vah baD,baD,anao lagaI¸ 'baahr va AMdr ko ToMprocar maoM yahaM [tnaa AMtr rhta hO ik baahr inaklaao tao eosaI kD,ako kI zMD ik maaoTo AaovarkaoT maoM BaI kMpkMpI CUTnao lagao AaOr GaraoM ko BaItr badna [namaoM ekdma sao psaInaa CaoD,nao lagata hO.'

AaovarkaoT ]tar kr maMjaUYaa nao gailayaaro maoM lagao pa[p pr hOMgar sao laTka idyaa. pOraoM pr tnao BaarI va }Mcao camaD,o ko baÔ- maoM calanao vaalao baUT ]tar kr rOk pr rK ide. ek sarsarI naja,r maoja, pr rKo p~aoM pr DalaI. saaocanao lagaI¸ phlao blaOk ka^fI banaa[- jaae. baD,I dor sao tlaba hao rhI hO. yahaM Donamaak- maoM dao saalaaoM sao rhto hue ]sao blaOk ka^fI pInao kI baD,I Aadt pD, ga[- qaI. ikcana maoM Aakr maMjaUYaa nao ka^fI maSaIna ka isvaca Aa^na ikyaa. }pr kpbaaoD- sao ka^fI ka iDbbaa inakalaa. saoma kI trh ka^fI ko danaaoM kao vah maSaIna maoM Dalanao lagaI ik KamaaoSa Gar maoM Ôaona kI GaMTI KnaKnaanao lagaI. ka^fI ka iDbbaa haqa maoM pkD,o–pkD,o vah vaapsa kmaro maoM Aa[-.

"holaao¸" Ôaona ka irsaIvar ]za kr QaIro sao baaolaI.
"vaolakma haoma¸ ma^naojar saaihbaa." Ôaona ko dUsaro Caor sao Aavaaja, Aa[-.
p`BaaYa ka Ôaona qaa.
"kba phuMcaIÆ"
"basa ABaI–ABaI."
"kOsaI rhI ka^nÍosaÆ"
"zIk rhI."
"AaOr saba zIk–zakÆ"
"haM."
"AcCa tao tuma ABaI Aarama krao¸ ifr Saama kao imalato hOM."
maMjaUYaa KamaaoSa.
"AaOr kuCÆ" p`BaaYa nao pUCa.

vah khnao kao hu[- ik [MiDyaa sao maMyak va [-Saa ko javaaba Aa gae hOM¸ laoikna svayaM kao ]sanao raok ilayaa. p`BaaYa pUCogaa ik @yaa ilaKa hO tao @yaa khogaIÆ ]sanao tao ABaI p~ Kaola kr pZ,o BaI nahIM.
"nahIM¸ AaOr kuC nahIM¸" QaImao sao vah baaolaI.
"AcCa tao ifr , , ," p`BaaYa nao kha AaOr Ôaona kI laa[na kaT dI.
maMjaUYaa nao irsaIvar naIcao rK idyaa. ek naja,r maoja, pr pD,o p~aoM pr ifr DalaI. ek laMbaI saaMsa laI AaOr ikcana kI Aaor baZ, ga[-.

panaI baurI trh KaOlanao lagaa qaa. ka^fI ko saaro danao drk gae qao. maMjaUYaa ka^fI banaa kr haqa maoM Pyaalaa pkD,o ifr sao kmaro maoM Aa ga[-. saaofo pr baOz kr saamanao maoja, pr rKo p~aoM kao GaUrnao lagaI. saaocanao lagaI ik phlao ka^fI pI laI jaae¸ khIM eosaa na hao ik p~aoM maoM eosaI baat ilaKI hao jaao ]saka maUD ibagaD, do AaOr yah blaOk ka^fI¸ ijasakI [tnaI dor sao tlaba hao rhI qaI¸ hlaK ko naIcao na ]tr sako. caupcaap vah ka^fI ko GaUMT Barnao lagaI , , ,prMtu idla nahIM maanaa. haqa barbasa p~aoM kI Aaor baZ,nao lagao. ]sanao svayaM kao iQa@kara¸ "bahut hao gayaa , , ,. jaldI sao [na icai{yaaoM kao pZ,ao AaOr mana kI QaukQaukI kao SaaMt krao."

]sanao phlao maMyak ka p~ ]zayaa. ]sasao iJaJak ]sao kma qaI¸ laoikna ifr BaI p~ kao Kaolanao maoM ]sako haqa qarqaranao lagao.
kaMpto haqaaoM sao p~ Kaola kr vah ek sarsarahT sao pUro p~ kao pZ, kr ]saka inacaaoD, doKnao lagaI. KuSaI sao vah iKla ]zI. maMyak nao ]sako va p`BaaYa ko ivavaah maoM kao[- Aapi%t nahIM jata[- qaI¸ ilaKa qaa ik ]sao laoSamaa~ BaI Aapi%t nahIM. maMjaUYaa ko idla kI baZ,I hu[- QaD,kna ekdma sao isqar hao ga[-. pUro [%maInaana sao vah maMyak ka p~ pZ,nao lagaI¸
"ip`ya maaM¸ tumharI ica{I imalaI. phlao tao tumharI ica{I doK kr hI hOrt hu[-." maMjaUYaa mauskura pD,I. haM¸ sacamauca khaM vah Apnao baccaaoM kao ica{I ilaKtI hO. hr hF,to ]nasao Ôaona pr hI baat kr ilayaa krtI hO¸ ifr Aajakla [lao@T/a^inak maola ka ja,maanaa Aa gayaa hO. pZ,naa¸ ilaKnaa saba kuC Aba kMPyaUTr pr haonao lagaa. laoikna yah baat eosaI qaI ik na tao [sa ivaYaya maoM ]sakI Apnao baccaaoM sao Ôaona pr baat krnao kI ihmmat hu[-¸ AaOr na hI kMPyaUTr pr Ta[p krko [MTrnaoT sao Baojanao kI [cCa hu[-. yah maamalaa baohd saMvaodnaSaIla va vyai@tgat qaa¸ ijasao vah Apnao haqaaoM sao p~ maoM ilaK kr bahut hI vyai@tgat $p sao Baojanaa caahtI qaI.

mauskurato hue maMjaUYaa p~ kao Aagao pZ,nao lagaI¸ "tumharo p`Sna nao AaOr BaI caaOMka idyaa. pr yah AaScaya- pID,ajanak nahIM bailk baD,a sauKd qaa. jabasao hmanao haoSa saMBaalaa¸ tumhoM jaIvana ko saMGaYaao-M sao Akolao hI jaUJato payaa. Agar tumhoM ijaM,dgaI ko [sa maaoD, pr kao[- saaqaI imala rha hO tao hma saBaI ko ilae [sasao AiQak KuSaI kI baat AaOr @yaa hao saktI hO. maaM¸ tumharo puna: ivavaah maoM hmaoM laoSa maa~ BaI Aapi%t nahIM hO AaOr jahaM tk maOM p`BaaYa gauPta ko ivaYaya maoM samaJata hUM,¸ vao tumharo ilae hr dRiYT sao ]pyau@t hO."
maMyak ka p~ pZ, kr maMjaUYaa ka saahsa baZ, gayaa. vah p~ maoja, pr rK kr ]sanao turMt [-Saa ka p~ ]za ilayaa. j,yaada iJaJak ]sao [-Saa sao hI qaI. khIM vah yah na ilaK do¸ maaM¸ tuma maorI SaadI kI icaMta CaoD, ApnaI SaadI kI saaoca rhI hao. maMjaUYaa nao [-Saa ka p~ fTafT Kaolaa va ek sarsarI naja,r sao ]sako p~ ka BaI pUra inacaaoD, jaana laonaa caaha.

KuSaI sao vah duhrI hao ga[-. AaMKaoM maoM hYa- ko AaMsaU Clak Aae. p~ kao ApnaI CatI sao icapkato hue baudbauda[-¸ 'yao maoro CaoTo–CaoTo sao baccao iktnao baD,o va samaJadar hao gae hOM , , ,kOsaI baD,I–baD,I baatoM krnao lagao hOM , , ,'
maMjaUYaa Aarama sao psar kr [-Saa ka p~ pZ,nao lagaI– "maaM¸ tumharI Apnao haqaaoM sao ilaKI ica{I imalaI. saca maoM maaM¸ tumharI haqaaoM kI ilaKavaT doK kr [tnaa AcCa lagaa ik , , ,KO,r CaoD,ao [sao. haM tao maaM¸ jaba maOM tumharo pasa Donamaak- Aa[- qaI¸ AaOr vahaM p`BaaYa AMkla sao imalaI qaI¸ tBaI sao maOM tumharo AaOr p`BaaYa AMkla kI SaadI ko #vaaba baunanao lagaI qaI. p`BaaYa AMkla bahut AcCo [Msaana hOM. tumharo ilae ibalkula sahI BaI hOM. tuma ]nasao ja,$r SaadI krao¸ maaM. hmaoM ja,ra BaI K,raba nahIM lagaogaa. hmaoM hI nahIM¸ iksaI kao BaI K,raba nahIM laga rha hO. maOMnao naanaI kao tumharo va p`BaaYa AMkla ko baaro maoM saba kuC bata idyaa hO. vah BaI bahut KuSa hO."

maMjaUYaa ek p`fullata va sauKd Ahsaasa sao Bar ]zI. ijaM,dgaI [tnaI AcCI BaI hao saktI hO , , ,. AaMKo baMd ike vah BaavaivaBaaor–saI vahIM saaofo maoM psar ga[-. AtIt saamanao Aanao lagaa , , ,. [Msaana Apnaa AtIt hI tao jaanata hO. ]sako saaqa @yaa hao rha hO¸ @yaa haogaa¸ [saka tao ]sao kovala AMdaja,a hI rhta hO. Agar ]sao pUNa-tyaa: kuC pta rhta hO tao isaÔ- yah ik ]sako saaqa @yaa hao cauka hO.

ivanaaod¸ ]saka pit¸ eAr [MiDyaa ivamaana maoM caalak qaa AaOr vah ga`a]MD Aa^iÔsar kI DyaUTI pr tOnaat qaI. paMca vaYa- ka maQaur samaya gauja,ra qaa ivanaaod ko saaqa. paMca vaYaao- maoM dao baccao hue¸ maMyak va [-Saa. ifr vah hadsaa huAa ijasanao ]sakI SaaMt¸ sarla va saugaMiQat ijaM,dgaI kao ekdma badla idyaa. maMyak ]sa samaya mauiSkla sao caar saala ka AaOr [-Saa ek saala kI qaI¸ jaba ivanaaod kI ivamaana duGa-Tnaa maoM dd-naak maaOt hao ga[-. saba kuC pUra badla gayaa. ivanaaod ko Asamaaiyak inaQana sao ]sakI ijaM,dgaI ek maÉBaUima bana ga[- ijasamaoM kovala kaMTo ]ga sakto qaoo¸ puYp nahIMM iKla sakto qao.

ivaQavaa jaIvana kI ~asadI ]sao JaolanaI pD,I¸ AaOr Jaolanaa pD,a dao baccaaoM kI ]icat prvairSa ko ilae Gaaor saMGaYa-. puna: ivavaah kI vah kBaI klpnaa BaI nahIM kr pa[- qaI. ifr ivaQavaaAaoM kao Apnao doSa maoM nayaa sauhaga AasaanaI sao imalata BaI khaM hOÆ maMjaUYaa nao nayao sauhaga panao kI idSaa maoM kBaI kao[- p`ya%na ike BaI nahIM. vaOsao [d-–igad- maMDrato iktnao hI puÉYaaoM nao ]sao maaoiht naja,raoM sao inahara. ]nakI maaoiht naja,raoM nao ]sako idla maoM KlabalaI BaI macaa[-¸ laoikna basa yahIM tk. [sasao Aagao na vah baZ, pa[- AaOr na hI vao puÉYa. maMjaUYaa ko jaIvana ka maksad kovala Apnao daonaaoM baccaaoM kao pala–paosa kr baD,a krnao tk hI rh gayaa. ]sako jaIvana kI AMitma caunaaOtI – daonaaoM baccaaoM kao pZ,a–ilaKa kr Aa%mainaBa-r banaanaa¸ taik samaaja kao ]sako baccaaoM ko $p maoM dao AcCo naagairk imalaoM. ]sakao kao[- Aaiqa-k saMkT nahIM qaa. ]sakI ApnaI naaOkrI AcCI qaI AaOr ifr pit kI maaOt nao ]sao AcCa mauAavaja,a idlaakr ]sao AmaIr banaa idyaa qaa. iksmat sao ]sakI ApnaI maaM ka saayaa ]sako va ]sako baccaaoM ko isar pr barkrar qaa.

samaya baIta¸ isqaityaaM badlaI , , ,. baccao phlao ikSaaor¸ ifr yauvaa hao gae , , ,AaOr maMjaUYaa ek yauvatI sao p`aOZ,a hao ga[-. ek pdaonnait ko baad¸ dUsarI pdaonnait haoto–haoto vah cavaalaIsa vaYa- kI Aayau maoM maOnaojar ko pd pr phuMca ga[-. Donamaak- eAr [MiDyaa Aa^iÔsa maoM maOnaojar ka pdBaar saMBaalanao ko ilae Baart sao Donamaak- Aa ga[-. [sa baIca maMyak nao mauMba[- sao ApnaI [MjaIinayairMga pUrI krko baD,aoda¸ ela–eMD–TI kMpnaI jvaa[na kr laI AaOr [-Saa nao maMuba[- maoM hI naanaI ko saaqa rh kr ApnaI ema ,saI ,e , kI pZ,a[- jaarI rKI.

Donamaak- Aagamana ko ek mahInao baad hI maMjaUYaa kao [MDao–DoinaSa saaosaa[TI ko ek kaya-Ëma maoM jaanao ka maaOka imalaa. yah saMsqaa Apnao pcaasa vaYa- pUNa- kr rhI qaI¸ ijasako ]plaxya maoM Aayaaoijat kaya-Ëma maoM maMjaUYaa kao BaI AamaMi~t ikyaa gayaa qaa. vah eAr [MiDyaa kI nayaI maOnaojar jaao qaI. [sa saMsqaa ko sadsya [MiDyana va DoinaSa daonaaoM qao– vao DoinaSa ijanhoM BaartIya saMskRit maoM idlacaspI qaI. Donamaak- maoM isqat BaartIya rajadUt nao samaaraoh ka ]d\GaaTna ikyaa. maMjaUYaa ka pircaya yahaM Donamaak- maoM rh rho kaÔI ihMdustainayaaoM sao huAa. yahIM ]sakI p`BaaYa gauPta sao phlaI baar maulaakat hu[- qaI.

Aayaaojana maoM maMjaUYaa nao lakI laa^TrI D/a^ ko tht eAr [MiDyaa kI trÔ sao dao ina:Saulk iTkT BaoMT ike. ek [MiDyaa va dUsara laMdna Aanao–jaanao ko ilae. [MiDyaa vaalaa iTkT ek DoinaSa maihlaa nao jaIta¸ AaOr laMdna vaalaa iTkT p`BaaYa nao jaIta qaa. p`BaaYa maMjaUYaa kao Qanyavaad khnao ]sako pasa calaa Aayaa. vah phlaa vaata-laap hI ]nako baIca baD,a raocak qaa.
"maOM p`BaaYa , , ," vah baaolanao kao huAa.
"maOM maMjaUYaa¸" ]sako mauK sao ifsala gayaa. daonaaoM hMsa pD,o.
ek pla baad p`BaaYa baaolaa¸ "maOM yahaM TaTa knsalTOnsaI kMpnaI ka [Mcaaja- hUM. ABaI hala maoM hI mauMba[- sao yahaM phuMcaa hUM."
"Aro Aap mauMba[- sao hOM , , ,maOM BaI tao mauMba[- sao Aa[- hUM. mauMba[- maoM Aap iksa jagah rhto qaooÆ"
"baaMd`a [-sT¸" p`BaaYa nao javaaba idyaa.
"duinayaa iktnaI CaoTI hO , , ,maOM baaMd`a vaosT maoM rhtI qaI¸" maMjaUYaa fTak sao baaolaI.
"baand`a [-sT AaOr vaosT , , ,[tnao krIba rh kr BaI hma [sasao phlao kBaI @yaaoM nahIM imalaoÆ p`BaaYa ]sao ekTk inaharto hue pUCnao lagaa. maMjaUYaa nao BaI ]sao inahara. ]sakI ]ma` ZlanaI Sau$ hao ga[- qaI laoikna yauvaapna ABaI kayama qaa. ]sako idla maoM lahr saI ]znaI lagaI.

dUsarI maulaakat p`BaaYa sao BaartIya rajadUtavaasa kayaa-laya maoM CbbaIsa janavarI ko idna hu[-¸ jaba vahaM gaNatM~ idvasa manaayaa jaa rha qaa. ]sako baad ek–dao maulaakatoM sqaanaIya BaartIyaaoM¸ jaao Donamaak- maoM basao qao¸ ko GaraoM maoM hu[-. Anya AitiqayaaoM ko saaqa ]na daonaaoM kao BaI vahaM Baaojana maoM AamaMi~t ikyaa gayaa qaa. jaba–jaba vao prspr imalato¸ ek–dUsaro kao doK kr ek jaaoSa sao Bar jaato. idlacasp¸ maaohk saMvaad maoM baMQa jaato. tIsarI maulaakat tk daonaaoM kao ek–dUsaro ko ivaYaya maoM saBaI kuC pUra–pUra pta cala gayaa. ek pardSaI- dp-Na kI BaaMit daonaaoM ka AtIt va vat-maana ek–dUsaro ko sammauK ekdma ]jaagar hao gayaa. maMjaUYaa kao yah jaana kr p`BaaYa sao Apar sahanauBaUit hu[- ik vah BaI ]saI kI trh tnha¸ ibanaa jaIvana saaqaI ko hO. ]sakI p%naI ka dohaMt caar vaYa- pUva- mauMba[- ko TaTa koMsar [insTT\yaUT maoM hao gayaa – ba`osT kOMsar qaa¸ jaaoo fOla kr fofD,o va )dya tk phuMca gayaa qaa. ]saka Azarh vaYaI-ya pu~¸ idllaI ha^sTla maoM rh kr pZ,a[- kr rha hO.

laaogaaoM ko ek jaOsao dd- va samaana tklaIÔoM ]nhoM krIba lao AatI hOM. ]nako baIca ima~ta baZ,tI ga[-. 'Aap' 'Aap' ka saMbaaoQana badla kr 'tuma' 'tuma' hao gayaa. 'p`BaaYa jaI' sao kovala 'p`BaaYa' hao gayaa. 'maMjaUYaa jaI' sao 'maMjaUYaa'¸ ifr kovala 'maMjaU' hao gayaa. daonaaoM AaScaya- vya@t krto ik doKao vah daonaaoM hI mauMba[- maoM rhto qao AaOr vah BaI ek–dUsaro sao bahut dUr nahIM¸ laoikna ]nakI iksmat maoM ek–dUsaro sao prdoSa maoM imalanaa ilaKa qaa. vao daonaaoM Aapsa maoM tya krto ik vao Donamaak- Apnaa kaya-kala pUNa- haonao ko baad¸ mauMba[- vaapsa laaOT kr BaI ima~ta kayama rKoMgao.

vaOsao ]nako baIca maa~ ek kaorI ima~ta hI nahIM rh ga[- qaI , , ,ek gahra¸ AMtrga va maRdula irSta BaI ]nako baIca pnap rha qaa. ikMtu BaItr hI BaItr ek iJaJak qaI¸ ]sao svaIkarnao maoM. Apnao BaartIya saMskar va maanyataAaoM sao baMQao qao. vayasa kI [sa saMiQa maoM ek–dUsaro ko p`it AakYa-Na mahsaUsa tao kr sakto qao¸ laoikna svaIkar krnao maoM ihcaikcaahT qaI. laaoga @yaa khoMgaoÆ baccao @yaa saaocaoMgaoÆ [sakI ifË maMjaUYaa kao AiQak rhtI qaI.

]sa idna eAr [MiDyaa kI trÔ sao taja polaosa haoTla maoM ek paTI- ka Aayaaojana qaa. kaÔI laaoga qao ]sa paTI- maoM , , ,svadoSaI¸ ivadoSaI daonaaoM. p`BaaYa BaI AamaMi~t qaa. maaOka doK kr p`BaaYa nao ]sasao pUC¸ "maMjaU¸ tumanao ApnaI Aagao kI ijaM,dgaI ko ivaYaya maoM kBaI saaocaaÆ"
"Aagao kI ijaM,dgaI , , ,@yaa matlabaÆ"
"matlaba jaba tuma irTayar hao jaaAaogaI. naaOkrI kI yah Saana–SaaOkt calaI jaaegaI. AaOr tuma , , ,"
"AaOr maOM baUZ,I hao jaa}MgaI¸" maMjaUYaa nao hMsato hue ]saka vaa@ya pUra ikyaa.
"nahIM¸ maora matlaba yah nahIM qaa¸" p`BaaYa JaoMpto hue baaolaa.
"tao janaaba eosaa hO , , ," maMjaUYaa ek Alamastta sao baaolaI¸ "mauMba[- maoM maora Apnaa ek FlaOT hO. maOM irTayarmaoMT ko baad Apnao FlaOT maoM rhUMgaI."
"AkolaoÆ , , ," p`BaaYa nao pUCa.

Aagao—