Uska naam Raghav tha.
Talent ki usmein koi kami nahi thi, lekin kismat aur ghar ki halat kabhi uska saath nahi deti thi. Woh hamesha dusron ke liye jeeta tha — apne liye sochna jaise usne kabhi seekha hi nahi.
Ek raat, jab Raghav office se laut raha tha, gali ajeeb si khamoshi se bhari hui thi. Achanak piche se kisi ne uske sir par lohe ke pipe se zor se hamla kar diya.
Sab kuch ghoom gaya.
Woh ladkhada kar zameen par girte-girte sambhla. Dard ke beech jab usne piche mudkar dekha, toh uska dil ek pal ke liye ruk sa gaya — saamne ek jaana-pehchaana chehra tha.
Darr aur gusse ke beech, usne turant zameen se ek pathar uthaya aur poori taqat se vaar kiya. Mauka dekh kar woh wahan se bhaag nikla.
Us raat ke baad uski neend usse rooth gayi. Har awaaz usse dara deti thi.
Dheere-dheere waqt beeta, zakhm bharne lage… lekin zindagi ne phir ek naya imtihaan rakh diya.
Ek din uski beti Neha ne chupchaap kaha,
"Papa, school mein 2500 rupaye jama karne hain…"
Raghav ke paas sirf 1500 rupaye the.
Us raat usne khud se ek vaada kiya.
Agle kuch din usne din-raat mazdoori ki. Thakan, dard, bhook — sab seh liya. Aakhirkar usne paise jod liye aur Neha ke haath mein rakhe.
Neha ki muskaan dekh kar usse laga jaise usne duniya jeet li ho.
Kuch waqt ke liye zindagi phir se hasti-khelti si lagne lagi.
Phir ek din Raghav apne parivaar ke saath gaon gaya — apne pita se milne. Unhe ek gaay ke bachche ne zor se takkar maar di thi. Chot itni gehri thi ki woh chal bhi nahi pa rahe the. Doctor ne unka operation kiya tha.
Raghav lagbhag ek mahina gaon mein raha. Dheere-dheere pita ki tabiyat sambhal rahi thi, aur use laga sab theek ho jayega.
Lekin zindagi itni aasaan kab thi…
Shehar lautne ke kuch hi din baad, dopahar mein ek phone aaya.
"Tumhare pita… ab nahi rahe."
Yeh sunte hi Raghav ke haath kaanp gaye.
Woh turant train pakad kar gaon bhaaga, lekin is baar sab kuch khatam ho chuka tha. Uske pita use chhod kar ja chuke the.
Yeh dard uske andar kahin gehra bas gaya — ek aisa bojh, jise woh kabhi utaar nahi paaya.
Kuch din baad, woh apni maa ko shehar le aaya ilaaj ke liye. Unhe saans lene mein dikkat hoti thi, aur gaon mein rehna unke liye aur bhi takleef de raha tha.
Shehar mein apne pote-potion ke saath rehkar maa ne pehli baar halka sa sukoon mehsoos kiya. Unhone pehli baar momos khaye, bachchon ke saath hansi-mazaak kiya.
Lekin yeh khushi zyada din nahi tik saki.
Wapas gaon jaane ke baad unki tabiyat phir se bigadne lagi. Wahan koi unka dhyan nahi rakhta tha. Ghar mein log paise ke liye jhagadte rehte, aur gussa un par nikalte.
Raghav andar hi andar toot raha tha… lekin majboor tha.
Phir ek din, jab Raghav apni maa ko bank le gaya…
Kuch aisa hua, jise kisi ne kabhi socha bhi nahi tha.
Us ek pal ne sab kuch badal diya.
Sabke pairon tale zameen khisak gayi…