Saisha

Walking through the streets of Udaipur felt like stepping into a painting.

The city was alive with colors - narrow lanes filled with traditional shops, ancient palaces standing tall against the sky, the shimmer of Lake Pichola reflecting the golden sun.

I walked beside Pranay, my eyes wide with fascination.

"This place is..." I trailed off, struggling to find the right words.

"Beautiful?" he supplied.

I nodded, still in awe.

He smiled, lifting his camera. "Wait, stand there."

I looked at him in confusion, but he gestured toward an old Haveli in the background. "I want to capture this moment."

Feeling a little shy, I stood where he told me. The moment he clicked the photo, he looked at the camera and smiled.

"Perfect," he murmured.

Something warm bloomed in my chest.

After a while, Pranay led me toward a small lac bangle shop tucked in a quiet corner of the market.

The sight took my breath away - rows of shimmering, colorful bangles, arranged like a rainbow.

"Wow," I whispered, tracing my fingers over a few.

Pranay watched me with a knowing smile. "Choose the ones you like."

I hesitated. "But—"

"No buts," he interrupted. "You picked your own dresses for the first time. Now it's time to pick your own bangles too."

I glanced at him, then slowly started selecting designs.

Among the beautiful options, my fingers paused over a delicate pair - deep red with tiny gold embellishments, traditional yet elegant.

"I like these," I murmured.

Instead of handing them to the shopkeeper, Pranay nodded toward a craftsman sitting near a small open furnace.

"They don't just sell bangles here," he said. "They make them right in front of you."

I watched, fascinated, as the craftsman heated a thin stick of lac over an open flame, softening it carefully with his hands. His fingers worked deftly, shaping the material into a smooth, circular form.

The heat made the lac malleable, glossy, almost like liquid gold. I could feel the warmth from where I sat, watching in awe as the design I had chosen started taking shape.

Pranay leaned slightly closer. "They make each bangle by hand, molding it with care. No two bangles are exactly the same."

I looked at him, then back at the craftsman, my heart swelling with a quiet, unfamiliar emotion.

Minutes later, the artisan cooled the bangles and held them up.

"Here," he said, slipping them onto my wrist gently.

I moved my hand slightly, listening to the soft, delicate jingle.

"They're perfect," I whispered, feeling something shift within me.

Pranay smiled. "I knew they would be."

The artisan was from Jaipur.He told us that he came here and set this shop 35 years back

As we walked out of the shop, my bangles catching the light of the evening sun, I found myself unable to stop admiring them.

For the first time, something was made just for me.

And for the first time, I let myself feel deserving of it.

After shopping, we stopped at a local food stall, where we shared a plate of hot, crispy kachoris.

As I took a bite, I sighed in delight.

Pranay chuckled. "Good?"

I nodded eagerly. "Really good."

He shook his head fondly. "You're discovering so many new things."

I looked at him, my heart feeling strangely full. I was.

For the first time in my life, I was choosing things for myself. Picking my own clothes. Selecting my own bangles. Tasting new food. Seeing new places.

And it was all because of him.

As we sat there, sharing a simple meal under the evening sky, I realized something - 

This trip was changing me.

Not just my surroundings, not just my experiences - but something deeper inside me.

And maybe, just maybe, Pranay was a part of that change too.

As we explored the streets, my eyes kept drifting toward Pranay's camera. The way he adjusted the lens, how effortlessly he captured each moment - it fascinated me.

I hesitated for a moment before asking, "Can I... can I try taking a picture too?"

Pranay turned to me, surprised at first, but then a soft smile played on his lips. "Of course," he said, handing me the camera carefully.

It felt heavier than I expected, the weight of it solid in my hands.

"Here," he stood behind me, gently guiding my fingers to the correct positions. "Hold it steady like this... and look through the viewfinder."

I did as he said, peering through the tiny glass. The world suddenly framed itself within a box, and for the first time, I saw things differently - not just as they were, but as a moment to be captured.

"Now, adjust the focus," he murmured, his hand lightly guiding mine on the lens. I swallowed, feeling my pulse quicken.

I took a deep breath and pressed the shutter.

Click.

The sound filled me with a strange excitement.

Pranay chuckled. "Not bad for your first shot."

I pulled the camera away, looking at the picture I had just taken - a simple frame of a flower vendor arranging marigolds. Yet, it felt special because I had captured it.

"You have a good eye," Pranay said, his voice warm with encouragement. "If you want, I can teach you more."

I glanced at him, and for the first time, I felt a new kind of thrill.

"Yes," I nodded, smiling. "I'd love to learn."

As we continued walking, Pranay handed me the camera a few more times, guiding me with small instructions, quiet praises. And with each click, I felt myself stepping into a world I never knew I could belong to.

The afternoon sun bathed the streets of Udaipur in golden light as we continued exploring. The vibrant energy of the city, the narrow lanes bustling with life, and the scent of freshly cooked street food filled the air. Every corner had a story, and every alleyway seemed to lead to something new.

I held the camera Pranay had given me earlier, trying to capture moments through my lens. Each time I clicked the shutter, it felt like I was preserving a piece of this journey - our journey.

"You're getting better," Pranay said, watching me focus on an old man painting intricate patterns on a piece of fabric.

"Really?" I turned to him, excitement flickering in my eyes.

He nodded. "Yes. You capture things not just as they are, but as they feel."

His words made my heart flutter. As they feel. That was something I had never considered before.

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