This True Love Story Spanning Forty Years and a Bicycle Ride across Eight Countries Is Captivating the Internet

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The story of a poor man and a rich girl who met four decades ago and fell in love has been breaking hearts all over the world after it was recently re-shared on Facebook last week, Metro News reports. Dr. Pradyumna Kumar Mahanandia (PK) from India and Charlotte Von Schedvin from Sweden’s epic romance stretch across 40 years and eight countries and prove that love really can conquer all.

Satyanarayan Patri tells the story in his Facebook post, which has been liked over 100,000 times.

In 1971, PK, who was a gifted artist born into what was considered an ‘untouchable’ caste in India, joined the College of Art in New Delhi. Once there, he gained popularity for his portraits. Four years later, in 1975, 19-year-old Charlotte, then a student in London, heard about his work and traveled to India to have her portrait painted.

Over the weeks while Charlotte sat for her portrait, the two fell in love. They married shortly after; Charlotte’s aristocratic parents were unaware of the union back home in Sweden. However, Charlotte had to return to Sweden and PK wanted to finish his studies. So, they were forced to separate. 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.
Determined to pay his own way, three years later, PK sold all his possessions, bought a second-hand bike, and set out on an epic journey to his love that would cover eight countries and take him almost five months.

He reportedly cycled through Afghanistan, Iran, Turkey, Bulgaria, Yugoslavia, Germany, Austria and Denmark, surviving for days without food, often having to stop to fix punctures along the way.
Four months and three weeks later, he arrived in Gothenburg, Sweden, where Charlotte was waiting for him; she received him with open arms.

Today, Dr. PK Mahanandia is a celebrated artist in Sweden and serves as the Cultural Ambassador of India to Sweden. The 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.

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The village which once shunned him as an untouchable now gives a thundering welcome every time Dr. Manhanandia visits. PK and Lotta (name given by PK to Charlotte) married again in 1979. They have a son Siddharth and a daughter Emelie. They are currently living in Charlotte’s home town Borås.

Renowned Bollywood film maker Sanjay Leela Bhansali is reportedly planning to make a film about PK and Charlotte’s 4 decade long love story.