caprasaI nao ibajalaI ka baTna dbaayaa.  xaNa Bar maoM raoSanaI sao kmara jagamagaa ]za.  ramadyaala nao $maala sao eonak kao saaf ikyaa AaOr ifr laoK pr ApnaI dRiYT jamaa dI.  vah 'navayauga' ka 'maihlaa–AMk' doK rha qaa.  AMk doKnaa tao ]sanao yaaoMhIM Sau$ ikyaa qaa¸ prntu ek laoK kuC eosaa raocak qaa ik ek baar jaao pZ,naa AarmBa ikyaa tao samaaPt ikyao ibanaa jaI na maanaa.

laoK maoM iksaI AiBanaota ko AiBanaya kI ivavaocanaa na qaI.  Cd\mavaoYa klaa pr kao[-  nayaI baat na ilaKI gayaI qaI.  ek saIQaa–saaQaa laoK qaa¸ ijasamaoM naarI svaBaava pr ek naUtna dRiYT–kaoNa sao p`kaSa Dalaa gayaa qaa.  ek sava-qaa nayaI baat qaI.  ilaKa qaa ––
"s~I p`oma kI dovaI hO.  vah Apnao ip`ya pit ko ilae Apnaa sava-sva inaCavar kr saktI hO.  vah ]sa kI pUjaa kr saktI hO¸ pr yaid ]sa ka pit ]sa ko p`oma kI Avaholanaa kro¸ ]sakI mauhbbat kao zukra do tao Avasar imalanao pr vah Apnao p`oma kI tRYaa bauJaanao ko ilae iksaI dUsarI caIja kao ZMUZ, laotI hO –– caaho vah cala hao yaa Acala¸ sajaIva hao yaa inajaI-vaÑ  yahI p`kRit ka inayama hO."

ramadyaala ]za AaOr gamBaIr maud`a QaarNa ikyao hue pustkalaya ko baahr inakla Aayaa.

saD,k raoSanaI sao nava–vaQaU kI BaaMit saja rhI qaI.  ramadyaala Apnao )dya kI gait ko samaana QaIro–QaIro calaa jaa rha qaa.  ]sao doK kr kaOna kh sakta qaa ik yah vahI p`isaw AiBanaota hO¸ jaao ApnaI klaa sao Baart Bar kao caikt kr dota hOÑ

••

]ima-laa¸ ]sakI p%naI¸ Anaupma saundrI qaI¸ klpnaa sao banaI hu[- saundr p`itmaa–saIÑ  maIzo¸ maadk svar maoM $p maoM ivaiQa nao ]sao jaadU do Dalaa qaa.  saMgaIt–klaa maoM ]sanao ivaSaoYa xamata p`aPt kr laI qaI AaOr yah gauNa saaonao maoM sauganQa ka kama kr rha qaa.  jaba BaI kBaI vah ApnaI kaomala ]MgailayaaoM kao isatar ko pdao-M pr rKtI AaOr kana ]maoz kr taraoM kao CoD,tI tao saaoyao hue ]d\gaar jaaga ]zto AaOr kanaaoM ko rasto imazasa AaOr mastI ka ek samaud` Eaaota kI nasa–nasa maoM vyaaPt hao kr rh jaata.  ramadyaala ]sa pr jaI–jaana sao maugQa qaa AaOr vah BaI ]sao )dya kI samast Sai>yaaoM sao Pyaar krtI qaI.  daonaaoM kao ek–dUsaro pr gava- qaa¸ ikntu yah saba kuC sqaayaI na hao saka.  Asaar saMsaar maoM kao[- vastu sqaayaI hao BaI kOsao saktI hOÆ  manaaomaailanya kI AaMQaI nao mauhbbat ko [sa CaoTo–sao paOQao kao xaNa Bar maoM babaa-d kr idyaa.

]ima-laa naIcao D/a[Mga–$ma maoM baOzI qaI.  vah ramadyaala kI p`tIxaa kr rhI qaI.  saamanao ko Bavana maoM Aaja kao[- yauvak GaUma rha qaa.  vah kutUhlavaSa ]sao BaI doK rhI qaI.  ]sako kana saIiZ,yaaoM kI Aaor lagao hue qao¸ prntu AaMKoM ]sa yauvak kao baocaOnaI sao GaUmato doK rhI qaIM.  vah kaozI k[- idnaaoM sao KalaI qaI¸ prntu Aba kuC idna sao [sao iksaI nao ikrayao pr lao ilayaa qaa ]sanao dao–tIna baar iksaI yauvak kao ibajalaI ko p`kaSa maoM GaUmato doKa qaa.  eosaa p`tIt haota qaa¸ jaOsao vah baocaOna hao¸ jaOsao Aakulata ]sao baOznao na dotI hao.

AMgaIzI pr rKI hu[- GaD,I nao Tna–Tna naaO bajaayao.  saamanao ko Bavana maoM raoSanaI bauJa gayaI.  ]ima-laa Apnao Aapkao AkolaI–saI mahsaUsa krnao lagaI.  ]sanao  isatar ]zayaa¸ ]sakI kaomala ]MgailayaaM ]sako pdao- pr iqarknao lagaIM¸ ]sako AQar ihlao AaOr dUsaro xaNa ek k$NaapUNa- gaIt vaayaumaNDla maoM gaMUja ]za ––
saiK [na naOnana to Gana haro
svar maoM dd- qaa¸ laaoca qaa AaOr laya qaI¸ saInao maoM p`tIxaa kI Aaga qaI.  vah tnmaya hao gayaI¸ ApnaI maQaur Qvaina maoM Kao gayaI AaOr ]sao yah BaI maalaUma na huAa ik ramadyaala kba Aayaa AaOr kba tk ikvaaD, kI AaoT maoM KD,a ]sao doKta rha. 

vah gaatI gayaI¸ baosauQa hao kr gaatI gayaI. ]sakI AaMKoM isatar pr jamaI hu[- qaIM¸ ]sako kana isatar ko maadk svar maoM DUba gayao qao.  ramadyaala kI BaRkuTI tna gayaI AaOr vah caupcaap mauD, gayaa.  Kanao ko kmaro maoM ]sanao dasaI sao Kanaa maMgaayaa AaOr Ka kr saaonao calaa gayaa.  ]ima-laa gaatI rhI¸ Apnao dd-–Baro gaIt kao vaayau ko kNa–kNa maoM basaatI rhI.  dovata Aayaa AaOr calaa gayaa¸ pujaarI ]sakI pUjaa hI maoM vyast rha.

dUsaro idna ramadyaala p`at: hI Gar sao calaa gayaa AaOr bahut rat gayao Gar laaOTa.  ]ima-laa daOD,I–daOD,I gayaI AaOr gaMgaasaagar maoM panaI lao AayaI.
ramadyaala ko caohro sao ËaoQa Tpk rha qaa.
"Aap [tnaI dor khaM rhoÆ"
ramadyaala caup.
]ima-laa nao panaI ka Bara huAa gaMgaasaagar Aagao rK idyaa.  Gar maoM dao daisayaaM tao qaIM¸ prntu pit kI saovaa vah svayaM ikyaa krtI qaI.  ramadyaala jaba sanQyaa kao Gar Aayaa krta tao vah ]saka haqa–maMuh QaulaatI¸ tStrI maoM kuC Kanao kao laatI AaOr sTUiDyaao kI KbaroM pUCtI.  ramadyaala nao haqa na baZ,ayao.  vah caupcaap KD,I ]sakI gamBaIr maud`a kao doKtI rhI.

]saka )dya QaD,knao lagaa.  baIisayaaoM p`kar kI SaMkaeM ]sako mana maoM ]znao lagaIM.  ]sanao ]nhoM baulaanao ka [rada ikyaa¸ ikntu iJaD,k na doM¸ yah saaoca kr caup hao rhI.  AaSaa nao ifr gaudgaudI kI¸ inaraSaa nao ifr damana pkD, ilayaa.  manauYya ko )dya maoM jaba sandoh hao jaata hO tao inaraSaa hmadd- kI BaaMit samaIp Aa jaatI hO AaOr AaSaa marIicaka bana kr Baaga jaatI hO. ifr BaI ]sanao saahsa krko pUCa ––
"jaI tao AcCa hOÆ"
"caup rhaoÑ"
"svaamaIÆ"
"maOM khta hMU¸ KamaaoSa rhaoÑ"

]ima-laa KD,I–kI–KD,I rh gayaI.  inaraSaa nao AaSaa kao zukra idyaa AaOr Aba ]sa maoM ]znao ka BaI saahsa na rha.

]sao kla kI GaTnaa yaad hao AayaI¸ prntu saaQaarNa–saI baat pr [tnaa ËaoQaÑ  vah samaJa na sakI.  ]nhoM tao [sa baat pr p`sanna haonaa caaihe qaa.  nahIM¸ yah baat nahIM  ]sasao AvaSya kao[- dUsarI Ava&a hao gayaI hO.  hao sakta hO¸ iksaI sao JagaD, pD,o haoM Aqavaa kao[- dUsarI GaTnaa GaTI hao.  ASauBa kI AaSaMka sao ]sa ka mana ]iWgna hao ]za.  ]sako carNaaoM pr Jaukto hue ]sanao kha "dasaI sao kao[- ApraQa hao gayaahao tao xamaa kr doM."
ramadyaala nao paMva KIMca ilayao¸ ]ima-laa maMuh ko bala igarI.  vah saaonao calaa gayaa.

]ima-laa bahut dor tk ]saI trh baOzI rhI AaOr ifr laoT kr QartI maoM maMuh iCpa kr AaMsaU bahanao lagaI.  ]sao ivaSvaasa na haota qaa ik ]sako pit nao [tnaI–saI baat pr ]sao naja,raoM sao igara idyaa hO.  ramadyaala ko p`it ]sako mana maoM k[- p`kar ko ivacaar ]znao lagao.  ]sa nao ]nhoM Aaja tk iSakayat ka maaOka na idyaa qaa.  ]sa nao ]nakI saaQaarNa–saI baat kao BaI isar–AaMKaoM pr ilayaa qaa¸ ifr yah inaradr @yaaoMÆ

]sao SaMka haonao lagaI¸ 'kao[- AiBanao~I ]nako jaIvana–vaRxa kao ivaYa sao saIMca rhI hO¸ ' ikntu dUsaro xaNa Apnao [na ivacaaraoM pr ]sao GaRNaa hao AayaI.  glaaina sao ]saka isar Jauk gayaa.  ramadyaala caaho iksaI ko maaoh maoM fMsa jaayao¸ prntu ]ima-laa ko ilayao eosaa saaocanaa BaI pap hO.  tao ifr vah Apnao pit sao [sa Anyamanaskta ka karNa hI @yaaoM na pUC laoÆ  @yaa ]sao [sa baat ka AiQakar nahIMÆ  vah sahQaima-NaI nahIM @yaaÆ  AQaa-MiganaI nahIM @yaaÆ  yah saaoca kr vah ]zI.  ]sako SarIr maoM sfUit- ka saMcaar hao Aayaa.  vah jaayaogaI¸ Apnao pit sao [sa ËaoQa ka karNa pUC kr rhogaI AaOr ]sa samaya tk na CaoDogaI¸ jaba tk vao ]sao saba kuC na bata doM¸ yaa ApnaI BaujaaAaoM maoM BaIMca kr yah na kh doM –– maOM tao hMsaI kr rha qaaÑ

]sako mauK pr dRZ,–saMklp ko ica*na p`sfuiTt hao gayao.  vah ]zI AaOr QaIro–QaIro ramadyaala ko kmaro maoM daiKla hu[-.  vah laoTa huAa qaa.  ]sa ko caohro pr ek gamBaIr mauskrahT Kola rhI qaI –– Avya> vaodnaa kI Aqavaa gauPt–]llaasa kI¸ kaOna jaanaoÆ
]ima-laa ko Aato hI vah ]z baOza.  ]sanao kD,k kr kha¸ "maoro kmaro sao inakla jaaAao¸ jaa kr saao rhao¸ mauJao tMga mat krao."
"@yaa ApraQa  , , ,"
"maOM khta hMU¸ calaI jaaAaoÑ

]ima-laa KD,I–kI–KD,I rh gayaI.  jaOsao iksaI jaadUgarnaI nao ]sako isar pr jaadU kI CD,I for dI hao.  vah sfUit- AaOr saMklp¸ jaao kuC dor phlao ]sako mana maoM pOda hue qao¸ saba hvaa hao gayao.  [cCa haonao pr BaI vah daobaara na pUC sakI.  ]dasaI ka karNa pUCnaa¸ ]sa AkarNa ËaoQa ka igalaa krnaa¸ Apnao ksaUr kI maafI maaMganaa¸ saba kuC BaUla gayaI.  klpnaaAaoM ko Bavya p`asaad pla Bar maoM QaraSaayaI hao gayao.

vah caupcaap vaapsa calaI AayaI AaOr saarI rat gaIlao ibastr pr saaoyao hue manauYya kI BaaMit krvaToM badlatI rhI.  naIMd na jaanao khaM ]D, gayaI qaIÆ

••

samaya ko pMK lagaa kr idna ]D,to gayao.  ramadyaala Aba Gar maoM bahut kma Aata qaa.  ]ima-laa kao saovaa ko ilae dao daisayaaoM maoM ek AaOr kI vaRiw hao gayaI qaI.  vah ]nasao tMga Aa gayaI qaI.  vah saovaa kI BaUKI na qaI¸ mauhbbat kI BaUKI qaI AaOr mauhbbat ko fUla sao ]sakI jaIvana–vaaiTka sava-qaa SaUnya qaI.  barsaat ko baadla AakaSa pr iGaro hue qao.  zNDI hvaa saakI kI caala cala rhI qaI.  baahr iksaI jagah ppIha rh–rh kUk ]zta qaa.  vaayau ka ek JaaoMka Andr Aayaa.  ]ima-laa ko )dya maoM ]llaasa ko badlao Avasaad kI ek lahr daOD, gayaI.  )dya kI gahra[yaaoM sao ek lambaI saaMsa inakla gayaI.  ]sanao isatar ]zayaa AaOr ivarh ka ek gaIt gaanao lagaI.  ]sakI Aavaaja, maoM dd- qaa¸ gama qaa AaOr jalana qaI.  vaayau–maNDla ]sako gaIt sao JaMkRt hao kr rh gayaa.  Apnao gaIt kI tnmayata maoM vah baa( saMsaar kao BaUla gayaI.  rat kI naIrvata maoM ]saka gaIt vaayau ko kNa–kNa maoM basa gayaa.

sahsaa saamanao ko Bavana sao¸ jaOsao iksaI nao isatar kI Aavaaja, ko ]%tr maoM gaanaa AarmBa ikyaa –
ipyaa ibana caOna khaM mana kao raga @yaa qaa¸ iksaI nao ]ima-laa ka idla caIr kr saamanao rK idyaa qaa.  vah Apnaa gaanaa BaUla gayaI AaOr tnmaya hao kr saunanao lagaI.  @yaa Aavaaja qaI¸ kOsaa jaadU qaaÆ  $h iKMcaI calaI jaatI qaI.  ek mahInao sao vahaM kao[- isatar bajaayaa krta qaa¸ ikntu ]ima-laa nao kBaI ]sa Aaor Qyaana na idyaa qaa.  Aaja na jaanao @yaaoM¸ ]saka )dya Anaayaasa hI gaIt kI Aaor AakiYa-t huAa jaa rha qaa.  [cCa hu[- iKD,kI maoM jaa kr baOz jaaya¸ prntu ifr iJaJak gayaI¸ ]saI trh jaOsao nayaa caaor caaorI krnao sao phlao ihcaikcaata hO.

vah iKD,kI sao JaaMknao ko ilae ]zI.  ]sao Apnao pit ka Qyaana hao Aayaa¸ vah ifr baOz gayaI.  ]sanao isatar kao ]zayaa¸ ifr rK idyaa ik gaanao vaalaa yah na samaJa lao ik ]sako gaIt ka ]%tr idyaa jaa rha hO.  ]z kr ]sanao ek pustk lao laI AaOr pZ,naa AarmBa kr idyaa¸ prntu pZ,nao maoM ]saka jaI na lagaa.  ]sao hr pMi> maoM yahI Axar ilaKo hue idKayaI idyao ––
ipyaa ibana caOna khaM mana kao ]z kr ]sanao pustk kao foMk idyaa AaOr Aarama–kusaI- pr laoT gayaI.  gaanao vaalaa Aba BaI gaa rha qaa Aaor gaIt ]sakI ek–ek nasa maoM basaa jaa rha qaa.  ivavaSa hao kr vah ]zI.  ]sa nao isatar kao ]zayaa¸ taraoM maoM Janakar pOda hu[-¸ taraoM pr ]MgailayaaM iqarknao lagaIM AaOr vah QaIro–QaIro gaanao lagaI.  SanaO:–SanaO: ]saka svar }Mcaa haota gayaa¸ yahaM tk ik vah baosauQa hao kr pUrI Aavaaja sao gaa ]zI :
ipyaa ibana caOna khaM mana kao
gaIt samaaPt hao gayaa¸ vaayau–maNDla ko kNa–kNa pr Cayaa huAa jaadU TUT gayaa.  vah jaldI sao ]z kr iKD,kI maoM calaI gayaI.  ]sanao doKa¸ yauvak isatar pr haqa rKo ]sa ka gaanaa sauna rha hO.

Aagao—