The sacred waters of the Ganga flowed in gentle ripples, carrying the blessings of countless gods. Along its misty banks, the city of Kashi — the eternal city — thrived with chants, traders' cries, and the perfume of incense.
In a small but bustling household near the main market square, a soft wail pierced the morning air.
A boy was born.
His skin was smooth as polished ivory, his tiny fingers curled like lotus petals. The midwife, after a long look at his perfect, radiant form, whispered to the mother with a smile, "A child touched by divinity."
The family named him — Aryan.
Aryan, son of Vishwanath, a respected trader who dealt in fine silks and rare spices, and his wife Sushila, a woman of gentle grace and sharp wit.
He was their fourth child — after two sons and a daughter. And from the moment he opened his deep, shining eyes, Aryan captured every heart in the house.
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His elder sister, Anaya, who was eight years old, immediately took it upon herself to be his second mother. She would giggle and twirl around him, tying tiny garlands for his neck and pressing kisses on his chubby cheeks.
"Look, Ma!" Anaya beamed, lifting Aryan's little hand. "He's smiling at me!"
Sushila, resting against her pillows, laughed softly. "He knows already who will spoil him the most."
Aryan cooed happily, grasping Anaya's finger with surprising strength for a newborn. His small face glowed with a rare beauty — as if the very stars had gifted him their light.
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The days passed in golden warmth. Anaya spent her afternoons weaving stories for him, pretending that he was a mighty prince who would one day ride elephants and tame lions.
"He's not like the others," she would whisper to their mother. "He's… special. I can feel it!"
Vishwanath, after a long day bargaining in the city's colorful bazaars, would sit by the cradle, stroking his son's tiny forehead. "My Aryan," he murmured with pride, "may you rise higher than any man before you."
Little did they know, the soul within Aryan was ancient, powerful, and destined to shape the fate of nations once again.
And thus, Aryan's new life in the eternal city of Kashi began — cradled by love, blessed by destiny.
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End of Chapter 22