maoro pasa saamaana AiQak nahIM qaa. maa~ ek ATOcaI. ]sao laokr maOM saD,k ko ]sa par Aa gayaa jahaM sao mauJao maMgalaaOr ko ilae basa imalanaI qaIM. yahaM ek vaRxa ko naIcao ek cabaUtra saa banaa qaa. saMBavat: basa yaai~yaaoM kI sauivaQaa ko ilae hI yah banaayaa gayaa qaa. ek AadmaI vahaM phlao sao baOza qaa. maOM BaI ]saI kI bagala maoM baOz gayaa. ]sanao mauJao¸ gaaOr sao doKa. tba pUCa¸ "khaM jaaeMgao AapÆ"
"maMgalaaOr" maOMnao kha¸ "vahaM sao mauJao pNajaI jaanaa hO. ABaI rat naaO pcaasa vaalaI basa sao"
"irjavao-Sana hO AapkaÆ"
"saao tao saubah hI kra ilayaa qaa." maOMnao kha.
"tba tao Aapnao BaUla kI. pNajaI vaalaI basa tao [Qar sao hI jaatI hO. Aap ]nakao bata doto tao vah Aapkao yahaM sao lao laoto."
"haM. yah BaUla tao hao hI ga[-. Asailayat maoM tba mauJao [sa baat kI jaanakarI nahIM qaI."
"KOr ABaI samaya hO Aap Aarama sao phMuca jaaeMgao. baIsa–baa[-sa iklaaomaITr kI hI tao baat hO. basa samaya AaOr pOsao ka kuC nauksaana haogaa."
"sahI jaanakarI kI kmaI ka [tnaa mauAavajaa tao donaa hI caaihe mauJao." maOMnao kha.

tBaI daihnaI Aaor saD,k pr iksaI caaopihe vaahna ka toja p`kaSa doKkr maOM kuC satk- hao gayaa ik Saayad maMgalaaOr jaanao vaalaI kao[- basa hI hao." basa vaalaa eosao hI raok dogaa yaa mauJao haqa idKanaa haogaa." maOMnao ]sa vyai> sao pUCa.

]sanao gaaD,I ko p`kaSa kI Aaor doKa. tba baaolaa¸ "yah tao kar hO. Aap baOzo rihe. basa Aapkao ABaI qaaoD,I dor maoM imalaogaI. saaZ,o Aaz pr phlaI basa AaegaI laoikna maorI maainae tao ]sao Aap mat laIijae. vah slaao basa hO $kto–$kato jaaegaI. kao[- zIk nahIM Aapkao samaya sao phMucaae BaI yaa nahIM. ]sako baad dUsarI basa naaO bajakr dsa imanaT pr imalaogaI. vah e@sap`osa basa hO. vah Aapkao zIk naaO caalaIsa pr maMgalaaOr phMucaa dogaI. yahaM sao CUTI tao saIQao maMgalaaOr hI $kogaI."

tba tk ijasa gaaD,I ka p`kaSa maOMnao doKa qaa vah hmaaro saamanao sao inakla ga[-. vaastva maoM vah kar hI qaI. mauJao AaScaya- huAa ik [sa AadmaI nao [tnaI dUr sao kOsao jaana ilayaa ik vah kar hI hO.

"Aap @yaa ]%tr Baart ko rhnao vaalao hOMÆ" maOMnao ]sasao pUCa.
"@yaaoMÆ"
"ihMdI Aap bahut AcCI baaolato hOM."
vah hMsaa. "ihMdI hI nahIM¸ maOM knnaD, AaOr kaoMkNaI BaI bahut AcCI baaola laota hMU. [sako Alaavaa marazI¸ malayaalama¸ pMjaabaI¸ Asaimayaa AaOr baMgalaa BaI TUTI–fUTI baaola laota hMU. laoikna maOM khaM ka hMU¸ maoro maata–ipta kaOna qao¸ @yaa BaaYaa baaolato qao¸ ]naka Qama- @yaa qaa¸ yah maOM Aaja tk nahIM jaanata."
"eosaa kOsaoÆ" mauJao AaScaya- huAa.
"bahut puranaI baat hO." ]sanao [sa p`kar khnaa Sau$ ikyaa jaOsao vah khIM bahut pICo iksaI AMQaoro AtIt maoM DubakI lagaa rha hao. "Aaja sao kao[- pcaasa–baavana vaYa- phlao [saI maMgalaaOr pNajaI maaga- pr ek bahut Bayaanak basa duGa-Tnaa hu[- qaI. Aap Saayad tba pOda BaI nahIM hue haoMgao." ]sanao maorI Aaor gaaOr sao doKa tba baaolaa¸
"phlao kBaI [sa $T pr yaa~a kI hO AapnaoÆ"
"nahIM." maOMnao kha.
"tba Aapkao yah yaa~a idna maoM krnaI caaihe qaI. [sa doSa kI bahut hI KUbasaUrt yaa~aAaoM maoM sao ek hO yah. pUra maaga- vaosTna- GaaT\sa ko baIca sao gaujarta hO. daonaaoM Aaor phaD,¸ GaaiTyaaM¸ Jarnao jaMgala¸ fla AaOr fUlaaoM sao lado hue vaRxa. Agar hlkI baairSa hao rhI hao tba tao yaa~a ka AanaMd AaOr BaI baZ, jaata hO."
"Aap iksaI duGa-Tnaa kI baat kr rho qao"
"haM. Aaja sao pcaasa–baavana vaYa- phlao kI baat hO. [sa maaga- ko lagaBaga baIcaaobaIca ek sqaana pr saD,k lagaBaga yaU Tna- laotI hO. ]saI sqaana pr yah duGa-Tnaa GaTI qaI."

saD,k pr iksaI vaahna ka p`kaSa doKkr maOM ifr ]sa Aaor doKnao lagaa.
"T/k hO." ]sanao kha.
mauJao lagaa jaOsao maOM caaorI krto pkD,a gayaa hMU. "xamaa kIijaegaa." maOMnao kha¸ "Aap duGa-Tnaa kI baat kr rho qao."
"vahI baat kr rha hMU. savaairyaaoM sao pUrI trh ladI hu[- basa toja rFtar sao BaagaI calaI jaa rhI qaI. tBaI @yaa huAa yah tao Aaja tk kao[- bata nahIM payaa¸ bahrhala¸ ]saI yaU Tna- ko pasa basa Acaanak ek gahro KD\Do maoM jaa igarI. kao[- dao hjaar fuT gahra KD\Da rha haogaa. naIcao GaaTI tk phMucanao sao phlao hI basa maoM Aaga laga ga[- AaOr Aaga kI BayaMkr lapTaoM sao iGaro ek ivaSaala gaaolao kI trh basa lauZ,ktI hu[- naIcao GaaTI maoM jaa igarI. saaro yaa~I basa maoM hI jala kr mar gae. ek p`aNaI BaI nahIM bacaa. bacaa tao basa ek DoZ, saala ka baccaa ijasao ek KraoMca tk nahIM Aa[-."

mauJao ]sakI baat pr AaScaya- huAa. tBaI vah gaaD,I hmaaro saamanao sao gaujarI AaOr maOMnao doKa vaastva maoM hI T/k qaa.
"Aro yah tao baD,o AaScaya- kI baat hO ik baccao kao jara saI KraSa BaI nahIM Aa[-." maOnao kha.
"haM." ]sanao kha¸ "Asailayat maoM [Qar falasaahI rMga ka ek trh ko fUla ka vaRxa haota hO ibalkula gaulamaaohr jaOsaa. laoikna }Mcaa[- maoM ]sasao kafI CaoTa.  isatMbar ko mahInao maoM¸ ijana idnaaoM kI baat hO vah¸ Apnao pUro Sabaaba pr haota hO. pUra poD, fUlaaoM ka ek stUp saa laganao lagata hO. [sa maaga- pr yah poD, bahutayat sao payaa jaata hO. 

saMBavat: vah baccaa basa maoM iKD,kI ko pasa ApnaI maaM yaa ipta kI gaaod maoM baOza ]na fUlaaoM kI Aaor lapkta rha haogaa AaOr jaOsao hI basa KD\Do maoM igarnao kao hu[- ibalkula ]saI xaNa vah baccaa fUlaaoM kI Aaor lapka AaOr fUlaaoM kI ek Dala ]sakI pkD, maoM Aa ga[- AaOr [Qar basa KD\Do kI Aaor lauZ,kI AaOr ]Qar vah baccaa fUlaaoM kI Dala pkD,o iKD,kI sao baahr hao gayaa. jaba basa ko igarnao kI Aavaaja saunakr pasa ko gaaMva maoM rhnao vaalao laaoga daOD, kr Aae tao ]nhaoMnao fUlaaoM ko ]sa vaRxa kI ek Dala sao ]sa baccao kao laTkta huAa payaa. 

baccaa jaaor–jaaor sao rao rha qaa. ek gaaMva vaalao nao poD, sao laTkto hue ]sa baccao kao gaaod maoM laokr ]tara. dUsaro laaoga naIcao KD\Do maoM ]tr gae. iksaI trh jalatI hu[- basa kao ]nhaoMnao bauJaayaa. laoikna tba tk dor hao caukI qaI. saba kuC jalakr raK hao cauka qaa. laaSaoM BaI [sa saImaa tk jala caukI qaI ik iksaI kao BaI phcaananaa AsaMBava qaa. puilasa Aa[-. ]sanao saarI caIjaaoM ka mauAayanaa ikyaa."

"baccao ko vas~aoM Aaid kao doKkr lagata qaa ik vah iksaI AcCo Gar ka hO. laoikna isavaaya "Ammaa" "baabaa" ko vah kuC baaola nahIM sakta qaa. eosaI isqait maoM yah pta lagaa panaa ik vah kaOna qaa¸ baD,a mauiSkla qaa. basa maoM jaao BaI saamaana Aaid jalanao sao rh gayaa qaa ]sao puilasa vaalaaoM nao gaaOr sao doKa ik Saayad iksaI ba@sao maoM baccao kI saa[ja ko kuC vas~ Aaid imalaoM¸ saaqa hI kuC eosaa ijasasao ]sako baaro maoM kuC jaanaa jaa sako , , , yah BaI T/k hO." ]sanao saD,k pr Aato ek AaOr vaahna kI raoSanaI kao doKto hue kha.
"]sa baccao ka @yaa huAaÆ"
"dUsaro idna AKbaaraoM maoM basa duGa-Tnaa kI Kbar ko saaqa baccao ka baD,a saa faoTao BaI Cpa. laoikna kuC fayada nahIM huAa. k[- idna inakla gae. laoikna kao[- ]sao @laoma krnao nahIM Aayaa. haM ]sao gaaod laonao ko ilae k[- laaoga Aagao Aae magar [samaoM ek kanaUnaI AD,cana qaI. baccaa yaa tao maaM–baap kI Anaumait sao gaaod ilayaa jaa sakta hO yaa ifr vah pUrI trh laavaairsa hao. yahaM samasyaa yah qaI ik kanaUnaI taOr sao baccaa laavaairsa BaI nahIM kha jaa sakta qaa @yaaoMik hao sakta qaa ik kuC idnaaoM baad ]sako hkdar Aa hI jaaeM AaOr kaOna jaanao baccao ko maaM–baap daonaaoM nahIM tao ]namaoM sao ek ABaI jaIivat hI hao. At: maoijasT/oT nao yah AadoSa idyaa ik baccao ka faoTao saurixat rK ilayaa jaae tqaa ek CaoTa faoTao tavaIja ko $p maoM baccao ko galao maoM phnaa idyaa jaae AaOr palana–paoYaNa ko ilae iksaI AcCo Anaaqa AaEama Baoja idyaa jaae. At: kuC idna puilasa ksTDI maoM rhnao ko baad baccao kao ek Anaaqa AaEama Baoja idyaa gayaa."

[sa baIca vah vaahna hmaaro saamanao sao inaklaa tao maOMnao doKa vah vaastva maoM T/k qaa. maOM ]sa vyai> ko baaro maoM saaocanao lagaa ik AaiKr yah hO kaOna jaao dUr sao vaahnaaoM ko p`kaSa kao doKkr hI ]nako sva$p kao phcaana laota hO.
"Aapkao bata}M vah baccaa kaOna qaaÆ"
maOMnao ]sakI Aaor gaaOr sao doKa.
"vah baccaa Aapko saamanao baOza hO." AaOr yah khkr ]sanao Apnao galao maoM pD,a huAa tabaIja maoro saamanao kr idyaa.
"Aap."
"jaI haM maOM."
"tao Aapkao baad maoM kuC pta calaa."
"nahIM." ]sanao kha. 

"maOM kao[- caar–paMca saala ]sa Anaaqaalaya maoM rha tba vahaM sao Baaga Aayaa. Asailayat maoM ]sao Anaaqaalaya khnaa hI galat qaa. vaastva maoM vah baccaaoM Wara BaIK maMgavaae jaanao ka ek AD\Da qaa. saubah saba baccao Alaga–Alaga TaoilayaaM banaakr baOMD baajao ko saaqa inaklato AaOr Saama kao BaIK maoM pae hue pOsao laakr maOnaojar ko pasa jamaa kr doto. yaid kao[- baccaa kma pOsao laata tao ]sao sajaa dI jaatI. Kanaa BaI zIk sao nahIM imalata qaa. yahI saba doKkr maOM vahaM sao ek idna caaorI sao Baaga inaklaa , , , Aba AapkI basa Aa rhI hO¸ laoikna yah pOsaoMjar basa hO maorI raya maoM Aap [sao mat pkiD,e."

"zIk hO." maOMnao kha. "Anaaqaalaya sao inaklanao ko baad Aap khaM gaeÆ"

"tba tk mauJao basa e@saID,oMT ko baaro maoM saarI baatoM pta cala caukI qaIM AaOr jaanao @yaaoM maOM laaOTkr ]saI sqaana phMuca gayaa jahaM e@saIDoMT huAa qaa AaOr vahaM sao kuC dUr saD,k iknaaro banao ek haoTla maoM kama krnao lagaa. maoro galao maoM maora ]sa samaya ka faoTao ABaI BaI tabaIja maoM maZ,a laTka qaa. ]sao doKkr kuC laaogaaoM nao mauJao phcaana ilayaa ik maOM vahI baccaa hMU jaao basa duGa-Tnaa maoM baca gayaa qaa. saBaI mauJao bahut hI ]%saukta sao doKto. basa ko D/a[varaoM–kMD@TraoM kao tao mauJamaoM ivaSaoYa $ica qaI. vah mauJao bahut hI BaagyaSaalaI samaJato AaOr kBaI–kBaI mauJao Apnao saaqa ApnaI basa maoM ibaza laoto. kuC dUr jaakr iksaI sTap pr maOM ]Qar sao Aanao vaalaI basa pr baOzkr vaapsa Aa jaata."

basa Aakr vahaM $k ga[-. vah KcaaKca BarI hu[- qaI. dao–ek mausaaifr ]sasao ]tro. 
"Aap jaanaa caahoM tao [sasao jaa sakto hOM. hao sakta hO samaya sao yah phMucaa BaI do. laoikna maoro #yaala sao Aap irsk na laoM. e@sap`osa basa hI pkD,oM."

"zIk hO maOM e@sap`osa basa sao hI jaa}Mgaa" maOMnao kha.

basa calaI ga[-.
"ifr @yaa huAaÆ" maOMnao pUCa.
"ifr tao yah raoja ka hI isalaisalaa hao gayaa. maOM Aarama sao iksaI BaI basa maoM savaar hao jaata. D/a[var AaOr kMD@Tr maoro Baaojana ka p`baMQa krto. naIMd laganao pr maOM basa maoM saao BaI jaata. QaIro–QaIro maOM raoja hI maMgalaaOr sao pNajaI AaOr pNajaI sao maMgalaaOr ka ca@kr lagaanao lagaa. barsaaoM tk yah isalaisalaa jaarI rha. [sa $T ko saaro haoTla tqaa Anya dukana vaalao yahaM tk ik A@sar Aanao–jaanao vaalao pOsaoMjar BaI mauJao phcaananao lagao. saBaI mauJao sahanauBaUit kI dRiYT sao doKto¸ maihlaaeM mauJao Apnao pasa ibaza laotIM AaOr mauJao Kanao kao fla¸ ibaskuT Aaid dotIM. saaqa maoM [sa trh ko irmaak- krtIM "baocaara ibanaa maaM–baap ka hO ca\ ca\." Sau$ maoM yah sahanauBaUit mauJao AcCI lagaI laoikna jaOsao–jaOsao maOM baD,a haonao lagaa yah sahanauBaUit mauJao AKrnao lagaI."

"[sa baIca maOMnao basa ko D/a[varaoM kI kRpa sao D/a[ivaMga BaI saIK laI qaI AaOr sa~h–A{arh ka haoto–haoto baD,I sao baD,I gaaiD,yaaM calaanao maoM dxa hao gayaa. tBaI mauJao maMgalaaOr kI ek T/aMsapaoT- kMpnaI maoM D/a[var kI naaOkrI imala ga[- AaOr maala sao lada huAa T/k maMgalaaOr sao jayapur¸ AmaRtsar¸ idllaI¸ klak%ta¸ baMba[-¸ gaaOhaTI¸ mad`asa tk laanao lao jaanao lagaa. kBaI–kBaI ek yaa~a maoM mauJao ek–ek mahInaa laga jaata. maorI ihMdI ko baaro maoM Aap baat kr rho qao¸ vah maOMnao [saI daOrana saIKI. AaOr BaaYaaeM BaI saIKIM. laoikna caMUik AaOr BaaYaaAaoM ka saIimat ]pyaaoga hI qaa [sailae ]nhoM [tnaI AiQak nahIM saIK payaa jabaik ihMdI pUro doSa maoM hI calatI AaOr samaJaI jaatI hO
[sailae ihMdI mauJao AcCI trh Aa ga[-."

"yah kaOna–saI gaaD,I hOÆ" ek vaahna kI laa[T doKkr maOMnao pUCa.

Aagao—