Aakhri Chhathi
1. Ek Khamosh Gaon
Himalaya ki god mein basa ek chota sa gaon tha, jahan barf ki chadar hamesha pahaadon ko dhake rakhti thi. Us gaon ke kinare ek purana post office tha, jo itna purana tha ki uski deewaron se plaster jhadne laga tha. Wahan 'Shankar Chacha' naam ke ek dakiya (postman) kaam karte the.
Shankar Chacha ki umar ho chuki thi, lekin unka ek usool tha—har chitthi uske sahi malik tak pahunchani chahiye, chahe mausam kaisa bhi ho.
2. Wo Adhuri Chitthi
Ek din, jab Shankar Chacha purane daftar ki safai kar rahe the, unhein ek purana, dhool se bhara cupboard mila. Uske peeche ek lifafa phasa hua tha. Jab unhone use nikala, toh dekha ki wo chitthi 40 saal purani thi.
Chitthi par pata likha tha: "Devi Niwas, Nadi ke Paar."
Shankar Chacha ko yaad aaya ki 'Devi Niwas' mein ek buzurg mahila, jinhe sab 'Dadi' kehte the, akeli rehti thi. Wo har roz post office ke bahar baithti thin, shayad isi chitthi ka intezar karte-karte unki aankhen pathar ho gayi thin.
3. Safar ki Mushkilein
Baher bhayanak barf ka tufan shuru ho chuka tha. Log apne gharon mein dubak kar baithe the. Sabne Shankar Chacha ko roka, "Chacha, itni thand mein kahan ja rahe ho? Kal chale jana."
Lekin Chacha ne kaha, "Nahi, yeh amanat 40 saal deri se pahunch rahi hai. Ab ek pal ki bhi deri gunah hogi."
Lalten (lantern) lekar wo nikal pade. Barf ghutno tak thi, hawaein unke chehre ko cheer rahi thin, lekin unke kadam nahi ruke. Unhe lag raha tha jaise wo purani chitthi unke jhole mein bhari nahi, balki unhe rasta dikha rahi hai.
4. Ek Khubsurat Raaz
Jab wo Devi Niwas pahunche, toh dekha ki ghar ke ek kone mein halki si roshni jal rahi thi. Dadi kursi par baithi khidki se bahar barf ko dekh rahi thin.
Shankar Chacha ne kanpte hathon se wo chitthi unhe di. Dadi ne jaise hi likhawat dekhi, unki aankhon mein aansu aa gaye. Wo unke pati ki chitthi thi, jo 40 saal pehle jung par gaye the aur kabhi wapas nahi laute.
Chitthi mein likha toh sirf itna tha: "Main wapas nahi aa paunga, lekin meri mohabbat hamesha is ghar ki deewaron mein rahegi. Tum akeli nahi ho."
5. Sukoon ki Neend
Dadi ne chitthi ko apne seene se laga liya. Unke chehre par ek aisi muskurahat aayi jo shayad unhone dashkon se nahi pehni thi. Unhone Shankar Chacha ko dhanyawad kaha aur so gayi.
Agli subah, jab suraj nikla, toh gaon walon ne dekha ki Dadi hamesha ke liye so chuki thin. Lekin unke chehre par dard nahi, balki ek ajeeb sa sukoon tha. Unhe wo mil gaya tha jiska unhe poori zindagi intezar tha—apne sawal ka jawab.
Seekh (Moral):
Waqt kitna bhi guzar jaye, sach aur mohabbat kabhi purane nahi hote. Insaniyat wahi hai jo dusron ke intezar ko sukoon mein badal de.