Village by the sea

Ten years had passed in a flash, Thul had gone through tremendous changes. Anyone who went to the great city Thul now would never have thought that it was once a quiet fishing village. Hari had progressed from working in a small watch-mending shop to an enormous watch factory! he did not just stop there, Hari was even going overseas to expand his business! Overtaking the old Biju, Hari was now the most successful and rich man in the whole of Thul as well as Alibagh. He had thousands of workers, all working in the factory which he had built with his hard earned money.

Meanwhile, Lila owned the largest farm in the whole of India. Instead of specialising in poultry only, Lila also bred pigs, cows and sheep. She even grew crops too! of course, managing the whole farm by herself was impossible, so she had to employ men to manage it for her. Being a renowned company now, her products were selling like hot cakes as many housewives trust her brand of goods.

The small wooden hut they had lived in was long gone, in its place stood a grand white two-story house, fit for the king. Inside, there was an old couple. Seeing their son and daughters doing so well, they couldn't help but smile to themselves. After a life of hardship, they finally could relax and have Hari's wife wait on them.

Hari's wife was a pretty and hardworking young lady. They had met each other in Hari's little watch-mending shop a few years ago. They were very fond of each other and decided to get married once Hari had earned enough to support her. They became a couple soon as Hari kept his promise.

And Lila? She too was married off. She was married to a dashing scholar from Bombay. Husband and wife worked together to expand their farm, going through thick and thin as a couple. They now loved each other deeply.

Bela and Kamal were sent off to Bombay to further their education. They still keep in touch by sending letters frequently to their family members or simply by phone. Bombay is still as great a city as before, not much has changed, except that there were no Europeans and people of different races walking the streets! Bela and Kamal had also befriended these overseas migrants and learned each other's languages. Shops in Bombay now had English names underneath their Indian names. Chinese migrants brought in Chinese food, and it was amazingly popular among Indians! Fast food restaurants sprouted everywhere as well and it was a booming industry. it was definitely popular among the working adults who needed quick meals as they were very busy.

So much had changed, but the more they change, the more they all seem the same. Hari and Lila are still the ones earning money, Bela and Kamal are still studying. But one change had brought about the greatest change of their lives, the building of the factories.