Chapter 120 — A New Voice for a New India
The grand wedding of Prince Arya Vardhan Singh and Princess Lakshmi had ended, but the echoes of celebration still lingered through the golden halls of Surya Nagari Mahal.
For eight magnificent days the palace had shone brighter than the sun itself.
Music had filled every courtyard.
Perfumes of sandalwood and rose drifted through the corridors.
Royal guests from across India and the world had walked through the massive gates of the palace, marveling at its wealth and beauty.
But as all celebrations must eventually do, the great festival slowly came to its end.
On the last day of the wedding, the most important foreign diplomats arrived. They had purposely delayed their visit until the final ceremonies so they could personally congratulate the royal couple.
Ambassadors from powerful nations, nobles from distant lands, and influential leaders stepped forward one by one to give their blessings.
"May your union bring prosperity to your people," one diplomat said respectfully.
"May your dynasty flourish for centuries," said another.
Prince Arya Vardhan and Princess Lakshmi accepted every blessing with grace.
That evening marked the official conclusion of the royal wedding, which had been scheduled to end on the 16th day.
The Day of Rest
The 17th day was completely different.
For the first time in weeks, the palace was quiet.
Servants rested.
Musicians packed their instruments.
Guests began preparing for their journeys home.
The royal families finally had a chance to breathe.
Prince Arya Vardhan walked through the massive palace corridors that had been overflowing with people only a day before. Now they were peaceful.
Workers slowly removed decorations.
Golden banners were folded.
Flower garlands were taken down.
Silk carpets were rolled away carefully.
The palace gradually returned to its normal royal elegance.
It was almost strange.
For days the palace had felt like the center of the world.
Now it felt like home again.
The Ritual Visits
In the months following the wedding, traditions had to be honored.
Royal marriages were not completed in a single ceremony. Many rituals extended for weeks or even months.
Princess Lakshmi traveled back to her family home in Rajasthan four different times over the next two months.
Each visit followed ancient customs.
Some rituals required the bride to return to her parental palace.
Some required the groom to accompany her.
Others involved blessings from family elders and temple ceremonies.
Prince Arya Vardhan happily traveled with her each time.
The journey between Surya Nagari and Rajasthan became almost routine.
Each visit strengthened the bond between the two great royal families.
The people in the towns along the road often gathered to watch the royal procession pass.
Children waved excitedly.
Villagers offered flowers.
For them, the marriage of the two royal houses symbolized unity and prosperity.
The End of Wedding Rituals
After three months, the final rituals were completed.
At last, the royal couple could return to a normal life.
No ceremonies.
No formal traditions.
Just peace.
A Quiet Morning
One peaceful morning, sunlight slowly entered the royal bedroom of the Surya Nagari palace.
Prince Arya Vardhan had woken early, but he did not move.
Princess Lakshmi was still sleeping beside him.
He gently held her in his arms, enjoying the rare quiet moment.
For months their lives had been filled with ceremonies, diplomacy, and celebrations.
Now everything felt calm.
Lakshmi slowly opened her eyes.
She smiled softly.
"Good morning," she said.
"Good morning," Arya replied.
They lay quietly for a moment, simply enjoying the peaceful morning.
Lakshmi's Dream
After a while, Lakshmi spoke again.
"There is something I want to do," she said thoughtfully.
Arya looked at her curiously.
"What is it?"
Lakshmi hesitated for a moment.
"I want to become a journalist."
The prince raised his eyebrows slightly.
Lakshmi continued.
"I want to travel across India and report what is really happening in our country."
She spoke with growing excitement.
"I want to see what is happening in Surya Nagari, Rajasthan, Bengal, Manipur, Punjab… every region."
"I want people to know the truth about their country."
"I want to report what is happening in villages, towns, and cities."
Her eyes were shining now.
"I want the people of India to hear real stories."
For a moment Arya Vardhan simply watched her.
Then he smiled.
The Prince's Answer
Lakshmi looked slightly nervous.
"Are you… against it?" she asked quietly.
Arya laughed softly.
"Against it?"
He gently touched her hand.
"Lakshmi, I don't care whether you work or not."
She looked confused.
He continued calmly.
"I only care about one thing."
"Your happiness."
"If working makes you happy, then you should work."
"If it doesn't, then don't."
"But your happiness will always matter more to me than anything else."
Lakshmi stared at him in surprise.
"You really mean that?"
"Of course."
Her face lit up with joy.
A Powerful Idea
Arya Vardhan thought for a moment.
Then suddenly he said:
"You know… your idea could become something much bigger."
Lakshmi tilted her head.
"What do you mean?"
Arya explained.
"India is already connected by a massive radio network."
"Almost every region now has electricity."
"Within a few months the government will be auctioning new radio frequencies."
Lakshmi slowly understood what he was suggesting.
"You mean…"
Arya nodded.
"We can buy a radio station."
Her eyes widened.
"You could run a national radio news channel."
"You could report news to the entire country."
Lakshmi sat upright in disbelief.
"A radio station…?"
"Yes."
The Royal Radio Station
Within weeks, preparations began.
The government soon announced the radio frequency auction.
Surprisingly, very few private buyers were interested.
Most radio frequencies were expected to be purchased by government organizations.
Then Princess Lakshmi entered the auction.
Her offer surprised everyone.
She placed a bid of 70 lakh rupees for a national broadcasting frequency.
The government officials were stunned.
But they were also happy.
Private broadcasting could help expand India's communication network.
The bid was accepted.
Princess Lakshmi now owned a national radio frequency.
The Prince's Gift
But Arya Vardhan went even further.
He personally funded the creation of the entire radio network.
Studios.
Transmission towers.
Broadcast equipment.
The investment was enormous.
Nearly 20 crore rupees were spent building the radio organization.
It became one of the most advanced private broadcasting systems in Asia.
The yearly operational cost was estimated at 25 lakh rupees.
Lakshmi did not hesitate.
"This will be worth it," she said confidently.
A New Voice
Soon construction began on the All India Royal Radio Network.
Lakshmi personally designed the vision for the station.
It would not be a propaganda machine.
It would be a voice for the people.
Journalists would travel across the country.
They would report real stories.
Stories of farmers.
Workers.
Teachers.
Students.
Stories from villages and cities alike.
Lakshmi believed that a strong nation required informed citizens.
And she was determined to give India that voice.
A Proud Husband
One evening, Arya Vardhan watched Lakshmi reviewing early broadcast plans.
She looked completely focused.
Completely alive.
He smiled quietly.
This was exactly what he wanted.
Not just a queen.
But a partner.
A woman strong enough to shape the future of the nation.
The Beginning of Something New
The royal wedding had united two powerful dynasties.
But something even greater had begun.
A new voice was rising across India.
A voice that would soon reach every village, every town, every home.
And that voice belonged to Princess Lakshmi.
The chapter ends with the birth of India's first great independent radio network.