𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑯𝒚𝒎𝒏 𝒕𝒐 𝑫𝒆𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒚

𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒕𝒆𝒓 46

It was a warm summer afternoon, and I sat with Ishani and Aryamaan on our porch swing. The swing creaked gently as we swayed back and forth, lost in our thoughts.

I was the first to speak. "We should think about going back to India," I said, my voice laced with wistfulness. "I want Aryamaan to see the country of his ancestors, to feel the soil beneath his feet."

Ishani nodded, her eyes shining with tears. "I think you're right," she said, her voice thick with emotion.

"When do you think we should go?" Ishani asked, her voice trembling with excitement.

"Soon," I replied, my heart beating fast with anticipation. "Maybe after the school year ends. We could spend the whole summer in India."

Aryamaan looked at us, his eyes filled with curiosity. "India?" he asked, his voice small and innocent. "Where's India?"

Ishani smiled, her eyes welling with tears. "India is a beautiful country," she said, her voice filled with love.

"India is a magical place," I said, my voice filled with awe as I began to describe the wonders of the country. "It's filled with ancient temples, colorful festivals, and delicious foods. It's a land of diverse cultures, languages, and landscapes. There are beaches, mountains, forests, deserts, and cities all packed into one amazing country."

Ishani added, "It's also the birthplace of our ancestors and a big part of who we are. You might even say that India is in our blood."

Aryamaan's eyes widened, his excitement building.

"Can we see elephants?" he asked, his eyes shining with anticipation.

Ishani laughed softly, her heart melting at his childlike wonder. "Yes," she replied. "India has elephants, tigers, monkeys, and all kinds of amazing animals."

"And the food," I added. "There's nothing like Indian food. The spices are so rich and the flavors so complex. You'll love it."

Aryamaan's smile widened. "When can we go?" he asked, his voice filled with eagerness.

"Soon, Aryamaan," Ishani said, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "We'll go as soon as the school year ends. But in the meantime, we'll start learning about India. We can study the history, the language, and the culture. That way, when we get there, you'll be a real expert."

Aryamaan's smile widened even more. "I can be an India expert?" he asked, his voice filled with pride.

I smiled back at him, my heart swelling with love. "That's right, Aryamaan," I said.

Over the next few months, Ishani and I began to teach Aryamaan about India in every way we could. We showed him pictures and videos, told him stories about the history and the culture, and even started cooking traditional Indian dishes.

Aryamaan was a natural, soaking up the information like a sponge. He loved learning about the different states and cities, about the languages and the festivals. He even started to learn a few words of Hindi, much to our delight.

Ishani and I watched with pride as our son's love for India grew, his excitement building with every passing day.

"Papa, what's the Taj Mahal?" Aryamaan asked one day as we looked at pictures of India.

I smiled at him, my heart filling with joy. "The Taj Mahal is one of the most beautiful buildings in the world," I said. "It was built by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan as a tomb for his beloved wife. It's made of white marble, and it's covered in intricate carvings and designs."

"Wow," Aryamaan said, his eyes shining with wonder. "Can we visit the Taj Mahal when we go to India?"

"Of course we can," Ishani said, her voice filled with excitement. "We can even take a boat ride on the Yamuna River and see the Taj Mahal from the water. It's supposed to be breathtakingly beautiful."