Dehradun, 2014. Barely a year into her married-life with the elder son of Kala and Vinod Chand of Balawala, Dehradun, 23-year-old Kavita found herself a solitary relict.

Early 2015, a drowning accident in Haridwar killed her young husband. What for many, would have been the end of the world, for this young girl it was just the beginning of a twist in the tale.

Looking back Kavita says, “I never wanted to leave my in-laws alone, they gave me so much love and affection. Whatever I asked for was fulfilled instantly. They loved me more than a daughter. I just couldn’t turn my back and return to my parents, knowing how heart broken they would be.”

As years went by, their daughter-in-law became an inseparable part of the Chand family that includes Vinod Chand’s younger brother Vijay, his wife Kamla and their two children.

Three years later, on 19^th of November this year, the close-knit family got together to arrange a grand wedding not for their marriageable daughter but their beloved daughter in-law, Kavita.

Nothing was amiss. The family chose Tejpal Rawat from Rishikesh who made sure that his wife-to-be would have all the comforts that she rightly deserved. The wedding, festivities, clothes, jewellery, venue were handpicked to suit the bride’s wishes.

An emotional Vijay Chand tells us, “when our son passed away, everyone told us to send Kavita back as she was unlucky for the family. But we stood by her. I gave her away (kanyadaan) as my own daughter at her wedding. She is an inseparable part of us. ”

Today the otherwise shy Chand family has become an example of humanity, large heartedness and compassion. Without mincing words Vijay adds, “I wish that our society will learn something from this gesture. Our daughter-in-law is just like our daughter, and she deserves all the love and blessings in the world.”

Once in a while, right in the middle of an ordinary life, someone special gives us a fairytale and this is Kavita’s fairytale gifted to her by the Chand family.

Annually migratory birds from all over Central Asia make their epic journey to the foothills of Chakrata to Aasan barrage, India’s First Wetland Conservation Reserve. This man-made reservoir plays the perfect host to migratory birds who nest here for the long winter months ahead.

Crossing oceans and landmasses these feathered friends  have for over a decade now, made this pristine lakeside its winter abode from end of October. The chorus of these birds arriving in droves, is a welcome sound and sight for one to behold. . At a closer look, when they glide over the lake,  one will  witness a spectacular riot of colours and buzzing of rarest of rare birds.

Sprawling over one and a half kilometres, Aasan Barrage is a favourite haunt not only for avian lovers but also tired souls looking for a get-away from the hustle-bustle of daily life. Mouli, an Engineer from Bengaluru has been a regular at the lake side, “I live my life in the fast lane. I read about this amazing, serene place and decided to take a break. Its been therapy just sitting here and looking at these beautiful birds.”

Monotonous chirping of birds in the sky and a spring tide of birds gliding over the lake, in such proximity adds charm for bird watchers. Ashok Mitra, from West Bengal, a regular visitor with binoculars strapped around his neck pin-points birds and rattles off names, “Most of all, you get to see Red Crested Pochard, then you see Tufted Pochard, Brahminy ducks in thousands, C. Teal here and there, the rare Greylag, Wigeon or the Pintail Shoveller if you are lucky ! You might get a glimpse of Mallard, Gadwall is you get up-close,” he signs off.

As the sun set’s beyond the ranges, the chirping of the birds rises over the lake. As if, in  symphony they celebrate their home-coming to Aasan Barrage, year after year, to their home away from home.