Bismillah, ek budha bhikari, sadkon ka malik tha—kam se kam apne khayalon mein toh yahi sochta tha. Uske chehre pe jhurriyan thi, daant toote hue, aur kapde itne gande ki unki asli rang bhi bhool chuki thi. Lekin uski aankhon mein ek chamak thi, ek aag thi, jo kabhi bujhne ka naam nahi leti thi. …

Vidya aur Diwakar Chacha ka rishta ab ek gahre, chhupe hue pyar aur vasna ka bandhan ban chuka tha. Har subah jab Manohar school ke liye ghar se nikalta, Vidya aur Chacha apne kamre mein ek doosre ke saath ghul-mil jate. Chacha ke budhe shareer mein Vidya ki jawani ek nayi roshni bhar deti thi, …

Char saal ki shadi ke baad Vidya aur Manohar ki zindagi ek nanhe bete ke aane se khushi se bhar gayi thi. Lekin is khushi ke saath ek naya rishta bhi janam le chuka tha—Vidya aur Diwakar Chacha ka rishta. Shuruat mein yeh sirf ek madad thi—Vidya ka doodh jo uska beta pura nahi peeta …

Char saal guzar chuke the Vidya aur Manohar ki shadi ko, aur ab unka ghar ek nanhe se bete ki kilkaariyon se goonj raha tha. Vidya ki zindagi ab ek maa ki zindagi thi—apne bete ko apna doodh pilane mein woh khushi aur sukoon mehsoos karti thi. Lekin ek chhoti si pareshani thi. Uska beta …

Vidya aur Manohar ki shaadi ko ek mahina beet chuka tha, aur dono apne chhote se ghar mein khushi khushi reh rahe the. Vidya, 23 saal ki jawaan aur khubsurat biwi, apne budhe pati Manohar, 60 saal ke shikshak, ke saath ek alag si duniya mein khushi se jee rahi thi. Uske bade, rasile chuchiyo …