Bahut seedhe-saade log thae. Beedi-cigarette wagerah nahi peete thae.
Hum buzurg sath baith jaate thae. Baatein karte thae.
Tohana ki baatein karte rehte thae.
Kheti-baadi ke dino ki, doodh ka bhi achchha kaarobar tha.
Maveshi bhi the, kheti-baadi bhi karte thae.
Wahan kheti karne lage.
Phir jab shaadi-byah kiye, zyada hi paisa kharch kar diya.
Zyada paisa hone ke kaaran, pitaji se bole mere ooper karza zyada hai.
Tab unhone humein zameen bech di.
Bikane ke baad bole, "Ab mere liye yahan koi saadhan toh rah nahi gaya."
Unke rishtedaar wahan thae, toh woh wahin chale gaye.
Kisi ko nahi pata ki hamlawar ka iraada kya tha,
unhone maar-peetkar uss ply waale kamare mein hi chhod diya.
Wahan pade ply aur gathe wagerah ko aag laga di.
Jab usae hosh aaya,
usae pata chala ki uske ooper ply gir gayi hai.
Kandhe par atak gayi thi.
Usne jeb se phone nikaalkar apne bade bhai ko phone kiya.
"Mujh par hamla hua hai!
Mujhe peetkar dukaan mein bund kar diya hai.
Jaldi aa jao. Unhone godaam mein aag laga di."
In gyarah logon ki maut ke baad,
sabse zyada nuksaan humein hua.
Bahut zyada badnaami hui hai.
Humari toh dukaan bund rahi hai saal bhar.
Koi aata hi nahi tha.
Aahista-aahista sab bhool jayenge.
Naye log aayenge. Hum bhi aage badhenge. Duniya aise hi chalti rehti hai.
Samvaad Anuvaadak: Sheela Sijin Mathews