Tirumala was crowded, yet peaceful in its own way.
The sound of bells mixed with prayers, and devotion moved slowly through long human lines. After hours of waiting, my darshan was finally over. My hands folded automatically, my heart calm—
or so I thought.
I stepped aside near the laddu counter, waiting for my turn, adjusting my dupatta and checking the people around me. That was when I felt it.
Someone was looking at me.
Not in a way that made me uncomfortable.
Not in a way that felt strange.
Just… noticeable.
I looked up.
He stood there, a little distance away. Not close. Not far. Just enough for our eyes to meet. For a second, time paused. He smiled—soft, genuine, as if he had known me for longer than a moment.
Without thinking, I smiled back.
It wasn't planned. It wasn't brave. It just happened.
The line moved. He walked ahead, and I thought that was it. A simple moment, meant to disappear like many others. But destiny had other ideas.
He stopped.
Then, he turned back.
His eyes searched the crowd, hurried yet hopeful. And when they found me, his smile returned—brighter this time. My heart skipped in a way I didn't understand. I wasn't imagining it. He had come back… for me.
People pushed forward. I lost sight of him for a moment and felt a strange emptiness settle in my chest. Why did it matter? He was a stranger. I didn't even know his name.
Yet, I searched.
And then I saw him again—standing ahead, just a few steps away. He glanced back, noticed me, and smiled once more. A smile that felt warm… and somehow sad.
We didn't speak.
We didn't exchange names.
But something passed between us.
When my turn came, I collected the laddu with shaking hands. I looked around one last time.
He was gone.
As I walked away, the crowd swallowed me whole, but my mind stayed behind—near the laddu counter, holding onto a smile that arrived unexpectedly and left too soon.
That night, no matter how much I tried, I couldn't forget him.
Some meetings don't need words.
Some strangers don't feel strange.
And some moments… quietly become memories you carry forever.
To be continued...