Ananya grew up in a small town where life moved slowly, but struggles lingered. In her house, money was always scarce, yet complaints were even scarcer. She had learned, far too early, that in some homes, responsibilities speak louder than dreams.
All she ever wanted was to see her family at peace. She obeyed without question, carried the weight of household chores on her young shoulders, and despite studying in an under-resourced school, consistently ranked at the top of her class. Teachers admired her discipline; neighbors praised her humility.
But beneath that quiet obedience lived a dream she never dared to voice.
Ananya wanted to become a singer.
Music was her refuge. In stolen moments of solitude, she would hum softly, letting melodies cradle the emotions she could not express aloud. Lata Mangeshkar was not merely an inspiration to her — she was proof that a voice could transcend limitations.
Sometimes, standing before the cracked mirror in her modest room, Ananya would imagine herself beneath the golden glow of stage lights, a microphone trembling slightly in her hands, an audience applauding as her parents watched with pride shimmering in their eyes.
She longed to say,
"I want to learn music. I want to sing. One day, I will make you proud. One day, I will become your strength."
Yet every time her gaze fell upon the peeling walls of her home or her mother's weary eyes, her courage dissolved into silence.
"How can I ask for music lessons," she would think, "when we struggle to afford necessities? How can I place my dream above their needs?"
And so, she chose quiet sacrifice over spoken desire.
One evening, as she walked home from school beneath a sky brushed with fading amber hues, a sound drifted through the air.
A voice.
Melodious. Powerful. Unshaken.
It was not merely a song — it felt like a calling.
Without fully realizing it, Ananya found herself moving toward the source. Her pulse quickened. Each step felt guided by something beyond her control.
And when she finally reached the place from where the voice emerged—
What she saw sent a shiver down her spine.