This is something new.
This is a real story based on an Indian poor guy who fall in love with a rich girl. What? You must be thinking what's too new in it? Well, wait and just read.
A poor guy meets a rich girl. They fall in love. Girl goes
back to her country. Boy promises to make it big and visit her. Time passes but
he struggles to make both ends meet. He decides to fulfill his promise – picks
up a cycle and sets on a journey across 8 countries to meet the love of his
life!
No, this isn’t the story of an upcoming Bollywood movie.
Although it pretty much qualifies to be one! This is the story of Dr. Pradyumna
Kumar Mahanandia from India and Charlotte Von Schedvin from Sweden and it has
all the elements of a Bollywood blockbuster – emotion, drama and lots of love.
Born in 1949 into a poor weaver family of Odisha, Dhenkanal
who were considered untouchables, PK was a gifted artist. However, the family
didn’t have enough money to finance his education. He would often find himself
at the receiving end of insult due to the dreaded caste system. Later In 1971,
he joined College of Art in New Delhi and gained popularity for making
portraits.
In 1975, 19-year-old Charlotte Von Sledvin, a student in
London, heard about him and traveled all the way to India to get her portrait
made. As the stars had conspired, during the course of making the portrait, he
was possessed by her beauty and she, with his sheer simplicity. Love had set
in.
Charlotte took the Indian name Charulata and they both
married following traditional rituals. When it was time for Charlotte to leave,
she asked her husband to come along, however, PK was still a student and wanted
to finish his studies. When she offered to send air tickets later, he refused
saying he would come to meet her on his own. After she left, the two kept in
touch through letters.
PK’s love-filled heart had made the promise, but the reality
of having no money to fulfill it stared PK in the eyes. But he was not one to
give up. He sold all his belongings and bought a second-hand bicycle. Carrying
all his paints and brushes along, he did the unthinkable.
He set out on a voyage to the Far West with a hope to
reunite with his love. This was back in 1978.
He reached Amritsar from New Delhi before entering
Afghanistan, Iran, Turkey, Bulgaria, Yugoslavia, Germany, Austria and Denmark.
His cycle broke down many times on the way and he even had to go on without
food for days. But nothing could break his will.
After 4 months and 3 weeks of back-breaking journey, he
finally reached Gothenburg, Sweden. Those were the days when not many countries
required visa for traveling.Upon reaching, he was questioned by Swedish
immigration officers who were amazed to see a man who had come from India
riding a bicycle. PK told them the reason behind his visit and produced
photographs of his marriage with Charlotte. Authorities were surprised and did
not believe that someone of royal blood from Europe would marry a poor Indian.
The sudden revelation made even PK skeptical whether his
lady love would accept him or not. When Charlotte learned about the man from
India who cycled all the way for around 5 months, she drove to Gothenburg and
received her husband with unbridled happiness. Her parents accepted Pradyumna
as a part of their family by breaking a royal tradition that prohibited
non-white people from residing with the nobles.
After 40 years of marriage, Dr PK Mahanandia serves as the
Odiya Cultural Ambassador of India to Sweden and lives with his wife Charlotte
and 2 children in Sweden. His village, that once shunned him as an untouchable,
now gives a thundering welcome every time he makes a visit.
Pradyumna is well known in Sweden as an artist and is
working as an Adviser, Art and Culture, under the Swedish Government. Swedish
Government in honour of their love has made films to document this immortal
love of the century. His paintings have been exhibited in major cities of the
world and have found places in the prestigious UNICEF greeting cards. On 4
January 2012, he was awarded an honorary doctorate degree (Degree of Honoris
Causa) from Utkal University of Culture (UUC) in Bhubaneshwar, Odisha state,
India. He was also designated as the Oriya Cultural ambassador to Sweden by the
Government of Odisha. Renowned Bollywood film maker Sanjay Leela Bhansali is
planning to make a film on the love story of PK Mahanandia and Charlotte.
Two amazing Love Birds
