The next day, Ashwin and I went out to buy items for Laxmi Puja in the market. It was my first time wandering around Supari Hanuman Road. As we strolled past the busy shops, I noticed a Hanuman temple right in the middle of the road. I tugged on Ashwin’s sleeve and asked, “Ashu, why is the temple in the middle of the road?”

Ashwin shrugged nonchalantly. “I’ve never thought about it much. It's always been there for as long as I can remember. But shopkeepers believe that Hanuman's blessings help their businesses thrive.”

We both got busy with the shopping, and I even picked out a few more saris for the worship ceremony. It took us almost two to three hours to finish shopping, trying to avoid getting stuck in traffic. Ashwin had parked the car near the market, so we walked back with all the shopping bags in hand. Once we loaded the car with our purchases, we stopped by a nearby sugarcane juice stand to refresh ourselves.

After drinking some juice, we got back into the car. As we were driving through Sindhi Colony, I noticed a group of people with cameras and microphones gathered around one of the houses. I was curious and exclaimed, “Ashwin, stop the car!”

Ashwin, slightly startled, pulled over. I quickly opened the door and rushed towards the group of media people to see what was happening. Ashwin, ever patient, followed me.

My eyes widened in surprise when I saw Sukhwinder Ji along with her son and daughter entering the house. I couldn’t contain my excitement and hurried back to the car, where Ashwin was waiting. Clapping my hands in excitement, I asked, “Ashu, why is Sukhwinder Ji here? What’s going on?”

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Ashwin, with an amused expression, replied, “It’s her home, Dolly. Why wouldn’t she be here?”

I was still bubbling with curiosity. “Do you know her personally? You live just a few streets away from her.”

Ashwin chuckled and looked at me as if I were asking the most obvious question. “Of course, I know her! I also know Sushmita Sen and Sania Mirza since I’ve been living in Hyderabad for so long,” he said sarcastically.

I glared at him, annoyed at his sarcasm. Sensing my frustration, Ashwin quickly clarified, “I don’t know them personally, but their wedding was the talk of the town back then. I was too young to remember the details. You can ask Ma; she was here during that time.”

I brightened up again, “I became such a big fan of Sukhwinder Ji after watching her on the show Game of Hearts. She had such a charming personality, and her story was so touching. I really thought she and her husband would reconcile, but there was no news after that. And now, August is doing movies in Hollywood!”

Ashwin let out a deep sigh and added, “When I was a kid, I heard from the neighbourhood kids that she and her husband had kissed on their terrace in broad daylight before their wedding. It was like a live movie unfolding for everyone around. That made headlines for weeks. But they got separated long ago, even before I can remember."

As the conversation drifted, we finally arrived home, preparing for the next day’s Dhanteras festivities.