– doK tao¸ trna¸ baabaU ]z gae haoM¸ tao hu@ka ]nako kmaro maoM rK Aa. – bauAa nao rsaao[- sao saTI kaozrI sao Aavaaja, dI. [tnaI ]ma` maoM BaI bauAa kao sabakuC yaad rhta hO. lagata hO¸ jaOsao ]zto–baOzto¸ saaoto–jaagato ]nakI caotnaa kI Daor baabaU kI idnacayaa- sao jauD,I rhtI hO. ApnaI kaozrI kI dohrI pr }MGatI rhtI hO bauAa¸ Aasapasa ko kaya-–klaap sao sava-qaa inaila-Pt. [sa pr BaI ]nhoM baabaU kI hr ja,$rt ka AaBaasa kOsao hao jaato hOM¸ trna ko ilae yahI sabasao baD,a AaScaya- hO.

Saama haoto hI dIvaana saahba AQaIr Aaturta sao maohmaanaaoM kI p`tIxaa krnao lagato hOM. qaaoD,I dor ko ilae kuC dUr CaoTI laa[na ko sToSana pr Thlanao inaklato hOM¸ tao BaI jaldI vaapsa laaOT Aato hOM¸ taik kao[- Acaanak ]nakI Anaupisqait maoM Gar na Aa jaae. Aato hI bauAa sao pUCto hOM ik ]nako pICo kao[- Aayaa tao nahIM qaaÆ bauAa 'h–na' ko Alaavaa kao[- ]%tr nahIM do patIM. barsaaoM ko baad Aaja BaI ]nhoM dIvaana saahba sao ivaica~ A&at–saa Baya lagaa rhta hO. CaoTI qaI¸ tao BaI Baa[- ko saamanao isar Jauka rhta qaa¸ ivaQavaa haonao pr dIvaana saahba nao kuC Épyao mahInao baaMQa ide qao. Aba [sa ]ma` maoM¸ maalaikna ko na rhnao pr Aa[- hOM¸ vah BaI [sailae ik [tnao baD,o Gar maoM trna AkolaI hO. trna na haotI tao xaNa–Bar ko ilae BaI ]naka [sa ]jaaD, Akolao Gar maoM rhnaa dUBar hao jaata.

QaUp imaTto hI baramado maoM jamaGaT laga jaata hO. sarkarI sauprvaa[ja,r imasTr dasa sao laokr baD,o zokodar maohrcaMd tk kama K,%ma haonao pr dIvaana saahba ko baramado maoM kuC dor ko ilae saustanao Aa baOzto hOM. AaOr hO BaI @yaa [sa ]jaaD, bastI maoM¸ jahaM idna kI qakana ]tarI jaa sakoÆ AhIraoM ko ima+I ko JaaoMpD,oM¸ [@kI–du@kI pana–baID,I kI dukanaoM¸ Zabao AaOr }pr TIlao pr kala–BaOrva ka maMidr. lao–dokr ek dIvaana saahba ka hI tao Gar hO¸ jahaM dUr SahraoM sao Aae p`vaasaI Bad` laaoga GaD,I–dao–GaD,I hMsa–baaolakr jaI hlka kr laoto hOM.

– doK tao¸ trna¸ jara icalama tao Bar laanaa dasa baabaU ko ilae. – drvaaja,o kI Aaor maMuh maaoD,kr baabaU nao kha. ]nako caohro kI mauskana maoM Aba }ba ka Baava DUbanao lagaa qaa. dasa baabaU Aae hOM¸ tao AaOr laaoga BaI Aato haoMgao.

– Aaja [tnaI dor kOsao hao ga[-Æ BaaoMpU tao kba ka baja cauka.

dasa baabaU ka qaula–qaula gaMod–saa SarIr AaramakusaI- maoM QaMsa gayaa. baaolao¸ tao naklaI pIlao daMt kTkTa gae – nahr–par ja,maIna doKnao gayaa qaa. vaapsa laaOTto hue nayaa poT/aola–pMp doKnao Ék gayaa. Aba yahaM poT/aola kI id@kt nahIM rhogaI¸ dIvaana saahbaÑ

trna BaItr sao hu@ka laokr Aa[-¸ tao dasa baabaU isamaT gae Apnao maoM. pcaasa sao }pr ]nakI ]ma` laaMGa ga[- hO¸ ikMtu iksaI s~I ko saamanao Aaja BaI Gabara–sao jaato hOM.

trna ko paMva pICo mauD,o¸ tao vah tinak svasqa hue. galao kao saaÔ ikyaa¸ ifr BaI jaba baaolao¸ tao Aavaaja, KMKartI rhI – kuC idnaaoM ko ilae hirWar–?iYakoSa @yaaoM nahIM GaUma Aato¸ dIvaana saahbaÆ na hao¸ ibaiTyaa ka mana hI bahla jaaegaa. idna–rat Akolao maoM @yaa }ba nahIM jaatI haogaIÆ

dasa baabaU trna ka naama nahIM lao pato. vah ja,ra ]ma` maoM CaoTI haotI¸ tao ]sako sammauK [tnaa Ganaa–saa saMkaoca na iGar Aata jara ]ma` maoM CaoTI haotI¸ tao naama sahja–svaaBaaivak hao jaata. ikMtu [na dao saIQaI¸ spYT saImaaAaoM ko baIca Aayau kI QaurI samaya ko ijasa dladla maoM fMsaI rh ga[- hOM¸ ]ma` jahaM na baZ,tI hO¸ na GaTtI hO¸ ]sao @yaa khkr saMbaaoiQat kroM¸ dasa baabaU kBaI samaJa nahIM pato.

baabaU kuC BaI na khkr caup baOzo rho. vah Apnao [na ima~aoM sao hMsa–baaola laoto hOM¸ yah baat AaOr hOÂ ikMtu mana maoM hmaoSaa ]nhoM Apnao sao CaoTa samaJato hOM. [tnaI GainaYzta ko baavajaUd ]nhaoMnao Apnao AaOr dUsaraoM ko baIca khIM ek lakIr KIMca rKI hO¸ ijasaka ]llaMGana krnao ka dussaahsa kao[- BaI nahIM kr pata.

trna ko paMva¸ jaao dasa baabaU kI baat pr sahsaa dohrI pr izzk gae qao¸ ifr Aagao baZ, gae. dUsaro kmaro maoM bauAa puranao kpD,o saI rhI qaIM. ]nakI AaMK bacaakr vah Apnao kmaro maoM calaI Aa[-. drvaaja,a baMd krko BaI dor tk drvaajao, ko Aagao KD,I rhI. baramado kI Aavaaja,aoM kao nahIM saunatI¸ saunatI hO ]sa inaBao-V maaOna kaoM¸ jaao saaro Gar maoM Cayaa hO¸ ijasako BaItr yao Aavaaja,oM pra[-¸ Apiricat¸ Bayaavah–saI jaana pD,tI hO.

iKD,kI sao baramada dIKta hO. jaba iksaI Saama baabaU ko ima~ nahIM Aato¸ tao vah Akolao AaMKoM maMUdo kusaI- pr baOzo rhto hOM. eosao xaNaaoM maoM iktnaa gahna–saa maaOna baabaU ko [d-–igad- iGar jaata hOÑ ]sanao k[- baar saaocaa hO ik eosao maoM vah baramado maoM ]nako pasa jaakr baOz jaae¸ [Qar–]Qar kI baatoM kro. AaiK,r [sa Gar maoM Aba vao dao hI tao rh gae hO¸ jaao ivagat idnaaoM kI smaRityaaoM maoM ek–dUsaro ko saaJaIdar hao sako. ikMtu [tnao pr BaI kBaI paMva nahIM ]zto¸ isaÔ- iKD,kI sao hI vah caupcaap ]nhoM doKtI rhI hO.

hvaa calatI hO¸ duphr–Saama¸ saaMya–saaMya. maOdanaaoM ko TIlaaoM–ZUhaoM sao ima+I¸ rot ko ga,rma rolao baar–baar drvaaja,o KTKTato hO AaOr rasta na pakr AaMgana maoM ibaKr jaato hOM.

kBaI–kBaI saD,k kao samatla banaanao ko ilae baa$d sao ca+anaaoM kao faoD,a jaata. ivasfaoT haoto hI kMpkMpata–saa Qamaaka haota¸ Aar–par QartI ihla jaatI¸ dUr–dUr tk K,tro kI laala JaMiDyaaM hvaa maoM lahratI rhtIM.

}MGatI hu[- trna Acaanak Acakcaakr caaOMk–saI ga[-¸ maanaao iksaI nao JaTka dokr ]sao iJaMJaaoD idyaa hao. Saama ka bauJaa–bauJaa–saa pIlaapna caupko–sao saaro maOdana maoM fOla gayaa qaa. 

bauAa kmaro maoM Aa[-M. ]sao iKD,kI ko pasa }MGato doKa¸ tao iJaD,kkr kha– iktnaI baar kha hO¸ daonaaoM va> imalato samaya AMQaoro kmaro maoM nahIM baOzto. SaMBau kao laokr tinak baahr @yaaoM nahIM GaUma AatIMÆ

ikMtu ]saI samaya saIiZ,yaaoM pr BaarI pdcaap saunaa[- dI. trna kI AaMKoM Anaayaasa iKD,kI kI Aaor ]z ga[-¸ [MjaIinayar baabaU Aae qao. yah [MjaIinayar baabaU BaI AjaIba hOÑ [sa trh Qama–Qama krto Aato hOM ik saara Gar ihla ]zta hO.

caar–paMca mahInao phlao [Qar sarkarI Aaik-To@T haokr Aae qao¸ ikMtu yahaM saba ]nhoM '[MjaIinayar baabaU' ko naama sao hI saMbaaoiQat krto hOM. ]nakI caala–Zala AaOr baatcaIt sao eosaa jaana pD,ta hO¸ maanaao barsaaoM sao yahaM rhto Aae haoM. vah baabaU ko raoja,mara- Aanaovaalao ima~aoM maoM nahIM hOM¸ baabaU ko ima~ hOM¸ yah khnaa BaI kizna hO¸ Saayad [sailae ik ]ma` maoM vah baabaU sao AaQao hOM AaOr kaoiSaSa krnao pr BaI baabaU ]nasao hMsa–Kulakr baatcaIt nahIM kr pato.

trna nao hD,baD,akr baalaaoM kao samaoT ilayaa¸ dao–tIna baar jaldI–jaldI kMGaI sao ]nhoM khIM QaIro–sao dbaayaa¸ khIM hlko–sao ]zayaa. pa]Dr lagaayaa tao AaMKoM fD,fD,a ]zIM. maaMga ko naIcao¸ maaqao ko baIcaaobaIca ibaMdI lagaato hue trna ka haqa xaNa–Bar ko ilae izzk–saa gayaa. saaocaa¸ @yaa yah Ba`ma hOÆ na¸ Apnao ilae ]sao kao[- Ba`ma nahIM qaa. caohro ka AakYa-Na¸ caaho ijasamaoM jaOsaa haota hao¸ vah jaanatI qaI ik ]samaoM nahIM hO. ]sako ilae Aba mana @laaMt nahIM haota. barsaaoM phlao saD,k pr calato hue kao[- ]sakI Aaor doKta¸ tao tna–mana isahr ]zta qaa. vah daOD,kr vaapsa AatI qaI¸ GaMTaoM Aa[-nao ko saamanao KD,I rhtI qaI. @yaa doKto hOM laaoga ]samaoMÆ yah p`Sna iktnaa ivaica~ qaa AaOr [saka ]%tr panao ko ilae iktnaI dor tk idla QaaOMknaI kI trh calata rhta qaa.

Aaja jaba kBaI laaoga doKto hOM¸ tao ]sao svayaM Apnao pr AaScaya- haota hO. lagata hO¸ jaOsao vah Apnao kao CaoD,kr ]sako saMga imala ga[- hO¸ ]nhIM kI kaOtUhla–BarI dRYTI sao Apnao kao doK rhI hO , , , 

– Aap ABaI tk yahIM baOzI hOMÆ
trna ekaek caaOMk–saI ga[-. drvaaja,o pr [MjaIinayar baabaU KD,o qao.
– maOM ABaI baramado maoM Aa rhI qaI. Aap caaya pI caukoÆ
– caaya ifr iksaI idna pInao Aa}Mgaa¸ jaba Aapkao baramado maoM Aanao kI fursat haogaIÑ , , , , [sa va> tao JaTpT Gar phMucanaa hO.
trna nao ]nako saamanao caaOkI rK dI.
– zhire¸ kuC Kakr jaa[eÑ ABaI tao Aap Aae hOMÑ

trna rsaao[- kI Aaor jaanao lagaI¸ ikMtu [MjaIinayar baabaU nao ]sao baIca maoM hI raok idyaa– doiKe¸ [sa va> yah JaMJaT rhnao dIijae. ABaI–ABaI Sahr sao laaOT rha hMU. rasto maoM QaUla–gad- Ka[- hO¸ ]sasao ibalkula poT Bar gayaa hO.

jaba kBaI [MjaIinayar baabaU hMsato hOM¸ trna kao hmaoSaa yah mahsaUsa haota hO ik [sa bastI ko laaoga caaho Aadr–Baava sao ]nhoM '[MjaIinayar baabaU' khkr pukaroM¸ ]ma` maoM vah ]sasao CaoTo hI hO. phlao–phlao jaba ]sanao ]nhoM dIvaana saahba kI ima~–maMDlaI ko baIca baramado maoM doKa qaa¸ tao gahra AaScaya- huAa qaa. [tnao baD,o baujaugaao-M ko baIca ka^laoja ko Ca~–sao dIKnaovaalao yah [MjaIinayar baabaU zIk sao ifT nahIM baOzto qao.

– Aap ]sa trÔ Aa[- nahIM¸ maaoMTU Aapko baaro maoM raoja, pUCta hO. maaoMTU [MjaIinayar baabaU ka naaOkr hO¸ jaba kBaI trna rolvao laa[na ko par Thlanao jaatI hO¸ vah ]sao hmaoSaa imalata hO.
– [sa baar Aa}MgaI. Aap rhoMgaoÆ
– Agalao hF,to Aa[egaa. caar–paMca idna ko ilae ekdma bahut kama Aa pD,a hO. 

[MjaIinayar baabaU jaanao sao phlao ek xaNa Éko¸ $maala sao ApnaI eonak ka SaISaa saaÔ ikyaa.

trna kI AaMKoM caupcaap }pr ]z ga[-M AaOr dor tk ]saI ir> sqaana pr iTkI rhIM¸ jahaM kuC xaNa phlao [MjaIinayar baabaU KD,o qao.

kOsao hO yah [MjaIinayar baabaUÑ , , , , KT–KT krko jaba saIiZ,yaaM ]trto hOM tao saara Gar ihla ]zta hO.

iKD,kI ko pro rolavao laa[na ko }pr DUbata saUrja KUna kI laMbaI–saI roKa KIMca gayaa qaa. }McaI–naIcaI ca+anaaoM ko baIca maja,dUraoM ko KaoKla¸ Saama kI pIlaI QaUp maoM CaoTo–CaoTo lakD,I ko ba@saaoM–sao idKa[- doto qao. kalaI dovaI ko maMidr ko Aasa–pasa fIko gaulaabaI QaueM ka baadla xaNa–p`itxaNa gaaZ,a haonao lagaa qaa.

trna iKD,kI sao ]zkr plaMga ko pasa calaI Aa[-. AQailaKa p~ tikyao ko naIcao Aba BaI dbaa qaa. saubah sao Baa[- kao p~ ilaKnao baOzI hO¸ ikMtu ABaI tk mauiSkla sao paMca–C: satroM hI ilaK sakI hO. jaba–jaba ilaKnao kI kaoiSaSa krtI hO¸ Baa[- ka caohra samaya kI bauJaI–baasaI prtaoM kao kaTta huAa AaMKaoM ko saamanao GaUma jaata hO – vah caohra nahIM¸ ek AaOr Sa@la hO¸ bahut saadI¸ bahut ]dasa , , ,tba maaM nahIM rhI qaI. Sau$ sao hI baabaU ka [tnaa Dr qaa ik jaI Barkr raonao maoM BaI iJaJak haotI qaI. AaOr tba Baa[- Aae qao. , , , 
– doKtI nahIM trna¸ baabaU iktnao Akolao rh gae hOMÑ – ]nhaoMnao kaMpto haozaoM sao kha qaa – hmaoM ]nako saMga rhnaa haogaa. , , , kuC idnaaoM maoM ifr sabakuC phlao–jaOsaa hI hao jaaegaa. 

AaOr Aaja trna saaocatI hO¸ khaM hao payaa sabakuC phlao–jaOsaaÆ ]na idnaaoM vah kaÔI CaoTI qaI. Baa[- @yaaoM calao gae AaOr baabaU ]nhoM @yaaoM nahIM raok pae¸ tba kuC BaI samaJa maoM nahIM Aayaa qaa. Aaja lagata hO¸ maaM ek kD,I qaIM pirvaar AaOr baabaU ko baIca¸ ]nako jaato hI vao ek Gar maoM rhto hue BaI sahsaa ek–dUsaro ko ilae AjanabaI–sao bana gae qao.

bauAa ]sao Baaojana ko ilae baulaanao Aa[-. trna ko haqa maoM kaga,ja, doKkr pUCa – @yaa kao[- ica{I Aa[- hOÆ
– Baa[- kao ilaK rhI qaI. kla sao ]naka p~ Aayaa pD,a hO.
– @yaa kuC Aanao ko ilae ilaKa hOÆ
– ilaKa hO¸ kuC idnaaoM ko ilae maOM ]nako pasa calaI jaa}M , , ,@yaaoM bauAa¸ calaI jaa}M tao kOsaa rhogaaÆ

bauAa ivasmaya sao AaMKoM faD,to hue trna kao doKtI rhIM. [tnaI dUr Aasaama trna AkolaI jaaegaI¸ [sakI klpnaa krnaa BaI pagalapna lagata hO.

Aagao—