“No one knows what lies in another’s heart. But what if… for a few days, everyone did?”
PART I: A Family That “Had It All”
The Mehra family of Lucknow was the perfect joint family. At least, from the outside.
A palatial house, three successful sons, daughters-in-law who hosted kitty parties, kids studying abroad or working in MNCs — the image was spotless.
But behind the smiles, ‘namaste ji’, and WhatsApp family groups, there were storms. The kind no one dared to speak of.
On Grandma Mehra’s 80th birthday, surrounded by her family under the stars, she prayed innocently:
“Bhagwan ji, may this family always stay united… and may we understand each other deeply from the heart.”
Fate — or perhaps a bored celestial being — took her literally.
The next morning, everyone woke up with a strange power.
They could hear what the other family members were thinking.
And so began a descent into chaos.
PART II: The Cracks Appear
At first, it was funny.
Tushar, the college student, thought while looking at his cousin’s shoes:
“That guy still wears fake Nikes.”
Cousin Harsh replied out loud:
“They’re real, you cheap Sherlock.”
Gasps. Laughter. Confusion.
It took just four hours for the horror to unfold.
PART III: Jealousy Runs Deep
At breakfast, Mohit’s wife Reena glanced at her sister-in-law Nita and thought:
“New gold set again? Show-off. Just because her husband earns in Dubai.”
Nita, pouring chai, responded coldly:
“At least I didn’t mortgage my bangles to send my son to Canada.”
At the same table, Amit thought as he looked at his elder brother Mohit:
“Mr. IIT-IIM. But still living in this house like a king while I pay the bills.”
Mohit snapped back:
“And who asked you to leave your job for ‘startup dreams’?”
Years of subtle financial envy exploded like a volcano.
In-laws started judging gifts. Cousins eyed branded clothes.
One uncle kept thinking:
“Ever since their daughter married into an IAS family, they’ve stopped talking to us like equals.”
And they heard it.
PART IV: The Unforgivable Thoughts
The real chaos began with thoughts that should never be heard.
That evening, Mohit went to his room to find peace. As he glanced at his phone, an old message thread from an ex-girlfriend popped up.
He smiled… and thought:
“She still looks gorgeous. I wonder how life would’ve been with her.”
His wife Reena, who was just entering with tea, froze.
She had heard it.
Later that night, another brother, Raghav, was watching a cooking video. His wife Kritika was reading a magazine. But in his mind:
“If only Kritika were a little more like Meenakshi… witty, slim, stylish. God, college days were fun.”
Kritika turned white. Her heart cracked, silently.
And worse…
PART V: Hatred Unmasked
Dadi always adored her middle son’s wife, Shalini. Sweet, soft-spoken, always helpful.
But Shalini’s thoughts?
“Old witch. Always playing favorites. I hope her blood pressure finally does its job.”
And Dadi heard it.
Suddenly, Dadi’s love turned into thunderous rage.
“You snake! I called you my daughter!”
Similarly, Tushar, the sweet-spoken teenager, always folded hands before his uncle Pradeep. But in his mind:
“Two-faced miser. Can’t even buy his own son a cricket bat.”
That night, Pradeep removed Tushar from his will.
PART VI: Lust, Guilt, and Embarrassment
On Day 3, no one made eye contact anymore.
Uncle Rajesh couldn’t stop his mind from replaying the gym trainer’s Instagram story.
His wife heard everything — every image, every fantasy.
One teenage cousin had a huge crush on another married cousin’s wife. That secret too slipped into the air.
And when Grandma walked into the pooja room, she heard someone’s thought:
“She’s lived enough. Maybe when she dies, we can finally sell this house.”
Grandma collapsed in tears.
PART VII: A Silent Mutiny
Children refused to talk. Spouses slept in separate rooms. Cousins blocked each other. Even the help started quitting because their “masters” were constantly thinking:
“Lazy good-for-nothing… I bet they steal soap.”
The Mehra Mansion had turned into a psychological prison.
No walls, no secrets. No privacy, no pretence.
PART VIII: Begging for Normalcy
On the fourth night, all 21 members of the Mehra family sat silently in the courtyard. No one spoke. Because thoughts were now more dangerous than knives.
Dadi folded her hands again.
This time, there was no sweet wish.
“Bhagwan, I was wrong. We’re not meant to know each other’s hearts. The mind is a jungle. A family survives not because of truth… but despite it.”
And so, with that final prayer — and perhaps the mercy of a wiser divine force — the boon was revoked.
PART IX: The Day After
No one acknowledged what had happened. But something had changed.
People now guarded their thoughts more carefully. And valued their silences more generously.
Reena smiled at Kritika. Kritika offered extra tea to Dadi. Mohit helped Amit with his taxes. No one needed to say sorry. Everyone had already seen each other’s wounds.
EPILOGUE: The Truth About Hearts
No one truly knows what lies in another’s heart — and that’s a blessing.
A family survives not because we always love each other,
…but because we choose not to see everything,
…choose to forgive without knowing,
…and choose to pretend sweetly, sometimes, for peace.
Because love, unlike thought, sometimes needs a curtain.
Guchi.
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