Shivani was a curious and imaginative 6-year-old girl who lived in a small village near Ratnagiri, nestled in the lush green hills of the Konkan region. She loved to explore the winding paths and swaying coconut trees near her family’s modest home, often getting lost in her little world.

But lately, Shivani has been having trouble seeing things. When she tried to read the blackboard at school, the letters would become a blurry mess. And during playtime, she sometimes missed the ball when her friends tossed it to her, much to their amusement.

“Arre, Shivani, kai jhala? What happened to you? Can’t you see?” Her older brother Akshay would tease. Shivani would huff in frustration, wishing she could see as well as her brother. She didn’t understand why her eyesight had suddenly become so bad.

“Aai, I think there’s something wrong with my eyes,” Shivani would tell her mother, Meena, after school each day. “I can’t see things like I used to.” Meena would frown with concern, gently examining Shivani’s eyes. “Hmm, they do seem a bit strained. Maybe you need to rest them more, bala. No more reading in the dark, okay?”

But even after taking breaks, Shivani’s vision didn’t improve but seemed worse. She started bumping into furniture and tripping over rocks on the ground that she couldn’t quite make out. “Arre, look at our little Shivani, she’s turning into a chamgadar! Shivani the bat,” Akshay would laugh, flapping his arms around. “Flapping around, crashing into everything!”. Shivani would feel her face flush with embarrassment. She didn’t want to be a clumsy bat – she wanted to be able to see clearly and run and play like the other children.

One day, Shivani’s teacher at the village school announced that a team of eye doctors would be coming to the school for a special eye camp. Any student having trouble with their vision could get checked and receive free spectacles if needed. Shivani’s parents, Meena and Rajesh, decided to take her to the eye camp. They were relieved that Shivani’s eyes could be properly examined at the camp in their village.

When the day of the eye camp arrived, Shivani was both excited and nervous. She had never seen a real doctor, let alone an eye doctor with all their strange-looking equipment. The ophthalmologist, a kind older man with a warm smile, greeted Shivani and her parents. “Kaishi ahes,” he said, crouching down to Shivani’s level. “How are you? Let’s look into your eyes, shall we?”. Shivani sat patiently as the doctor shone a bright light into each of her eyes and had her read letters off a chart on the wall. After a thorough examination, the doctor turned to Meena and Rajesh.

“Well, it’s clear that your daughter has a case of myopia or nearsightedness,” the doctor explained. “Her eyes are having trouble focusing on distant objects. But the good news is that spectacles can easily correct this.” Shivani’s eyes widened with excitement. “Chashma? Really?” she exclaimed. The doctor chuckled and nodded, then led them to a table filled with different frames.

“Now, let’s find the perfect pair for you,” he said, gesturing to the selection. Shivani’s gaze immediately landed on a pair of frames with a sparkly pink design. “I want those!” she declared, pointing eagerly. The doctor carefully placed the spectacles on Shivani’s face, and when she looked around, everything came into sharp focus.

“Wow, I can see everything so clearly!” Shivani marvelled, her face lighting up with a huge smile. “The trees, the people, the blackboard – everything is so clear.”. Meena and Rajesh exchanged relieved glances, thrilled to see their daughter so excited and happy. “You look beautiful, beta,” Meena said, giving Shivani a warm hug. Shivani couldn’t stop grinning as she admired her new pink spectacles. She could hardly wait to show them off to her friends and family.

When Shivani returned to school the next day, wearing her new pink glasses, her classmates were instantly fascinated. “Wow, Shivani, your chashma is so chamak, so shiny!” exclaimed her best friend Priya. “Can I try them on?”

Shivani carefully handed the spectacles to Priya, who immediately started giggling. “Everything looks so big and close up! It’s like I’m a giant!” Soon, all of Shivani’s friends were lining up to take turns trying on the pink glasses, running around the schoolyard and marvelling at how the world looked through Shivani’s eyes. “Be careful, you’ll break them!” Shivani fretted, but she couldn’t help laughing at her friends’ antics. She had never felt so popular and special before.

Even Akshay, who usually teases Shivani, seemed impressed by her new look. “Hey choti, you look like a movie star with those glasses!” he said with a grin. “Now you can see all the mischief I get into!” Shivani rolled her eyes at her brother, but she secretly felt proud. She loved her new spectacles and how they made her stand out from the crowd. No more bumping into things for her!

With her pink, shiny chashma on, Shivani began to see the world in a whole new way. She noticed so many details she had never paid attention to before – the intricate patterns on the saris of the women in the village, the tiny insects crawling on the leaves, the wispy clouds drifting across the sky. “Aai, look at that bird up there!” Shivani would exclaim, pointing to the sky. “I can see its feathers so clearly!” Meena would smile and nod, happy to see her daughter so fascinated by the world around her. She was glad they had taken Shivani to the eye camp and that she was adjusting well to her new spectacles.

Shivani’s favourite thing to do was to sit on the roof of her house and gaze out at the lush green hills and swaying coconut trees in the distance. She could see for miles, watching the farmers tending to their crops and the cows grazing in the meadows. It was like a whole new world had opened up to her. At night, Shivani would lie in bed and stare up at the twinkling stars with wonder. She could not get over how she could see them so clearly now. She felt like she was floating in a sea of glittering lights, just like the ones on her frames. “I’m so lucky to have these glasses,” Shivani would whisper to herself. “They make everything so beautiful.”

One evening, as Shivani was sitting on the roof gazing out at the pristine beaches and crashing waves of the Konkan coast, her grandmother came up to join her. “Ajji, tell me a story,” Shivani pleaded, snuggling up to the elderly woman. Her grandmother, Radha, chuckled and nodded. “Alright, my dear. Have you heard the legend of the boksi witch that haunts these hills?”

Shivani shook her head, her eyes widening with curiosity. “Well, they say that long ago, there was a beautiful young woman who lived in these very hills,” Dadi began. “She was known for her kindness and healing powers, and the villagers would come to her for help with all sorts of ailments.” Shivani listened intently, captivated by the story.

“But one day, a jealous woman in the village accused the young healer of being a boksi – a witch who practices black magic. The villagers, filled with fear and superstition, turned on her and burned her at the stake.” Shivani gasped, her hand flying to her mouth.

“They say that the young woman’s spirit never found peace, and now her boksi form roams these hills at night, seeking revenge on those who wronged her,” Ajji continued, her voice lowering to a whisper. Shivani shivered, glancing nervously at the shadowy trees surrounding their home. “But don’t worry, my dear,” Radha said, patting Shivani’s hand reassuringly. “As long as you have your chashma, you’ll be able to see the boksi coming from miles away!” Shivani giggled, feeling a bit more at ease. She knew her ajji was just teasing her, but the legend of the boksi witch had certainly piqued her imagination.

As Shivani lay in bed that night, she couldn’t help but wonder if the boksi was real. She stared up at the twinkling stars, wishing she could see through the darkness with her chashma. But alas, they were no match for the inky blackness of the Konkan night.

The next day, Shivani was so busy daydreaming about the boksi witch that she wasn’t paying attention to where she was going. As she was walking home from school, she became entranced by the swaying coconut trees and the crashing waves in the distance.

Suddenly, Shivani felt herself collide with something solid. She looked up to see an elderly woman glaring down at her, her wrinkled face twisted in anger. “Arre, you foolish girl! Can’t you see where you’re going?” the woman scolded, her voice raspy and harsh. Shivani felt her face flush with embarrassment. “I’m so sorry, kaki,” she stammered. “I didn’t mean to.” “Bah, you children these days, always with your heads in the clouds!” the woman interrupted, shaking her head in disgust. “You should be more careful, or you’ll end up like the poor boksi witch, doomed to wander these hills forever!” Shivani’s eyes widened in fear at the mention of the boksi. She quickly apologized again and hurried home, her heart pounding.

When Shivani told her parents what had happened, Meena and Rajesh were concerned. “Bala, you need to be more mindful when you’re wearing your spectacles,” Meena said gently. “They are a gift, but you have to use them responsibly.” Rajesh nodded in agreement. “Your ajji’s stories may be just legends, but there are real dangers out there. We don’t want you to get hurt, Shivani.” Shivani felt ashamed of her carelessness. She knew her parents were right—she had to be more careful, both for her safety and out of respect for the gift of her glasses.

From that day on, Shivani made a conscious effort to be more aware of her surroundings. She would take the time to carefully navigate the winding paths and crowded markets, always keeping her spectacles firmly in place. Shivani also started using her improved vision to help others. She would read signs and labels out loud to her illiterate grandmother, and assist her younger cousins with their homework by writing out the answers in big, clear letters. “You’re such a good girl, Shivani,” her grandmother would say, patting her on the head. “Your spectacles are a blessing, not just for you but for all of us.”

Shivani beamed with pride at her grandmother’s words. She felt like she had learned an important lesson – that her spectacles were not just about seeing the world more clearly, but about using her gift to make a difference in the lives of those around her. As Shivani sat on the roof, gazing out at the lush green hills and the shimmering Konkan coastline, she couldn’t help but feel grateful for the spectacles that had opened up a whole new world to her. She knew that with her newfound vision, she could accomplish anything she set her mind to – even if it meant facing the legendary boksi witch that haunted these very hills.