Bal Diwas Ka Tohfa - Children's Day Ki Kahani

Aarav ke school mein saal ka sabse pyaara din Diwali nahi tha, Holi bhi nahi। Woh tha 14 November, Bal Diwas। Uss din na koi test hota, na homework। Teachers stage par naatak karte, gaana gaate, aur bacche neeche baith kar taaliyan bajaate। Sach mein, uss din bacche hi raja hote the!

Yeh bal diwas ki kahani usi din ki hai, jab das saal ke Aarav ne seekha ki yeh din asal mein kiska hai।

Pachaas Gulaabon Ka Kaam

Iss saal Aarav paanchvi class mein tha, aur Sunita Ma'am ne use ek bahut khaas zimmedaari di thi।

"Aarav," Ma'am ne class mein kaha, "iss baar Bal Diwas ke stage ko hum kaagaz ke laal gulaabon se sajaayenge। Jaante ho kyun?"

Aarav ke best friend Tanmay ne jhat se haath uthaaya। "Kyunki Chacha Nehru apne coat par hamesha laal gulaab lagaate the!"

"Bilkul sahi," Ma'am muskuraayin। "Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, hamare desh ke pehle Pradhan Mantri, bacchon se bahut pyaar karte the। Isliye unke janmdin, 14 November, ko hum Bal Diwas manaate hain। Woh maante the ki aaj ke bacche hi kal ka Bharat banaayenge। Toh Aarav, tumhe aur Tanmay ko milkar pachaas kaagaz ke gulaab banaane hain। Kar loge?"

"Haan Ma'am!" Aarav ne seena taan kar kaha। Pachaas gulaab, isme kya mushkil hai?

Mushkil bahut thi। Pehle din Aarav ne do ghante lagaaye aur sirf saat gulaab bane। Unmein se bhi teen gobhi jaise dikh rahe the, aur ek toh bilkul phata hua tamatar lag raha tha। Tanmay dekh kar itna hansa ki kursi se girte girte bacha।

"Hans le, hans le," Aarav ne munh banaaya। "Tere waale toh pakode jaise lag rahe hain।"

Dono ne apne apne "gulaab" dekhe, aur phir dono hi hans pade। Lekin andar se Aarav pareshan tha। Bal Diwas mein sirf das din bache the।

School Gate Ke Bahar

Aarav ke school ke gate ke theek saamne ek chhoti si chai ki dukaan thi, Gupta Chai Stall। Subah subah wahan bacchon ko chhodne aaye papa log chai peete, aur chhutti ke waqt mummy log samose khareedtin।

Dukaan par ek ladka kaam karta tha। Aarav ki hi umar ka, shaayad das saal ka। Patla sa, bikhre hue baal, aur ek dheela sa neela sweater jiski kohni par chhed tha। Woh gilaas dhota, chai pahunchaata, aur moongphali ke liye akhbaar ke kone banaata। Sab use "Chhotu" bulaate the। "Chhotu, ek cutting chai!" "Chhotu, do samose pack kar!" "Chhotu, jaldi kar!"

Aarav do saal se roz uss ladke ko dekh raha tha। Lekin sach kahein toh usne kabhi use sach mein dekha nahi tha। Woh bas wahan hota tha, jaise dukaan ka board ya chai ki ketli।

Uss din chhutti ke baad, Aarav apne aadhe bane gulaab aur rangeen kaagaz ka thaila lekar Papa ka intezaar kar raha tha। Tabhi hawa ka ek tez jhonka aaya, aur thaila uske haath se chhoot kar seedha chai ki dukaan ke paas waale kichad mein jaa gira!

"Nahi!" Aarav chillaaya। Laal, peele, hare kaagaz kichad mein bikhar gaye।

Isse pehle ki Aarav kuch kar paata, woh ladka daud kar aaya aur jaldi jaldi saare kaagaz utha liye। Usne unhe apne sweater se ponchha aur dukaan ki bench par dhoop mein phaila diya।

"Zyaada kharaab nahi hue," usne kaha। "Aadhe ghante mein sookh jaayenge।"

Phir uski nazar Aarav ke "gobhi" jaise gulaabon par padi। Woh halka sa muskuraaya। "Yeh gulaab hain?"

Aarav ka munh latak gaya। "Koshish thi।"

Akhbaar Ke Gulaab

Ladke ne dukaan ke kone se ek purana akhbaar uthaaya। Uski ungliyan bijli ki tarah chalin। Ek fold, doosra fold, ek mod, ek lapet, aur sirf ek minute mein uske haath mein ek khoobsurat gulaab tha। Itna asli lag raha tha ki bas khushboo ki kami thi।

Aarav ki aankhein phail gayin। "Yeh... yeh tumne kaise kiya?"

Ladke ne kandhe uchkaaye। "Roz sau kone banaata hoon moongphali ke liye। Haath apne aap chalne lagte hain। Ek din bore ho raha tha toh gulaab bana diya। Tab se banaata rehta hoon।"

"Mujhe bhi sikhaoge? Please?"

Ladke ne dukaan ki taraf dekha, jahan Ramesh mama grahakon mein vyast the। "Agle aadhe ghante tak bheed kam rehti hai। Baitho।"

Aur uss din, chai ki dukaan ki tooti hui bench par, Aarav ne apni zindagi ki sabse acchi art class li।

"Pehle kaagaz ko tirchha modo," ladka samjhaata gaya। "Ab kinaare ko ungli par lapeto। Kas ke nahi, dheere se, jaise kisi ko pyaar se pakadte hain। Haan, aise hi!"

Aarav ka pehla gulaab abhi bhi thoda tedha tha, lekin ab woh gobhi nahi, gulaab hi lag raha tha। Aarav khushi se uchhal pada।

Jab tak Papa aaye, bench par baarah sundar gulaab rakhe the। Aarav ne jaate jaate mud kar kaha, "Thank you, Chhotu! Kal phir sikhaoge?"

Ladka ek pal ruka। Phir dheere se bola, "Mera naam Sonu hai।"

Aarav thithak gaya। "Sonu?"

"Haan। Sonu Kumar। Yahan sab Chhotu bulaate hain। Do saal ho gaye, kisi ne poocha hi nahi।"

Ghar jaate hue car mein Aarav chup baitha raha। Do saal। Usne bhi kabhi nahi poocha tha।

Sonu Ki Kahani

Agle kuch din, chhutti ke baad Aarav aur Tanmay roz Sonu ke paas baithte। Gulaab bante gaye, aur saath saath baatein bhi।

Sonu ne bataaya ki woh Bihar ke ek chhote se gaon se aaya tha। Gaon mein woh school jaata tha, teesri class mein tha, aur maths mein poori class mein first aata tha। Phir uske Baba beemar pad gaye aur unka kaam chhoot gaya। Maa use lekar shahar aa gayin, jahan Maa ke door ke bhai Ramesh Gupta, jinhe Sonu Ramesh mama kehta tha, chai ki dukaan chalaate the। Maa logon ke gharon mein bartan dhoti thin, aur Sonu dukaan par haath bataata tha।

"Aur school?" Tanmay ne poocha।

Sonu ne gulaab ki ek pankhudi mod di, aur kuch nahi bola।

Ek din Aarav ne maths ki homework copy bench par khuli chhod di। Sonu ki nazar padi aur woh bola, "Teesra sawaal galat hai। Haasil jodna bhool gaye ho।"

Aarav ne check kiya। Sonu sahi tha। Usne sirf dekh kar, bina kaagaz pen ke, sawaal hal kar diya tha!

"Tum toh mujhse bhi zyaada hoshiyaar ho!" Aarav ne kaha।

Sonu muskuraaya, lekin uski aankhein udaas thin। "Hoshiyaar hone se kya hota hai? Gilaas toh phir bhi dhone hain।"

Phir usne woh sawaal poocha jo Aarav kabhi nahi bhool paaya।

"Aarav, yeh Bal Diwas kya hota hai? Tum log roz iski baat karte ho।"

"Woh bacchon ka din hai," Aarav ne utsaah se bataaya। "Uss din bacchon ko toffee milti hai, teachers naachte hain, mela lagta hai। Saare bacchon ka din!"

Sonu ne haath ka gulaab bench par rakha aur dheere se poocha, "Saare bacchon ka? Toh kya... mera bhi hai?"

Aarav ke paas koi jawaab nahi tha।

Khaane Ki Mez Par

Uss raat Aarav ko neend nahi aayi। Khaane ki mez par usne Mummy Papa ko sab bataaya: Sonu, uske gulaab, uska maths, aur uska woh sawaal।

Papa ne dheere se kaha, "Beta, Sonu ka sawaal bilkul sahi hai। Hamare desh mein ek kanoon hai, Shiksha ka Adhikaar। Iske hisaab se 6 se 14 saal ke har bacche ko muft padhaai ka haq hai। Aur 14 saal se chhote bacchon se dukaan ya dhaabe par kaam karwana kanoon ke khilaaf hai।"

"Toh phir Sonu school kyun nahi jaata?"

Mummy ne gehri saans li। "Kyunki kabhi kabhi kanoon kitaabon mein hota hai, aur zindagi sadak par। Sonu ki Maa ko paison ki zaroorat hai। Shaayad unhe pata bhi na ho ki unke paas kya raaste hain। Kisi ko unhe batana padega।"

Aarav ne kuch der socha। Phir bola, "Main kal Sunita Ma'am se baat karunga।"

Papa ne uske sar par haath rakha। "Aur agar Ma'am ko hamari zaroorat ho, toh hum bhi saath chalenge।"

Sunita Ma'am Aur Principal Sir

Agle din Aarav aur Tanmay ne Sunita Ma'am ko sab bata diya, aur saath mein Sonu ke banaaye gulaab bhi dikhaaye।

Ma'am ne ek gulaab haath mein liya aur der tak use dekhti rahin। "Yeh ek das saal ke bacche ne banaaya hai?"

"Aur woh bina copy ke maths karta hai, Ma'am!" Tanmay ne joda।

Usi shaam, Sunita Ma'am aur Principal Mishra Sir khud Gupta Chai Stall par pahunche। Aarav door se dekh raha tha, uska dil zor zor se dhadak raha tha। Kya Ramesh mama gussa honge? Kya Sonu ko daant padegi?

Lekin jo hua, woh Aarav ne socha bhi nahi tha।

Ramesh mama ne Mishra Sir ki baat suni, aur unki aankhein bhar aayin। "Sir, main bura aadmi nahi hoon। Mujhe bhi accha nahi lagta ki yeh baccha din bhar gilaas dhoye। Lekin uski Maa akeli hai, Baba beemar hain। Main kya karta?"

Mishra Sir ne unke kandhe par haath rakha। "Ramesh ji, aapne mushkil waqt mein inka saath diya, yeh badi baat hai। Ab hamein bhi mauka dijiye।"

Agle kuch dinon mein bahut kuch hua। Sonu ki Maa ko school bulaaya gaya। Mishra Sir ne unhe bataaya ki school Sonu ko poori scholarship dega: kitaabein, uniform, fees, sab kuch। Aur school ki junior wing mein ek helper ki zaroorat thi। Woh kaam Sonu ki Maa ko mil gaya, gharon mein bartan dhone se behtar tankhwaah ke saath।

Sonu ki Maa ne haath jod diye। Woh kuch bol nahi paayin, bas roti rahin।

Sunita Ma'am ne kaha, "Sonu do saal school se door raha hai, toh shuru mein thodi mushkil hogi। Lekin main roz chhutti ke baad ek ghanta use alag se padhaaungi। Mujhe yakeen hai, kuch hi mahinon mein woh baaki bacchon ke barabar aa jaayega।"

Lekin ek baat sabne raaz rakhi। Sonu ko bas itna bataaya gaya ki use Bal Diwas ke function mein bulaaya gaya hai, kyunki stage uske gulaabon se sajega। Baaki sab Aarav ki zid par chhupa liya gaya। "Yeh uska Bal Diwas ka tohfa hai," Aarav ne kaha tha। "Aur tohfa toh surprise hota hai na!"

Bal Diwas Ki Subah

14 November ki subah school rang birangi jhandiyon aur gubbaaron se saja hua tha। Aur stage par? Stage par lage the sau se zyaada laal gulaab, jo Aarav, Tanmay aur Sonu ne milkar banaaye the। Door se dekho toh lagta tha jaise stage par sach mein gulaab ka baag khil gaya ho।

Sonu school ke gate par khada tha, jhijhakta hua। Usne apni sabse saaf kameez pehni thi, jo Maa ne raat ko dho kar istri ki thi। Aarav daud kar aaya aur uska haath pakad liya। "Chalo! Tumhari seat mere paas hai!"

Program shuru hua। Teachers ne ek mazedaar naatak kiya jismein Mishra Sir sher bane the, aur unki "dahaad" sun kar sab bacche hans hans kar lot pot ho gaye। Sunita Ma'am ne ek gaana gaaya। Phir sabko mithaai aur toffee baanti gayi।

Sonu sab kuch aise dekh raha tha jaise koi sapna ho। Usne do saal mein pehli baar kisi school ke function mein taaliyan bajaayi thin।

Aakhir mein Mishra Sir mic par aaye। "Bacchon, aaj ka stage aapko kaisa laga?"

"Bahut sundar!" poora school ek saath chillaaya।

"Jaante ho yeh saare gulaab kisne banaaye hain? Aarav aur Tanmay ne, aur unke ek bahut hunar waale dost ne। Main unhe stage par bulaana chahta hoon। Sonu Kumar, zara upar aao!"

Sonu jahan tha wahin jam gaya। Do saal mein pehli baar kisi ne itni zor se, itne pyaar se, uska asli naam liya tha। Aarav ne use halka sa dhakka diya, "Jao na!"

Sonu kaanpte pairon se stage par chadha। Poora school taaliyan baja raha tha।

Sabse Bada Tohfa

Mishra Sir ne Sonu ke kandhe par haath rakha। "Sonu, Bal Diwas par har bacche ko tohfa milta hai। Tumhara tohfa thoda alag hai।"

Sunita Ma'am stage par aayin। Unke haathon mein ek nayi school uniform thi, ek naya bag, aur ek copy jis par saaf akshar mein likha tha: Sonu Kumar, Class 5।

"Somvaar se," Mishra Sir ne kaha, "tum hamare school ke student ho।"

Sonu ne uniform ko dekha, phir copy ko, phir Sir ko। Uske hothon se sirf ek shabd nikla, "Sach?"

"Bilkul sach," Ma'am ne kaha।

Aur tab Sonu ki aankhon se aansoo beh nikle। Woh rona nahi chahta tha, sabke saamne toh bilkul nahi, lekin aansoo ruke hi nahi। Neeche bheed mein, uski Maa bhi saari ke pallu se aankhein ponchh rahi thin। Aur school ke gate ke bahar, Ramesh mama apni dukaan chhod kar deewar ke paas khade the, aur sabse zor se taaliyan baja rahe the।

Mishra Sir ne mic Sonu ki taraf badha diya। Ek lambi chuppi ke baad, Sonu ne kaha, "Aarav ne mujhse mera naam poocha tha। Bas... thank you।"

Poora school khada hokar taaliyan bajaane laga। Aur Aarav? Woh bhi taaliyan baja raha tha, aur saath mein chupke se aankhein ponchh raha tha। Tanmay ne dekh liya, lekin iss baar woh hansa nahi। Usne bas Aarav ke kandhe par haath rakh diya।

Ek Saal Baad

Agle saal ke Bal Diwas par bhi stage laal gulaabon se saja tha। Lekin iss baar unhe banaane waali team mein das bacche the, aur unke "ustaad" the Sonu Kumar, Class 6, jo ab bhi maths mein poori class mein sabse tez the।

Sonu ke Baba ka ilaaj bhi chal raha tha, aur woh dheere dheere theek ho rahe the। Aur school ke gate ke saamne, Gupta Chai Stall ke board ke neeche ek naya chhota sa board laga tha, jo Ramesh mama ne khud likhwaaya tha:

"Yahan bacchon se kaam nahi karwaya jaata। Bacchon ki jagah school mein hai।"

Aarav jab bhi uss board ko dekhta, use Sonu ka woh sawaal yaad aata: "Toh kya mera bhi hai?" Aur ab uske paas jawaab tha।

Haan, Sonu। Bal Diwas har bacche ka hai। Har uss bacche ka jo school mein hai, aur har uss bacche ka jo abhi bhi kisi school ke gate ke bahar khada hai, iss intezaar mein ki koi uska naam pooche।

Aur shaayad yahi har bal diwas ki kahani ka sabse bada sach hai: kisi ki zindagi badalne ke liye bahut bada hona zaroori nahi। Kabhi kabhi das saal ka ek baccha bhi kaafi hota hai, bas use kisi ka naam poochna aana chahiye।