Diwali Ki Asli Roshni - Ek Dil Choo Lene Wali Kahani

Kabir apna phone baar baar refresh kar raha tha - lekin har baar uska mood aur kharab hota jaa raha tha।

Uske classmate Aryan ne apni Diwali ki photos post ki thin - ek pura bag mehenge patakhon ka, naya iPhone jo uske Papa ne "Diwali gift" mein diya tha, aur ghar ki chhat par lagi hui rangeen laser lights, jo kisi 5-star hotel jaisi lag rahi thi।

Kabir ne apne ghar ki taraf dekha - chhote chhote mitti ke diye, ek saadi si rangoli jo usne khud banayi thi, aur ek chhota sa packet anaar patakhon ka।

Uska dil ek pal ke liye bhaari ho gaya। "Meri Diwali kitni chhoti hai uske saamne," usne socha।

13 saal ka Kabir apni class ke WhatsApp group mein bhi dekh raha tha - Aryan jaise aur bhi bacche apni "Diwali haul" dikha rahe the, comments mein "wow" aur "lucky" jaisi baatein bhar rahi thin। Kabir ka apna phone purana tha, screen pe halki si crack bhi thi। Usne apna phone jeb mein rakh diya, mann udaas hoke।

Ghar Mein Udaasi

Us shaam, jab poora parivaar diya jalane ke liye baithaa, Kabir ka mann kahin aur tha। Uski Maa ne notice kiya।

"Kya baat hai beta? Itne udaas kyun ho, Diwali ke din?"

Kabir ne apna phone dikhaya - Aryan ki photos, uske mehenge patakhe, naya phone। "Maa, dekho unki Diwali kitni badi hai। Humaari itni chhoti kyun hai?"

Maa kuch bolti, usse pehle hi ek dheemi, purani awaaz aayi - "Kya hua, mere Kabir?"

Kabir ke 78 saal ke Dadaji, jo apni kursi par baithe diya saja rahe the, unhone sab sun liya tha।

Dadaji Ki Yaad

"Aa, mere paas baith," Dadaji ne kaha, apni kursi ke paas jagah banate hue। Kabir chup chaap jaakar baith gaya, phir bhi udaas।

"Tumhe pata hai," Dadaji ne shuru kiya, "1987 mein hamari sabse yaadgaar Diwali kaunsi thi?"

Kabir ne sar hilaya - nahi।

"Uss saal, mera chhota sa dukaan tha - kapdo ka। Lekin uss saal itni baarish hui thi ki poora maal kharab ho gaya। Humare paas paisa nahi bacha tha - na naye kapdo ke liye, na patakhon ke liye, na mithai ke liye।"

"Aapke paas kuch nahi tha?" Kabir ki aankhein badi ho gayin।

"Kuch bhi nahi, beta। Tumhari Dadi udaas thi - unhe laga hum apne teen bachcho ko ek achhi Diwali nahi de paayenge। Maine socha shayad hum Diwali hi na manayein us saal।"

Mohalle Ka Jaadu

"Lekin," Dadaji ki aankhon mein chamak aayi, "hamare mohalle mein sabko pata chal gaya। Aur agle din, kya hua jaanate ho?"

"Kya hua Dadaji?"

"Sharma ji humare liye atta aur ghee le aaye - bina kuch bole, bas darwaze ke bahar rakh gaye। Verma aunty ne apne bacchon ke purane, lekin bilkul theek kapde bhej diye tumhare Papa aur unke bhai behen ke liye। Aur Gupta chacha, jo khud garib the, woh apne ghar ke banaye hue chaar patakhe le aaye - 'Bacchon ke liye,' unhone kaha।"

Kabir chup chaap sun raha tha, uski aankhon mein kuch badal raha tha।

"Uss raat," Dadaji ne aage kaha, awaaz mein bhaavuktaa thi, "humare paas duniya ki sabse mehengi cheezein nahi thin। Lekin humare aangan mein poora mohalla ikattha hua - har ghar se ek diya, har haath se ek mithai ka tukda। Bacche gali mein bhaag rahe the, phuljhadiyan jala rahe the jo unke apne ghar ki nahi thin, lekin unhe farak nahi padta tha। Humne mil kar itne diye jalaaye ki poori gali roshan ho gayi - sirf humare ghar ki nahi, sabki।"

Dadaji ki aankhon mein woh raat jaise abhi bhi zinda thi। "Tumhari Dadi ne baad mein kaha tha - 'Yeh Diwali humne akele manayi hoti, toh shayad itni yaad na rehti। Aaj yeh humari nahi, poore mohalle ki Diwali ban gayi hai।' Aur unki baat sach nikli - aaj bhi, itne saalon baad, yehi Diwali sabse pehle yaad aati hai।"

Sabse Roshan Diwali

"Dadaji," Kabir ne dheere se poocha, "toh woh Diwali dukh bhari thi ya khushi wali?"

"Woh meri zindagi ki sabse roshan Diwali thi, beta।" Dadaji ne Kabir ka haath thaama। "Kyunki uss saal maine seekha ki Diwali ki roshni diyon se nahi aati - woh logon ke dilon se aati hai jo tumse pyaar karte hain, jo tumhari khushi mein apni khushi dhoondte hain।"

"Aryan ke paas mehenge patakhe hain, naya phone hai - yeh accha hai, usko mubarak ho। Lekin beta, kya usne apne Papa ke saath baithkar diya sajaya? Kya usne apni Maa ke haathon ki banayi mithai khayi? Kya uske paas tum jaisa Dadaji hai jo use kahaniyan sunaata hai?"

Kabir ki aankhon mein aansu aa gaye - lekin is baar sharam ke nahi, kuch aur samajhne ke। Usne apne phone ki taraf dekha, jahan Aryan ki photos abhi bhi khuli thin, aur pehli baar usne mehsoos kiya ki woh photos sirf cheezein dikha rahi thin - log nahi, hasi nahi, saath baithe pal nahi।

Kabir Ka Faisla

Uss raat, diya jalaate waqt, Kabir ne apna phone side mein rakh diya। Usne apni Maa ke saath rangoli mein aur rang bhare, apne chhote bhai ko patakhe jalaana sikhaya, aur Dadaji ke paas baithkar unse aur kahaniyan poochhi।

Phir usse ek khayal aaya। "Dadaji, hamare gali ke corner wale Ramu kaka - unke paas toh koi parivaar nahi hai na? Woh akele Diwali manate honge?"

Dadaji muskuraye, jaise unhe yeh sawaal sunne ka intezaar tha। "Haan beta। Kyun poocha?"

"Chalo unke paas chalte hain। Kuch mithai aur diye lekar। Jaisa aapne bataya - waisa hi karte hain jaisa aapke mohalle ne kiya tha।"

Poora parivaar - Maa, Papa, chhota bhai, aur Dadaji - Ramu kaka ke ghar gaye, haathon mein mithai ke dabbe aur jalte hue diye liye। Ramu kaka apne akele ghar mein andhere mein baithe the - na koi diya jala, na koi rangoli, jaise unhone maan liya tha ki unke liye Diwali ka koi matlab nahi bacha।

Jab darwaza khatkha, aur unhone Kabir ke parivaar ko haathon mein diye liye khada dekha, unki aankhon mein khushi ke aansu aa gaye। "Arre, tum log... mere liye?" unki awaaz kaanp rahi thi। Kabir ne unhe ek diya thamaya aur muskuraya - "Kaka, akele Diwali nahi manate। Aaj hamare saath chaliye।"

Agli Subah

Agle din school mein, Aryan ne Kabir se poocha - "Kal Diwali kaisi rahi tumhari? Maine dekha nahi tumhari koi story post."

Kabir muskuraya - ek sacchi, gehri muskaan। "Mehengi nahi thi, Aryan। Lekin sabse roshan zaroor thi।"

Usne Aryan ko Ramu kaka wali baat batayi - kaise unki aankhon mein khushi chamki thi, kaise poora parivaar unke saath baitha tha, kaise Dadaji ne unhe kahaniyan sunayi thin। Aryan chup chaap sunta raha, aur uske chehre pe kuch aisa aaya jo usne kabhi mehsoos nahi kiya tha - thoda sa jalan nahi, balki thodi si soch।

"Yaar," Aryan ne dheere se kaha, "mere ghar mein toh sab apne apne phone mein busy the। Maine bhi।"