighbourhood children went towards groceries, books, and other necessities.
She hated making things harder for her grandmother.
But Dadi always made her feel like everything was going to be okay.
Radha smiled and hugged her.
"Love you, Dadi."
"Bas bas. Ab jao, warna tumhari best friend ghar tod degi."
As if summoned by her words—
BANG! BANG! BANG!
"RADHAAAA!"
Radha closed her eyes
"Lo aa gayi."
Dadi laughed.
"Jaao."
Radha grabbed her bag and ran towards the door.
The moment she opened it, Ananya stood there with her hands on her hips.
"Finally!"
Radha blinked.
"Good morning?"
"Good morning baad mein. Tu jaanti hai kitni der se main wait kar rahi hoon?"
"Sorry."
"Tu kabhi time par nahi aa sakti."
"Main aa gayi na."
Ananya rolled her eyes.
"Chal."
They started walking together.
They had been doing this for years.
School.
Tuition.
Temple visits.
Random evening walks.
Every important memory Radha had somehow included Ananya.
They had grown up together.
And although their personalities were completely different, somehow, they fit perfectly.
Ananya looked at Radha.
"Tu nervous hai?"
"A little."
"A little?"
Radha nodded.
"Okay... maybe a lot."
Ananya laughed.
"Don't worry. Main hoon na."
Radha smiled.
"That's exactly why I'm not worried."
---
Later that evening
The day had been exhausting.
New faces.
New teachers.
New surroundings.
New expectations.
By the time Radha returned home, her feet hurt and her mind was filled with a hundred different thoughts.
She dropped her bag near the bed.
"Dadi?"
"Kitchen mein hoon!"
Radha smiled.
She changed into something comfortable and sat quietly for a moment.
Her eyes landed on the little shelf.
Her ghungroos.
She picked them up.
There was something about dancing that words could never explain.
Whenever she was happy, she danced.
Whenever she was angry, she danced.
Whenever she was sad, she danced.
Whenever the world became too loud—
she danced.
She tied the ghungroos around her ankles.
Then stood in the middle of the room.
For the next few minutes, nothing else existed.
Not college.
Not money.
Not responsibilities.
Not the fear of tomorrow.
Only the rhythm.
Her feet moved with the taal.
Her hands followed the music.
Her eyes spoke what her lips couldn't.
Kathak wasn't simply her passion.
It was her escape.
Her little world.
Her freedom.
When the music stopped, Radha stood still for a moment, breathing heavily.
A smile slowly appeared on her face.
"Radha?"
She turned.
Dadi stood at the doorway.
"Bohot thak gayi thi na?"
Radha nodded.
"Ab nahi."
Dadi smiled.
"Tumhare ghungroo tumhari har problem solve kar dete hain."
Radha looked down at them.
"Shayad."
Dadi walked towards her and kissed her forehead.
"Bas aise hi khush rehna."
Radha smiled.
She didn't know why, but something about those words made her heart feel strange.
As if happiness was something she needed to hold onto.
As if life was preparing to take her somewhere she had never imagined.
She had no idea what waited beyond the little world she knew.
She had no idea that somewhere far away, another life was moving in a completely different rhythm.
A life of wealth.
Power.
Control.
And darkness.
A man whose name carried enough weight to make rooms fall silent.
Hridya Singh Rajput.
And neither Radha nor Hridya knew it yet—
but fate had already started writing their story.
And once their worlds collided, neither of them would ever be the same.
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