অনুৰাধা || Anuradha

on-û-radha

Anuradha loved the quiet of early mornings. While the rest of the village slept, she would wake before dawn. The air was crisp, and the world felt brand new.

Her only complaint? Her little monkey, Tukulu, never woke up with her. He loved sleeping in, curled up in his little hammock near the window, snoring softly while Anuradha enjoyed the magic of dawn alone.

But today, she had a plan.

Anuradha picked a ripe guava from the tree outside and held it near Tuluku’s nose. The little monkey twitched, sniffed the air, and stirred in his sleep. “Come on, Tuluku,” she whispered playfully, waving the fruit just out of reach. “It’s morning, and we have a whole world to explore!”

Tukulu cracked open one sleepy eye, then the other. He stretched lazily but refused to move. Anuradha sighed and sat beside him, sipping her tea.

Then, an idea struck her. She took a sip, let the steam curl into the air, and sighed dramatically. “Ah, this is the best tea I’ve ever had. If only someone was awake to share it with me!”

Tukulu peeked at her, interested but still stubbornly wrapped in his hammock.

Anuradha smirked, took another sip, and then, very deliberately, picked up the guava and took a big, exaggerated bite. “Mmm, so sweet! I don’t think I can finish it all by myself…”

That did it. Tukulu suddenly sprang up, his tiny hands reaching for the fruit. Anuradha laughed, handing it over, and in one swift movement, scooped him up.

“Now that you’re awake, let’s go on an adventure!” she declared.

With Tukulu on her shoulder, still munching his guava, they walked towards the river. They played by the water, skipping stones, watching fish, and chased the first golden rays of the sun.

For once, Tukulu didn’t mind waking up early. And from that morning on, he never wanted to miss another sunrise with Anuradha.