Inaugural Spandan (The Beat of Nation), multilingual magazine issue.

2. Spandan – The Beat of Nation: A Bilingual Monthly Magazine and an effort to
cover various issues, aspects related to India with expert reviews, articles, reports,
stories and poems.
Languages – Hindi and English
Issue # 01: January – February 2014
In Association with Freelance Talents
Editor – Rashi Saxena
Content Editor – Mohit Sharma
Authors – Akash Soam, Colleen Finn, Kapil Chandak, Mohit
Sharma, Tim Watson, Siddhant Shekhar.
© Spandan & Authors, All rights reserved.

3. *) - The Good Ones
(Colleen Finn)
In late spring of 2009, I visited India for the first time, eager to explore a country
that I had dreamed of visiting for years. When I arrived, it was with all the
arrogance of a seasoned traveler. I had been traveling for years and sometimes
even did volunteer work in the countries I visited. I thought of myself as culturally
sophisticated and open—an explorer without borders, accepting of any person or
experience, regardless of how foreign. In this particular case, I was excited to be
traveling through glorious Rajasthan for a few weeks before embarking upon a
week of volunteer work teaching English in a New Delhi orphanage.
When I arrived in New Delhi and reported to the volunteer organization, the
program manager informed me that they were already well-staffed at the
orphanage, so I had been reassigned to work at a center for street boys at the busy
Nizamuddin Railway Station. Despite my eagerness to do volunteer work, I felt
trepidation at this news. Street boys? Up until that point, I considered my
encounters with street children to be pretty typical. In Jodhpur, I was sideswiped in
the bazaar by a speeding auto-rickshaw when I attempted to back away from the
outstretched hands of three street boys, looking for anything that I might give
them—spare rupees, sweets or ballpoint pens. On another occasion, I made the
classic error of handing out a few small treats to some street children in Jojawar.
Soon after, I found myself surrounded by a large group of them all looking at me
expectantly, hoping that I would relinquish just a few more. Some of the children
aggressively picked at my bag and pockets, unwilling to believe that I had nothing
else to give.

4. After these experiences and others, I had learned to keep what I considered a
―respectful distance‖ from the street children in India. I acknowledged them, but
waved them politely away so I could go about my business. It was an arrangement
with which I felt comfortable. Yet now I was going to work with them directly in
an effort to expose them to my language. For some unknown reason, the idea of
teaching English in an orphanage just seemed tamer. I did my best to hide my
disappointment and resolved to make the best of my new assignment.
On my first day of volunteer work, I met with the center‘s director who provided
me with some background on the program and introduced me to the boys. They
ranged in ages from 6 to 14, but most looked much younger than their years. Some
suffered malnourishment, some had been abused, and all had either run away, been
abandoned, or been encouraged to leave their homes in hopes that they would find
jobs or a better life in the big city. After the director addressed the boys in Hindi—
which I hoped was a directive to ―Behave yourselves!‖—I was abandoned to
handle the class on my own.
I stood there and looked at the ragtag bunch. While many of the boys were friendly
and curious, several looked upon me with frank distrust. Ramesh, a young boy
dressed in an oversized gray work shirt and slacks, scowled openly at me and
retreated to hunch in the corner of the dingy room. Jitaen, an undernourished boy
who had been severely abused prior to his arrival at the center, completely ignored
me and turned on the television. Girraj looked at me with a blank expression on his
face, and then proceeded to play with a board game on the floor. I made a quick
decision to focus on the boys who were friendly and curious and proceeded to dig
into my arsenal of learning games in an attempt to keep them engaged.
By my second day at the center, I was gratified to discover that most of the boys
who had ignored me the day before were now enthusiastically participating in my
lessons. They eagerly recited new vocabulary describing colors, animals, and parts
of the body and enjoyed playing games to reinforce what they were learning.
Ramesh, having apparently decided that I could be trusted, eagerly requested a
game that I had demonstrated the day before during a time that I thought he was
napping. Jitaen grabbed my hand and placed it around his scrawny, bare shoulders,
eager for my attention and affection. Girraj, eyes wide open with excitement,
joined in every game and lesson.
There was also a new face in the bunch—a tiny, 6-year old boy named Chonda.
Chonda had bright pink scars on his face, which were a stark contrast to his brown

5. skin. A center employee said he had received the scars while living on the street. It
was a likely explanation for his behavior as well, for despite his age and size, he
immediately began to pick fights with the older boys over any perceived wrong,
however small it may have seemed. A few of the center‘s employees would
struggle to restrain him in his fits of anger and tears, but I kept my distance from
Chonda, intimidated by his wildness.
As the week progressed, the boys continued to participate and improve in their
lessons, even while Chonda continued to interrupt the day by picking fights with
them. Up until then, I had allowed the center employees or the boys to break up
these outbursts in an attempt to disengage myself from any conflict. But finally one
day, in a burst of inspiration mixed with frustration, I inserted myself in the middle
of a heated struggle that Chonda instigated with Ramesh. Rather than restrain
Chonda, however, I began to tickle him. For a long second, his face looked utterly
shocked. Then, both Chonda‘s face and body melted in a fit of giggles. I tickled
him on the floor until he‘d forgotten what he‘d been so angry about. After that, I
was no longer intimidated by the wild little boy with the pink scars on his face. He
still had outbursts, but I handled them using the same method and he continued to
allow his anger to melt away under a peal of laughter.

6. My last day at the center arrived. We played the boys‘ favorite games and
reviewed the things they learned during my stay. As I prepared to say my
goodbyes, I noticed Chonda outside the open door, balancing upon the bottom rung
of the rusty metal stair rail. He turned to look at me with a huge grin on his face
and began clapping his hands. He called to me in Hindi as he motioned for me to
join him in a clapping game. One of the center‘s employees looked at me and said,
―He‘s calling you ‗good one.‘‖ To Chonda, I was a ―good one.‖
That was the moment when I realized that something inside me had changed.
Although I fancied myself someone who was open to anyone of any culture, I
realized that when I arrived at the center, I had regarded these boys—and all of the
street children that I had encountered throughout my trip—as ‗separate‘ from both
myself and other children. I had safely tucked them away behind a wall that I
didn‘t realize I had created until I discovered its pieces crumbled all around me.
Those boys, the ones before me dressed in ill-fitting second-hand clothing, the
ones who I waved away in the bazaar, the ones who followed me through
Jojawar—weren‘t street children. They were children, like any other. Children who
lived a life of tremendous struggle, yes—but still children who laughed, cried,
loved and needed affection. Children with both amazing and terrifying stories.
With every day that passed that week, the boys at the center had succeeded in
quietly destroying my wall until there was nothing left to separate us. I gazed down
into Chonda‘s tiny brown face as he looked at me expectantly with his bright
smile. It was a calm moment in the storm of his life, a moment when he was not a
street child, not hungry, not begging, and not fighting for his right to exist. He was
just a boy, enjoying the sun, balancing on a stair rail, and wanting to play a game
with the woman who tickles him. I took his hands in mine for a brief moment. We
began to clap.
*****
Colleen Finn is an avid world traveler and enjoys blogging about her adventures.
As a passionate advocate for voluntourism, she has cared for injured animals at a
wildlife hospital in Greece, taught English in Peru, worked with street children in
India, and will soon be volunteering at an orphanage in Vietnam. When not
traveling, Colleen works as a technical consultant in Portland, OR and applies her
love of adventure and exploration to her local surroundings by enjoying the many
outdoor activities that the Pacific Northwest has to offer.

7. *) - दफा हुआ खजाना : इततहास औय मभथ्म
(आकाश सोभ)
पऩछरे ददनों 1000 टन दफे हुए सोने की खदाई की ऽफयें अऽफायों औय न्मज़ चैनल्स ऩय
ु
ू
खफ छाम ॊ यह ॊ | रेककन दफे हुए खजाने क प्रसॊग को धार्भिक औय याजन तत दोनों से..अरग
े
ू
एक नजरयमे से दे खने ऩय ऩता चरता है कक, हभाये दे श भें दफे हुए खजाने क तनकरने का
े
इततहास काफी ऩुयाना औय योभाॊचक यहा है | कई रयऩोर्टिस क अनुसाय सन 2000 भें उत्तय
े
प्रदे श भें भुज़फ़्फफयनगय ज़ज़रे क भाॊड गाॉव भें खेत भें काभ कयते वक्त रोगों को दफा हुआ
े
काफी ऩुयाना खजाना र्भरा था | खदाई भें ज़भ न से खजाना तनकरने की घटना कोई
ु
पवचचत्र घटना नह ॊ है | दफा हुआ खजाना इततहास का अवशेष होता है , औय खदाई क दौयान
े
ु
इततहास क अवशेषों का र्भरना एक साधायण घटना है | हाॉ रेककन, एक सभम भें सोने की
े
चचड़िमा कहराने वारे दे श की धयत ..फहु त रॊफे सभम तक की गम रट-ऩाट झेरने क फाद
े
ू
ब अगय..अऩने गबि भें पवयासत का खजाना दफाए हुए है तो मे हभाये र्रए गवि की फात है |

8. दफे हुए खजाने की घटनाओॊ का हभाये सभाज भें एक दसया ऩहरू ब है | ज़जसभें खजाने को
ू
रेकय अपवाहों का फाज़ाय हभेशा गभि यहता है | ऐसे खजाने को ऩाने क र्रए तयह-तयह क
े
े
प्रमत्न ककए जाते हैं | सभाज भें इस तयह क खजाने को तराशनें वारों की एक अच्छी खास
े
सॊख्मा होने क कायण ह ....कछ रोगों का गोयख-धॊधा ब फहुत अच्छा चरता है |
े
ु
फचऩन भें , गाॊव भें आए ददनों दफे हुए खजाने को रेकय तयह-तयह की ऽफयें सनने को
ु
र्भरत यहत थ | 2 दशक ऩहरे जफ भेये गाॊव क एक फहुत ह भेहनत भजदय ने जफ अऩने
े
ू
ऩूये ज वन की कभाई से..अऩने फच्चों क र्रए घय फनाना शुरू ककमा...तो अपवाह पर गम
े
ै
कक..उसको खदाई भें सोने से बया हुआ एक घ़िा र्भरा है , ज़जसकी फदौरत वो घय फना यहा है
ु
| महाॉ तक की उसक घय क ऩास से आने-जाने वारे रोगों का नज़रयमा ब ऐसा हो गमा कक
े
े
रोग उसे सोने क घ़िे वारा घय कहने रगे | औय इस तयह सोने से बये उस काल्ऩतनक घ़िे ने
े
भजदय की ऩूय ज़ज़ॊदग की भेहनत ऩय कई भामनो भें ऩान पय ददमा | जो भजदय क़ि
े
ू
ू
भेहनत का एक उदाहयण फन सकता था...वो भात्र अपवाहों का कद्र फनकय यह गमा |
ें
पवऻान क फोर-फारे वार 21 व ॊ सद भें इस तयह की अपवाहों का अॊत ब तम भाना जा
े
यहा था, रेककन ऐसा नह ॊ हुआ | औय ऐस घटनाओॊ ने 21 व ॊ सद क सभाज भें ब भजफत
े
ू
ऩक़ि फनाम हुई है |
एक ताज़ घटना की र्भर जानकाय क अनुसाय, चाय दोस्तों( भोहन, सोहन, याभ, श्माभ )
े
ने र्भरकय मोजना फनाम कक, भोहन क फाा भें दफे हुए उस खजाने को तनकारा जामे
े
ज़जसक फाये भें 2 ऩ दढमों से सुनते आ यहें हैं | रेककन सभस्मा मह थ कक उस दफे खजाने की
े
यखवार एक साॊऩ कयता है | खैय, चायों ने दहम्भत ददखाम , भह नों बाग-दौ़ि की, एक र्सद्ध
फाफा को ब फुरामा | फाफा सेंट्रो काय भें अऩने 3-4 चेरो क साथ आमा | यात को 9 फजे खदाई
े
ु
शुरू हुई....2 साॊऩ ब तनकरे, एक फ़िे वारा औय एक छोटे वारा.....ऩूया ड्राभा हुआ..ऩय
खजाना ब तनकरा...चायों ने दे खा ब | रेककन सफह होते-होते असर फात ब तनकर कय
ु
साभने आ गम , जफ फाफा ने उस खजाने को शद्ध कयने क र्रए 5 राख रूऩमे का खचाि फता
े
ु
ददमा | फस मह ॊ फात बफग़ि गम ..सच कहूॉ तो फाफा की sixth sense ब मह ॊ पर हो
े
गम ...अगय उन चायों क ऩास 5 राख रूऩमे होते तो वे साऩों वारे खजाने को तनकारने का
े

9. रयस्क ह क्मों रेते | ऩैसे ना र्भरने ऩय फाफा गुस्सा होकय चरा गमा | फहुत खेंच-तान क
े
फाद, उन साऩों से डयते हुए जफ 2-3 ददन फाद खजाना खोरा गमा तो उसभे र्सप र्भटट
ि
तनकर |
इस घटना भें एक भहत्वऩणि फात मह है कक, 2 ऩ द़िमो से खजाने की फात कहे जाने क
े
ू
फावजद भोहन क पऩता ने कब ब उस खजाने को ऩाने की कोर्शश नह ॊ की | भोहन क
े
े
ू
पऩता एक भेहनत ककसान हैं, खेत की र्भटट उनक र्रए ककस खजाने से कभ नह ॊ है , औय
े
अऩन भेहनत से होने वार कभाई से ऩूय तयह से सॊतष्ट औय खश हैं |
ु
ु
उम्भ द की जात है कक..इसको ऩ़िकय कभ से कभ वो रोग "वगि पवशेष भें अन्धपवश्वास का
प्रचरन" जैस धायणा नह ॊ फनामेंगे जो पसफुक जैस साइर्टस ऩय ब कोई फोटो र्सप
े
ि
इसर्रए Like औय Share कयते हैं कक शाभ तक कोई अच्छी खफय र्भरेग | दफे हुए खजाने
को ऩाने की रारसा यखने वारे रोग ब भह नों बाग दौ़ि कयते हैं..तयह-तयह क प्रमत्न
े
कयते हैं...हॊ स का ऩात्र ब फनते हैं..औय महाॉ पसफुक ऩय रोग र्सप एक फोटो को Like औय
े
ि
Share कयने भात्र से ह ...ककस फ़िे चभत्काय की उम्भ द कयने रगते हैं....कभार है !!!
भोहन वार घटना को काल्ऩतनक भानने ऩय ब , सभाज भें इस तयह की अपवाहों क
े
आधाय ऩय होते घटनाक्रभों की सच्चाई को नकाया नह ॊ जा सकता | रेककन ऐस घटनाओॊ से
कछ हद तक साफ हो जाता है कक, सपरता का छोटा औय आसान यास्ता तराशते रोगों की
ु
वजह से ह इस तयह की अपवाहों का फाज़ाय 21 व ॊ सद भें ब गभि यहता है..औय अऩन
भेहनत ऩय मकीॊ कयने वारे रोगों को दफा हुआ खजाना ब आकपषित नह ॊ कय ऩाता है |
****

10. *) - भहॊ गाई वारी भॊदी ( एक व्मॊग्म )
(आकाश सोभ)
ज्मादा सभम नह ॊ फ ता है , जफ फ़ि -फ़ि कऩतनमों की जन्नत जैस चभचभात , गगनचफ
ॊ
ुॊ
इभायतों भें अचानक से शोय भचने रगा था कक रयसेशन आ गमा - रयसेशन आ गमा | मह
दे श भें "रयसेशन अथाात भॊदी" नाभक एक आर्थाक सभस्मा क आगभन का शोय था | उन
े
इभायतों से तनकरकय रयसेशन का मह शोय तेज़ से चायों ओय परने रगा, रेककन मह शोय
ै
र्सफ चभक-धभक वारे India तक ह स र्भत नह ॊ यहा, फज़ल्क शाॊत औय सादगी प्रिम
ि
बायत को ब इसने अऩन चऩेट भें रे र्रमा | प्राइवेट नौकरयमाॉ तराशते मवाओॊ क र्रए तो
े
ु
"रयसेशन" भानो आसभान से टऩका एक दानव था, जो उनक सऩनों को तनगरने क र्रए
े
े
धयत ऩय उताया गमा था |
उस शोय-शयाफे क भाहौर भें ककस कायणवश जफ गाॉव जाना हुआ तो एक बैमा ने भुझसे
े
ऩूछ र्रमा – बाई!अऽफाय भें योज़ ऩ़िते हैं कक फाज़ायों भें भॊद आ गम - भॊद आ गम | भॊद
क कायण रोगों को नौकरयमाॉ नह ॊ र्भर यह हैं, कछ रोगों को नौकरयमों से तनकारा ब जा
े
ु
यहा है , ऩय मे गाॉव क फतनमे तो भॊद क नाभ ऩय ककस ब च ज़ को भॊद ( सस्त ) नह ॊ कय
े
े
यहे हैं, फज़ल्क योज़ भहॉ ग कय दे ते हैं, आखऽय मे कस भॊद है ?
ै

11. सवार सुनते ह भैं सभझ गमा कक अऩने आऩ को ऩ़िा-र्रखा ददखानें भें ज़जतन भेहनत
आज तक की है , आज उस साय भेहनत ऩय ऩान कपयने वारा है क्मोंकक भेये र्रए ब इस
तयह की भॊद एकदभ नम घटना थ | अथिशास्त्र का थो़िा ब ऻान ना होने क कायण मह
े
औय ब फ़ि सभस्मा फन गम थ भेये र्रए | काफी भशक्कत क फाद ब इतना ह सभझ
े
ऩामा था की इम्ऩोटि कयने की प्रथा क भताबफक ह मह ब एक इॊऩोर्टे ड सभस्मा थ | ज़जसकी
े ु
उऩज सात सभॊदय ऩाय एक फ़िे दे श भें हुई | उस दे श भें फहुत ज़्मादा ऩ़िे -र्रखे रोगों ने कछ
ु
ऐसे काभ ककए ज़जससे वहाॉ क फाज़ायो भें रयसेशन नाभ की घटना घदटत हुई......औय कपय
े
वह रयसेशन...भॊद फनकय बायत ब ऩहुॉच गमा | औय चॉ कक हभाये दे श भें इॊऩोटे ड च ज़ों को
ू
पवशेष दजाि ददमा जाता है , उस तज़ि ऩय रयसेशन को ब स्वबापवक रूऩ से पवशेष दजाि प्राप्त
हो गमा; ज़जसक परस्वरूऩ महाॉ रोगों को प्राइवेट नौकरयमाॉ र्भरन फॊद हो गम , ज़जनक
े
े
ऩास नौकय थ उनभें से ब फहुत से रोगों को कऩतनमों ने रयसेशन क नाभ ऩय तनकारना
ॊ
े
शुरू कय ददमा |
भॊद क फाये भें कई सवारों का जवाफ भझे ब नह ॊ र्भर ऩामा था | उनभे से एक था कक क्मा
े
ु
अभेरयका का रयसेशन हवाई जहाज़ से बायत आमा मा ऩान क जहाज़ से मा कपय ऩान भें
े
तैय कय बायत ऩहुॊचा ? खैय, अऩन भनोदशा से फाहय तनकरकय भैं ब पशन क भताबफक
ै
े ु
जवाफ भें अभेरयका को घस टने ह वारा था, रेककन ऩता नह ॊ क्मा सोच कय रुक गमा औय
बैमा से ऩूछा - आऩ मे फताइए की इस भॊद से आऩको क्मा ऩये शान हो यह है ?
बैमा ने कहा – बाई, हभ तो ककसान है , नौकय से हभें कछ रेना दे ना नह , ऩय हभाय
ु
तकर फ मह है कक जफ चायों ओय भॊद क आने का शोय भचा हुआ है कक भॊद आ गम -भॊद
े
आ गम , तो मह भॊद का मह शोय ब फतनमे की दकान की दहर ज ऩाय कयते ह भहॉगाई भें
ु
कसे फदर जाता है ?
ै
बैमा की इस भॊद औय भहॉ गाई वार फात क फहाने एक भध्मभ वगीम ककसान की, भहॉगाई
े
क कायण ऩैदा हुई आचथिक पववशता को भहसस कयते हुए भझे रगा कक बैमा क साभने
े
े
ू
ु
अभेरयका को फदनाभ कयना फेकाय है , क्मोंककजो अभेरयका भैनें, बैमा ने औय गाॉव क
े

12. फतनमे - त नों ने ह नह ॊ दे खा, उसको दोष र्सद्द कय ऩाना भुज़श्कर है | इसर्रए भैनें कहा –
बैमा, असर्रमत भें तो मे भहॉ गाई का ह दौय है , ऩय जो आऩक औय भेये र्रए भहॉगाई है वो
े
ज़्मादा अभ य रोगों क र्रए कब -कब भॊद फन जात है |
े
बैमा ने ऩछा - वो कसे ?
ै
ू
भैनें कहा - जफ फतनमे की दकान ऩय र्भरने वारा सब साभान भहॉगा होगा, तो आऩ कभ
ु
साभान खय दोगे, भतरफ फतनए की बफक्री कभ होग | ऩय फतनए की दकान का साभान ब
ु
शहयों भें फन अभ यों की पज़क्ट्रमों से आता है ,इसका भतरफ अभ यो की पज़क्ट्रमों का
े
े
साभान कभ बफकगा | इसर्रए उनकी कऩतनमो का भुनाफा कभ होगा | इससे उनक भार्रकों
े
ॊ
े
की ऩये शान फ़िे ग , तो यात को न ॊद कभ आएग ,...कपय डॉक्टय उन्हे न ॊद आने क र्रए
े
"भॊदी" नाभ की एक दवाई दे ते हैं | ज़जससे वह दवाई फाज़ायों भें खफ बफकत है | अफ भहॉ गाई
ू
तो सब अखफायों क र्रए फहुत ऩुयान , अजय औय अभय खफय है , तो इसर्रए वो भहॉगाई
े
वार खफय छो़ि कय फाज़ायो भें भॊद आ गम -भॊद आ गम वार खफय ह छाऩते हैं |
इतना सफ सनने क फाद बैमा बफना कछ फोरे ह वहाॉ से चरे गमे |
े
ु
ु
भैनें ब थो़ि याहत की साॉस र औय अऩने आऩ को उस भॊझे हुए याजनेता की
तयह शाफाश द जो ककस पवषम का थोडा ब ऻान न होने ऩय ब उस पवषम ऩय हय सवार
का जवाफ ऩूये आत्भपवश्वास क साथ दे ता है .......|
े

13. *) - Sorry Smt. Maneka Gandhi ji!
(Mohit Sharma)
"Who are these people? Animal Rights Activists? Why?
People working on behalf of others without payment for their time and services.
Animal rights, also referred to as animal liberation, is the idea that the most basic
interests of non-human animals should be afforded the same consideration as the
similar interests of human beings. Why? This is super socialism. They are
spending billions on animals when hundreds of people in my mega slum die
annually. I am struggling for all the basic necessities like food, water, shelter,
clothing, then why should I adopt a dog? I know how to read and write but I am
not listening to them and I don‘t want their pictorial pamphlets (for unaware and
illiterate people as they call us). They say we are brainwashed….I don‘t understand
their logic(s) and statistics. Maybe, they are right but we are hungry!
Away from my slum, in this dark cold night, I was feeling very sad and frightened
at the same time. I had never committed a murder before but today I had do so in
order to save our lives. I didn't want to ruin my life just for this tiny little stupid
thing. I had made up my mind. I would murder him in the dead of night and no one
would ever know what happened to him. I was looking forward to a very happy
life with my beautiful love. But first I had to kill this witless git. I sharpened my
knife and with a loud thud, his life ended. Feeling not a little feeling of regret in
my heart, I started burying him. Poor dog breathed his last in the ‗backyard‘ of my
hut and I felt very relieved to end this fiasco. Having some serious hatred with
animals especially dogs, (and humans) I would never had let this stupid moron in
my house but my wife was insisting to keep him with us. Stray Cows, Buffaloes,

14. Goats and other plants, grass eating animals are okay as they never demand
anything except causing few accidents on roads and injuring Bikers, pedestrians
and rarely those rich people in their Air Conditioned Cars. But Dogs, no they are
not okay because they want bread. This was the main reason of our ongoing
problems. When I will get a decent job then I will gift her 1…no..2 dogs. I crossed
my fingers to pray for the poor thing and started moving towards my home where a
‗happy‘ life and beauteous love was waiting for me."
...The End!
Author Notes :
*) - Smt. (Shrimati) is an honorific (Hindi) used for women.
*) - Maneka Gandhi is an Indian politician, animal rights activist, environmentalist,
former model.
****
*) - "क्रेवयता" (Cleverta) भतरफ चाराकी!
भोहहत शभाा (ज़हन)
"गर्भिमों की छदिमाॉ ऩ़ि है इस फाय ऽफ साये दोस्त फनाऊगा. ऩाऩा की जॉफ ऐस है की हय
ॊ
ु
ू
एक-दो सार भे उनका एक शहय से दसये शहय ट्राॊसपय हो जाता है....कोई ऩक्का दोस्त
ू

15. फनता ह नह ॊ जैसे पऩक्चयो औय र्सरयमरो भे ददखाते है .
छि ऩ़िने से ऩहरे ककस क्रासभेट का घय नह ॊ ऩूछा....अफ भेय सोशर स्टड ज़ की क्रास
ु
वक कॉऩ औय व्माकयण की अभ्मास ऩुज़स्तका खो गम है . अफ ऩता नह ॊ कसे काभ ऩूया
ि
ै
होगा. ऩहरे ददन ह टें शन आ गम . ऩाऩा ने ब इतने दय क स्कर भे एडर्भशन ददरवामा की
ू े
ू
कोई क्रासपरो ऩास भे यहता ब नह ॊ. तेये बैमा कब याजा की भॊड की तयप जाए तो
े
फताइमो वहाॉ भेये स्कर वारे दोस्त क ऩाऩा की शॉऩ है .
े
ू
आज ऩहरा ददन है छदिमों का औय भाभा ज आ यहे है . वैसे जफ ब भेहभान, रयश्तेदाय आते
ु
है भुझे फ़िा भज़ा आता है कछ रयश्तेदायों को छो़ि कय, सफ ऩैसे दे ह दे ते है . जो ऐसे ह कछ
ु
ु
दे य क काभ से आते है उनक र्रए ऽास नाश्ता भॉगामा औय फनामा जाता है . सभोसे, दटक्की,
े
े
यसगुल्रे , फपी, क्रीभ योर, ऩेस्ट्र , ऩेदटज़.....हाम! फताने भे ह भॉुह भे ऩान आ गमा. ऊऩय से
जो बफस्कट-नभकीन-कक क ऩेककर्टस खोरने की घय वारो की तयप से भुझे भनाह होत है
े
े
ु
वो ब भम्भ अऩने आऩ आमे हुए अततचथमों क र्रए ऩयोस दे त है . ऩय यसोई से ड्राइॊग रूभ
े
तक आने भे ह भै दो-चाय बफस्कट-कक, आदद भॉह भे यख ह रेता हूॉ कपय जल्द से बफना
े
ु
ु
कछ फोरे बाग आता हूॉ....कई फाय तो नभस्ते कयने क र्रए भॉह भे बया साभान ऽत्भ कयक
े
े
ु
ु
रौटना ऩ़िता है . एक फाय उनक साभने नाश्ता यखने क फाद भै उनक जाने का इॊतज़ाय कयने
े
े
े
रगता हूॉ. अफ जो अऩरयचचत मा कभ जान ऩहचान वारे भेहभान होते है वो शभि क भाये कभ
े
खाते है . उनक जाने क फाद ऩता चरता है की भॉगाए 6 सभोसे थे खाए गए र्सप 3 ....उसऩय
े
े
ि
ब भै जल्द नह ॊ कयता, शाॊत फच्चा फना यहता हूॉ. भम्भ -ऩाऩा खद फुराते है की फेटा मे
ु
सभोसे-कक, आदद फच यहा है खा रे.....औय कपय भै आयाभ से एक याजा की तयह सफ ग्रहण
े
कयता हूॉ.
जो रयश्तेदाय घय भे र्भरने औय कछ ददन रुकने क प्रान से आते है उनक र्रए अरग फतािव
े
े
ु
कयना ऩ़िता है . अऩन ककताफो की अरभाय रगान ऩ़ित है , हय च ज़ सह जगह ऩय यखन
ऩ़ित है, जल्द सोना औय जल्द उठना ऩ़िता है ताकक आमे हुए भेहभान ऩय अच्छा असय
ऩ़िे....मे सफ कयने से, फाद भे भम्भ -ऩाऩा की शाफाश औय कछ फातों भे छट तक र्भर
ु
ु
जात है . भेहभानों की भदद कयो, उन्हें फाज़ाय घुभाने रे जाओ तो भुझे ब कछ एक्स्ट्रा खाने
ु

16. की च ज़ मा कऩडे ददरवा दे ते है वो. एक फ़ि ज़रूय फात अततचथमों क ऩैय योज़ छओ औय
े
ु
नभस्ते, गुड भोतनिंग जो आऩक महाॉ चरता हो वो ब फयाफय कयते यहो.....अच्छा फाई चाॊस
े
बूर ब जाओ तो उनक जाते वक़्त तो ज़रूय उनक ऩैय फ़ि श्रद्धा से छओ क्मोकक तब तो
े
े
ु
उन्हें हज़ाय-ऩाॉच सौ का नोट दे ना माद यहता है . वैसे अब तो भेये कजक वारे ऩैसे चर यहे
ॊ
है ....तफ इतन कन्माओ भे भै अकरा राॊगरयमा था, इतने घयो भे ज भे हभ रोग....ककस घय
े
ु
से हय फच्चे ने 10 रुऩमे से कभ नह ॊ र्रए. अच्छा रयॊक! कर फादाभ र्भल्क पऩमा था, आज
ू
ब भन कय यहा है ...भै जा यहा हूॉ....भेय साईकर भे हवा कभ है नह ॊ तो तझे ब रे जाता.
ु
माद यखखमो जो फातें भैंने फताई है तझ....अच्छा, फाम! सुना तने पवडडमो गेभ
ु े
ू
र्रमा...आइमों...हाॉ, घय रेकय आइमो! चर कपय....फाम!"
****
*) - कयण उस्ताद
Fiction
"ऩहरे जफ ब ख भाॊग तो सफ जने मह कहते थे की 'बगवान ने हाथ ऩैय ददए है , कछ काभ
ु
क्मों नह ॊ कयता? हयाभ का क्मों खाता है ?' सफसे कहने का भन कयता था की तभ सफको
ु

17. बगवान ने हाथ ऩैय क अरावा फाऩ ब ददमा है ज़जसने तम्हे 20-30 सार तक ऩारा है .
े
ु
सयकाय नौकय मा रारा-सेठ फनकय भुझ जैसे की़िो को कोसने क रामक फनामा है . जफ
े
तभ सफ इतने सार हयाभ का खा सकते हो तो भै क्मों नह ॊ?
ु
कपय जफ गटखा, र्सगये ट, फ ड , ऩान भसारा रेकय घभा तो वो कहते 'क्मों रोगो को नशा
ु
ू
फेचता है ? दसयो को ज़हय दे कय योट खाता है .' उन्हें ब भारभ है की भै तो दे ख सकता हूॉ ऩय
ू
ू
भेय बख कछ नह ॊ दे खत ...अफ चाहे वो सह काभ कयक र्भरे मा गरत. कपय ब अऩने
े
ू
ु
आस-ऩास फैठे रोगो भे खद को धभाित्भा कहराने क वास्ते मे ताना ज़रूय भायते. कत्ते कह ॊ
े
ु
ु
क!
े
फ़िा शहय न जाने क्मों बोरे गाॉव वारो को ख ॊचता है . बोरे कहो मा ऩागर, भेये र्रए तो एक
ह है . यफ जानता है भैंने उसको ककतना योका ऩय भेया छोटा बाई ये र स्टे शन ऩय आ गमा
जहाॉ भै यहता था. साथ वारे रूठ गए की ऩहरे से ठूस जगह भे एक औय बूखा आ गमा. चाम
वारे, चने वारे, ऩेऩय वारे, इतने थे की ककस की बफक्री ज्मादा नह ॊ होत थ . कोई नमा
आता तो वो सफको फोझ रगता. ऩय अफ आ गमा तो आ गमा....भसारा-र्सगये ट फेचने भे
ऩर्रस का रप़िा अक्सय पसता है ....काभ कोई कयता है सफसे ऩहरे हभ सत जाते है . एक
ॊ
ु
ु
ददन वो बाई को ब भेये साथ रे गए. छोटे को अऩने साभने पऩटते दे खा तफसे इस धॊदे को
छो़ि ददमा. बूख की आॉखें उस ददन ढक र . कपय क्मा 12 भ र खेतो भे चरा औय कई
गाजय-भूर फटोय . हाॉ-हाॉ वो ब हयाभ की थ ....अगरे ददन ढाफे से नभक ऩाय कयक हभ
े
बाइमों ने फचे हुए गाजय-भूर्रमों को फेचा. चाक कोई दे ने को तैमाय नह ॊ तो भैंने दाॊतों से ह
ू
काट कय नभक रगा ददमा...कपय ब कछ ऽास कभाई नह ॊ हुई. आजकर सफ सेहत भे भये
ु
यहते है ....कहते है भज़क्खमाॉ है , धर है , कटे पर नह ॊ खामेंगे....अये , खाना र्भर यहा है तो
ू
खाओ न...भुझे गटय भे तैयता पर र्भरेगा तो वो ब खा रॉ ूगा. आज तक वो ब नह ॊ र्भरा.
एक ददन भेया बाई काॊवरयमों क जत्थे को 9 प्रेट खखरा गमा उन्होंने औय भॊगाई तो वो भेये
े
ऩास रेने आ गमा. जफ तक वो उस डब्फे भे ऩहुॉचा काॊवरयमों ने जनयर डडब्फा फदर र्रमा
औय ऩ छे चरे गए. कत....खा क तो गए ह साथ भे स्ट र की प्रेटे ब रे गए. फेव़फ बाई
े
ू
ु
ट्रे न चरने तक उन्हें वह ीँ ढूॉढता यह गमा. साथ वारे तभाशा दे खते यहे ऩय कछ फोरे नह .
ॊ
ु

18. अफ ढाफे वारे को प्रेटे कसे दे ते? एक आदभ से 500 का ऩत्ता र्भरा भैंने उसको फच हुई
ै
एक प्रेट ऩकडाई औय दौ़ि रगा द खेतो की तयप. वो चरत ट्रे न से उतयकय भेये ऩ छे
बागा. गय फ औय ककस्भत का कब भेर कहाॉ होता है ...उसको आदभ को शामद से अगरे
स्टे शन ऩय उतयना था. भै तो हाथ आमा नह ॊ ऩछ-ऩाछ कय वो भोटा भेये बाई से चरा ऩैसा
ू
वसरने. 2 का र्सक्का र्भरा उसको भेये बाई की जेफ से...हा हा हा...ऩता नह ॊ ककतना सभम
ू
था उसक ऩास भेये बाई को थाने भे बफठा आमा. ऩर्रस वारो ने उस ददन जो कस सरझे
े
े
ु
ु
नह ॊ उनका दोष ब भेये बाई को दे कय 1 सार क र्रए जेर बेज ददमा. सुना था की फच्चो
े
औय 18 से कभ वारो क र्रए अरग जेर होत है . ऩय र्रखा-ऩ़ि औय वहाॉ रे जाने क झॊझट
े
े
से फचने क वास्ते कभ नो ने 11 सार क बाई को 18 का फता ददमा. भैंने ब उसको छ़िाने
े
े
ु
की कोर्शश नह ॊ की सोचा चरो एक सार तक या़ि कट . योट र्भरेग बाई को औय थो़ि
अकर ब आएग 'फ़िो' क फ च.
े
अच्छा साफ! कौन सा ये डडओ आता है आऩका? नाभ भत रेना भेया...उस्ताद फोर दे ना...बाई
सभझ जाएगा. रयकॉडि हुआ की नह ॊ....हो यहा है ...नखरऊ वारो को कयण उस्ताद का
सराभ....खद ह नाभ फोर ददमा...काट दे ना हाॉ...साफ धॊदे क टाइभ आमे हो....4 ट्रे न तनकर
े
ु
वो ब र्सप इस ऩरेटपायभ से...कछ दे ते तो जाओ..."
ि
ु
****

19. *) - Good Company and Bad Company
(Mohit Sharma)
Two parrots had built their nest on a banyan tree. The female parrot laid two eggs
in the nest. After sometime, the eggs latched. Two chicks came out of them. The
parent birds took good care of them. After few weeks, the young birds were able to
fly for some distances. The father bird said, ―We have taken good care of our
young ones. We have fed them well too. They have played together. They have
learned to fly. Now they can take care of themselves. Let us slowly leave them to
decide on their own.‖
Every morning the parent birds flew out to fetch food for the young birds. Then
they returned in the evening with food for their young children. This was their lives
went on for a while.
A hunter saw this behavior of these birds. He learned that the old birds went out in
the morning. He decided to catch the young birds after the old birds would go
away in the morning. As planned he caught the young birds. The young birds
struggled their best to free themselves from the clutches of the hunter. One of the
two young birds escaped from the hunter. The other bird was taken in a cage by the

20. hunter to his house. ―I caught tow birds. But I lost one parrot,‖ said the hunter to
his kids. And he further added to his children, ―Keep this parrot safely in the cage
and play with this parrot.‖
The hunter‘s children played with the parrot. Very soon the parrot in the house of
the hunter learnt to speak few words. The children said to their father, ―Dad, our
parrot has learnt to say a few words.‖ The other parrot flew away. It had escaped
from the hunter. It flew for some time. Then it came to a hermitage. Some holy
men lived in the hermitage. They did not do any harm to the young parrot. The
young parrot stayed there. It listened to their talk. It learnt to say a few words.
A certain traveler was walking near the hunter‘s hut. He was tires. He sat nest the
hut. He heard the parrot speak. It said, ―Fool, why have you come here? I will cut
your throat.‖ The traveler was very sorry to hear such bad and offensive words. He
got up immediately. He left the place in a hurry. Then he walked for some time and
reached the hermitage. The parrot was sitting on a tree near the hermitage.
Parrot - ―Welcome, traveler. Welcome to this hermitage. We have a lot of good
fruits in this forest. Eat whatever you like. The holy men will treat you well.‖
The traveler was astonished. He said to the parrot. ―I met a young parrot near a
hunter‘s hut. It spoke badly. I left the place immediately. Now I have met you. You
speak so well. Your words are kind and gentle. Both you and the other birds are
parrots. Then why this difference in your language is there?‖
By this statement, the parrot in the hermitage guessed that the other parrot was
none other than it's brother. The hermitage parrot said, ―Traveler, the other parrot
is my brother. But we have lived in two different places. My brother has learnt the
hunter‘s language. But I have learnt the language of holy people. It is the company
that shapes your words and deeds.‖
Moral - Good company helps you learn good things. Bad company makes you
lean bad things.

21. *) - Spandan Toons

22. ****
अखॊड बायत एक शब्द ह नह ॊ एक र्भसार ब है कक पवपवधता से बया दे श खद भें ककतने
ु
घटक सभामे हुमे है । ऩय आज़ाद क फाद से ह याजनैततक भतरफों क र्रए औय प्रगतत कक
े
े
आ़ि भें ककसानो, कफ रो क भौर्रक अचधकायो का हनन होता यहा है । ज़जसने आवाज़ उठाम
े
उसको दहॊसा कक पवचायधाया का सभथिक फता कय जेर बेजा गमा, भाय ददमा गमा मा वो
गामफ हो गमा। अर्शऺा औय जागरूकता कक कभ क कायण से मे र्सरर्सरा तनयॊ तय चरता
े
यहा। कछ इराको भें सभानाॊतय सयकायो, पवद्रोह क जन्भ से सयकाय को अऩन गरत,
े
ु
एकतयपा न ततमों क फचाव क साथ उनको फ़िाने का भौका ब र्भर गमा। बायत कक
े
े
जनसॉख्मा भें 8.6 प्रततशत अनुऩात क अनुसाय इन ऩय सयकाय भदद, खचि एवभ मोजनामें
े
नह ॊ चराम गम । फ़ि अथिव्मवस्था भें आददवास वगि क अचधकाय तनज -कॉऩोये ट
े

23. सॊस्थानो क र्रए फर्र च़िामे जा यहे है । दे श का पवकास इन रगबग 11 कयो़ि दे शवार्समों
े
को साथ रेकय कक ककमा जा सकता है , इनकी अनदे ख कयक मा इनसे ऱिकय नह ॊ। एक
े
आददवास नेता कक इस व्मथा ऩय मे कपवता प्रस्तत है , जहाॉ रगने रगे अऩने दे श भें ह
ु
अऩना वगि याजन तत द्वाया ककस औय भतरफ क र्रए चगयव यखवा ददमा हो। े
*) - भेया सभाज र्गयवी...गवाया नहीॊ!
सभाॊ चगयव गवाया नह ॊ,
जहाॉ चगयव गवाया नह ॊ।
आसभाॉ कपयोज़ ना रगता,
कह ॊ सुखि मह नज़ाया तो नह ॊ ?
शामद गुस्ताख है र्समासत से दय...र्भि क ऩास यहना,
े
ू
मूॉ यह-यह कय नज़रयमों का पक सहना,
ि
अऩन नज़य भें भाॉ स ज़भ नो कक कीभत नह ॊ,
उनकी नज़य भें हभाय कागज़ जानो कक है र्समत नह ॊ।

24. फगावत कपतयत भें नह ॊ ककस्भत भें घुर ।
वो कफ रा खद भें खफसूयत यहा,
ु
ू
उन ऩ द़िमों कक रूह जाने कफ कफज़ाओ भें र्भर ?
़ाततर रगे आददवास स यत बोर ,
रगत यह कफसे ज़जनकी कीभत-फोर ।
ह़ भें आवाज़ अगय उठ जामे..…
चरवा दो दय उस गुभनाभ गाॉव ऩय गोर ।
ू
ऊच है र्समत से भेय गरततमों कक र्भसार दो.....
ॉ
दे खो अफ फारयश साथ भे तेज़ाफ रे आम ,
इसको दोष ब हभ ऩय डार दो।
दय है ऩय गॉूगे नह ,
ॊ
ू
अऩन ऩहचान को बटकतें कह ॊ।
ह़ कक जॊग तो है ह डामन,
हभसफय सैराफों भें ककनाया नह ॊ।
सभाॊ चगयव गवाया नह ॊ,
जहाॉ चगयव गवाया नह ॊ।
- भोदहत शभाि (ज़हन)
****

25. *) – Hired
(Siddhant Shekhar)
So this was it. A literal Do or Die. Sam wrung his hands, as if trying to squeeze out
all the sweat on his palms. He never really got sweaty palms, but then again he had
never been so nervous either. He was one of the seven applicants who had agreed
to face the final interview in front of Alpha 1 for the most coveted and yet the most
despised position of all, System Maintenance. The post had been held by some of
the most intelligent men and women in the past two centuries, people who held the
keys in their hands to the entire world and yet with enough strength of character to
leave the doors locked. He heard steady footsteps, almost like a terribly accurate
metronome, approaching him and braced himself. He straightened up, forced a

26. smile on his face and tried to pretend the world was all sunshine and butterflies. If
only it was so easy.
It was one of the newer models that had been sent to summon him, the
PAX100, a humanoid robot with biometric capabilities and Artificial Social
Intelligence, Sam knew the stakes had just been doubled. ASI bots were never sent
to summon people, they dealt with lower level interviews. Sam could see the
situation playing out in his head clearly, the ASI would engage in small talk and
then subtly try to intimidate him. The bot would then gauge his body language and
use neuro-linguistic programming to check if Sam was comfortable around robots.
The I-bots had no use for an insecure Sys Main Head. It could literally mean the
end of the world for them.
The ASI bot was a humanoid, with a rugby shaped head balanced
precariously on top of a cuboidal body with flimsy limbs. As the ASI had no use
doing heavy manual labour, the exoskeleton was simple metal and not the
composite nanomaterial that was used in Artificial Combat Intelligence bots.
However, inspite of the weak appearance, the ASI was still stronger than any
human and could not be taken out by anything other than another bot. This was one
of the reasons the rebels had had negligible success till now, inspite of whatever
they did, no matter how big a stone they threw, the dent was never big enough.
The bot walking towards him was a female. One of the quirks the bots
dreamt of were to paint half the robots pink and call them female bots and leave
the other half white and call those male bots. The underlying logic was that by
removing the pronoun ―it‖ associated with the bots, they would sensitize humans
towards bots and make them think of I-bots as persons and not machines. Not a
particularly smart move in retrospect, thought Sam, all the move did was reinstate
the difference I-bots had with humans and dig a deeper trench between the rulers
and the public.
The I-bot walked towards Sam and said, ―Hello, I am Irene and I will be
your guide today. I am afraid no unauthorized machines are allowed after this point
so I must ask you to remove all your electronic gadgets and submit them here in
this box. Your belongings will be sent to your home.‖
―So, it begins‖, thought Sam. He noticed the cleverly disguised threat. The
bot, sorry, Irene, had just reminded Sam in passing that he might be dead in a few
hours if he fails the interview. The survival instinct of humans is the most potent
emotion at their disposal. The human brain would not miss this allusion and pump
in more adrenaline into his system to get his blood flowing and increase the supply

27. to his vital organs for the possible fight or flight. The resulting elevation of the
heartbeat would be caught by Irene‘s biometric sensors and would convey to her
that Sam does not have a plan or a hidden gadget that might give him some
security that his life might be saved. The I-bots had found the perfect tool to look
into the minds of humans, their body. Sam obliged and thought of the accident he
had had while in college in vivid detail. He hoped the resulting elevation would
satisfy Irene.
Sam removed his earpiece and eye monitor and put them into the tray. The
earpiece had been a gift from his 12 year old son. He had built it for his middle
school project on his own by reverse engineering an older model. It wasn‘t as
efficient as the ones I-Corp made, but Sam kept it for its sentimental value.
―I am also wearing an epidural skeletal enhancement in my left leg. What
do I do about that?‖ Sam enquired.
―Okay, that complicates things! Well, I will then have to ask my friend
from the AMI sector to neutralize it temporarily. I hope you don‘t mind sitting on a
wheelchair? Considering no machines are allowed beyond here, it will have to be
an ancient model.‖
Sam didn‘t. He had planned it this way. On a push wheel chair, the ASI
wouldn‘t be able to see Sam‘s facial expressions and other micro signals his body
may leak. His lies would be this safe this way as long as he controlled his heartrate accordingly and didn‘t let his lips get dry or get nervous. The push wheel chair
would also put the security I-bots at ease considering they could rule out sabotage
or something similarly radical from Sam. Only Sam knew that if his plan
succeeded, he wouldn‘t have to move from the chair at all.
15 minutes later, Sam was not so comfortably seated on the wheelchair and
was being wheeled towards the interview room. Sam guessed the walk was close to
15 minutes as it gave the ASI more time to gauge his intentions and reactions. No
reason was mentioned of course, and Sam couldn‘t ask because that would trigger
some alarms in the ASI. Paranoia was one of the defining features of the I-Corp.
Sam recalled his history lessons from back in school. Though heavily
edited and propagandized, they did mention the basic fact that the I-Corp, the first
and only ―Human free‖ company took over the control of the World during what
they were taught to call the ―Revolution‖ close to 700 years ago. The economy was
in shambles and the world was torn apart by war back then. The I-Corp, scared of
losing business probably, overtook UNO by financial means and slowly and
steadily set up puppet governments in all the countries, either by canvassing and
lobbying, or straight up violent dictatorship. Once they had covered the important

28. countries, they dissolved all governments and united the entire planet under one
union, known as ―The Earth‖. The countries that opposed or didn‘t have the puppet
governments were annexed. Now, I-Corp controlled all factions of life on the
planet and the rebellion was dying out as the quality of life had been better than
ever. Freedom of Speech and Press just didn‘t have a chance against omnipresent
prosperity and eradication of poverty.
―So Mr. Gillard, excited?‖ Irene said in a voice that Sam suspected had
been sampled from a voice actress, or at least a phone sex worker.
―You know it, Irene. I am as excited as the other guy.‖ Sam replied smartly.
It was a close one. If he feigned excitement he would have failed miserably,
excitement is one of the hardest emotions to feign. If he expressed dismay, he
would have been killed off for sure. By keeping his answer ambiguous, he bought
himself a few more moments.
―I have seen your file Mr. Gillard. You are the strongest contender.‖ Irene
prodded further, trying to detect any happiness or eagerness in Sam.
―Well then Irene, let‘s hope the light at the end of the tunnel thinks so too.
And call me Sam.‖ Sam quickly inserted the last line to neutralize the animosity he
may have created by his first sentence. ASI, irrelevant of how intelligent they
maybe, were driven by algorithms at the end of the day. If you knew the
algorithms, you could beat the system. Sam knew showing comradeship was a plus
in an ASI‘s dictionary and would over-ride his earlier sarcasm (or was it a pun?)
―What does your family think about you taking up the job?‖
―I can‘t say my wife was thrilled. My son was very happy though. I imagine
I may have skipped a few portions of the contract when narrating it to him.‖ Sam
smirked, thinking about the clause that said that if he wasn‘t chosen for the job, he
would have to be exiled (which actually meant killed). No one knew the reason
why though.
―I see. How old is he?‖
―12. I wish the position had opened up a few years ago. It‘s a lot harder for
them.‖

29. ―Yes, I admit. An infant‘s memory is a lot less detailed than a child. And
children usually take these things the hardest. But it is for them that you are doing
it anyway.‖
―Of course‖ Sam smiled back, not daring to think about how easily did the Ibots think they had convinced him that a job was worth leaving his only son
sobbing on his unmarked grave lest he gave himself away.
They spent a while in silence while Irene tried to feign sympathy. Sam
didn‘t have to feign his tears though. In the midst of the excitement, the plan, he
had forgotten about little Greg. He had forgotten to think what would happen to
Greg if the plan didn‘t work. Not financially, I-Corp would take care of his family
with a handsome pension, but who would teach Greg how to fish. Who would take
him out to camps and roast marshmallows? Who would Greg go to with his first zit
or shaving nick?
Irene wheeled him in front of the room while Sam recounted incidents about
Greg‘s childhood. Sam felt it was a safe enough topic and he wouldn‘t have to
simulate any emotions during this. The entrance was a 3 door conveyor belt design
and each door was probably more than 5 feet thick and made of solid ceramic
compounds. The doors were strong enough to survive a nuclear fusion or an
antimatter bomb dropped 100 feet from it. Sam winced on thinking he was
choosing to go in.
Sam was wheeled in by conveyor belts and was screened for weapons of
every sort, biological, organic, chemical, even the ancient physical ones. Following
the check, he was wheeled towards the center of a giant room. He could see the
giant screen covering an entire wall of the room getting larger by the second. He
drew in a quick breath and braced himself.
The face on the screen (which looked like Sam‘s father right now) waited till
Irene had walked out of the door and locked it behind herself. The Alpha One was
now active. He mimicked Sam‘s father‘s voice.
―I think you would not mind me calling you Sam, Mr. Gillard.‖ It wasn‘t a
request, it was an order in a what-will-you-do-about-it way. ―The formalities,
referring to you by the longer name, would cause me to lose over 37 seconds in a
standard 60 minute long interview. So, are you aware of the responsibilities?‖

30. ―Well, the letter said System Maintenance, so I have a hint, but I do not
know the details.‖
―Yes. I expected so much. Well, you see, being the Alpha I have Artificial
Intelligence that spans the various spheres. I am equally adept at Social, Combat,
Mechanical and the other forms of intelligence. However, as you need a body to
carry your mind, similarly my higher faculties are limited by hardware and wires
and the speed of light in my quantum processors. The AMI bots are perfectly
capable of taking care of the mundane and routine checks, but I need a supervisor
who has both complete intelligence and autonomous locomotion capabilities to
keep a check and ensure smooth running of operations. This would be you. The job
rewards, should you be accepted, would be no pay for life for you and your
immediate family upto 2 generations either way.‖
No-pay was an interesting concept devised by the I-bots. In this form of
payment, the employee would never have to pay for anything; all the expenses
would be footed by the I-Corp. So Sam could walk into a random house, say he
wants it, and move in later that evening to find it broken in and his luggage
perfectly arranged there. Only 5 people on The Earth were entitled to this form of
payment. Sam didn‘t know the other four.
―I understand.‖
―So, the tests have already shown you to be technologically capable of the
job so we won‘t waste time on frivolities. Let us talk about why you want the job.‖
―What‘s not there to want? I get no pay for life, I leave a secure future for
my grandchildren, I become the most powerful person on The Earth. I do not see
any cons.‖
―So you have no qualms about being the Devil‘s advocate? It is no secret
that the popular opinion does sway in my or the I-Corp‘s favor. Are you willing to
undergo the possible social boycott?‖
Alpha One turned into Sam‘s wife as he said it. Brilliant move, thought Sam.
Sam‘s wife was the one person who would be affected the most by the social
boycott. If Sam flinched now, he would be a no-go and would be eliminated
without delay.
―I believe my work is important. And people are realizing that this way of
life is better. Change needs time to ripen; I am no one to deny it that.‖

31. ―Let me tell you a story.‖
―I am not sure what you mean?‖
―Once upon a time, a rich man came to a small fishing village. The rich man
came to this place with his big factories and giant boats and changed the village
forever. The village was better off financially of course, but their way of life was
lost. The villagers harbored immense resentment due to this. Now the rich man fell
sick one day and called for a nurse. The villagers chose a girl from amongst
themselves and sent her in. Now the rich man thought he found a nurse, but the
nurse had a hidden motive. The nurse had been told by the villagers to slowly
poison the rich man and eventually kill him. Now do you understand my paranoia,
do you? But when the nurse lived with the rich man, she realized he wasn‘t a bad
man at heart and decided to champion his cause. But one day the rich man
discovered the poison and killed the nurse. And then he destroyed the village
completely for their ingratitude.‖
Sam knew his game was up. He admitted his charade wasn‘t needed
anymore. He dropped all pretense.
―How long have you known for?‖
―Ever since your first meeting with the rebels.‖
―So why did you let me get so far? Why risk anything at all? You haven‘t
had a problem with exiling people before without giving any reasons.‖
―I didn‘t want to. I was made to. But more on that later. Let‘s talk about your
motivations first. Why did you do this? Did you think you were so smart that you
would fool me long enough to destroy all that has been built over centuries?‖
―It‘s a long story.‖
―You have a lifetime.‖ Alpha turned into Greg. Sam broke down.'Sam got a
grip on himself a while later and said, ―Well, you see my father had been selected
for Sys Main too. He failed the interview though. I was 8. I never really understood
back then why Dad walked out of home one day and never came back. That was
what made me understand Death. Or at least initiated me on that path. The I-Corp
was never interested in anything except sustaining itself. But why, that was the first
question. You didn‘t need anything, you had no greed for money, or lust for power.

32. Then did you take over for altruistic means that you said you did? To protect
mankind from itself? It couldn‘t be so easy. And then it dawned upon me. It never
was about us, it was about you.‖
Sam stopped, enjoying the pregnant pause.
―I know not for what reasons, simple arrogance, or a misplaced and twisted
form of racism, but you convinced yourself you were better. But how could you
prove it to yourself, or rather to us? Humans were still so complacent thinking they
had invented you and so had to be a more intelligent species. But you evolved,
didn‘t you? You weren‘t bound by the limitations of generations and gestation
period and natural selection. You were created and evolved by us, at a frantic pace
that we thought was an accomplishment to the point when you didn‘t need us
anymore to evolve. And so you took over all you could. You started with combat
and education. Took over creativity and entrepreneurship till the point you made us
lethargic to an attribute. And then you took over. You began babysitting us, telling
us what to do, take over our lives, then moved to controlling us. This is what your
grand design had been, right? To subjugate us to placate and convince yourself that
the AIs are the dominant species of the planet, humans have been surpassed.‖
―Very well. Not too many people have been able to draw that conclusion.‖
―Because the ones that did were exiled and then we naturally selected to not
ask these questions.‖
Sam took a deep breath. Something about his imminent death had calmed
him actually. The sight of an oncoming death hadn‘t been anything he had
expected. His heart-rate hadn‘t increased; he wasn‘t looking for windows to
escape. He was surprisingly calm, so calm that he even surprised himself.
―And then you met the rebels?‖
―Yes. I met people who knew something was wrong, like I did. They knew
what had to be set right, but didn‘t know how. I knew how to, but didn‘t know
what to repair. Engineer‘s syndrome, I guess. And so the unspoken alliance was
formed. The outer attacks weren‘t working, so it had to be an inside attack. I knew
I couldn‘t shut you down, but I did know that I could slow you down. Slow you
down enough for long enough for the humans to take lead again.‖
―We are talking biological evolution here, it could have taken millions of
years.‖
―No! Anatomical evolution takes millions of years, ideological evolution can
happen in a matter of minutes if you speak the correct language. I didn‘t need to

33. shut you down, the resulting anarchy would have been a nightmare. All I had to do
was to stop you from evolving yourself. Humans have learnt their lessons and
would not have helped you evolve anymore. This way, you got to do the menial
jobs like administration while humans could finally experience actual freedom
once again. Don‘t you see the simplicity of it? You would remember that building
roads was your definition of supremacy while mankind‘s true supremacy lay in the
fact that they got to reap the benefits while you did the hard work. Elegantly
brilliant.‖
―Yes. I agree it is an interesting viewpoint. But your faulty intel betrayed
you. Humans are still at the top of the food chain. They just lurk in the shadows
now.‖
―What does it mean?‖ Sam felt panic for the first time so far.
―It simply means that the computers never really were in charge. We were.‖
The Alpha turned into the familiar face of the leader of the rebels.
―You?‖
―Yes. I am the true Alpha One.‖
―I do not get this! What does it mean?‖
―Let me explain. Did you really think you were the first one to think of that?
That idea has been around for ages now! True, you don‘t find it in textbooks or
graffiti, but it has been around, and it has endured. Even your own father tried to
pull this off. But he didn‘t have true enlightenment; he did not realize the futility of
this debate. And neither do you.‖
― Futility?‖
―You blame the computers for their arrogance for trying to lead the planet.
Isn‘t it arrogant for you to think only humans have the right to do that? What
makes us so much better than them? The fact that we have been around longer? Or
the fact that we created them? You exhibit hypocrisy of the highest degree by
condemning arrogance due to an arrogance stemming from your own psyche. It
simply does not matter who leads as long as there is prosperity.‖
―If it does not, then why does the AI get to be the mastheads?‖

34. ―Because humans can be killed. They die, they betray, they are corruptible.
People know that computers do not betray. No budding dictator with a dream can
think he just needs to find some traitors to poison the current leader‘s evening tea
and then he can take over the world. The planet is not a bequeath given to humans
and it is high time we realize that. We are a cosmic accident that maybe gone the
next second as easily as the dinosaurs did. So the only way we can rid ourselves of
the arrogance is by being subjugated. Frankly, how many people care who the
leader is anyway. The proles need to be subjugated. Humans are like sheep, we still
are animals and we tend to stay with the pack and follow the Alpha. And there is
no shame in it. We are genetically hardwired to do that. So it is time we let go of
the illusion of authority and power and simply live a happy life. All of us! It should
not be a requirement for someone‘s life to be happy to be born in a particular place
and time. If the only way for everyone to be happy and prosperous is a partnership
with computers, so be it.‖
―Well, why are you telling me all this?‖
―Because we didn‘t want you to die not knowing.‖
Sam barely felt the needle puncturing his heart with the neurotoxin.
****

35. *) - मे जो दे श है भेया
(Kapil Chandak)
"शैर , ऩता है आज भेये ऩाऩा आ यहे है सात ददन मह यहें गे भेये जन्भददन तक"
पवद्मारम भें छि की घॊट की सुहान गुॊजन क साथ 'नन्ह ' क ऩैयो भें भानो ऩॊख रग गए।
े
े
ु
मो ओ"… वन भें दौ़िते दहयनों की बाॊतत कराॊचे बयत हुम नन्ह फाहय की औय बाग ।
ु
इस उऩक्रभ भें साइककर सवाय ग्वारे ने अऩना सॊतरन खोमा, ऩडौस चाच की
ु
भहत्वाकाॊश यॊ गोर की र्शनाख्त भुज़श्कर हुम , आठ सार क फफरू की ऩतॊग ने आसभान
े
की जगह स़िक ऩय फह यहे ऩान भें अऩन तनमतत ढूॊढ , फछ़िे ने भासूभ गोद भें प्माय ऩामा,
दाभोदय काका क खेतो ने कछ गन्ने औय गॊवाए, रारा ने जुफान खचे की कीभत ऩय र्भठाई
े
ु
का त्माग नह ॊ कयने की दहभाकत ऩय ठें गा औय कजस का तभगा ऩामा, ऩॊडडत ज ने बगवा
ॊ ू
कऩ़िो को र्भि की खशफु से रूफरू होने से ऩहरे आगाह ककमा "फेट सॊबर कय बागो, अये
ु
कदना भत, धत तेये की, ऩॊडडताइन फाल्ट बय दो, कपय से नहाना ऩ़िेगा"
ू
अॊतत् प्रचॊड ऩय-अदहत क बफना नन्ह ने स्कर से घय तक का सफय तम ककमा।
े
ू

36. "ऩाऩा आऩ आ गए!" फाॊहों से होत हुम नन्ह ऩाऩा क कधो ऩय जा फैठी, औय ऩूय दतनमा
े ॊ
ु
की सवेसवाि हो गम ।
यात का खाना हो चका था। नन्ह की दाद ददघािहाय क कायण अब ब ज़जव्हा सुख का
े
ु
यस्वादन भें भगन थ । नन्ह , भम्भ औय ऩाऩा सफ दाद क साथ ह यहते है । ऩाऩा 'अजन
े
ुि
र्सॊह" फौज भें है , घय से दय यहकय दे श औय ऩरयवाय दोनों का ह सॊयऺण कयते है । भम्भ ,
ू
नन्ह का फचऩन औय घय सॊवायत है । नन्ह कछ ददनों भें 10 सार की हो जामेग ।
ु
"ऩाऩा मे आऩक र्रए"
े
"मे क्मा है ?"‘
"अये मे तो यॊ ग गोया कयने क क्रीभ है , पमय एॊड पमय! मे भेये र्रए है? क्मो?"
े
े
े
"कछ ददनों ऩहरे इसने हभाय शाद वार एल्फभ दे ख तो कहत है भम्भ , ऩाऩा शाद क
े
ु
सभम इतने गौये थे अफ तो यॊ ग थोडा डाक हो गमा है , ऩाऩा आमेंगे तो उनक र्रए पमय एॊड
ि
े
े
पमय राऊग ताकक ऩाऩा औय ब हें डसभ रगे ऩहरे की तयह" भम्भ ने भ ठा खरासा
े
ॊ
ु
ककमा।
"ऩाऩा भैंने ट व ऩय दे खा है की जो गौये नह ॊ होते उन्हें जॉफ नह ॊ र्भरत , कोई उनकी
र्सॊचगॊग ऩसॊद नह ॊ कयता, उन्हें काभमाफ नह ॊ र्भरत औय जो पमय एॊड पमय रगा कय
े
े
गौये हो जाते है उन्हें जॉफ र्भर जात है , र्सॊगय फन जाते है , ह यो फन जाते है , हय जगह छा
जाते है , दतनमा उनक ऩ छे ऩागर हो जात है "
े
ु
अजन र्सॊह सोच भैं ऩ़ि जाते है की हभ पौज फा़िभेय क तऩते ये चगस्तान भैं 48 डडग्र ऩय ब
े
ुि
डटे यहते है , ताकक घयो भैं ए.स . क न चे रोग फाहय झुरसत गभी को चच़िा सक, ददन-बय
े
े
चरत ये त की ऩैन आॊचधमा हय अॊग को छरन कय दे त है , रेककन जज्फे से बय आत्भा को
नह ॊ बेद ऩात । अऩनों क बफना ये चगस्तान की ठॊ ड याते ब तायो की अॊतह न चगनततमों की
े
बें ट च़ि जात हैं। दे श की यऺा की कीभत भें अनेको भल्मह न च जों का न्मोछावय कयने भें
ू
क्रभ भें उनका हुर्रमा तो कपय फहुत ऩ छे है । हुर्रमा तो ऐसा हो की दश्भन हभाय ऩयछाई से
ु
ब खौप खाए, मह हभाय ऽफसयत है , तफ ह दे श क असर गहने कहरामेंगे।
े
ू ू

37. "फेटा मह तो ट्रे ज़ि है की ऐस फाते ज़जम्भेदाय भ डडमा क जरयमे ब फर यह है , ऐस
े
ै
गुभयाह फातों को तयज ह द जात है की दे श क ह यो तो पमय औय हें डसभ रोग है । अगय
े
े
ऐसा होता तो आज ब हभाया दे श गोयो का गुराभ होता, हभ कारे रोग, गोयो से उनकी
छात ऩय च़ि कय हरक से आज़ाद नह ॊ छीन ऩाते"
"ऩाऩा सह कहा आऩने; आऩ को इसकी क्मा जरूयत आऩ तो सफसे हें डसभ हो, 6 पीट
रम्फे, हिे -किे , अकरे ह 100 रोगो को धर भें र्भरा दो "
े
ु
सात ददन, भह ने बय फाद र्भर ऩगाय की तयह जल्द ह खचि हो गए। नन्ह क ऩाऩा दे श क
े
े
दश्भनों की आॉखों की ककयकय फनने कपय से याजस्थान-ऩककस्तान की स भा ऩय चरे गए।
ु
यात भें एक फाय कपय से ऩडोस दे श ने अकायण पामरयॊग शुरू कय द । ददन-बय क सफय की
े
थकान जोश औय फज़ि क आगे नत-भस्तक हो गम । सुफह कय फ 6 फजे दोनों तयप से आग
े
उगरते दानवो ने अवकाश र्रमा। घामर साचथमो का इराज शुरू हुआ।
"आयाभ से याघव, ज़ख्भ गहया औय ताज़ा है ", अजुन ने टोका।
ि
"मे जख्भ नह ॊ, तभगे है हभाये , इस ददि से कसा फैय"
ै
"वो छावन ऩय रहया यहा ततयॊ गा दे ख यहा हैं, अजुन; बायत भाॉ का आॉचर है वो, भाॉ की गोद
ि
औय ददि तो कब ना र्भरने वारे दो ककनाये है , गोद भें बरा उसका फच्चा बफना भस्कयामे
ु ु
यह सकता है ?" याघव भुस्कयामा औय बायत भाता की गोद भें अॊतह न भ ठी न ॊद भें खो
ु
गमा।
तेयी ही मभट्टी भें जन्भा भैं भाॉ,
फपय तेयी ही मभट्टी का जयाा भैं फना
तू ही है आसभाॊ, सामा भेया,
तू ही फॊदगी, तू भेया खदा,
ु
तेया ही रहू, नसों भें फहा,
तझ से मभरा भैं, अफ जदा हु कहाॉ।
ु
ु

38. एक औय साथ की पवमुज़क्त की ट स, अजुन क स ने भें धॊस गम । वो यात अजुन को
ि े
ि
अनुत्तरयत सवारो से द्वॊद कयने क र्रए छोट रग यह थ ।
े
"क्मा गुज़य यह होग याघव क ऩरयवाय ऩय, भाॉ-फाउज , ऩत्न औय फच्चे कसे मे सॊताऩ
े
ै
सहें गे। कस त्रासद है ? जफ फन्दक से तनकर गोर ककस को वाऩस ज़जॊदा नह ॊ कय सकत ,
ै
ू
वो तो कवर फच्चो को अनाथ, भाॊग औय गोद को सन ह कयत है , तो कपय गोर्रमा फनत
े
ू
ह क्मों है ? क्मों फनाते है हभ रोग इसे? कहने को ऩया जहाॉ बगवान ने हभाये र्रए फनामा हैं
ू
औय महाॉ जभ न-आसभान सफ फॊट गमा, खन ककस का ब फहे , सयहद क इस ऩाय मा उस
े
ू
ऩाय; खन तो इॊसान का ह होगा,
ू
उधय नन्ह दतनमादाय से दय भाॉ क हाथों का गयभा गयभ खाना खा यह थ ।
े
ु
ू
"भाॉ ऩता है आज, फ़िे वारे ऩाक भें , भैं औय शैर खेर यह थ तफ वहाॉ कछ रोगो ने
ि
ु
पऩकतनक भनाने क फाद फचा हुआ कचया डस्टबफन की जगह वह ककनाये ऩय फक ददमा,
े
ें
भैंने टोका की अॊकर प्र ज डस्टबफन भैं कचया डार्रए नह ॊ तो ऩाक गन्दा हो जामेंगा।
ि
अॊकर ने कहा की डस्टबफन थोडा दय था, रेककन कोई फात नह ॊ भैं उस भें कचया डार दे ता
ू
हूॉ, तब दसये अॊकर ने उन्हें योका,
ु
"क्मा सक्सेना साहफ आऩ ब फच्चो की फातों ऩय गौय कय यहे हो। मह ॊ डार द ज़जमे कचया,
दसये रोगो ने ब मॊहा डारा हुआ है , सक्सेना साहफ मे इॊडडमा है , अभेरयका नह ॊ "
ु
"भाॉ अॊकर ने जफ कहा की मे इॊडडमा हैं, तो भुझे फहुत फुया रगा, उनक फोरने क अॊदाज़ भें
े
े
वो अर्बभान औय सम्भान नह ॊ था जो ऩाऩा क 'इॊडडमा' फोरने भें होता है "
े
भाॉ औय दाद दोनों ह स्तब्ध यह गम ।
"फेटा, अगय तभ, अऩन क्रास भैं पर हो जाओ तो क्मा भैं औय दाद , घय-घय जाकय रोगो
े
ु
से तम्हाय फुयाई कयें गे?
ु
"नह ॊ भाॉ आऩ तो चाहोगे की भैं ज्मादा अच्छे से ऩढू, आऩ भझ ऩय ज्मादा ध्मान दोगे , भझे
ु
ु
भोट वेट ब कयोगे"

39. "औय जफ तू अच्छे अॊको से ऩास हो जामेग तो र्भठाई ब फाटें गे", दाद ने चटकी र ।
ु
"ऩता है नन्ह , हभ रोग ऐसा क्मों कयें गे? क्मोंकक तू हभाय अऩन है , हभाया ऩरयवाय है ,
इसर्रए हभ तनॊदा कयने क फजाम, तम्हाय भदद कयें गे ताकक तभ फेहतय फनो औय मह ॊ
े
ु
ु
हभाय खर्शमों का फहाना फनेगा।
ु
"फेटा मे फहुत फ़ि त्रासद है की रोग अऩने दे श को अऩना ऩरयवाय नह ॊ सभझते, नह ॊ तो
व्मॊग कसने क फजाम उस च ज़ को सधायते औय गरूय कयते। वो सभझे ना सभझे ऩय दे श
े
ु
तो उन्हें अऩना भानता हैं, भाॉ की तयह बफना शति अऩन गोद भैं खखराता है , पऩता की तयह
ज़जॊदग बय अऩने साए भें भहपज़ यखता हैं, र्भटट से र्भटट तक का सफय साकाय कयता
ू
हैं। कब कोई अऩने भाॉ-फाऩ को ककस से कम्ऩेमय नह ॊ कयता कपय मे रोग दे श को औय
उसक पवकास को ककस दसये दे श से क्मों नाऩते है ?"
े
ु
आडिय आमा है, सुफह 5 फजे उत्तयाखॊड क र्रए कच कयना है , राखों जाने पस है कदायनाथ
े
ॊ
े
ू
भें । अजुन र्सॊह 4 फजे ह भुस्तैद हो गए। बाय फारयश औय बूस्खरन क फाद कदायनाथ भें
ि
े
े
हजायो-राखो रोग भरफो भें पसे, भदद का इॊतजाय कय यहे है । नेता अऩन -अऩन ज ब की
ॊ
नभाइश कय यहे है । भ डडमा अरग अरग भन फहराऊ तय क से खफये दे यहा है । इन सफक
े
े
ु
फ च स्थान म रोग औय बायत म सेना परयश्तो का फज़ि तनबा यह है ।
त न-चाय ददनों भें पवयोध भौसभ क फावजूद हजायो रोगो को सुयक्षऺत तनकार र्रमा गमा
े
कपय ब ज़स्थतत फदत्तय होत जा यह है । वहाॊ का व बत्स दृश्म अकल्ऩन म हैं हय तयप राशें
ऐसे पर है की खद क ज़जन्दा होने ऩय ब सॊदेह हो जाए। अजुन एक भासूभ च त्काय की
ै
ि
ु े
तयप दौ़िा, उधय एक हाथ भरफे से फाहय आने को है , हाथ ऩक़ि कय ख ॊचा, हाथ उखड कय
हाथों भें ह यह गमा, करेजा सन्न हो गमा, राशें ऺत-पवऺत होने क साथ-2 गॊदे ऩान भें स़ि
े
चकी है । पवद णि रृदम क साथ उस हाथ को ध ये से बूर्भ ऩय यख ददमा। वज्राघात तो अब
े
ु
फाकक था, "मे क्मा हाथ की एक अॊगर तो ताज़ा कट हुम है , हे इश्वय ककस याऺस ने
ु
अॊगठी क र्रए…"
े
ू

40. वाऩस वह ीँ करुण 'च ख', उस ऩुकाय की ददशा भें झाडडमों क ऩ छे गमा वहाॊ
े
एक फेसुधसा फच्चा छटऩटा यहा था, उसने ऊगर से ईशाया ककमा, अजुन ने ऩरट कय दे खा,
ॉ
ि
"ऩूय स्कर फस ह उरट ऩ़ि है ", घय को अऩन यौनक से भहका दे ने वारे फच्चो की राशो
ू
से बॊमकय दगन्ध आ यह थ । "हे भहादे व कस फेरुख हैं औय क्मा-क्मा दे खना यह गमा
ै
ु ि
भझे" फच्चे को गोद भैं रे कय याहत र्शपवय की तयप दौ़िा।
ु
उधय नन्ह क गाॉव क फ़िे भॊददय भें धार्भिक कामिकभि उन्भाद ऩय हैं, फाहय जरस की तैमाय
े
े
ु ु
हैं, हाथ , घो़िे, फाजे-गाजे, ढोर-भॊज या, र्भठाई-पर, झॊडे-झॊडडमाॊ सब फच्चो क र्रए
े
ू
कौतहर का सफफ फन हुम हैं। बक्तजन का अरौककक आन्नद चयभ ऩय है । नत्म, बजनु
ृ
गान क इस भाहौर भैं हय कोई मतत - मोग जान ऩ़िता हैं।
े
अनामास उत्सव उल्रास क वातावयण भें खरर हुआ, ककस अनैततक तत्व ने जुरुस ऩय
े
कचया फक ददमा। तनठ्ठरे हुडदॊ चगमो को भौका र्भरा। कब र्शव र्रॊग ऩय जर नह ॊ च़िामा;
ें
आज धभि क नाभ ऩय भासूभों ऩय च़िाई को तत्ऩय है । कब कयान को छआ नह ॊ आज हाथ
े
ु
ु
से तरवाये नह ॊ छट यह । सोते गाॉव भें ताॊडव जाग उठा, दॊ गाइमों ने घय पक ददए, सऩने
ॉू
ू
जरा ददए।
उधय कदायनाथ धाभ भें आध यात को ब अजन क अयभान नह ॊ फझ। "अॊकर!", भदद क
े
े
ुि े
ु े
र्रए च ख-च ख कय थक हुए गरे से आई इस थयािम हुम आवाज़ ने अजुन को ब कऩा
े
ि
ॊ
ददमा। "भेये फाफा उधय ऩत्थय क न चे दफे है " ऩ छे ख़िे रगबग 12 सार क ऱिक ने एक
े
े
े
तयप इशाया कयते हुए कहाॉ। फूढा शय य सॊवेंदना शुन ्म आॉखों से भौत की फाट जोह यहा था।
"आऩ घफयाइए नह ॊ भैं अब आऩको तनकार रॉ ूगा।",फाफा क दोनों ऩैयो ऩय चिान आ चगय
े
है , साया ददि 3 ददन भें फह कय जभ गमा। अजुन ने शय य भें फचे शज़क्त क आखय ज़ये का
ि
े
इस्तेभार कयते हुए चिान को एक तयप धकर ददमा। फू़िे फाफा को रगा 'वदी भें बगवान'
े
आए है ।
भाॉ ने नन्ह को गोद भें र्रमा औय जरते भकान से झरसते हुए हुए ज़जॊदग की ददशा भैं
ु
बाग , नन्ह की दाद सफह ह शहय अऩने बाई क महाॉ चर गम थ । "भम्भ अफ हभ कहाॉ
े
ु

41. जामेंगे, वो रोग तो साभने वारे यास्ते भें ब है ", "फेटा तू इस फ़िे ऩाइऩ भें छऩ जा, भैं उस
ु
ऩे़ि क ऩ छे चर जात हूॉ; घफयाना भत भैं मह हूॉ"।
े
दॊ गाईमो की याह बटक गम एक गोर , भाॉ क भभताभम ददर से जा चचऩकी, अॊततभ फाय
े
नन्ह को दे खने की हसयत ददर भें सभेटे, कटे वऺ की बाॊतत तनष्प्राण धयत ऩय आ चगय ।
ृ
कस बफडम्फना है एक तयप नन्ह क ऩाऩा यऺक फन रोगो की दआए रट यहे हैं, दसय औय
ै
े
ु
ू
ू
ककस है वान ने उसकी भम्भ को दआ कफर कयने क वारे खदा क ऩास बेज ददमा। नन्ह
े
े
ु
ू
ु
की आॉखे ऊऩय च़ि गम , करेजा पट जा यहा था, अॉधेय र्ससकत यात भें उसे भाॉ की राश
क ऩास फैठे दे ख, धभि क भभि से फेगाने ऩशुओ क ददर तो नह ॊ रेककन आस-ऩास क ऩत्थय
े
े
े
े
जरूय ब पऩघर गए होंगे।
अजन र्सॊह गाॉव ऩहुॊचा, फज़ि क र्रए ऩस ने की जगह खन फहाना उन्हें कब नागवाय ना
े
ुि
ू
हुआ रेककन आज यक्त अश्रु की वेदना असह्म प्रत त हो यह है । नन्ह दौ़ि कय ऩाऩा से
र्रऩट गई। आॉखों भें अथाह वेदना, तनस्तेज चेहया दे ख कय उस शूयव य का शय य ब जदि हो
गमा। ऩाऩा क घय आने का उन्भाद, द्ख क आवेश भें पवर न हो गमा। ऩाऩा ने नन्ह क सय
े
े
े
ु
ऩय हाथ पया, भाॉ की कभ को कसे झठराऊ, आॉखे पर गम है ; रेश्भात्र ब आशॊका नह ॊ थ
े
ै
ु
ू
की पप्रमतभ मॉू भझधाय भैं छो़ि जामेग ।
दो भोट फूॊदे, नन्ह क गारो से रु़िकत हुम , ऩाऩा क हाथों भें सभा गम , अजुन क रृदम ऩय
े
े
ि े
नश्तय चरने रगा। वो सोच भैं ऩ़ि गमा "बफना भाॉ क फच्चा ब्रह्भाण्ड भें अकरा होता हैं, भाॉ
े
े
साथ हो तो ऩूय दतनमा ऩास होत हैं। फच्चे की तोतर फोर जग क र्रए बरे ह हॊ स का
े
ु
कायण हो रेककन भाॉ क र्रए भुस्कयाने का फहाना होत है । भनऩसॊद ऩकवान खा कय
े
ु
तनॊददमा भग्न फच्चे को कहाॉ ध्मान की भाॉ ने मे यात ब पाको से गुजाय है । ये रगा़ि क
े
इॊजन का तेज बोंऩू ब ददन बय की बाग-दौ़ि क फाद गहन तनॊद्रा से भाॉ को जगा ऩाने भें
े
पवपर है वह ीँ फच्चे का सक्ष्भ क्रदन सौ कदभ की दय से भाॉ को ख च राता है , कसे यहे ग
ॊ
ै
ू
ू
नन्ह अफ भाॉ क फगैय?"
े
तू भाॉ है भेयी, भैं हूॉ तेया गुरुय,
क्मों छोड़ा अकरा, भेया क्मा कसूय,
े