ਜਿਹੜੇ ਕੋਲ ਹੁੰਦੇ ਨੇ, ਉਹ ਅਣਗੌਲੇ ਕਿਉਂ? A Punjabi emotional story about invisible love — free on Radio Haanji Kitaab Kahani.
Voice: Ranjodh Singh | Genre: ਭਾਵਨਾਤਮਕ — Emotional | Format: Punjabi Audio Story | Series: Kitaab Kahani
She Cooks Before Dawn, He Visits With a Towel — Whose Love Counts More?
In a Punjabi village home, Kiran rises before the sun every single day. She cooks, she cleans, she washes clothes, she prepares the bath, she serves every meal on time — for her husband Jagtar, and especially for his ageing parents, Bebe and Bapu. Nobody notices. Nobody says anything. It is simply what is done. But one evening, when the in-laws are singing endless praises of their other son Kuldeep — who visits once a month from the city, always bringing a cheap towel or a pair of slippers — something in Jagtar finally breaks. This story asks a question that every Punjabi family knows in its bones but almost never speaks aloud: why do we always see what the absent person does, and never see what the one beside us gives every day?
About the Story
Jagtar and Kiran are not an unusual couple. They are every couple — working before daylight, managing the household, caring for elders who are no longer young. Kiran in particular carries a weight that is never measured. She knows when Bapu needs his tea without being told. She knows when Bebe's clothes need washing before Bebe herself remembers to ask. She has not missed a single task in years. And yet her name is never spoken with admiration in this house.
Kuldeep, meanwhile, lives in the city. He comes perhaps once a month, sometimes less. When he arrives, he always brings something — a cheap pair of chappals, a discounted kurta, a thin towel from a sale. The moment he walks in, the house transforms. Bapu calls the neighbours to show off whatever small thing Kuldeep has brought, his face lit with the kind of pride that Jagtar has never once seen directed his way. Bebe cannot contain her joy. The whole house smells like Diwali.
One evening, Jagtar comes home to find Kiran exhausted in the kitchen and his parents in the sitting room listing Kuldeep's virtues to each other for what feels like the hundredth time. He has heard it all before — how Kuldeep works so hard in the city, how he never forgets them, how his love is real even from a distance. This time, he cannot stay silent. He sits down beside Bapu and, gently, without anger, asks the question that has been sitting in his chest for years. What happens next — and how Kiran in the kitchen reacts when she hears every word of it — is the heart of this story.
ਕਹਾਣੀ ਝਲਕ
"ਕਦੀ ਕੋਈ ਦੋ ਬੋਲ ਉਹਨੂੰ ਹੱਲਾਸ਼ੇਰੀ ਦੇ ਵੀ ਦੇ ਦਿਆ ਕਰੋ। ਤੁਹਾਡੇ ਮੂੰਹੋਂ ਕਦੀ ਉਹਦੀ ਸਿਫ਼ਤ ਨਹੀਂ ਸੁਣੀ ਗਈ।"
"ਤੁਹਾਨੂੰ ਕਹਿਣਾ ਨਹੀਂ ਪੈਂਦਾ ਕਿ ਤੁਹਾਨੂੰ ਪਿਆਸ ਲੱਗੀ ਹੈ, ਤੁਹਾਨੂੰ ਕਹਿਣਾ ਨਹੀਂ ਪੈਂਦਾ ਕਿ ਚਾਹ ਦਾ ਟਾਈਮ ਹੋ ਗਿਆ।"
"ਉਸਦੀ ਸਾਲਾਂ ਦੀ ਸੇਵਾ ਜਿੱਦਾਂ ਇੱਕ ਪਲ ਦੇ ਵਿੱਚ ਤਹਿਸ-ਨਹਿਸ ਹੋ ਗਈ ਹੋਵੇ।"
Listen to the full story — narrated by Ranjodh Singh — free on Radio Haanji Kitaab Kahani.
The Message of the Story
There is a concept in English that the story names directly: "for granted." We take for granted the people who are always there. The one who is present every single moment — who anticipates every need, who fills every gap before it becomes a gap — becomes part of the furniture of our lives. We stop seeing them. We stop feeling grateful. Their service becomes not a gift but an expectation, and any deviation from it becomes a failure.
The one who is absent, by contrast, carries the advantage of distance. Every visit is an event. Every small gesture becomes a grand one simply because it is rare. A cheap pair of slippers from the city market becomes a symbol of love. Years of quiet, tireless service at home become ordinary. This is not unique to this family. It is not unique to Punjab. It is a human pattern — and this story traces it with so much honesty that it aches.
What makes this story particularly powerful for the Punjabi diaspora in Australia, Singapore and Canada is that it maps directly onto the experience of families separated by distance. The child who calls from Melbourne once a week is celebrated. The child who is physically present — managing the house, accompanying parents to hospital, handling every practical task — is expected to do it and never thanked for it. The story does not offer an easy resolution. It simply asks: look at who is beside you. Really look.
About Kitaab Kahani
Kitaab Kahani is Radio Haanji 1674 AM's daily Punjabi audio story series, featuring motivational, emotional, moral, philosophical and spiritual stories narrated in Punjabi. Each story is chosen for its ability to speak directly to the Punjabi diaspora — to the families in Melbourne, Sydney, Singapore and beyond who carry Punjab in their hearts. New stories every weekday morning, free on all platforms.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is today's Kitaab Kahani story about?
Today's Punjabi audio kahani is about Kiran, a daughter-in-law who works from before dawn every day caring for her in-laws — yet is never acknowledged. When her husband Jagtar finally speaks up, the response leaves both of them silent. A story about why those nearest to us are taken for granted while distant gestures receive all the praise.
Who narrates today's Kitaab Kahani?
Today's Punjabi emotional audio kahani is narrated by Ranjodh Singh, one of Radio Haanji 1674 AM's most familiar and trusted voices. Ranjodh Singh brings genuine warmth and emotional depth to every story in the Kitaab Kahani series, making each Punjabi audio kahani feel personal and close to the listener no matter where they are in the world.
What does "ਅਣਗੌਲਾ" mean in Punjabi?
ਅਣਗੌਲਾ means to be unseen, overlooked or taken for granted. It describes the experience of a person whose constant presence and daily contributions become invisible — expected rather than appreciated. The story uses this concept to show how we often ignore those who are with us every single day while celebrating those who are distant and visit rarely.
What is Kitaab Kahani on Radio Haanji?
Kitaab Kahani is Radio Haanji 1674 AM's daily Punjabi audio story series, featuring emotional, motivational, moral, philosophical and spiritual stories narrated in Punjabi. It is designed for the Punjabi diaspora in Australia, Singapore and worldwide. New episodes are available free every weekday morning on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and the Radio Haanji app for iOS and Android.
Listen Now
Listen to today's Punjabi audio kahani free on all platforms:
Radio Haanji 1674 AM is Austalia's Punjabi community radio station.
Listen free at haanji.com.au | Spotify | Apple Podcasts | iOS App | Android App
Serving the Punjabi community in Australia, Canada, Singapore and world wide.
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