Woh Khuli Khidki"
Arjun aaj kai saalon baad apne purane ghar laut raha tha. Darwaza kholte hi wahi purani khushboo aayi—masalon ki, thodi si mitti ki, aur us "maa" ke aanchal ki jo ab is ghar mein nahi thi.
Arjun ne dekha ki maa ki kursi ab bhi wahin rakhi thi, jahan baithkar wo uska intezar kiya karti thi. Use yaad aaya jab wo chhota tha aur chot lagne par rota tha, toh maa sirf apna hath uske sar par pher deti thi aur sara dard gayab ho jata tha. Maa ka wo kehna, "Tu ghabra mat beta, main hoon na," aaj bhi uske kaano mein goonj raha tha.
Wo kitchen mein gaya. Wahan ab koi halchal nahi thi. Wo purane dibbe ab bhi wahin the, jinpar maa ne apne hath se chits lagayi thi—'Chini', 'Dal', 'Chai Patti'. Arjun ne ek dibba khola, toh use maa ke hath ke bane hue aakhri ladoo yaad aa gaye. Unka swad sirf shakkar ka nahi, balki us bepannah mohabbat ka tha jo sirf ek maa hi de sakti hai.
Shaam hui, toh Arjun balcony mein baith gaya. Use yaad aaya ki kaise maa har roz tulsi mein diya jalati thi. Aaj wahan andhera tha. Usne uthkar diya jalaya. Jaise hi lau jagmagayi, ek thandi hawa ka jhonka aaya aur Arjun ko aisa laga jaise kisi ne bahut pyaar se uske baal sehlaye hon.