In a small village called Banyan Tree, life moved slowly, like the river that curved around the green fields. Roosters were the alarm clocks, cows were traffic, and everyone knew everyone's business — whether they wanted to or not.
At the edge of the village stood an old banyan tree, huge and mysterious. The elders said it was older than the village itself. Kids said it was haunted. But 14-year-old Raju didn't believe in ghosts — he believed in adventure.
One summer afternoon, while others slept in the heat, Raju noticed something strange. A faint metallic sound — clink… clink… — coming from near the banyan tree.
Curious (and a little scared), he walked closer. Behind the tree roots, half-hidden by bushes, he saw an old man digging.
"Who are you?" Raju blurted out.
The old man froze, then smiled. "Someone looking for what I lost… a long time ago."
Turns out, the man was Hari Kaka, who had left the village 40 years ago after a big fight with his brother. Before leaving, he had buried a small metal box under the banyan tree — their childhood treasure. Inside were marbles, a slingshot, and a note saying: "Brothers forever."
Hari Kaka had come back, old and alone, hoping to find it.
Raju helped him dig. When the box finally came out, dusty but safe, Hari Kaka cried — not for the toys, but for the memories.
That evening, Raju took him to the village. The brother he had fought with was now a grandfather, sitting outside his house. When their eyes met, years of anger melted faster than ice in summer.
No big speeches. Just two old men hugging under the setting sun.
After that, the banyan tree wasn't "haunted" anymore.
It was known as the tree that brings people back home 🌳