An Autumn Heartbeat

In the vibrant chaos of Kolkata's Durga Puja in October 2025, software engineer Bijay encounters Sheela, a young woman from North Bengal lost in the Dumdum market on Nabami night. Dressed in a simple black saree amidst the festival's riot of colors and sounds, Sheela asks for directions to Dumdum Park, and Bijay offers to walk her there. Their brief journey sparks an effortless connection as they share stories of their contrasting worlds—his rooted in the city's hustle, hers in the serene hills and forests of Siliguri and Darjeeling. However, Bijay regrets not complimenting her beauty or asking for her number before they part. Overcome by the missed opportunity, he posts a raw account titled "Jab I Met a Girl" on social media, which goes viral and miraculously reaches Sheela, leading to their reconnection and a blossoming romance filled with dates, laughter, and shared dreams in post-festival Kolkata. As winter sets in, cultural and lifestyle differences strain their relationship: Sheela's demanding job and homesickness clash with Bijay's deep ties to the city, culminating in heated arguments and a painful breakup in February 2026. Devastated, Bijay navigates months of silence and grief, avoiding places tied to their memories. With time and his mother's gentle wisdom, he begins a slow healing process, reclaiming Kolkata through deliberate pilgrimages to their shared spots. By the next Puja, exactly a year later, Bijay returns to Dumdum as a renewed man, viewing their fleeting love not as a tragedy but as a transformative experience that taught him resilience, self-discovery, and the beauty of ephemeral connections, much like the festival itself.