NOVEL WEB Chapter 2: The Rickshaw Dreams
**Episode 1:** **THE RICKSHAW DREAMS**
The sun had just begun to set behind the horizon of the Ganges, painting the sky with hues of orange, crimson and blue. A few miles away from the Ganga Bridge, a bustling city was busy winding down its day's activities. The year was 1960 and the city was none other than Kolkata, the heart of West Bengal.
At that moment a baby boy was born, and he would go on to change the course of history. His name was Ayush Kumar. He was born to Mr. Sanjeev Kumar, a humble rickshaw puller and his wife Sangeeta. Ayush was a beautiful baby boy with bright blue eyes and jet black hair. He was also blessed with a little sister called Radha who was just a year older than him.
"Radha, you have got a little brother," said Sanjeev as he handed over a little bundle of joy to his wife. Radha stared at the baby with curiosity and excitement.
She looked at her mother's face and asked, "What's his name?"
"We will name him Ayush," said Sanjeev.
"Why Ayush?" asked Radha curiously.
"Ayush means long life," replied Sanjeev. "And we want him to live a long, healthy and successful life."
The family lived in a one room hut which they shared with five other families. It was an overcrowded slum with narrow lanes and dirty drains running through it. But in spite of such hardships, Radha always believed that her little brother was destined to achieve great things.
Every day when Sanjeev returned from his work, he would narrate tales about the bravery of the soldiers. He would tell them about the valour of the Indian army and how they had fought and won many wars for their country. His eyes would sparkle with pride every time he spoke about the army. He felt that soldiers were the true heroes of any nation.
As soon as Sanjeev would finish his tales, Radha would look at Ayush with determination and say, "My brother will join the Indian army one day and will win many accolades for his bravery."
Sanjeev and Sangeeta would look at each other proudly and smile at their daughter's ambition.
Years passed by and Sanjeev continued to work hard in order to give his children a better life. Radha worked hard at her studies and also helped her mother in the household chores. Ayush was enrolled in a nearby school and he studied with utmost sincerity.
Sanjeev loved his children more than anything in the world. He had dreams of providing them a better life, but that dream was shattered one fateful day. Sanjeev fell off his rickshaw while trying to escape from an angry bull and injured his back badly. He became bedridden and could no longer pull a rickshaw.
The responsibility of the family fell on the shoulders of Radha and Ayush. They started working at different places in order to earn a living. Radha would work in various households doing odd jobs while Ayush would sell newspapers on the roads. In the evenings they would both sit together and study.
Time passed by and Sanjeev never recovered from his injury. He spent the last few years of his life on bed. The family never lost hope, they believed that if they worked hard enough, they could change their fate.
One day when Radha was seventeen and Ayush was sixteen, Sanjeev called them both near him. He looked at them with tears in his eyes and said, "You both have seen a lot of hardship in your lives. You have studied and worked hard. Today, I want you to promise me something."
"What is that Papa?" asked Ayush.
"I want you to work hard and join the Gurkha Regiment in the Indian army."
"Why Gurkha Regiment Papa?" asked Radha.
"Because the Gurkhas are the best," replied Sanjeev proudly. "They are brave, loyal and honest. They are the pride of our country."
"We will not disappoint you Papa," promised Ayush looking at his father's eyes.
Sanjeev's eyes sparkled with pride as he looked at his children. He knew that they would make his dream come true.
Sanjeev passed away a few days later. Radha and Ayush were devastated but they never lost hope. They both were determined to fulfill their father's dream.