![\"\"](\"https:\/\/ruhemohabbat.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/woman-with-lantern-edited.jpeg\")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nHer fingers still holding her phone, twitched involuntarily, as if torn between
The familiar comfort of the screen vs the strange, magnetic pull of the
Lantern\u2019s light. As if the flame whispered a truth to her.A truth she had long
Forgotten- Something she couldn\u2019t quiet grasp yet felt deeply.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The lantern\u2019s glow began draping her like a snake on sandalwood, its warmth
Slithering gently, coaxing her to remember something buried deep within her.
Just enough to melt the monotony of the harsh blue light that pulsed with a
Rhythm of a pretentious world. Neha’s feet rooted in place, swayed slightly,a
Subtle dance of hesitation. It was almost as if the flame had reached out to
Her not with force but with the softness of a breeze that brushes your face in
The early hours of the dawn.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ganpat watched her from the shadows like a mute spectator. His Hands
Trembled ever so slightly, not from age but from something deeper. A pulse,
A silent understanding that the world around them was shifting.
\u201c Neha\u201d His voice breaking the silence like the gentle hum of an old song.\u201c
Kuch yaad aaya?
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The pearl of Neha\u2019s eyes transfixed on the lantern\u2019s now steered to that of
Ganpat’s. And in that moment something shifted -A breif recognition
Unspoken yet profound.
\u201c I don’t know\u201d she whispered the words almost a confession. \u201cThis light feels
Like a compass pulls me towards it yet pushes me into an unknown journey\u201d
Ganpat nodded, his eyes softening with something akin to Nostalgia, the kind
that clings to the edges of the memory, yet never quiet forms a picture.
\u201c Perhaps you haven’t forgotten it Neha. Maybe its just waiting for you to
Remember\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Neha \u2018s heart skipped a beat for there was a strange resonance in his words
As if they were not mere words but magic works, like a magician’s smirk. She
Stepped closer to the lantern, caressing every curve like strokes of a
Painting. A sudden warmth surged through her, not from the light itself but
From the sense of familiarity that enveloped her.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The lantern whispered in its own way burning bright, igniting her nerves ,a
Soft almost imperceptible hum that resonated with her very being oh & it
Wasn\u2019t the same hum that filled the streets now- The cold impersonal hum of
The LED\u2019s or from the screens. No this was different. This felt like a hug, like
A voice heard. This felt like eating a strawberry on a winter morning, This
Felt like swimming on a hard summer day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
She closed her eyes for a moment. Her mind wandering back to the stories
Her grandmother used to narrate. Stories of a time when lanterns didn’t just
Light the path but they became the path. Leading people towards the quiet
Moments of clarity that has now been lost in the arms of the modern life. The
Stories had now become ghosts heard by everyone seen by few experienced
By almost none.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201c Ganpat Ji\u201d She asked her voice tentative \u201c Do you believe these lanterns
still have a purpose?\u201d
For a brief moment, the air between them felt heavy, changing with the weight
Of unspoken truth for Ganpat\u2019s eyes the testimony to 100\u2019 of such stories met
Her\u2019s. He smiled-a soft wistful smile.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201c Purpose is never lost\u201d He replied his voice now steady & sure \u201c But
Sometimes we forget where to look.\u201d
Like smoked barbeque, his words drifted into Neha\u2019s mind- Thick, rich,
Intoxicating. They did not ask for space they claimed it, sinking into the
Marrow of her thoughts,smoldering slow & deliberate. Then without a
Warning it struck-a thought wild & untamed like bolts of lightning making
Love to her mind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What if this lantern- this light held the answers i’ve been searching for?
But before she could ask more, the sound of footsteps echoed down the
Empty Street. The faint mechanical whir of a car engine broke the stillness &
A Shadow fell over them.A flash of light caught her eye. It wasn’t the soft,
Warm glow from Ganpat\u2019s lantern. This was sharper, colder & much more
Insistent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Tearing through the darkness was a figure. An unfamiliar face, yet one she
Felt she should know. This was a young man, in his late 20’s dressed in a
Sharp, modern suit, his phone glowing brightly in his hand. He walked with a
Purpose, eyes fixed ahead unaware of the world around him. Neha couldn’t
Help but notice the faint look of disdain in his eyes, directed not at her, but at
The shop- At the lantern.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For a brief moment, their eyes met, & Neha saw something flickering in his
Gaze. As if a flash of recognition but followed by confusion. He paused for a
Second, his eyes darting back to the lantern before quickly dismissing it as if
It were an old, irrelevant relic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201c Strange\u201d she muttered, Isn’t it funny how we can walk past something so
Familiar , Something that’s been with us all our lives & still not see it ?
Ganpat didn’t respond. He simply watched the man retreat into the distance
For it was the lantern\u2019s turn to respond. It pulsed in response, its light
Growing warmer for just a heartbeat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Neha glanced back at Ganpat,a small frown creasing her brow. \u201c Do you
Think he saw it? The lantern ?
Ganpat\u2019s gaze lingered on the spot where the man had vanished & then with a
Quiet sigh, he replied \u201cSome people are too focused on their own light to
Notice the one that is already guiding them\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Neha pondered his words, feeling them settle deep within her. She had
Always been so caught up in the glow of her own world- her phone, her
Social media, the endless scroll of distractions that kept her anchored in a
Reality that felt safe but hollow & yet, here she was, standing in front of a
Simple lantern, feeling something stir within her that she couldn’t quite
Explain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
She turned back to the shop, her mind racing with thoughts she couldn\u2019t fully
Articulate. The glow from the lantern seemed to beckon her once more & she
Found herself stepping forward closer to the warmth, closer to the light.
\u201c Ganpat Ji\u201d she said her voice steady now a sense of resolve settling over
Her \u201c What if i am ready to remember ?\u201d
The old man’s eyes twinkled like the ghost of a memory, his lips curling into a
Smile \u201c Then Neha the light will do what it always does, guide people, guide
You \u201c<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Neha was now caught between two lights one radiating with the comfort of a
Familiar prison while the other whispered the promise of unfamiliar wings.
With a breath held in the empty space around her, she closed her eyes &
Allowed the silence to guide her, as if lifting a weight from her chest.
\u201cI think I understand now\u201d, She whispered her voice soft but clear. \u201c
Sometimes, we just need to stop running from the light within us\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And with that, the lantern\u2019s slow seemed to be brighten, as if acknowledging
Her words flickering yet steadfast like a promise made in the quiet corners of
The universe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Neha\u2019s voice barely escaped her lips, fragile as a candle in the wind. \u201c We
Just need to stop running from the light\u2026\u201d
Ganpat said nothing. Instead he reached for a lantern- one of the last of its
Kind- And placed it in Neha’s hands.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For a moment, She just stood there, feeling its warmth seep into her skin, its
Golden glow draping over her like a soft hug. The comfort of it was not just in
Her palms but in her chest too, pressing against something she never
Realised was empty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ganpat exhaled,a smile ghosting his lips. \u201c Hum zindagi se tohfe ki Umeed
Karte hai\u201d his fingers brushed the lantern’s frame before continuing \u201c Par
Tohfa to zindagi hai\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
* THE END<\/strong>*<\/p>\n\n\n\n Note: Image used is Ai generated<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" A light left behind In the womb of the lantern a flame flickered, dancing, twirling around inHappiness. It swayed a gentle rhythm of light, flirting with the darknessAround it as if trying to embrace it. For a heartbeat \u201cMuskaan Ganj\u201d SeemedTo hold its breath as this small flame breathed life into the night. Ganpat\u2019s fingers … Read more<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":3773,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"googlesitekit_rrm_CAowo8q9DA:productID":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[12,83],"tags":[447,85,450,448,139,32,453,119,221,95,451,381,43,452],"ppma_author":[454],"class_list":["post-3772","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-stories","category-fiction","tag-english-story","tag-fiction","tag-inner-light","tag-lantern","tag-life","tag-mental-health","tag-mohit-tolani","tag-short-stories","tag-short-story","tag-social-issues","tag-social-media","tag-spiritual","tag-story","tag-virtual-world","author-mohitktolani"],"authors":[{"term_id":454,"user_id":9,"is_guest":0,"slug":"mohitktolani","display_name":"Mohit Tolani","avatar_url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/571616ab92ae446daf387aeb3b9cfe4d24efeae2ff32924637662ba73ba34b65?s=96&d=mm&r=g","author_category":"","first_name":"Mohit","last_name":"Tolani","user_url":"","job_title":"","description":""}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ruhemohabbat.com\/hi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3772","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ruhemohabbat.com\/hi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ruhemohabbat.com\/hi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ruhemohabbat.com\/hi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/9"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ruhemohabbat.com\/hi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3772"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/ruhemohabbat.com\/hi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3772\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3776,"href":"https:\/\/ruhemohabbat.com\/hi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3772\/revisions\/3776"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ruhemohabbat.com\/hi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3773"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ruhemohabbat.com\/hi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3772"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ruhemohabbat.com\/hi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3772"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ruhemohabbat.com\/hi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3772"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ruhemohabbat.com\/hi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/ppma_author?post=3772"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
Written By: Mohit.Kamlesh.Tolani
[M.K.T ]<\/p>\n\n\n\n