Ramu Kaka’s life had always swayed between hard work and hope. He worked at a small tea stall in the village and managed to save a little money every month. His wife often laughed at one of his strange habits—whenever someone handed him a lottery coupon from the newspaper, he would carefully keep it instead of throwing it away.
This time was no different. On his way back from the market, a man gave him a lottery ticket. Without thinking much, Ramu Kaka slipped it into his pocket. When he reached home, he placed the ticket inside the old cupboard near the small temple and said calmly, “Whatever is meant to happen, will happen.”
That evening, his wife lit two lamps filled with ghee in front of the temple. She said that one should pray only for peace and happiness, but with a smile she added that if destiny wished to bless them with some extra money, they would not complain.
A few days later, the lottery results were printed in the newspaper. With trembling hands, Ramu Kaka began matching the numbers. The first number matched. His heart started pounding. The second number matched too. He could hardly believe his eyes. When the third number matched, his wife shouted with joy.
Ramu Kaka stood still, unsure whether he was dreaming. He asked the neighbor’s son to check the results again on the phone. When it was confirmed that he had won a large prize, their small home filled with excitement and laughter.
That night, ghee lamps were lit once more in the temple. Bowing his head, Ramu Kaka said that both hard work and luck play their roles in life. His wife smiled and said that along with the money, their lost faith had also returned.
The next day, Ramu Kaka decided to invest some of the prize money in his children’s education and save the rest for the future. The village buzzed with talk of his good fortune, but Ramu Kaka knew that true happiness lies not just in wealth, but in peace and contentment.
RAJEEV VERMA 