gOqm ny mYnUM hspqwl dy gyt ‘qy lwh id`qw[ mYN is`DI C`qI nMbr kmry vl jw rhI sW, A`Kw Jukw ky[ mYN nhIN sW cwhuMdI ik mYnuUM koeI vI jwx pCwx vwlw iml jwvy[ zrw ijMnI vI koeI hmdrdI jqweygw qW mYN iPs pvWgI[ A`QrUAW qy myrw koeI v`s nhIN, A`j klH[ g`c hr vyly BirAw hI rihMdw hY[ kbIr dI g`l hoeI nhIN ik prl prl hMJU bwhr[

C`qI nMbr kmry ivc bhuqy ichry pCwxy hoey sn[ mYnUM vyK ky sB KVHy ho gey[ sB dy ichirAW qy gMBIrqw Cw geI sI[ mYN bVI AOiKAweI nwl hMJUAW nUM plkW ivc smyt rhI sW[

"AwE BwbI jI"[ iek kursI vl ieSwrw krdy hoey srmw jI ny ikhw[

ies ivBwg dy sB lok mYnUM BwbI jI AwK ky hI sMboDn kkrdy ny[ suDw ny pwxI dw iglws PVwieAw qW mYN gtwgt pI geI[ qdy myrI nzr puSpw qy pY geI[ auh kbIr vwlI sIt qy bYTI sI[ myrI nzr nUM Awpxy qy itikAw vyK auhdy bu`lH ih`ly sn- Swied nmsqy kihx leI jW kuJ hor[ mYN auhdy qoN J`t nzr prHW htw leI sI[

"SInw Aqy gOqm dw kI hwl hY?" sIlm ny pu`iCAw[

mYN TIk hW dI mudrw ivc isr ihlw id`qw sI[ myry gly ivc Sbd Atky pey sn[ suDw myrI nwl dI kursI qy bYTI sI[ aus myrw h`Q Awpxy h`Q ivc PV ky ipAwr nwl hlky jhy dbwieAw[ b`s iesy hmdrdI dI aufIk ivc sI myry A`QrUAW dw hVH[ hux swry mYnUM Fwrs bMnHw rhy sn[ ipCly do mhIny dy dOrwn ieh lok keI vwr Gr Aw cu`ky sn[ keI qrHW nwl mYnUM idlwsw dy cu`ky sn[ ieh lok kbIr dy bhuq krIb sn[ auhnW dw kbIr nwl ikMny swlW dw swQ sI[ du`K su`K dI BweIvwlI sI[

"BwbI jI, ieMj nhIN clygw, r`b dw Bwxw qW quhwnUM mMnxw hI pvygw"[ mwlw myrI ip`T plosdI hoeI bolI[

qdy fw. iqAwgI kmry ivc Aw gey[ auh mYnUM kmry ivc vyK ky iTTk gey sn[ fwktr iqAwgI kol, mYnUM kbIr horIN ikMnI vwr lY gey sn, gly dI smisAw krky[ fwktr iqAwgI kihMdy, "AiDAwpkW nUM ieh sm`isAw Awm huMdI hY[ blYk borf nUM ig`ly kpVy nwl swP kirAw kro[ dUjI sm`isAw dw swhmxw swnUM sB nUM krnw pY irhw hY- ieh hY SihrI pRdUSx, jo A`j dIAW bhuq swrIAW bImwrIAW dI jVH hY[ ies Sihr qoN dUr cly jwE, Awpy TIk ho jwaugy"[

kbIr qy mYN fwktr dI ies g`l qy h`s pYNdy[ jwvWgy ikQy, nOkrIAW C`f ky[ Cu`tIAW ivc vI iksy ih`l stySn ‘qy jwx jogw bjt nhIN sI bxdw[ b`s dvweIAW C`k C`fdy[

fwktr iqAwgI nUM vyK ky mYN auTx dI koiSS kIqI pr auh Jt hI bol pey, "bYTy rho[ roz AsIN iksy nw iksy kwrx kbIr jI nUM Xwd krdy rihMdy hW[ jdoN kdI mYN ies kmry koloN lMGdw hW qW l`gdw hY huxy auh swhmxI kursI qy bYTy nzr Awauxgy...... pr r`b A`gy ikhdw zor hY ....[ fwktr ny TMfI Awh Br ky ikhw[

kmry ivc KwmoSI CweI rhI qy iPr jldI nwl auh Agly kmry ivc cly gey[ mwlw ny cwh mMgvw leI sI sB ny jldI jldI cwh pI leI[ sB ny hspqwl dy Al`g Al`g koinAW ivc fIaUtI qy jwxw sI[ myrI cwh Kqm hox ivc hI nhIN sI Aw rhI[

suDw mYnUM kbIr dw lwkr KolHx leI ifaUtI rUm ivc lY geI[ cwbI mYN suDw dy h`Q id`qI[ hOlI hOlI auhdy ivcoN swmwwn k`F ky mYN kol pey iek stUl qy rKdI jw rhI sW- kuJ PweIlW, iek fwierI, mnoivigAwn dIAW kuJ ikqwbW, kuJ irswly, do pYn, do pYNslW...[

suDw ny swrw swmwn iekTw kr ilAw Aqy mYnUM C`qI nMbr kmry ivc lY AweI[

"BwbI jI eyQy Awrwm nwl bYT ky sB vyK lvo[ mYN zrw vwrf ivc jw rhI hW[ QoVHI dyr qk Aw jwvWgI"[

sB qoN pihlW mYN fwierI KolH ky vyKI[ kuJ pMny plt ky vyKy[ auh in`jI l`g rhI sI[ kuJ pMny hor vyKy, sB hspqwl bwry hI sI[ kuJ fwktrW bwry, mrIzW bwry, hspqwl sbMDq kuJ GtnwvW drj sn[ fwierI dI jYkyt ivc kuJ PotoAW sn[ gOqm dI, sInw dI, myrI, swfI cwrW dI qy sB qoN Q`ly mIrw dI[ mIrw dI Poto vyK ky mYN kuJ pl suMn ho geI sW[ ies qoN bwAd mYN fwierI dy kuJ hor pMny pVHny cwhy, pr A`KW A`gy bwr bwr hMJUAW dI iJ`lI Aw jWdI Aqy kuJ vI nw idsdw[

Acwnk myrI nzr swhmxy kursI qy bYTI puSpw qy clI geI[ auh pqw nhIN kdoN kmry ivc Aw ky bYT geI sI[ myry AMdroN g`usy dI inrwSw dI iek lihr dOV geI[ nw puSpw ies hspqwl ivc AwauNdI qy nw hI....[

puSpw iksy mMny prmMny bMdy dI DI sI Aqy auhdI iek minstr dI isPwrS nwl nOkrI lgI sI[ aus nUM ies hspqwl ivc sY~t krn leI kbIr dI bdlI kr id`qI geI sI, iek CotI jhI ifspYNsrI ivc, dUr durwfy ielwky ivc[ kbIr dI bdlI dy Awrfr nwl sB nUM Swk l`gw sI[ kbIr nUM ies hspqwl ivc kMm kridAW pMdrW swl ho gey sn Aqy puSpw dI nOkrI nvIN sI[ hspqwl dy AYm.AYs. Aqy sInIAr fwktrW ny koiSS kIqI sI ies trWsPr nUM rokx leI....[ kbIr ny Cu`tI lY leI sI[

mYN kbIr nUM bhuq smJWdI, "hspqwl ivc quhwnUM bhuq kMm krnw pYNdw hY, ikMnI n`T B`j rihMdI hY[ ifspYNsrI ivc kMMm G`t hovygw...."[

pr kbIr nUM qW kMm dw nSw sI[ ies hspqwl ivc Aw ky auhny ikMny hI nvyN kMm SurU kIqy sn[ somvwr nUM fI-AYfIkSn klIink, buDvwr nUM fwiebitk kLIink, Su`krvwr nUM dI hwrt klIink[ ieh klIink Swm nUM iqMn qoN pMj vjy qk cldy[ jo mrIz E.pI.fI. BIV qoN GbrWdy sn auh ieQy qs`lI nwl fwktrW nUM ivKw lYNdy[ fwktrW dI pUrI tIm AMdr bYTI huMdI[ kbIr mrIzW, fwktrW nwl qwlmyl ibTwx ivc doOV B`j krdw rihMdw[

keI vwr auh fI-AYfIkSn klIink qoN Gr bVI inMmoJUxI hwlq ivc AwauNdw[

"nSy C`fxw sOKw kMm nhIN[ bhuq idRV ierwdw, ihMmq Aqy dlyrI cwhIdI hY, ies dldl ivcoN inklx leI[ ieh lok Awp qW brbwd huMdy hI ny, nwl Awpxy prvwr nUM vI brbwd kr idMdy ny"[

hwrt-klIink qoN prqdw qW kihMdw, "idl dy mrIzW dI sMiKAw idn-bidn vDdI hI jw rhI hY[ roz dI qnwA BrI izMdgI, iPr Kwx pIx dIAW cIzW ivc imlwvt, pRdUiSq vwqwvrx..."[ auh TMfI Awh Br ky kuJ dyr cu`p rihMdw[

auh Awpxy hspqwl dy kuJ fwktrW dI bhuq pRsMsw krdw[ auh auhnW dI lgn, imhnq Aqy sdBwvnw dw bVw kwiel sI[

isstr Brdvwj dI Awvwz sux ky mYN Awpxy iKAwlW qoN jwgI[ C`qI nMbr kmry ivc mwlw, suDw, Silm sB vwps Aw geIAW sn[

"BwbI jI, kMm bMd kro[ pihlW Kwxw Kw leIey[ bVy h`k nwl imstr Srmw boly[

"mYnUM qW zrw ijMnI vI Bu`K nhIN[ mYN bVw zor dy ky ikhw[

pr myrI iksy ny nhIN suxI[ hwr ky mYN sB dy nwl myz duAwly jw bYTI[ sB vwrI vwrI Awpxy lMc bwks myry A`gy vDw rhy sn[ mwlw zbrdsqI grwhIAW qoV ky myry h`Q ivc PVw rhI sI[ puSpw ny vI myry vly Awpxw lMc bwks vDwieAw sI[ pr mYN AxdyiKAw kr id`qw sI[ bhuq vwr mYN ies kmry ivc sBnW nwl bYT ky lMc kIqw sI[ bhuq vwr mYN GroN kuJ nw kuJ bxw ky lB leI ilAweI sW[

lMc qoN bwAd puSpw iekdm auT ky clI geI sI[ mYN QoVHw suK dw swh ilAw[

"BwbI jI, puSpw bhuq koiSS krdI hY, swfI dosqI ij`qx leI pr swfw idl nhIN mMndw...." SIlm kih rhI sI[

kbIr qI ieMj FyrIAW Fwhux vwlw bMdw nhIN sI[ ijQy vI jWdw iek auqSwh ijhw Br jWdw... iek cwnx ijhw psr jWdw[ pqw nhIN ies qbwdly ny aus nUM ieMnw ikauN qoV id`qw sI[ auh audwsIAW nwl iGr igAw sI[ AsW sB ny auhdI ies audwsI dy Gyry nUM qoVn dw bVw Xqn kIqw ....AsW kdI suPny ivc vI nhIN sI soicAw ik auh ieMj swfw swQ C`f ky Acoply jhy iek dm cldw bxygw ...[

Swm nUM Gr phuMcI qW bhuq Qkwvt mihsUs ho rhI sI[ sInw cwh bxw ilAweI sI[ gOqm kbIr dw hspqwloN ilAWdw swmwn vyK irhw sI[ auyhdI nzr mIrw dI Poto ‘qy pY geI[ auh Poto PV ky myry v`l svwlIAw nzrW nwl q`k irhw sI[

"qyry pwpw dI grl PrYNf sI"[

"mMmI, s`c kih rhy ho?" sInw ny hYrwnI qy byXkInI Bry lihjy ivc pu`iCAw[

"hW, jdoN kwlj ivc sn"[

"iPr auhdy nwl ivAwh ikauN nhIN krvwieAw?"

"myry nwl ju hoxw sI qy iPr auhnW ieMj Acwnk mYnUM C`f ky cly jwxw sI" myrw glw Br igAw sI[

"mMmI, hux roxw nhIN, plIz[ hspqwl dI koeI g`l suxwE[ kOx kOx imilAw?"

"sB quhwfy pwpw nUM Xwd krdy ny[ auh vI bYTI sI, auQy pwpw vwlI kursI ‘qy[ myry A`gy rotI vwlw f`bw iKskw rhI sI[ auhnUM vyK ky mYN bhuq bycYn ho geI sW"[

sInw ny AwpxIAW bwhW myry duAwly lpytdy hoey ikhw[

"mMmI, Bu`l jwE sB....[

gOqm ny myrw h`Q Awpxy h`Q ivc lY ilAw sI[ auh boldw G`t sI, pr auhdIAW A`KW mYnUM bhuq kuJ kih rhIAW sn[

"pwpw dI grl-PrYNf dI g`l dso"[ Acwnk gOqm dw ichrw iKV igAw sI[

"auh qyry pwpw dy gvWF rihMdI sI[ dovyN iek dUjy nUM bhuq psMd krdy sn[ pr dovW dy Gr vwly ivAwh leI nhIN mMny[ hux auh ieMglYNf rihMdI hY[ iek vwrI swnUM imlx AweI sI"[

"quhwnUM ikMj l`gw?" sInw ny auqsukqw nwl pu`iCAw[

"pihlW qW auhdy nW qy hI mYnUM gu`sw Aw jWdw sI[ pr jdoN mYN auhnUM imlI qW mYnUM cMgI l`gI[ iPr vI A`j qyry pwpw dI fwierI ivc ieh Poto dyK ky mYnUM hYrwnI zrUr hoeI hY"[

"pihly ipAwr dw Aihsws ikMnw koml huMdw hY, bMDn ikMnw mzbUq!" mYN mn hI mn soicAw[

kbIr dI fwierI jo mYN hspqwl qoN ilAweI sW, auh Awpxy isrhwxy Q`ly rKI hoeI sI[ kdI kdI mYN auhdw koeI pMnw KolH ky pVHx lg jWdI- myrw kMm hY, smwj syvw[ hr vkq byshwrw, lwcwr Aqy bdbUdwr lokW nwl vwsqw rihMdw hY[ auh lok Awpxy h`k vI smwj koloN nhIN mMg skdy[ dUjy pwsy auh lok hn jo hzwrW dI qnKwh lYNdy hn, aupr dI swrI mlweI lwh ky KweI jw rhy hn[ iPr vI auhnW dw pyt nhIN Brdw....[A`j ijs mrIz nUM hspqwl ilAWdw igAw hY- LIro lIr kpVy, ic`kV nwl l`Qp`Q, swrw bdn zKmI...[ Aqy Agly siPAW qy ausy mrIz bwry ivsQwr nwl iliKAw hoieAw sI[

aus idn pRwvIfYNt PMf Awid dy cYk imlxy sn qW mYN sInw nUM nwl lY ky hspqwl phuMcI[ C`qI nMbr kmry ivc isrP puSpw bYTI sI[ swnUM vyK ky auyh kursI qoN auT KlOqI pr mYN J`t sInw dw h`Q iKcdI hoeI auQoN cl peI[

"ieh auhI hY"[ mYN Byq BrI Awvwz ivc bolI[

"auh kOx?" sInw ny sihmI hoeI hYrwnI nwl pu`iCAw[

"puSpw"[

"quhwnUM ieMj nhIN sI krnw cwhIdw"[ sInw Awpxw h`Q Cufw ky bolI[

"puSpw AWtI nwl g`l krnI cwhIdI sI"[

"auuh qyrI AWtI kdoN qoN ho geI?" myrI iKJ vyK ky sInw kuJ p`l cu`p rhI, iPr bolI[

"mMmI AYtIkytz, mYnrz vI iehI kihMdy ny ik...." sInw sihm geI sI[ auh myry A`QrUAW qoN bhuq frdI sI[

"E.ky. mMmI rIlYks! SWqI rKo"[

AsIN AkwaUtz fIpwrtmYNt qoN ivhlIAW ho geIAW qW iPr C`qI nMbr kmry vl myry kdm Awp muhwry cl pey[ auQy phuMcI qW kmry ivcoN aucI aucI h`sx dIAW AwvwzW Aw rhIAW sn[ swnUM vyK ky sB iek dm cu`p kr gey[ sB dy ichirAW qy gMBIrqw Cw geI[ puSpw drvwzy dy kol hI KVHI sI[ aus pwxI dy do iglws swfy A`gy r`K id`qy[ mYnUM ipAws qW bhuq l`gI sI pr myry koloN auh pwxI nhIN pIqw igAw[ sInw ny mYnUM GUr ky vyiKAw[

"ho igAw kMm, BwbI jI?" Srmw jI ny pu`iCAw[

"kuJ ho igAw hY, hwly qW c`kr l`gygw"[ mYN ikhw[

"BwbI jI, ieh c`kr qW Al`g ny pr qusIN ien-t`c rihxw", SIlm bolI[

mwlw, suDw sB sInw nwl g`lW ivc ruJ geIAW sn[ mwlw Aqy suDw qW Aksr hI Pon krdIAW rihMdIAW[ aus idn Swm nUM mwlw dw Pon AwieAw[ ieDr auDr dIAW g`lW huMdIAW rhIAW[ mYN sB dw hwl pu`iCAw qW auh bolI, "A`j AsIN sB puSpw dy Gr gey sW[ auhdw bytw bhuq bImwr sI[ iek hPqw hspqwl ivc irhw hY"[

"kI ho igAw?" mYN Gbrw ky pu`iCAw[

"buKwr nhIN sI auqr irhw"[

mYN mwlw koloN puSpw dw Pon nMbr lY ilAw[ iek vwrI nMbr imlwieAw, auDroN ‘hYlo’ hoeI pr mYN Pon rK id`qw[ sInw myry kol bYTI hom-vrk kr rhI sI[

"mMmI, AMgryzI dw iek Sbd hY, ‘rIkwnsweIl’[ auhdw kI ArQ hY?" auhny Bolw ijhw ichrw bxw ky myry v`l qk ky pu`iCAw[ mYN auhnUM jvwb dyx dI bjwey puSpw dw Pon nMbr iPr qoN imlwx l`g peI[ myrw nW sux ky dUjy pwsy iek pwl KwmoSI CweI rhI[ mYN auhdI KwmoSI dw kwrn smJ geI sW Aqy Pyr mYN b`cy bwry ivsQwr nwl puC`dI rhI qy auh d`sdI rhI[

"r`b sB shI krygw"[ mYN AKIr qy bolI[

"QYNks!" auh bolI[

sInw myry vl vyK ky muskrweI[ auhdIAW A`KW ivc Kws cmk sI[ mYN aus dI ies muskrwht dw rwz smJ geI sW[ aus rwq myry h`Q iPr kbIr dI fwierI Aw geI[ kbIr ny iek sPy qy iliKAw sI "mYN srIr Aqy mn qoN bhuq kmzor hW pr ikqy iz`dI Aqy A`KV vI hW[ mYN AwpxI bdlI nUM rukvwx dI pUrI koiSS krWgw[ puSpw rwjnIqk sbMDW dI hY[ mYN AinAW ivruD lVWgw[ mYN ies hspqwl dw iek AMg hW[ mYN Awpxy Awp nUM ies hspqwl qoN A`lg soc hI nhIN skdw ....[

kuJ sPy hor plty- "swfI swrI ivvsQw hI KoKlI hY[ koeI kwnUMn nhIN, inXm nhIN[ ijs dI lwTI aus dI BYNs! kimSnr, fwierYktr, minstr sB dI imlI Bugq hY[ myrI n`T B`j bykwr geI hY"[

Agly sPy qy kbIr ny kivqw ilKI hoeI sI:

"myry mn

bhuq ho geI

Awpxy AMdr dI pihcwx

auT

lV

iBV

bxw, AwpxI pihcwx

ibnW irVikAW

dovW nUM vI smuMdr ivcoN

AMimRq nhIN sI imilAw

Blw

qYnUM ikvyN iml skdI ey

bYTy ibTwey

Asmwn dI bulMdI?

iehnW pMkqIAW nUM mYN keI vwr piVHAw[ mYnUM kbIr dy ieMny gihry mwnisk sMqwp, auQl-puQl Aqy aulJx dw AMdwzw nhIN sI qW kI auh iek`lw hI ieh sB J`ldw irhw[ mYnUM Awpxy Awp qy rih rih ky gu`sw AwauNdw[ ieh sB ikvyN ho igAw, ikMj ho igAw, kuJ smJ nw AwauNdI[ auhdy cly jwx bwAd bhuq swrIAW AOkVW, bhuq swrI n`T B`j sI, keI qrHW dy qnwA sn, b`icAW dI izMmyvwrI sI, mYN Awpxy Awp nUM bhuq byshwrw Aqy iek`l mihsUs krdI qy pqw hI nw l`gw ik ikvyN Aqy kdoN ienHW hwlqW ny myry srIr nUM AMdroN Kornw SurU kr id`qw[ fwktr ny pUrw Awrwm krn leI slwh id`qI[ suDw, mwlw, sIlm, Srmw jI, sB hwl pu`Cx Awey[ nwl puSpw nUM vyK ky hYrwnI hoeI[ pr A`j auhnUM vyK ky myry AMdroN gusy dI lihr nhIN dOVI[ jdoN sB lok cly gey qW puSpw myry kol hI KVHI rhI[ aus myry mOFy qy h`Q riKAw qy bolI- "jldI cMgO ho jwvo, BwbI jI!"

auhdIAW A`KW mYnUM ig`lIAW Aqy glw BirAw hoieAw l`gw[ mYN auhdy vl is`Dw iDAwn nwl vyiKAw[ Swied pihlI vwr mYN ieMny iDAwn nwl Aqy muskrw ky isr ihlwieAw[

myrI ieh muskrwht sihj suBwvk sI[