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82-year-old Indian man to meet lost love after decades; goes viral

Mumbai - The Rajasthani man is set to meet woman from Melbourne who he fell in love with in 1970 but got separated soon after.

He is 82, bearded and turbaned and living a tough life in Rajasthan’s Jaisalmer district. But the man, just known as ‘gatekeeper’ of a ‘haunted village,’ has emerged hugely popular on social media after sites carried his half-a-century-old tale of being in love with an Australian woman.

The gatekeeper said he first met the Australian lady, Marina, in the 1970s in Rajasthan, when he was just 30. He taught her how to ride a camel and they both fell in love instantly. “Before leaving for Australia, Marina said the three magical words to me: I love you,” he sighed in an interview with Humans of Bombay on Thursday.

After she returned home, they continued writing letters and the Rajasthani gentleman finally managed to raise about Rs30,000 and went to Melbourne, where they a spent ‘magical’ three months together. However, when she asked him to marry her and settle down in Australia, he said he did not want to leave India and returned.

Later, under family pressure, he got married and worked as a gatekeeper at a ‘haunted town,’ Kuldhara, near his village. About two years ago, his wife passed away and his children were settled elsewhere.

And then, about a month back, he was surprised to get a letter from Marina after half a century, where she mentioned how she had not got married and missed him a lot. She now wants to come to India to meet him. “I feel like I’m 21 again,” the ageing gatekeeper admitted.

Along with him, thousands of social media fans are waiting for the great reunion expected anytime now.