Pihu 5 saal ki thi, aur is saal Diwali par woh pehli baar apne haathon se diye bana rahi thi।
Dadaji aangan mein geeli mitti lekar baithe the। "Dekho Pihu," unhone kaha, "mitti ko pyaar se dabao, beech mein gol gaddha banao, aur kinaare se chhoti si naak nikaalo, baati ke liye।"
Dadaji ke haath jaadu ki tarah chalte। Ek, do, teen... unke saare diye gol, chikne aur ek jaise ban rahe the।
Pihu ne bhi poori koshish ki। Lekin uska diya thoda chhota ban gaya, aur ek taraf se tedha bhi। Uski naak bhi zara si tedhi thi।
Bhaiya Kabir hans pada। "Haha! Yeh dekho, Chhotu Diya! Yeh toh khud hi gir jaayega!"
Chhotu Ka Chhota Sa Dil
Raat ko, jab sab so gaye, saare diye dhoop mein sookhne ke liye chhat par rakhe the। Bade bade diye aapas mein baatein karne lage।
"Main Diwali par darwaze par jalunga," ek bada diya bola। "Main mandir mein," doosra bola। "Main tulsi ke paas," teesra itraya।
Chhotu Diya chup chaap ek kone mein baitha tha। "Mujhe toh koi kahin nahi rakhega," usne socha। "Main chhota hoon, tedha hoon। Meri roshni bhi chhoti hi hogi।"
Ek chhota sa aansu uski mitti par gira, aur chaand ne use dekh liya। Chaand ne dheere se kaha, "Chhotu, roshni size se nahi, dil se aati hai। Bas apni baari ka intezaar karo।"
Diwali Ki Raat
Diwali aa gayi! Ghar rangoli se saja tha। Chhat par rang birangi bijli ki lights jhilmila rahi thi। Maa ne kheer banayi thi aur Papa ne phooljhadi la rakhi thi।
Pihu ne saare diye thaali mein sajaaye। Phir usne Chhotu ko uthaya aur pyaar se kaha, "Tum mere apne banaye diye ho। Tum mere kamre ki khidki par jaloge।"
Chhotu ki tedhi naak khushi se chamak uthi। Pihu ne usme tel daala, baati lagayi, aur Dadaji ne use jalaya। Ek chhoti si, sunehri lau jal uthi।
Andhera Ho Gaya!
Puja shuru hone hi wali thi ki achanak... khatt! Poore mohalle ki bijli chali gayi!
Saari rang birangi lights bujh gayin। Chaaron taraf ghup andhera ho gaya। Hawa bhi tez chal rahi thi, aur aangan ke bade diye ek ek karke bujhne lage।
"Maachis kahan hai?" Dadi ne awaaz di। "Kuch dikh nahi raha!"
Pihu darr gayi। Lekin tabhi usne dekha, uske kamre ki khidki par, deewar ki aad mein, ek chhoti si lau ab bhi jal rahi thi। Chhotu Diya!
Chhotu chhota tha, isliye hawa use chhoo hi nahi paayi thi। Woh shaanti se, bina hile, jal raha tha।
Chhotu Ka Kamaal
Pihu ne dheere se Chhotu ko dono haathon mein uthaya। Uski roshni mein Dadi ko maachis mil gayi, Maa ko pooja ki thaali, aur Kabir bhaiya ko apni phooljhadi।
Phir Pihu ne Chhotu ki lau se pehla bada diya jalaya। Phir doosra, phir teesra... dekhte hi dekhte poora aangan phir se jagmaga utha!
Kabir bhaiya ne sharma kar kaha, "Sorry Chhotu। Tum chhote ho, lekin tumne aaj saari Diwali bacha li।"
Dadaji muskuraye। "Dekha Pihu? Diya chhota ho ya bada, uska kaam ek hi hai, andhere ko door karna।"
Us raat, Chhotu Diya sabse aage, pooja ki thaali ke beech mein jala। Aur chaand ne upar se aankh maar kar kaha, "Maine kaha tha na, apni baari aayegi!"
Kahani Ki Seekh
Chhota hona kamzor hona nahi hota। Chhotu Diya chhota aur tedha tha, lekin jab sabse zyada zaroorat thi, tab wahi jalta raha aur usi ne sabko roshni di।
Is Diwali, kisi ka mazaak mat udao। Har ek ke andar apni roshni hoti hai, bilkul tumhare andar ki tarah।
