Aaj fir wahi subah thi… lekin pakhi ke liye har din ek jaisa ho gaya tha.
Na koi excitement, na koi khushi… bas ek ajeeb si khamoshi.
Room ki khidki se dhoop andar aa rahi thi, par uske dil mein andhera hi tha.
Pakhi bed par baithi thi, haath mein ek purani photo liye hue.
Us photo mein wo has rahi thi… sach mein has rahi thi.
Par aaj… uski hasi sirf yaadon mein reh gayi thi.
"Sab kuch itna badal kaise gaya…" usne dheere se khud se kaha.
Uski aankhon mein aansu aa gaye, par wo royi nahi.
Jaise aansu bhi ab thak chuke the.
Kitchen se maa ki awaaz aayi,
"Pakhi, jaldi neeche aao… late ho raha hai!"
"Hanji Maa…" usne halki si awaaz mein jawab diya.
Wo uthi, mirror ke saamne khadi hui.
Apne aap ko dekha… lekin pehchaan nahi paayi.
"Ye main hoon… ya koi aur?" usne socha.
College jaana ab uske liye sirf ek routine tha.
Na kisi se baat karna, na kisi se hasna.
Classroom mein sab log apni duniya mein busy the,
aur pakhi… apni khud ki duniya mein kho gayi thi.
Tabhi uski Dost Riya uske paas aayi.
"Yaar Pakhi, tu theek Toh hai na? Tu itni chup kyun rehne Legi hai aajkal?"
Pakhi ne halke se smile kiya,
"Main theek hoon…"
Par uski aankhen kuch aur keh rahi thi.
"Tu mujhse share kar sakti hai…"
Pakhi ne dheere se kaha,
"Kuch baatein… kisi ko nahi batayi jaati."
Lunch break mein sab canteen gaye,
par Pakhi akeli hi college ke garden mein jaakar baith gayi.
Hawa halki si chal rahi thi…
ped ke patte hil rahe the…
Par uske andar sab kuch ruk sa gaya tha.
Usne aasman ki taraf dekha aur dheere se kaha:
"Jab sab kuch chala jaata hai…
toh jeene ki wajah kya reh jaati hai?"
Uski aankhon se ek aansu gir gaya…
Usse bilkul pata nahi tha…
ki uski zindagi mein jaldi hi koi aane wala hai…
jo uski iss khamoshi ko tod dega…
Aur shayad…
usse fir se jeene ki wajah dega.
✨ Bane rahiye aage janane ke liye....