Early in the morning, Maya wakes up and lovingly prepares tea for everyone in the family. Since it is almost time for the children to leave for school, she also busies herself with preparing breakfast and lunch.
Meanwhile, Kumar and Man Bahadur return after taking an early morning walk around the village. Standing in the courtyard, Man Bahadur begins to speak with a smile,
"No matter what anyone says, there is truly no place as delightful as one's own village. Where else can one find such pure air, sweet water, joy, and a sense of belonging?"
Hearing this, Kumar jokes,
"If that's the case, why don't you just move back to the village?"
Maya gently joins the conversation and says that no matter how beautiful and peaceful the village may be, the city is still better when it comes to the children's education, their future, medical treatment in times of illness, and other facilities. She also expresses her heartfelt wish that if she had the means, she would like to educate her children in the city.
After listening to Maya, Man Bahadur warmly replies,
"What is there to worry about? We are family. Let them study with us. After all, Prashant and Prashna are also their own people. They will become good friends. I am returning soon anyway, so there is no need to worry. I can take them with me."
At this, Kumar softly says,
"The true beauty of this house lies in these two children. If we send them far away, whose faces will we look at and speak to? Their mother finds it hard to spend even a single moment without them. Maya will never truly be happy sending them away. So please, do not insist on taking them to the city. We will make time and come to visit whenever possible."
When Shiva and Swarna return from school, their uncle opens his bag and begins showing them photographs of his home in the city, pictures of Prashant and Prashna, and various places in the city.
Seeing all this, Swarna excitedly tells her uncle that she has always dreamed of studying in the city.
Man Bahadur smiles and says once again,
"I have already said I will take you with me. It is your parents who do not wish to send you away. Go and ask them once more, and tomorrow morning we shall leave."
The moment she hears this, Swarna rushes to speak with her parents. But Shiva quietly remains seated beside his uncle.
This surprises Man Bahadur, and he asks,
"What happened, my nephew? Why didn't you go? Don't you like the city?"
With gentle politeness, Shiva replies,
"It's not that I dislike the city, Uncle. But I love the village very much, and I do not wish to live far away from Mother and Father. If both of us leave for the city, then who will stay here to care for our parents and grandmother? Please take only my sister with you, Uncle. I will stay here."
Hearing this, Man Bahadur feels deeply moved and affectionately pats him, saying proudly,
"Our nephew has truly grown up."
He then asks Shiva what he wishes to become in the future.
Shiva answers with shining eyes that he wants to become a doctor.
On the other side, Swarna is still pleading with her mother to let her go to the city. But Maya gently tries to reason with her,
"Do not talk nonsense, my daughter. There is good education here in the village too. Study here."
Yet Swarna is not ready to change her mind.
Then Kumar also tries his best to explain things to her, and Kumar's mother, Hakumaya, lovingly counsels her granddaughter as well.
Seeing the situation worsen, even Man Bahadur tries to calm his niece, saying,
"Stay here for now, my dear. I will come to take you later."
But Swarna bursts into tears in front of everyone, accusing her uncle of lying about taking her to the city. She cries that no one loves her and that everyone always wants to keep her confined to the house. In her frustration, she even throws away the food that her mother had lovingly served.
Man Bahadur cannot bear to see her in such a state and says,
"Sister, brother-in-law, please let her come with me. I will comfort her and bring her back later."
Kumar and Maya know very well how stubborn and sensitive Swarna can be. They are reminded of her earlier behavior and begin to fear that she may fall into the same distress again.
At last, after much persuasion fails and Suvarna refuses to give up her insistence, they make the painful decision to send her to the city with Man Bahadur.
Since she cannot simply leave without proper arrangements, they decide that Man Bahadur will stay in the village for one more day so that the school transfer certificate can be prepared.
Only after being assured that she will indeed be allowed to go to the city does Swarna finally begin to eat and excitedly starts packing her belongings.
Meanwhile, the Khadka family feels deeply unsettled by the decision. Everyone is saddened and disappointed.
The next day, around ten in the morning, Man Bahadur and Kumar head toward Swarna's school to arrange the transfer certificate. Before leaving, Swarna also goes with them so that she can meet her friends.
At home, Maya silently hopes that perhaps her daughter's mind might change.
By the time they return after finishing the school work, Maya is busy preparing delicious dishes for Swarna to take to the city. Hakumaya sits on the cot, quietly cutting cotton wick for the lamp.
The following morning, everyone wakes up early. Maya has prepared the meal even earlier than usual.
Wearing the new clothes her uncle brought for her, Swarna steps outside, all ready to leave. Shiva also helps by carrying her luggage outside.
After a while, Maya lovingly serves food to her brother and daughter and urges them to eat.
Once the meal is over, it is finally time for the uncle and niece to leave for the city.
But deep inside, neither Maya nor Kumar can truly accept the thought of their daughter going away. Somewhere in their hearts, they still hold on to the false hope that she might decide not to go.
Swarna, however, is so overwhelmed with excitement about going to the city that she forgets the pain of leaving home. She is unable to feel the silent sorrow in her parents' hearts.
Man Bahadur reassures them,
"Please do not worry about her. I will take good care of your daughter."
Then he leaves, while Shiv and Kumar accompany them to the bus stop.
As they watch them go, tears begin to roll down the cheeks of Maya and Hakumaya.
From the bus, Swarna waves goodbye to everyone, and Maya softly cries out through her tears,
"Come back home soon, my daughter."
She tries to console her own heart, but the pain remains.
Evening falls.
Kumar and Maya sit waiting anxiously for a phone call, wondering whether their daughter and brother have reached the city safely.
But no call comes.
Just then, devastating news arrives — a bus that had left for Kathmandu early that morning from a nearby village has overturned, and many people have lost their lives.
The moment this news reaches them, terror spreads through the Khadka family.
Kumar and his son Shiva immediately rush out of the house to search for Man Bahadur and Swarna.
Back at home, Hakumaya and Maya's condition becomes worse with every passing moment.
Maya breaks down, crying bitterly,
"I told you not to go… why didn't you listen to me? Please come back, my daughter…"
Meanwhile, father and son reach the site of the accident and desperately begin searching for Swarna and Man Bahadur.
But they are nowhere to be found.
After a long and frantic search, they find Swarna's bag filled with her belongings.
They also find one of Man Bahadur's shoes.
But neither Swarna nor Man Bahadur can be found anywhere.
As night falls, the entire community and the people around are weeping and wailing in grief.
At that very moment, a fierce storm begins to blow.
Everyone slowly starts returning home.
But Kumar cannot even begin to understand with what face he will return home.
And Shiva, lost in the memory of his sister, stands motionless, staring blankly into the darkness.