|  | vah Apnao ipta sao imalanao isaf- imacaa- ko
      khnao pr Aa[- qaI¸ vanaa- ]sanao tao ]sao Apnao jaIvana sao kBaI ka
      inakala idyaa qaa¸ pr @yaa sacamauca vah ]sako jaIvana sao inakla cauka
      qaaÆ , , ,imacaa- eosaa nahIM maanata hO. vah khta hO¸ "elaa
      tumharo mana maoM Aaja BaI ]sako ilae BaavanaaeM hOM¸ AaOr ]sakI yaadoM
      prCa[- kI trh tumharo saaqa calatI hOM." vaak[- maanava mana
      gaui%qayaaoM sao Bara haota hO. maOM BaI Balaa ]sao khaM BaUla pa[-. A@sar
      rat maoM sapnao ]sakI yaadaoM pr pD,I QaUla hTa idyaa krto hOM. vaoTr nao panaI ka glaasa Tobala pr rKa
      tao elaa kI tMd`a ifr TUTI. 'mana ka saMtulana banaae rKnao ko ilae¸
      mauJao ijana AaOr Ta^inak kI sa#t ja,$rt hO pr ]sa jaOsao sa#tjaana
      vyai>%va ka saamanaa Alkaohla sao Aae AsaMtulana sao krnaa zIk nahIM
      hO. mauJao SaaMt¸ saaOmya haonao ko saaqa hI¸ pUNa-$p sao saMtuilat BaI
      haonaa haogaa'¸ elaa nao saaocaa. vaoTr ko jaanao ko baad ]sanao ifr
      GaD,I pr naj,ar DalaI. ipClao paMca imanaT maoM vah dsa baar GaD,I pr
      naj,ar Dala caukI qaI. yaid Agalao saat imanaT maoM vah nahIM Aayaa tao
      maOM ek imanaT BaI ]saka [Mtja,ar nahIM k$MgaI , , ,]sanao Kud sao kha.
      saca baat tao yao hO ik ]sako vyai>%va ka sammaaohna Aba ifr ]sapr tarI
      hao rha qaa. elaa ka mana ]sasao imalanao kao baocaOna hao ]za , , ,kOsaa
      lagata haogaa vah. pta nahIM Apnao ha[-–fa[- jaIvana ko baIca ]sanao
      kBaI mauJao 'imasa' BaI ikyaa yaa nahIMÆ @yaa laaogaaoM ka svaBaava
      samaya ko saaqa badlata hOÆ [tnao idnaaoM maoM vah kuC tao badlaa haogaaÆ
      imacaa- ka khnaa hO samaya AaOr pirvaoSa laaogaaoM ko svaBaava AaOr cair~
      pr Asar ja$r Dalata hO pr vah vyai> ko janmajaat gauNa nahIM badlata.
      iSaSau Apnao 'jaonaoiT@sa' lao kr pOda haota hO. ]sako cair~ ko saaro
      gauNa baIja ko $p maoM ]samaoM janma sao maaOjaUd haoto hOM. pirisqaityaaM
      AaOr pirvaoSa ]sa pr Asar Dalato hue ]sao gaZ,tI hOM. pr vyai> ko
      maaOilak gauNa sada vahI rhto hOM. vyai> ko 'jaonaoiT@sa' ]sao badlanao
      nahIM doto hOM. elaa kI yaado ]sao ]idgna krtI hOM¸ @yaa yah saca hO¸
      laaoga pOda[SaI maRdu–BaaYaI¸ kzaor¸ inad-yaI¸ ]dar yaa svaaqaI-
      haoto hOMÆ @yaa laaoga sacamauca Apnao vaMSaanaugat banaavaT ko dasa
      haoto hOMÆ elaa ko mana maoM tmaama p`Sna ]z rho qao AaOr p`%yaok p`Sna
      ko Gaoro maoM ]sakI ]pisqait maaOjaUd qaI. ]sanao isar ]za kr rostraM ka
      inairxaNa ikyaa. ek CaoTa saa kOfo–baar¸ jahaM idna maoM BaI hlka–saa
      AMQaora rhta hO¸ pdo- gahro laala¸ kosamaoMT ko. laMbaI iKD,ikyaaM¸
      naIlao AaOr laala sTona–glaasa kI. ka^fI ko Pyaalao¸ glaasa AaOr
      kuisa-yaaM 'A ibaT fMkI' ]sanao saaocaa. saMgaIt rOja–maOTajma¸
      vaalyaUma jara }Mcaa. saba kuC ]sakI psaMd ko ivaprIt hO. elaa
      nao jaanabaUJa kr yah jagah caunaI hO. ]sakI psaMd }McaI hO. vah hr caIja,
      ek ivaSaoYa ]cca–vaga- ko maanadND sao doKta hO. kuC BaI hao¸ elaa nao
      maMuh banaayaa¸ vah mauJasao maorI j,amaIna pr imalaogaa. mauJao ]sasao
      na tao kuC laonaa–donaa hO na hI mauJao ]sasao kao[- dhSat hO. maOM
      Apnaa jaIvana Apnao ZMga sao jaInaa caahtI hMU. maOM tao ]sao Baulaa hI
      caukI qaI. pr imacaa- ka khnaa hO¸ vat-maana kao ek ivaSaoYa maaoD, donao
      sao pUva-¸ maora ]sasao ek baar imala hI laonaa zIk haogaa. vanaa- maora
      BaUtkala mauJasao sada savaala krta rhogaa AaOr vah maoro jaIvana maoM
      sada ek syaah Gaoro kI trh saaqa calata rhogaa¸ AaOr maorI kMuzaeM mauJao
      jaInao nahIM doMgaI. saat saala. zIk¸ saat saala¸ caar
      mahInao¸ tIna idna saat GaMTo baad maOM ]sasao imalaMUgaI. @yaa Aaja BaI
      vah vaOsaa hI Saanadar AaOr p`BaavaSaalaI haogaaÆ @yaa ]sako caohro pr
      vahI KUbasaUrt mauskrahT haogaIÆ elaa ka mana caMcala hao ]za.
      BaavanaaAaoM ka jvaar ]sao ]%toijat AaOr nava-sa¸ daonaaoM hI kr rha qaa. tBaI drvaajao pr kuC hlacala hu[-. vah
      rostraM ko AMdr Aa cauka qaa. vaoTr saMkot sao ]sao elaa ka Tobala idKa
      rha qaa. Aagao baZ,nao sao phlao ]sanao mauskrato hue haqa ihlaa kr Apnao
      Aap ka AaBaasa elaa kao idlaayaa. 'iTipkla Aa^f ihma' elaa jajbaatI hao
      ]zI. vah daOD, kr ]sako galao sao JaUla jaanaa caahtI qaI¸ ]sakI baaMhaoM
      maoM samaa jaanaa caahtI qaI. AaohÑ yah kOsaa ]nmaadÑ yah kOsaI hlacalaÑ
      Acaanak ]sakI rIZ, kI hD\DI sanasanaa[-¸ idmaaga maoM bagaUlaa ]za¸ poT
      maoM maCilayaaM fD,fD,a[-. snaayau–tM~ ]%tojanaa sao tnnaa[-. AroÑ yah
      saba @yaa hao rha hOÆ Aao¸ iSaTÑ vah ]%toijat @yaaoM hao rhI hOÆ
      ]sanao Apnao Aapkao kaosaa. [tnaI dor sao saMyat rhnao ka jaao pirEama vah
      kr rhI qaI vah saba vyaqa- gayaa naÆ elaa basa rao pD,nao vaalaI qaI ik
      ]sanao lambaI saaMsa KIMcaI AaOr imacaa- kao yaad ikyaa¸ ifr saMtuilat
      kdmaaoM sao ]sakI Aaor baZ,I¸ vah hlko sao hMsaa ifr Aagao baZ, kr
      Pyaarko Aavaoga ko saaqa ]sanao ]sao baaMhaoM maoM Bar ilayaa , , ,AaOr
      dnaadna ]sako daonaaoM gaalaaoM pr k[- caumbana jaD, idyao. elaa
      Baava–ivaBaaorÑ ]sakI baahaoM maoM samaatI calaI ga[- , , ,vah ]sasao
      ifr kBaI ibaCD,naa nahIM caahtI qaI. 'AaohÑ imacaa- Agar mauJao [sa trh
      [sasao ilapTa¸ AaOr Baavatur doKo tao Balaa @yaa khogaa.' ]sanao Apnao
      BaavanaaAaoM ko jvaar kao inayaMi~t krto hue mana–hI–mana kha. ]sanao elaa ko kmar maoM haqa Dala kr
      Pyaar sao ]sao Apnao AaOr krIba kr ilayaa. elaa kao AcCa lagaa. vah ]sasao
      ilapTI¸ ]sako badna kI gamaI- AaOr spSa- kao Apnao Andr samaaotI¸ ]sako
      kdma sao kdma imalaatI Tobala kI Aaor baZ,I. Tobala ko pasa phMuca kr ]sanao kusaI- kao
      hlko sao baahr kI Aaor KIMcaa ifr daonaaoM haqaaoM sao elaa kao sahojato
      hue¸ iksaI saama`a&I kI trh ]sa pr baOza kr¸ Apnaa kOSamaoyar
      Ta^pkaoT AaOr skaf- pasa KD,o vaoTr ko haqaaoM maoM pkD,ayaa¸ ifr kusaI-
      pr baOzto hue rostraM AaOr baar ka inarIxaNa ikyaa. ]sakI SarbatI AaMKaoM
      maoM manaaorMjana Bara kaOtUhla qaa. 'fnaI Plaosa'. ]sanao mauskrato hue
      elaa ko samaUcao Aist%va kao AaMKaoM maoM Barkr¸ saMtuYT Baava sao doKa. vahI¸ vahI¸ ibalkula vahI¸ vah khIM sao
      BaI nahIM badlaa qaa. Saayad ]sanao¸ ]sao eosaI jagah pr baulaa kr galatI
      kI. sacaÑ vah eosaI jagah jaanao ka ibalkula AadI nahIM hO. elaa kao yaad
      Aayaa¸ ]sakI psaMd kBaI BaI savaae¸ ihlTna yaa DaorcaosTr sao kma nahIM
      rhI hO. pr AaiKr maOMnao ]sao baulaayaa hI @yaaoMÆ yah saba imacaa- ka
      ksaUr hO¸ ]sanao Bannaato hue Kud sao kha. ]saI nao kha qaa [saIilae tao.
      [sa trh¸ Apnao mana kao samaJaa kr vah qaaoD,I saMtuYT hu[-. 'tumharI ica{I imalaI tao bahut AcCa
      lagaa. vanaa- maOMnao tao mana kao samaJaa hI ilayaa qaa ik Saayad tuma
      mauJasao kBaI sampk- hI nahIM kraogaI.""saca maOM tumhoM p~ kBaI na ilaKtI pr imacaa- nao kha [sailae ilaK
      idyaa. pr tumanao BaI tao kBaI kao[- ica{I nahIM ilaKI.' elaa nao hlko
      raoYa AaOr maana sao kha.
 "eosa mat khao elaa¸ maOMnao tumhoM k[- p~ ilaKoM¸ pr saBaI p~
      maoro pasa¸ 'irTna- TU d saonDr' ko naaoT ko saaqa vaapsa Aa gae. tumanao
      Apnaa kao[- farvaiD-Mga eD/osa yaa faona nambar BaI tao nahIM
      CaoD,a." ]sanao ]saI gahrI¸ p`BaavaSaalaI AaOr saMtuilat Aavaaj,a
      maoM elaa kI AaMKaoM maoM saIQaa doKto hue kha. vah Balaa kBaI galat hao
      sakta hO¸ elaa kao vao baIto hue idna yaad Aa gae¸ jaba Gar maoM kovala
      ek hI vyai> sahI hao sakta qaa. AaOr vah qaa 'vah'.
 "maOM tumasao naaraj,a jaao qaI¸ tum,haro tanaa–SaahI maoM maora
      dma GaMuT rha qaa." elaa nao ibagaD, kr kha.
 "Gar CaoD,to samaya tumanao kha qaa tuma svatM~ jaIvana vyatIt krnaa
      caahtI hao¸ AaOr Apnao AnauBava eki~t krnaa caahtI hao. tuma vayask qaI¸
      saaqa hI tuma maorI saunatI BaI khaM qaI. tumhara mauJa pr sao ivaSvaasa
      jaao ]z cauka qaa."
 "tumhoM sabakuC yaad hO. tuma ibalkula nahIM badlao. @yaa maOM hI
      hmaoSaa galat haotI qaIÆ" elaa nao saMyama bartto hue BaI ]sa pr
      saIQaa hmalaa ikyaa. ]saka mana ]Woilat hao rha qaa. BaavanaaAaoM ka jvaar
      ]z AaOr igar rha qaa.
 vah elaa ko mana maoM ]zto WMW kao samaJa
      rha qaa. At: ]sanao baD,o hI krInao AaOr catura[- sao ivaYaya badlaa. vah
      elaa kao AcCo maUD maoM doKnaa caahta qaa. elaa BaI ]sao khaM 'ApsaoT'
      krnaa caahtI hO. pr ]sakI dimat ga`MiqayaaM ]sao saMBalanao doM tba naa. "AcCa tao elaa¸ bataAao na tumhara
      kama kOsaa cala rha hO. tao tuma 'macao-T enD imalsa' maoM paT-nar hao
      ga[- hao." ]sanao mauskrato hue kha tao elaa ka Aa%maivaSvaasa saUrja
      kI phlaI ikrNa saa jagamagaa ]za."yaPp." elaa icaiD,yaa kI trh cahkI.
 "dOT\sa ga`oT. laoT\sa saoilabao`T." khto hue ]sanao cauTkI
      bajaa kr vaoTr kao baulaayaa. vahI saoivala rao ko 'vaola–kT' kpD,aoM ka
      cayana¸ vahI Saanadar vyai>%va¸ vahIM svaraoM kI gaMUja¸ khIM kao[-
      badlaava nahIM. AaMKaoM ko kaoraoM pr ]Bar Aa[- KUbasaUrt 'laaifMga
      laa[nsa' ]sao duinayaaM ka sabasao AakYa-k vyai> banaa rhI qaI. Saayad
      [saIilae tmaama AaOrtoM ]sapr martI hOM. jaba hMsata hO tao ]saka caohra
      kaomala AaOr AakYa-k hao ]zta. , , ,AaOr imacaa-¸ imacaa- kI KUbasaUrtI
      ]sako sahjata AaOr sarlata maoM hOM. ]samaoM kao[- AaDMbar nahIM hO. ]sako
      ilae kpD,o kao[- maayanao nahIM rKto hOM. 'kpD,o isaf- tna kao saurixat
      rKnao ko ilae AavaSyak hO' imacaa- khta hO. vah hFtaoM ek TI–SaT-¸ TOTI
      jaInsa AaOr caa[naIja Tok–Avao Kakr gauja,ar sakta hO. ]sao baahr jaanao
      kI ja$rt nahIM¸ vah ikcana maoM masaalaaoM ko saaqa 'e@sapirmaoMT' krto
      hue irlaO@sa krta hO.
 vah maonaU haqa maoM ]za kr elaa kI Aaor
      doKta hO¸ pla Bar kao elaa kI AaMKoM ]sakI AaMKaoM maoM ]laJa jaatI hO.
      vah mauskra kr elaa ko psaMd ko icakna–TI@ka AaOr SaIK kbaaba ko saaqa
      baaojaulao kI ivaMToja AaD-r krta hO. elaa ko AMdr BaavanaaeM ]qala–puqala
      krtI jaaor–Saaor sao hullaD, macaanao lagatI h¸O ]sao ]sakI psaMd yaad
      hO. elaa zgaI saI rh jaatI hO. vah ]sasao ZoraoM p`Sna krnaa caahtI hO
      jaanao @yaa–@yaa khnaa–jaananaa–pUCnaa caahtI hO pr ]sakI j,abaana
      talaU sao icapk jaatI hO. basa [tnaa hI kh patI hO¸ "tumhara kama
      kOsaa cala rha hOÆ" yah BaI kao[- p`Sna hO. sTUipD khIM kIÑ vah Kud
      kao DaMTtI hO. "baiZ,yaa , , ,bahut baiZ,yaa¸ kama
      bahut baZ, gayaa hO. Aba maorI yaa~aeM isaf- yaU•ko•tk hI saIimat
      nahIM hO¸ maora ek pOr sada hvaa[- jahaja maoM rhta hO. Aba ibaja,naosa
      duinayaaM ko hr kaonao maoM fOla gayaa hO , , ,kBaI Amaoirka¸ kBaI
      [MiDyaa¸ kBaI jaapana , , ," khto hue vah hMsata hO tao ]sakI
      dMt–pMi>yaaM iJalaimalaa ]ztI hO. "saaqa hI vaa[na¸ ivamaona AaOr , ,
      ," elaa ka 'pasT' ]sao ]ksaa gayaa AaOr ifr ]sanao vyaMgya krto hue
      tanaa maar hI idyaa.AaohÑ iSaT¸ elaa Apnao Aap kao iQa@karto hue glaaina AnauBava krtI hO.
      lagata hO vah ifr laD,nao pr ]ta$ hO AaOr Aba saba kuC spa^[la kr ko hI
      dma laogaI. AaohÑ elaa¸ yaU sTUipD ga`ao–Ap naa] , , ,]sanao
      mana–hI–mana kha.
 vah elaa ko mana maoM ]zto hue jvaar kao
      samaJata hO¸ At: mauskra kr elaa ko iTPpNaI kao gaaola krto hue baatao ka
      nayaa saU~ ]zata hO. elaa ]sakI Aavaaja saunato–saunato iksaI AaOr
      duinayaa maoM phMuca jaatI hO. vah haM yaa naa maoM isar ihlaato hue
      gauja,ro idnaaoM kao yaad krtI hO. kba AaOr kOsao sabakuC gaD,baD,a gayaaÆ
      AaOr ]sako p`it ]sako mana maoM Z,oraoM hInata kI ga`MiqayaaM bana ga[-.
      AaOr vah ]sako Cayaa sao BaI Gabaranao lagaIM.,
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