Beggars are Choosers!

[Kara lina]

tez baarish ke beech, 32 varsheey doktar kaamya ne ek nirmaanaadheen imaarat mein sharan lee. usake baal bheege hue the, kaale baal usake chehare par chipak rahe the, aur usake kapade usake shareer se chipake hue the, jo usakee stree aakrtiyon ko ujaagar kar rahe the. usane jo bina aasteen ka deep-kat blauj pahana tha, usamen usakee naajuk kolarabon kee jhalak dikh rahee thee, jabaki usakee sari, bheegee huee aur paaradarshee, usakee naabhi se neeche chipakee huee thee, jo usakee kaamuk apeel ko badha rahee thee.

jaise hee kaamya ne parityakt imaarat mein saantvana khojane kee koshish kee, usakee nazar rasool naam ke 50 varsheey bhikhaaree se milee. jeevan kee kathinaiyon se joojhate hue usaka kathor roop, usakee nigaahon kee saazish ko chhipaane mein kuchh nahin karata tha. usake bheetar jigyaasa jagee jab vah saavadhaanee se usake paas aaya, usake phate kapade baarish se bheege hue the.

ve vaheen khade rahe, ek-doosare kee upasthiti se mohit hokar, kshan bhar ke lie apane aas-paas kee duniya ko bhool gae. baarish kee aavaaz ne prshthabhoomi mein ek simphanee banaee, jisase ek antarang maahaul ban gaya.

rasool ne sabase pahale baat kee, usakee aavaaz gambheer lekin komal thee, "aap is toofaan mein khoee huee lagatee hain, meree mahila. kya main aapako aashray de sakata hoon?"

kaamya ne, apanee aavaaz mein naram aur kamazoree ka rang lie hue, javaab diya, "dhanyavaad, dayaalu mahoday. baarish ne mujhe aashcharyachakit kar diya, aur mainne yahaan sharan lee. mainne kabhee nahin socha tha ki is ujaad jagah ke beech mujhe koee milega."

jab rasool imaarat mein aanshik roop se sanrakshit kshetr kee or badha to usakee aankhon mein muskuraahat aa gaee. "aao, koee sookhee jagah dhoondhen. ham saath milakar toofaan ka intazaar kar sakate hain."

ve imaarat mein gaharaee tak chale gae, unake kadamon kee aavaaz deevaaron par goonj rahee thee. choonki unakee baatacheet sahajata se chal rahee thee, hava pratyaasha se bharee huee thee. kaamya ne ek doktar ke roop mein apane anubhavon kee kahaaniyaan saajha keen, unake kahe har shabd mein unaka junoon spasht tha. badale mein, rasool ne use sadakon par apane jeevan kee kahaaniyon se roobaroo karaaya, jisamen jeevit rahane aur lacheelepan kee ek jvalant tasveer pesh kee.

jaise hee unhonne baat kee, unake beech ek bandhan ban gaya, jo unakee sambandhit prshthabhoomi kee seemaon ko paar kar gaya. satah ke neeche ubal rahee gahan rasaayan shaastr se unake sambandhon ka aakarshan badh gaya. unakee aankhen ek maun samajhaute, ek anakahee ichchha par tikee theen jise ab najarandaaj nahin kiya ja sakata tha.

baarish kee boonden baahar giratee raheen, jisase imaarat ke bheetar kaamukata kee ek sureelee dhvani paida ho gaee. jaise hee rasool jhuka, usakee saansen kaamya kee tvacha par garm ho gaeen, unake aas-paas kee duniya dhundhalee hone lagee. usakee kamar par usake haath ke sookshm sparsh ne usakee reedh mein siharan paida kar dee, usakee indriyon ko vidyuteekrt kar diya. unake honth ek bhaavuk aalingan mein mile, unake shareer aapas mein jude hue the, ek nishiddh ichchha kee girapht mein kho gae.

us pal mein, samay sthir ho gaya kyonki kaamya aur rasool ne ek gahan sambandh kee khoj kee jo saamaajik seemaon ko paar kar gaya. nirmaanaadheen imaarat unaka abhayaarany ban gaee, jo baarish kee bijalee aur unake beech kee anakahee samajh se prerit, kachche aur nirvivaad junoon ke kshan mein do aatmaon ke takaraav ka gavaah ban gaee.