Comic Story
Panel 1
My name is Rohan, and I'm twelve. Every morning, before the sun rises, I walk to the gold workshop.
Panel 2
My family needs the money; Appa's injury makes it impossible for him to work. Dida always tells me to be grateful I have a job, even if it's hard.
Panel 3
The workshop is filled with dust and the acrid smell of chemicals. Masterji expects perfection, and he rarely smiles.
Panel 4
My hands are too small, too clumsy for such delicate work. Each mistake brings a sharp word, sometimes a sharper slap.
Panel 5
One day, a woman visits the workshop, looking for a special piece. She wears expensive clothes and speaks with a gentle voice.
Panel 6
"This is exquisite," she says, "but who created this intricate detail?"
Panel 7
Masterji hesitated, then reluctantly points towards me. The woman approaches, her eyes filled with kindness.
Panel 8
"You have a gift, young man," she says, "but your hands shouldn't be calloused so young."
Panel 9
She tells Masterji about a scholarship program for talented young artists. My heart leaps with a hope I haven't felt in years.
Panel 10
Appa and Dida are hesitant at first, afraid of losing the income. But they see the spark in my eyes, the chance for a better life.
Panel 11
I still help when I can, but now I also study art, learning to shape clay, not just gold. The weight on my shoulders feels a little lighter.
Panel 12
The gold still gleams, but now I see a future beyond the workshop's walls. A future I can shape with my own hands, my own dreams.