Meher ki subah kabhi alarm se shuru nahi hoti thi।
Uski subah zimmedariyon se shuru hoti thi।
Chhoti si basti ka wo purana ghar,
jahan deewaron se zyada khamoshi bolti thi।
Charpai par lete Ramprasad ke pair be-jaan pade the।
Kabhi jo aadmi poore mohalle ka sahara tha,
aaj khud sahare ka mohtaaj tha।
Meher ne dheere se unke pairon ko seedha kiya।
"Babuji… main kaam par ja rahi hoon,"
uski awaaz me thakaan thi,
par shikayat nahi।
Ramprasad ne aankhen kholi।
"Tu roz meri wajah se—"
"Bas,"
Meher ne unka haath pakad liya,
"aaj agar aap mere saath ho,
toh main duniya se lad sakti hoon।"
Kitchen se awaaz aayi—
"Abhi tak chai nahi bani?"
Saoteli maa Kamla ki awaaz
jaise roz Meher ko yaad dilati ho—
tu is ghar me apni marzi se nahi, majboori se hai।
Meher ne aansu pee liye।
Uske paas rone ka waqt nahi tha।
Aaj use Gayatri Devi ke ghar kaam par jaana tha…
jahan uski takraar hone wali thi Krish se—
aur wahi se uski zindagi ki disha badalne wali thi !