LOVE NEVER FAILS

A ten years old Kumaon girl Sukhi lives with her family at Malli Mahroli village of Almora district in Uttrakhand. The mountainous village is a tourist attraction for its breathtaking scenic beauty. April to June and September to November are the peak months for tourists to visit. The eighty-one families in the village are primarily cattle rears, and farmers and some are Ringal weavers.

During the peak time, the villagers get engaged with several income-generated activities like weaving woollen garments, depicting traditional art on cloth and paper, making Ringal products, decorative candles, wooden crafts, and copperware. These are highly demanded by tourists. Sukhi’s parents are Ringal weavers. Since her great grandfather's time, the family has been weaving special species of dwarf bamboo in the shape of baskets, bins, mats, and other utility items. 

There is not a single school in the village. The children are taught free of cost by an aged uncle and aunt who have recently shifted to the village after their retirement. Their children have settled abroad. The couple is highly educated and passionate about teaching. They have a computer so digitally they impart knowledge of various subjects to their students. They provide snacks and healthy drinks to the tired pupils. However, Sukhi has not joined their home school. She loves roaming in the forest and collecting flowers, herbs, fruits, and fuel for use. 

Sukhi has no one to confide in except her pony Munia. The whole day they are together. Both are inseparable. The creature is never left alone by its friend. Their perfect understanding of each other and their non-verbal communication amaze the onlookers. Munia is a good listener. Whatever Sukhi shares with her, she listens to it attentively and expresses her consent or denial by nodding her head. Sukhi is also quick to realise mute Munia's inner pain and thus, the pony always receives the best care from her friend. The packed Ringal items are loaded on Munia to sell in the main market. 

One afternoon, Sukhi spots a boy of her age in the market holding hand of the teacher - aunt. They buy some products from her and she comes to know that the boy ‘Sriram’ is the aunt’s grandchild who has come from Switzerland to spend a month with his grandparents during vacation. He instantly becomes friendly with Munia and invites Sukhi to his home. The next day, they meet at the teacher’s house. Finding Sukhi and Munia together, Sriram asks how great their bond is. Sukhi has never thought about this. She answers Munia is her everything - her best companion. 

Sriram opens his laptop and shows Sukhi a picture of a desert-village girl with a baby camel. He says that they are also best friends. The girl has fought with the greedy merchants who wish to buy the camel to sell it at a higher price by taking undue advantage of their poverty. Sukhi imagines herself in the place of that girl and Munia in the place of that baby camel. When she returns home she finds a gathered crowd outside her house. She rushes inside and finds a few foreign T.V. journalists asking questions to her parents about their Ringal weaving skills. 

After the telecast of the interview, Sukhi’s family becomes famous and rich. After a few months, they wish to shift to the city. They plan to get their children admitted to the city school and to sell Munia to their neighbour. Sukhi is absolutely against this decision and so she revolts. She announces she will go on a hunger strike if Munia is sold to someone. When she feels her warning is taken lightly, one night she leaves the home with her best friend. Both go to the forest. Tired Sukhi sleeps on Munia’s back under a tree. In the morning when she wakes up, she sees the villagers as well as her parents. Munia has brought her back to the village home as it knows how dangerous it is for the little girl to wander alone in the forest. 

Sukhi’s parents realize the deep bond they share. Their true love’s glow is reflecting in other hearts. It is proved that their friendship is beyond the barriers of language. To save Munia, little Sukhi risks her life, and to protect Sukhi, Munia is ready to be sold and bear alienation. Their Love wins. In the city house, a small stable for Munia is built so that the two friends will never have to face pangs of separation.