Nekhi Ka Wazan — Ek Chhoti Si Imandari Ne Dil Pighla Diya

Sheher ki sadkon par aaj hawa kuch alag chal rahi thi…

Logon ki bheed, gaadiyon ka shor, dukaanon ki roshni—sab waisa hi tha.
Lekin us bheed mein ek waqia aisa hone wala tha…
jo ek dil ko bhi pighla de,
aur ek zindagi ko bhi hila de.

Ek buzurg aadmi, jinke baal safed ho chuke the,
apni purani si cycle par dheere-dheere jaa rahe the.
Unki kamar thodi jhuki hui…
aur aankhon mein woh tanhai thi
jo sirf akelay rehne walon ki hoti hai.

Jab woh road ke beech se muday,
toh unki jeb se ek ghisi-piti wallet neeche gir gayi.
Kisi ki nazar pari, kisi ki nahi.
Logon ne dekha bhi,
lekin sab apne apne kaam mein masroof the.

Issi dauran,
dus saal ka ek patla sa bachcha—
jiske kapde gande, haath zakhmi aur pair bhi chapal ke baghair—
woh ruk gaya.

Usne wallet uthayi.
Andar murjha hui tasveeeren…
paisa bohot kam…
aur ek purani si chitthi.

Bachcha chitthi ko palat kar padhne ki koshish karta,
phir rukh jaata.
Usne socha:

“Shayad kisi ke liye yeh bohot qeemti hogi…”

Woh daudta hua buzurg ke peeche bhaaga.
Bachcha chilla raha tha:

“Chacha! Rukiye!”

Buzurg ruk kar saans phoolte hue mudte hain.
Bachcha wallet aage kar ke kehta hai:

“Yeh aapka gir gaya tha…”

Buzurg ke haath kaanp gaye.
Unhon ne wallet khola,
tasveeren dekhi…
aur unki aankhon se aansoo behne lage.

Bachcha ghabra gaya.
Woh bolta hai:

“Chacha… maaf karna, gir to aapka hi tha na?”

Buzurg ne bachche ka haath pakra aur kaha:

“Beta… is wallet mein paisay nahi…
meri marhoom biwi ki yaadein hain.”

Unki awaaz toot gayi.

“Main roz is tasveer ko dekh kar jeeta hoon…
agar yeh kho jaata,
toh lagta main usay dobara kho deta.”

Bachcha chup ho gaya.
Uski aankhon mein bhi paani aa gaya.

Phir buzurg usay dekh kar muskuraye,
aur pyaar se bole:

“Beta, tumhare paas dene ko kuch nahi tha…
Phir bhi tumne mujhe sab kuch de diya.”

Bachcha ne dheeme se kaha:

“Chacha… nekhi chhoti nahi hoti.
Bas log dekhte kam hain.”

Buzurg ne bachche ko gale lagaya.
Unke aansoo bachche ke gande kapdon par gir rahe the…
Aur us pal,
dono ke dil halka ho rahe the.

Logo ki bheed guzar rahi thi…
Par sheher ki sabse badi nekhi
sabse gareeb haath se nikli thi.

Bachcha wapas mudne laga,
lekin buzurg usay rok kar kehte hain:

“Beta, tumhara naam kya hai?”

Bachcha thodi der chup raha…
Phir muskurate hue bola:

“Naam se kya hota chacha…
Insaaniyat yaad rehni chahiye.”

Aur yeh keh kar woh bheed mein kho gaya.

Buzurg usay jaate hue dekhte rahe…
Unke hothon par aansoon bhari muskurahat thi.

Aur unka dil keh raha tha:

“Aaj bhi duniya mein nekhi zinda hai…”