Aaj ghar mein suitcases khule pade the…
Kapde fold ho rahe the, books arrange ho rahi thi, naye shoes, naye sapne… sab kuch naya tha.
Bas ek cheez purani thi — ek maa ka darr.
Nimisha baar-baar bete ke bag mein kuch na kuch rakh deti…
“Ye medicine rakh le…”
“Ye ghar ka bana achar bhi…”
“Raat ko zyada der tak mat jagna…”
Beta hansi mein bolta —
“Mumma… main ab bachcha nahi hoon.”
Par maa ke liye bachche kab bade hote hain…
Raat ko sab so gaye, lekin Nimisha ki aankhon mein neend nahi thi.
Woh chupchaap bete ke room mein gayi.
Room ki walls par abhi bhi uske bachpan ki photos lagi thi.
Ek photo mein woh school uniform mein ro raha tha kyunki uska school ka pehla din tha.
Aaj phir wahi darr tha…
Bas farq itna tha ki tab school ghar se 10 minute door tha, aur aaj Bengaluru hazaaron kilometer door.
Nimisha bed par baith gayi.
Usne takiye ko haath lagaya…
Aur achanak uski aankhon se aansu behne lage.
“Kaise rahega akela…?”
“Bimaar hua toh kaun dekhega…?”
“Kahin galat doston ke saath na pad jaye…”
“Raat ko bhooka so gaya toh…?”
Ek maa ka dil hazaar darr soch leta hai.
Subah station par bahut bheed thi.
Beta baar-baar bol raha tha —
“Mumma please rona mat…”
Lekin jaise hi train chalne lagi, Nimisha khud ko rok nahi paayi.
Usne bete ka chehra dono haathon mein pakda aur bas itna kaha —
“Khud ka dhyaan rakhna…
Aur jab bhi lage ki tum akele ho, yaad rakhna… tumhari maa ki dua hamesha tumhare saath hai.”
Train dheere-dheere door chali gayi.
Nimisha platform par tab tak khadi rahi jab tak train aankhon se ojhal nahi ho gayi.
Ghar lautkar usne bete ka room khola.
Room waise hi tha…
Lekin ab wahan awaaz nahi thi.
Na “Mumma paani dena…”
Na “Mera charger kahan hai?”
Na der raat tak hasi.
Us din Nimisha ne pehli baar mehsoos kiya —
Bachche jab bade hote hain, toh sirf unka room khaali nahi hota…
Maa ka ek hissa bhi unke saath chala jaata hai.
Raat ko achanak video call aaya.
Screen ke us paar hostel ka chhota sa room tha…
Aur uska beta muskura raha tha.
“Mumma… maine khud se khana kha liya, room bhi set kar liya… aur haan, aapka achar sabse pehle khatam hoga.”
Nimisha hans padi… aansuon ke saath.
Us pal use samajh aaya —
Bachche ghar zaroor chhod dete hain…
Par maa ki parvarish kabhi unka saath nahi chhodti. ❤️