inak daonaaoM bahnaaoM ko saaqa BaItr phuMcaa tao ]sanao do#aa saaofo pr isar iTkayao kao[- maihlaa baOzI qaI. ]sako baalaaoM kI caaoTI saaofo ko pICo JaUla rhI qaI. kalao syaah baala ]sao hmaoSaa AakiYa-t krto qao. inak nao do#aa SaInaI ko baala qaaoDo BaUro AaOr qaaoDo kalao qao. ]sakI toja [cCa hu[- ik SaInaI ko baalaaoM kao caUma laoÊ magar vah jaanata qaa ik yah ek Avyavahairk AaOr baomaaOko ka Baava qaa.

[na laaogaaoM kI Aavaaja sauna kr BaI saaofo pr iTka isar ]saI p`kar isqar banaa rha. SaInaI nao maaM ko saamanao jaakr khaÊ "maa^ma do#aao kaOna Aayaa hO.''

maaM ]saI trh tnaI hu[- baOzI rhI. inak nao Aagao baZ, kr ]saka carNa spSa- ikyaa. ]sanao Anaok ihndustainayaaoM kao baDo baUZaoM ko carNa spSa- krto do#aa qaa. vah maaM ko kdmaaoM ko pasa hI AalaqaIpalaqaI maar kr baOz gayaa. maaM ko caohro ka tnaava kuC kma huAa. ]sanao QaIro sao khaÊ "jaIto rhao.''

naoha nao ek kuSala duBaaiYayao kI SaOlaI maoM inak kao batayaa ik maaM kh rhI hOM ik jaInaa caahao tao jaIto rhao.

"DaoNT imasa[MTrp`oT naoha.'' SaInaI nao khaÊ "inak maaM tumharI lambaI ]ma` ko ilae duAa kr rhI hOM.''

"maaMÊ baahr jaakr do#aoMÊ inak nao laana kI iktnaI safa[- kr dI hO. jaba tk Aap saao rhI qaIMÊ [sanao mahInaaoM sao sqaigat roikMga AaOr maao[-Mga kr dI hO.''

"[sanao naahk hI [tnaI maohnat kIÊ kuC idnaaoM maoM ifr JaaD JaM#aaD ]ga AayaoMgao.'' maaM nao kha.

"roikMga AaOr maao[-Mga ko ilae maaM AaBaar p`kT kr rhI hOM.'' SaInaI nao hMsato hue batayaa AaOr ApnaI trf sao yah jaaoD idyaa ik maaM kI [cCa hO ik hr saPtah Aakr yah kama kr idyaa krao. vah DODI sao baat krko tumhara pairEaimak tya kr doMgaI.''

[sa baat pr daonaaoM bahnaaoM nao zhaka lagaayaa.

"@yaa ihD ihD lagaa r#aI hO.'' SaIla kao ibaiTyaa kI inak sao [tnaI inakTta AcCI na laga rhI qaI. vah Anaok baar ]sao samaJaa caukI qaI ik ]sao laD,kaoM sao ek dUrI banaa kr r#anaI caaihe. SaIla kao SaInaI kI yah baat inahayat naagavaar gaujartI ik vah laDkaoM ko baIca laD,kaoM kI trh poSa AatI.

ihD ihD ka Aqa- daonaaoM bahnaoM samaJatI qaIM. baoSamaI- sao hMsanaa.

"maaM inak tumharo haqa ko banao caIja pkaODo #aanaa caahta hO. maoro iTifna sao k[- baar caura kr #aa cauka hO. vah pkaOD,o banaanao kI ivaiQa BaI saI#anaa caahta hO.'' SaInaI nao kha.

pkaODo ka ijaË sauna kr inak ]%saaiht hao gayaaÊ "yasa pkaoraÊ pkaora.''

SaIla nao phlaI baar najar ]za kr inak kI trf do#aa. ]sao laDka #aUbasaUrt AaOr tojasvaI lagaa. AaM#aaoM maoM ek #aasa trh kI inaSClata BaI qaI. ]sako pUro vyai@t%va maoM naamamaa~ kI BaI ]dMDta na qaIÊ jaao [sa ]ma` ko laDkaoM maoM A@sar id#aayaI dotI hO. kaSaÊ yah ek ihndustanaI laD,ka haota. ]sanao mana hI mana inak ka nayaa naamakrNa BaI kr ilayaa— nakula.

SaIla ]zI AaOr rsaao[- maoM jaakr baosana Gaaolanao lagaI. inak BaI jaUto ]tar kr pICo pICo rsaao[- maoM Gausa gayaa. SaInaI nao sarsaaoM ko tola kI kDahI AaMca pr caZa dI. naoha Gar maoM banaayao gayao pnaIr ko ek ek [Mca ko TukDo kaTnao lagaI. vah AaM#aaoM do#aa hala BaI batatI jaa rhI qaI. inak nao jaoba sao CaoTI saI naaoTbauk inakala laI qaI AaOr vyaMjana ivaiQa ila#anao lagaa. SaIla nao baDI safa[- sao pnaIr ko TukDaoM kao baosana maoM iBagaao kr kDahI maoM CaoD idyaa. tola maoM tOrto pkaODo, caT caT krnao lagao. pkaODo AcCI trh sao tla gayao tao SaInaI nao baDo sao Jannao sao pkaODo samaoT ilayao AaOr kDahI maoM tola inaqaarnao lagaI.

"baosana kI ijatnaI mahIna pt- rhogaIÊ pnaIr pkaODo ]tnao hI kurkuro AaOr svaaidYT banaoMgao.'' SaIla nao SaInaI kao batayaa. vah caahtI qaIÊ inak yah gaur BaI ApnaI naaoTbauk maoM dja- kr lao.

pkaODo tOyaar hao gayao tao SaIla eip`na ]tar kr ]saI saaofo pr ]saI jagah baOz gayaI.

"lagata hO yah maa^ma kI psaMdIda jagah hO.'' inak nao kha.

"vah naaraja haotI hOM tao yahaM baOztI hOM.''

"@yaa Aap naaraja hOMÆ''

"nahIMÊ nahIMÊ baohd #auSa hOM. tuma do#a nahIM rhoÆ'' SaInaI baaolaI.

"[nakao kOsao p`sanna ikyaa jaa sakta hOÆ''

"yah tao maoro DOD BaI nahIM jaanato.''

naoha ek T/o maoM pkaODoÊ PlaoToM AaOr TaomaoTao kOcap kI baaotla ]za laayaI. maoja pr T/o r#ato hue ]sanao khaÊ "inakÊ yah kOcap maa^ma nao #aud tOyaar kI hO.''

inak nao TaMgsa sao kuC pkaODo ]za kr ek PlaoT maoM r#ao AaOr bahut saI kOcap ]Dola laI. vah kOcap sao pkaODo CuAa kr #aanao lagaa. kOcap ]sao bahut tajaa lagaIÊ TaomaoTao PyaUrI kI trh. kuC dor baad vah pkaODo CaoD kr AMgaulaI sao kOcap caaTnao lagaaÊ "yah tao laajavaaba hO.''

"maa^ma do#aao inak tumharI banaayaI kOcap kOsao caaT rha hO.''

maa^ma nao ]sakI trf do#aa tao mauskra dI. Acaanak ]sao inak pr bahut laaD AayaaÊ magar ]sanao ApnaI BaavanaaeM p`kT na haonao dIM. ]sakI hmaoSaa sao yah QaarNaa rhI hO ik AjanaibayaaoM kao jyaada mauMh nahIM lagaanaa caaihe.

"inak jaanao lagao tao ]sao kOcap kI ek baaotla do donaa.'' SaIla nao kuC Ék kr khaÊ "roikMga AaOr maao[-Mga ka kuC maohnatanaa tao ]sao imalanaa hI caaihe.''

naoha nao inak kao maa^ma kI baat ka pUvaa-w- hI batayaa. inak baccaaoM kI trh SaIla sao icapT gayaaÊ "maa[- svaIT maa^ma.'' ]sanao Baavaaitrok maoM SaIla ka baaosaa BaI lao ilayaa.

SaIla kao gaala pr AjaIba trh kI isahrna AaOr icapicapahT mahsaUsa haonao lagaI. jaOsao kao[- pirnda Apnao praoM sao ]sako gaala CU gayaa hao. SaIla ko pasa AaSaIvaa-d donao ko Alaavaa kao[- ivaklp nahIM qaa. ]sanao inak ko isar pr haqa forto hue AaSaIYa dI. yah saaoca kr SaIla Astvyast haonao lagaI ik Agar inak kao qaaoDI saI baat pr #auSa haokr ilapTnao AaOr caUmaacaaTI krnao kI Aadt hO tao Aba tk saOkDaoM baar SaInaI ka caumbana lao cauka haogaa. yah saaoca kr hI vah punaÁ tnaavaga`st hao gayaI AaOr tna kr baOz gayaI.

"AMga`ojaaoM kI yah CUnaoCuAanao kI AaOr caUmaacaaTI krnao kI bahut baurI Aadt hO.'' SaIla baudbaudayaIÊ "[nhoM jara BaI tmaIja nahIM hO ik AaOrtaoM ko saaqa kOsaa vyavahar krnaa caaihe.''

SaIla ka para caZta calaa gayaa. laDikyaaM BaI samaJa rhI qaIM ik maaM @yaaoM Acaanak vyaga` hao gayaI hOM. maaM kao yah samaJaanaa bahut kizna qaa ik yahaM iSaYTacaarvaSa BaI caumbana ilayaa jaata hO AaOr ek dUsaro kao CUkr baat krnaa ek saamaanya saI baat hOÊ Aa%maIyata p`diSa-t krnao ka sabasao sarla ]paya. [sa maamalao maoM ihndustanaI bahut Aqa- #aaojata hO. [sa dRiYT sao tao vah ÍayaD ka baap hO. hao sakta hO maaM ]tnaI ipCDI maanaisakta kI na haoMÊ ijatnaa vao samaJa rhI hOM. hao sakta hO [tnao vaYa- [sa maulk maoM rhto rhto AaOr TI ,vaI ,do#ato do#ato caIjaaoM kao samaJanao lagaI haoM AaOr samaJa kr BaI na samaJanaa caahtI haoM. yahaM caOnala badlato badlato BaI caumbana AaOr ilapTnao ilapTanao ko dRSya id#a hI jaato hOM. k[- baar tao saava-jainak sqaanaaoM pr duinayaa jahana sao bao#abar tnmayata sao ek dUsaro sao ilapTo AaOr ek dUsaro ko haoMz caUsato yaugala id#a jaato hOMM. laaoga ]sakI trf jyaada tvajjaao BaI nahIM dotoÊ mauskra kr pasa sao gaujar jaato hOM.

"TI ,vaI , do#a kr tao lagata hOÊ yahaM ko laaogaaoM kao [sako Alaavaa kao[- kama hI nahIM hO.'' baccaaoM kI ]pisqait maoM SaIla paMca saat imanaT BaI TI ,vaI , na do#a patI. irmaaoT pTk kr ]z jaatI. k[- baar tao vah AaScaya- p`kT krtI ik yao laaoga #aolato kUdto [tnaI tr@kI kr gayao AaOr baccao BaI jyaada pOda nahIM hue AaOr dUsarI trf ihndustanaI hOMÊ [tnao saMyama AaOr AnauSaasana maoM rhnao ko baavajaUd [tnaa vaOBava na baTaor payaoÊ baccaaoM kI ktaroM Alaga laga gayaIM.

SaInaI khnaa caahtI ik maaM [saka yahI Aqa- inaklata hO ik jahaM #aulaapna hOÊ saO@sa hOÊ maaOjamastI hOÊ vahIM daOlat hO. jahaM saMyama hOÊ vahaM garIbaI hOÊ janasaM#yaa ka ivasfaoT hO. vah p`kT $p sao khtIÊ "maaMÊ yah [sailae hO ik hma laaogaaoM maoM dumauMhapna hO. hma laaoga pnnaalaala hOM.''

pnnaalaala DOD ko ek daost ka naama qaa. ]sanao Cla kpT AaOr Qaao#aobaajaI sao ]naka bahut saa Qana maar ilayaa qaa. tba sao [sa Gar maoM hr dumauMha AaOr kpTI Sa#sa [saI naama sao pukara jaata qaa.

"AgalaI baar maOM Aa}Mgaa tao Apnao haqa sao Aap saba kao pkaora banaa kr i#alaa}Mgaa. kuikMga maorI habaI hO.'' inak nao GaaoYaNaa kI.

"maorI maanaaoÊ emba`ayaDrI BaI saI#a laao.'' SaInaI nao khaÊ "ijana laaogaaoM kI SaadI maoM ivalamba haonao lagata hO vao samaya kaTnao ko ilae eosao SaaOk pala laoto hOM.''

maaM ko Alaavaa saba laaogaaoM nao zhaka lagaayaa. inak nao ivada laoto samaya ek baar ifr SaIla ko paMva Cue AaOr haqa ihlaata huAa baahr inakla gayaa. SaInaI nao drvaajao tk jaakr ivada dI AaOr inak kI gaaDI sTaT- haoto hI BaItr laaOT AayaI. maaM ko savaalaaoM sao bacanao ko ilae vah saIQaI Apnao kmaro maoM Gausa gayaI.

SaIla BaI saaofo sao ]zI AaOr rsaao[- kI trf cala dI. vah kusaI- pr baOz kr AalaU CIlanao lagaI.

caaObaIsa GaMTo baItnao pr BaI p`Bau nao [- maola ka ]<ar nahIM iBajavaayaa tao hrdyaala kI baocaOnaI baZnao lagaI. vah caahta qaa ik naoha kI ]pisqait maoM javaaba Aa jaae taik salaah maSvara krko Aagao kI rNanaIit tOyaar kI jaae. Aai#ar ]sanao p`Bau kao faona imalaayaa.

"BarajaI namasto.'' p`Bau nao laa[na pr Aato hI batanaa Sau$ ikyaaÊ "ABaI Saama kao p`pnnaacaaya- jaI sao BaoMT hao payaI. SaInaI kI janmapi~ka ]nhaoMnao baaMca laI hO Aap icanta na kroMÊ saba zIk hao jaaegaa.''

"sahI sahI baat bataÊ ]nhaoMnao @yaa kha.''

"sahI bata rha hUM BarajaI. Aap GabarayaoM nahIM.'' p`Bau nao batanaa Sau$ ikyaaÊ "iktnaI BaI #araba ga`h dSaa @yaaoM na haoÊ ]sao SaaMt krnao ko ]paya BaI Saas~aoM maoM maaOjaUd hOM.''

"]paya Saupaya baad maoM batanaa. phlao yah bataAao ik p~I @yaa baaolatI hOÆ''

"BarajaIÊ p~I maoM AaOr tao saba zIk hOÊ magar damp%ya sambaMQaaoM pr kuC ËUr ga`haoM kI dRiYT hO. Aacaaya- jaI nao batayaa ik saPtma sqaana pr Saina AaOr maMgala kI pUNa- dRiYT pD rhI hO. SauË saPtma sqaana pr svagaRhI hOÊ rajayaaoga kark hO. ]cca ka Saina BaI rajayaaoga banaata hO. Saina kI mahadSaa maoM SauË ka AMtr AaOr maMgala ka p`%yaMtr cala rha hO. Saina AaOr SauË daonaaoM balaI hOMÊ daonaaoM maoM ek inaba-la haota tao yah saMkT ]%pnna na haota. Saina SauË kI dSaa AMtd-Saa maoM rajaa BaI rMk hao jaata hO. yah samaya inakla jaae tao Aagao kao[- #atra nahIM.''

"Aao kba tk rhogaa yah #atraÆ''

"jaba tk Saina maoM SauË cala rha hO.''

"kba calaogaI yah AMtd-SaaÆ''

"dao mahInao phlao hI tao Sau$ hu[- hO. tIna saala tk calaogaI. Aap proSaana na haoM. Aacaaya- jaI nao kuC ]paya batayao hOM.''

"jaOsaoÆ''

"kuC Qaaima-k ]pcaar hOM.''

"iSava jaI kI AaraQanaa tqaa p`daoYa va`t AaOr SaInaI kao naIlama QaarNa krayaoM.''

"yah saba kuC nahIM krnaa ]sanao.'' hrdyaala nao pUCaÊ "kao[- eosaa ]paya nahIM batayaa jaao hma kr sakoM.''

"jaba tk maMgala ka p`%yaMtr hO Aap maMgala ko maMgala kalaI gaaya kao gauD, kI raoTI i#alaayaoM. kalao kaOvaaoM kao kalao itla ka cauggaa i#alaayaoM. pIpla kao jala caZanao sao BaI Saina dovata SaaMt haoto hOM.''

"tU tao pagalaaM vaalaI galaaM kr royaaM eM. eoÊ eo%qao ik%qao imalaogaa pIpla da poDÊ Alaba<aa kalaI gaaya ja$r imala saktI hO.''

"Bara jaI baMdr imala jaaegaaÆ''

"@yaaoMÆ''

"baMdr kao gauD canaa i#alaa sakto hOM. BaaBaI sao khoMÊ sauMdr kaMD ka paz r#avaa doM. Aba tao kOsaoT BaI imalanao lagao hOMÊ khoM tao iBajavaa dUM.''

"sauMdr kaMD ko kOsaoT tao yahaM Gar Gar maoM hOM. tumharI BaaBaI hr maMgala kao sauMdr kaMD saunatI hOÊ va`t krtI hO. ifr galatI khaM hao gayaIÆ''

"saba kmaao-M ka for hO BarajaI.'' p`Bau nao khaÊ "jaao haoÊ mauJao #abar krto rhnaa.''

"AcCa Baa[-.'' kh kr hrdyaala nao irsaIvar r#a idyaa.

hrdyaala nao SaIla AaOr naoha sao p`Baudyaala sao hu[- baatcaIt ka #aulaasaa ikyaa. naoha nao batayaa ik saoNT pala sao Aato samaya rasto maoM ]sanao ek bahut ivaSaala DorI fama- do#aa qaa. vahaM kalaI gaaya ja$r imala jaaegaI. hr maMgala kao Aap vahaM jaa sakto hOM. kalao kaOvao tao kBaI id#aayaI nahIM pDo.''