TolaIfaona kI GaMTI bajaI tao maaM baoTI daonaaoM ]sakI Aaor lapkIM. baahrI duinayaa sao isaf- TolaIfaona sao sampk- saaQaa jaa sakta qaa. TolaIfaona nao Aaja eosaI cauPpI saaQa r#aI qaI jaOsao maaOnava`t pr calaa gayaa hao. naoha k[- baar irsaIvar ]za kr Dayala Taona caOk kr caukI qaI. TolaIfaona kI GaMTI sao jaOsao Gar maoM jaIvana laaOT Aayaa qaa. jaba tk naoha irsaIvar kana tk lao jaatIÊ laa[na kT gayaI. vahI Bautha vaatavarNa punajaI-ivat hao gayaa. lagaa jaOsao iksaI ibayaabaana maoM iksaI pxaI kI kUk ]zI hao AaOr Acaanak gahro #aD\D maoM jaa igarI hao. daonaaoM maihlaaAaoM kao Gaaor inaraSaa hu[-.

"maaM DOD pOMtalaIsa barsaaoM sao kOnaoDa maoM hOMÊ kOnaoDa ko maaOsama ko hr tovar kao do#a cauko hOM. jaanao ]nhaoMnao baf- ko eosao iktnao tUfana Jaolao haoMgao. ]nhaoMnao k[- baar tUfana maoM iGaro laaogaaoM kao bacaayaa hO. tuma Anaupat sao jyaada icaintt hao rhI hao. DOD pr nahIM tao [-Svar pr Baraosaa r#aao.''

"jaanao mauJao @yaaoM bauro #yaala hI Aato hOM. maOM hmaoSaa kRYNa pxa hI do#atI hUM. yah galat hOÊ maOM jaanatI hUM. magar laacaar hUM ApnaI [sa baurI Aadt sao.''

"tuma tao DOD ko saaqa k[- baar tUfana maoM fMsa caukI hao. ek baar tao tuma laaogaaoM kI gaOsa #a%ma hao gayaI qaI. gaaDI sao inakla kr Baagato hue tumharI baahaoM pr ÍasTbaa[T Aa gayao qao.''

"magar Aaja vah Akolao hOM.''

"tUfana BaI tao ]tnaa ivakrala nahIM. faona kT kT jaa rha hO ja$r DOD ka haogaa.''

naoha kI baat SaIla kao tk-saMgat lagaI. ]sao yaad Aayaa jaba vah kOnaoDa AayaI qaI tao hrdyaala nao dsa idna kI CuT\TI lao laI qaI AaOr vao laaoga CuT\TI manaanao vaOMkUvar gayao qao. ek trh sao vah ]sako hnaImaUna ka hI ivastar qaa. hrdyaala ko cacaoro Baa[- ka vahaM iTmbar ka karaobaar qaaÊ ]saI nao DakbaMgalao ka [Mtjaama ikyaa qaa. caaraoM Aaor phaiDyaaoM sao iGara ek AalaISaana baMgalaa qaa. rat kao Acaanak baf- ka bahut toja tUfana Aayaa. saubah pda- ]za kr baahr do#aa tao phaiD,yaaoM pr baf- kI gahrI prt jama caukI qaI. do#a kr lagata qaa jaOsao [sa barf kao ipGalanao maoM saidyaaM laga jaaeMgaI. p`kRit ka eosaa Qavala Svaot $p SaIla nao baad maoM nahIM do#aa. saba jaMgalaI jaanavar phaDaoM sao naIcao tra[- maoM ]tr Aayao qao.

SaIla nao naoha kao batanaa Sau$ ikyaaÊ "hma laaoga i#aDkI ka pda- ]za kr do#ato tao lagata phaDaoM nao #aiDyaa paot laI hO. maOMnao ijandgaI maoM phlaI baar ihmapat do#aa qaa. tumharo DOD mauJao Drato ik Aba yah tUfanaI ihmapat mahInaaoM calaogaa. maOM naasamaJa qaIÊ raonao lagatI. rsaao[- maoM dsa idna ka p`aoivajana BaI na qaa. baahr JaaMk kr do#atI tao lagataÊ yah saca hI tao kh rho hOM. saUrjamau#aI ko fUla baf- ko fUlaaoM maoM tbdIla hao gayao qaoÊ baadama ko poDaoM pr barf kI maaoTI prt caZ gayaI qaI.

"saubah maOM caaya banaanao rsaao[- maoM gayaI tao do#aa baf- sao Zka ek kalaa BaalaU rsaao[-Gar kI i#aDkI ko kaMca kao caaT rha qaa. maorI tao caI#a inakla gayaI. vah Saayad bahut BaU#aa qaaÊ vah TkTkI lagaayao maorI trf eosao do#anao lagaaÊ jaOsao kccaa cabaa jaaegaa. BaU#aÊ gaussao AaOr jaaDo sao ]sakI AaM#aaoM maoM jaOsao #aUna ]tr Aayaa qaa. tumharo DOD daODto hue calao Aayao. mauJao jaOsao ApnaI saurxaa maoM lao ilayaa. BaItr jaakr puilasa kao faona imalaayaa.

"hmaoM @yaa krnaa caaiheÆ'' tumharo DOD nao pUCa.

"AcCa tao yahI hOÊ Aap kuC na kroM.'' puilasa nao khaÊ "baT vaaT evar yaU DUÊ DaoNT fID [T. e foD baoyar [ja e DoD baoyar.''

hma daonaaoM rsaao[-Gar maoM hI kuisa-yaaM Dala kr baOz gayao. ]sakI najaroM hma laaogaaoM pr hI iTkI qaIM.

"jyaada samaya nahIM baIta ik puilasa AaOr TIvaI kI TImaoM Aa phuMcaIM. BaalaU [na laaogaaoM kao cakmaa dokr khIM gaayaba hao gayaa. idna Bar AfratfrI macaI rhI.''

tBaI TolaIfaona ka maaOnava`t TUT gayaa. SaIla ApnaI baat baIca maoM CaoD TolaIfaona kI trf lapkI. laoikna irsaIvar naoha nao ]zayaa. saust AaOr maRt vaatavarNa sajaIva hao ]za.

"ha[- DOD. Aap zIk tao hOM.''

"ekdma. maOM jyaada dUr BaI nahIM hUM. ek fama-ha]sa maoM pnaah imalaIÊ magar vahaM faona vaalaa $ma baMd qaa. tumanao bahut AcCa ikyaa jaao puilasa kao #abar kr dIÊ vanaa- rat Bar sampk- na hao pata. maOM jald hI phuMca rha hUM. rasta saaf krnao ko ilae snaaokTr lagaa idyao gayao hOM. jara maaM kao faona dao.''

"SaIla maOM zIk hUM AaOr saDk @laIyar haoto hI Aata hUM.''

"khaM calao gayao qaoÆ''

"saunaaogaI tao hMsaaogaI. maOM kalaI gaOyaa AaOr kalao kaOvvaaoM kI tlaaSa maoM inaklaa qaa. Aba saaocata hUMÊ yahaM rhnaa hO tao Apnaa rvaOyaa badlanaa haogaa. varnaa hma laaoga baomaaOt mar jaaeMgao. maOM tbasao yahI saaoca rha qaa. AcCa imalato hOM.''

SaIla nao irsaIvar r#a idyaa.

"@yaa kh rho qao DODÆ''

"kh rho qaoÊ hmaoM badlanaa haogaaÊ varnaa mar jaaeMgao.''

"zIk hI tao kh rho qao.'' naoha nao khaÊ "hmaaro pDaosa maoM kOqarIna rhtI hO. pit kao maro tIna saala hao cauko hOM. ABaI ipClao mahInao ]sanao ek baccaI kao janma idyaa hO. kaOna eosaa nagar ]pnagar haogaaÊ jahaM kuMAarI maataeM na haoM. hma laaoga Apnao naOitk maUlya [sa samaaja pr kOsao qaaop sakto hOM. maaM tuma yakIna na kraogaIÊ yahaM skUla ko baaqa$msa maoM kMDaoma r#ao rhto hOM.''

"p`caar ko ilae r#ao rhto haoMgao.''

"nahIM maaMÊ [stomaala ko ilae. eD\sa sao bacaava ko ilae.''

hrdyaala nao inak kao BaI faona kr idyaa qaa. inak nao naoha kao faona pr jaanakarI dI AaOr batayaa ik baccao Aaja ]saI ko pasa hOM. saaomavaar tk rhoMgao. maa^ma kao batanaa ik Agalao saPtah vah eDmaaMTna AayaogaaÊ Agar tlaak ka masalaa hla hao gayaa. vaOsao ]mmaId hOÊ [saI saPtah vah SaInaI sao mau@t hao jaaegaa.

naoha nao maaM kao [sakI jaanakarI dI.

yah saaoca kr SaIla ka jaI kccaa haonao lagaa ik SaInaI kI SaadI bacaanao ko ilae kOsao hrdyaala maaro maaro ifr rho hOM. khIM kalaI gaaya #aaoja rho hOM AaOr khIM kalao kaOe. vah svayaM Aba tk saOkDaoM baar ba`*maaÊ ivaYNauÊ mahoSa Aaid p`atÁ smarNaIya dovataAaoM kI ]pasanaa ko maM~aoM ka paz kr caukI hO. hr saMkT maoM yao maM~ hI [sa prdosa maoM ]saka saaqa doto rho hOM. halaaMik BaItr hI BaItr hrdyaala AaOr SaIla daonaaoM hI khIM na khIM jaanato qao ik kaOeÊ gaOyaa AaOr maM~ [sa SaadI kao na bacaa paeMgaoÊ ifr BaI ek fIkI saI AaSaa AaOr ivaSvaasa ko nanhoM sao itnako ka sahara banaa rhta hO.

Aaja faona pr hrdyaala ka É#a nama- qaa. SaIla kao lagaa ik hrdyaala nao har maana kr pirisqaityaaoM sao samaJaaOta kr ilayaa hO. SaIla kao vah inaNaa-yak idna yaad Aa gayaa jaba vao laaoga iksaI ivavaah samaaraoh sao laaOTo qao AaOr Gar ko baahr inak kI kar #aDI qaI. na hrdyaala AaOr na SaIla hI ]sa kar kao phcaanatI qaI. hrdyaala nao kMQao ]caka kr SaIla sao pUCa ik iksakI gaaDI hao saktI hO. SaIla nao mauMh ibacaka kr AnaiBa&ta jaaihr kI.

vao laaoga BaItr phuMcao tao do#aa rsaao[- maoM #aTpT hao rhI qaI. daonaaoM laDikyaaM rsaao[- maoM qaIM. ek gaaora kDahI maoM kuC BaUna rha qaa. daonaaoM laDikyaaM bahut idlacaspI sao ]sao kama krto hue do#a rhI qaIM.

maaM kao do#a kr SaInaI nao A%yaMt ]%saah sao batayaaÊ "maa^maÊ Aaja inak hma laaogaaoM ko ilae #aanaa pka rha hO.''

naoha nao ek iktaba lahrato hue batayaa ik inak Apnao saaqa ek iktaba BaI laayaa hO— "kuikMgaÊ d pMjaabaI vao. hma laaoga ]sao AisasT kr rhI hOM AaOr daOD daOD kr saamaana mauhOyaa kra rhI hOM.''

tBaI SaInaI kI inagaah hrdyaala pr gayaI AaOr baaolaIÊ "DODÊ yah inak hO. inak maIT maa[- fadrÊ maorI maaM sao tuma imala cauko hao.''

inak ko haqa maoM spoTulaa qaaÊ ]sanao Aagao baZ kr ApnaI kuhnaI sao hrdyaala ka GauTnaa CuAa AaOr baaolaaÊ "maOM Aaja Aapkao Aapko hI maulk ka #aanaa i#alaa}Mgaa.''

"maaM inak caa[-naIja BaI laajavaaba banaata hO.'' SaInaI nao kha. ]sao [sa baat kI kao[- ifË nahIM qaI ik ]sako maaM baap inak kI ]pisqait maoM Asahja hao rho hOM yaa nahIM. hrdyaala nao inak kao rsaao[-Gar maoM baotkllaufI sao krCula calaato do#aa tao ]sao gahra AaGaat lagaa. inak jaba ]sako GauTnao pr Jauka qaa tao ]sakI tIva` [cCa hu[- ik GauTnao sao hI ]sako naak pr p`har kr doÊ magar ]sao lagaa ik iSaYTta ka yahI tkajaa hO ik vah Apnao pr inayaM~Na r#ao. ËaoQa AaOr Apmaana sao ]sako GauTnao maoM kmpna haonao lagaaÊ vah bagaOr kuC baaolao AaOr iksaI kI trf do#ao Apnao kmaro kI Aaor baZ gayaa qaa. hrdyaala ka maUD do#a kr SaIla BaI Astvyast hao gayaI AaOr hrdyaala ko pICo pICo kmaro maoM Aa gayaI. hrdyaala bahut vyaakula najar Aa rha qaa AaOr TkTkI lagaa kr dIvaar kI trf do#a rha qaa.

"yah laDkI tao hmaarI naak kTvaa kr dma laogaI.'' SaIla nao kha.

"saaocata hUMÊ saba kuC CaoDCaD kr Apnao dosa laaOT jaaeM.''

"yah isarmaunnaI tao laaOTnao sao BaI [Mkar kr dogaI.''

"maOM ApnaI ibaradrI maoM @yaa mauMh id#aa}Mgaa. [sakI ihmmat kOsao pD,IÊ ek AjanabaI kao Gar pr baulaanao kI. tumharI Sah ko bagaOr yah maumaikna nahIM qaa.''

"maoro }pr gaussaa inakalanaa sabasao Aasaana hO.''

"ipClaI baar jaba Aayaa qaa tao tumhoM kOTogaaoirklaI SaInaI sao kh donaa caaihe qaa ik vah dubaara [sa Gar maoM kdma r#anao ka duÁsaahsa na kro.''

"maOMnao kha qaa. ]sanao bahut baoSamaI- sao javaaba idyaa ik ]sao Apnao daostaoM kao baulaanao ka pUra hk hO.''

"ABaI jaaAao AaOr jaakr daoTUk SabdaoM maoM gaaoro sao kh dao ik vah calaa jaae.''

"tuma @yaaoM nahIM kh saktoÆ tuma Gar ko maui#ayaa hao. hr Aip`ya kama mauJasao hI laonaa caahto hao.''

"maOM jaa}Mgaa tao baat bahut baZ jaaegaI. puilasa kosa hao jaaegaa.''

"tumhIM @yaaoM nahIM puilasa kao saUicat kr doto ik Gar maoM ek T/osapasar Gausa Aayaa hO.''

"tumharI laDikyaaM ]saI ka saaqa doMgaI.''

"jaba vah calaa jaae tao ApnaI laDkI kao samaJaanaa.''

"maOM ]sa badtmaIja kI saUrt BaI nahIM do#anaa caahta. maoro saaqa BaI jaubaana laDanao lagaI tao hmaoSaa ko ilae saMvaad #a%ma hao jaaegaa.''

"iksaI daost yaar kI salaah lao laao. Abaraola sao baat kraoÊ do#aao vah @yaa maSvara doto hOM.''

"vah tao sabakao yahI salaah dota hO ik jahaM rhaoÊ vahIM ko haokr rhao. vah tao hr rivavaar kao caca- BaI jaata hO. ]saka kao[- dIna [-maana nahIM rh gayaa.''

"tuma tao bata rho qaoÊ vah iSava maMidr ka BaI T/sTI hO.''

"vah gauÉWara kmaoTI ka BaI pdaiQakarI hO. ]sako kao[- laD,kI nahIM hO [sailae CuT\Ta GaUmata hO.''