Chapter 1: Ek Nayi Shuruaat

Subah ke 5 baje the. Alarm ki awaaz se Navira ki aankh khuli. Usne phone band kiya aur kuch der chup-chaap chhat ko dekhti rahi.

Har din ki tarah aaj bhi usne ek chhoti si dua maangi:

"Ya Allah, aaj ka din mere liye behtareen bana de."

Navira ek simple si hijabi college girl thi. Usse kitaabein padhna, chai peena aur apni best friend Zara ke saath waqt guzarna bahut pasand tha.

College pahunchte hi Zara door se chillayi,

"Navira! Jaldi aa, class shuru hone wali hai!"

Navira haste hue uske paas daudi.

Dono ko bilkul andaza nahi tha ki aaj ka din unki zindagi mein ek naya mod lane wala hai.

Class ke baad notice board ke paas bheed lagi hui thi. Sab students kisi nayi announcement ki baat kar rahe the.

Navira aur Zara ne ek dusre ki taraf dekha aur bheed ki taraf badhne lagi...

Navira aur Zara dheere-dheere bheed ke paas pahunchi.

Notice board par ek naya poster laga hua tha.

"Annual Community Service Program"

College ke kuch students ko ek mahine ke liye alag-alag social projects mein hissa lena tha. Jo students select hote, unhe scholarship aur special certificates bhi milte.

"Yeh to bahut interesting lag raha hai!" Zara ne khushi se kaha.

Navira ne poster ko dhyan se padha. Uski nazar ek line par ruk gayi:

"Selected students will work in teams."

Usse hamesha naye logon se baat karne mein thodi hichkichahat hoti thi.

Agle din selection list lagni thi.

Raat ko Navira ne namaz ke baad dua ki:

"Ya Allah, jo mere liye behtar ho wahi ata farma."

Agle din college pahunchte hi students notice board ke aas-paas jama the.

Navira ka dil tez dhadak raha tha.

Usne list mein apna naam dhoonda...

Aur phir uski aankhen hairat se khul gayin.

Uska naam sirf select hi nahi hua tha...

Balki usse Team Leader banaya gaya tha.

Team Leader banne ki khabar sunkar Navira kuch pal ke liye chup reh gayi.

"Navira! Tum Team Leader ban gayi ho!" Zara ne khushi se usse gale laga liya.

Lekin Navira ke dil mein khushi ke saath-saath thodi ghabrahat bhi thi.

"Main sab sambhal paungi na?" usne dheere se kaha.

Zara muskurayi.

"Mujhe tum par pura bharosa hai."

Dopehar mein sab selected students ko seminar hall mein bulaya gaya.

Professor ne teams ka introduction karwana shuru kiya.

Jab Navira ki team ka naam pukara gaya, to woh aage badhi.

Uski team mein Zara ke alawa teen aur students the.

Tabhi hall ka darwaza khula.

Ek lamba sa ladka file haath mein liye andar aaya.

"Sorry sir, thodi der ho gayi."

Professor ne halka sa muskurate hue kaha,

"Koi baat nahi, Ayaan. Aao, tum bhi isi team ka hissa ho."

Navira ne pehli baar us ladke ko dekha.

Ayaan ne sab ko salaam kiya aur apni seat par baith gaya.

Meeting ke baad jab sab students bahar nikal rahe the, Ayaan ne Navira se kaha,

"Congratulations, Team Leader."

Navira ne sirf ek halki si muskurahat ke saath jawab diya,

"Thank you."

Usse nahi pata tha ki yeh chhoti si mulaqat uski zindagi ki kahani mein kitna bada kirdar ada karegi.

Aur shayad...

Yeh sirf ek nayi dosti ki shuruaat thi.

Chapter 2 : Pehla Project

Agle hafte se Community Service Program officially shuru ho gaya.

Navira ki team ko ek chhote se community library project par kaam karna tha. Unka kaam tha purani kitaabon ko arrange karna aur bachchon ke liye reading sessions organize karna.

"Yeh to bahut mazedaar hoga!" Zara ne library mein qadam rakhte hi kaha.

Navira muskurayi. Usse bhi kitaabon se bahut mohabbat thi.

Sab apne-apne kaam mein lag gaye.

Ayaan shelves saaf kar raha tha, Zara books sort kar rahi thi, aur Navira list bana rahi thi.

Kaam ke dauran ek chhoti si bachchi Navira ke paas aayi.

"Didi, aap mujhe koi achhi si story book dengi?"

Navira ne pyar se uske sar par haath rakha aur ek kitaab nikaal kar di.

Bachchi ki muskurahat dekh kar uska dil khush ho gaya.

Din ke aakhir mein Professor project dekhne aaye.

Unhone team ke kaam ki tareef ki.

"Lagta hai tum sab bahut mehnat kar rahe ho."

Sab ke chehre khushi se chamak uthe.

Lekin jab sab wapas jaane lage, Navira ko ek purani kitaab shelf ke peeche mili.

Kitaab ke andar ek murjhaya hua phool aur ek chhota sa khat rakha hua tha.

Usne hairani se khat khola.

Pehli line padhte hi uski saansen tham si gayin...

"Kuch kahaniyan kabhi khatam nahi hotin..."

...Purana Khat

Navira ne kaanpte hue haathon se khat ko dobara padha.

"Kuch kahaniyan kabhi khatam nahi hotin... Woh sirf waqt ke saath chup ho jaati hain."

Uske neeche koi naam nahi tha.

Sirf ek tareekh likhi hui thi.

10 saal purani.

"Navira? Tum theek ho?" Zara ki awaaz sun kar woh khayalon se bahar aayi.

"Haan... bas yeh khat mila hai."

Zara ne khat dekha aur hairan reh gayi.

"Yeh yahan kaise aaya?"

Dono ne library ke buzurg caretaker se poocha.

Unhone khat dekhte hi gehri saans li.

"Lagta hai tumhe yeh milna hi tha."

Navira aur Zara ne ek dusre ki taraf dekha.

"Matlab?" Navira ne poocha.

Caretaker muskuraye.

"Bahut saal pehle yahan do dost aate the. Dono ko kitaabon se bahut mohabbat thi. Ek din achanak unmein se ek aana band ho gaya. Uske baad kisi ne un dono ko saath nahi dekha."

"Phir kya hua?" Zara ne bechaini se poocha.

"Yeh baat aaj tak koi nahi jaanta."

Shaam hone lagi thi.

Sab log library se nikal gaye, lekin Navira ke zehan mein woh khat ghoom raha tha.

Raat ko jab woh ghar pahunchi, usne khat ko apni diary mein rakh diya.

Namaz ke baad usne dua maangi:

"Ya Allah, agar is kahani mein koi seekh hai, to mujhe samajhne ki taufiq ata farma."

Us raat jab woh diary band karne lagi, ek chhota sa kagaz khat ke peeche se gir gaya.

Us par sirf itna likha tha:

"Jawab Library ke Room 7 mein milega."

Navira ka dil zor se dhadakne laga...

Chapter 3: Room 7 Ka Raaz

Agli subah Navira jaldi uth gayi.

Uske zehan mein bas ek hi baat ghoom rahi thi:

"Jawab Library ke Room 7 mein milega."

College pahunchte hi usne Zara ko sab kuch bata diya.

"To phir hum aaj hi Room 7 dekhenge!" Zara ne josh se kaha.

Classes khatam hote hi dono library ki taraf chal padi.

Library ke pichhle hisse mein ek purana corridor tha jahan kam hi log jaate the.

Corridor ke aakhir mein ek purana darwaza tha.

Us par dhool jami hui thi aur chhoti si plate par likha tha:

"Room 7"

Navira ne gehri saans li aur dheere se darwaza khola.

Darwaza chirr ki awaaz ke saath khul gaya.

Andar purani kitaabon, files aur furniture ka dher laga hua tha.

"Aakhir yahan kya hona chahiye?" Zara ne aas-paas dekhte hue kaha.

Tabhi Navira ki nazar ek lakdi ki mej par padi.

Us par ek purani diary rakhi thi.

Diary ke cover par sunehre haroof mein likha tha:

"Un Kahin Ankahe Lafzon Ke Naam"

Navira ne diary kholi.

Pehle safhe par likha tha:

"Agar tum yeh diary padh rahe ho, to iska matlab hai meri kahani abhi tak zinda hai."

Dono ek pal ke liye khamosh ho gayin.

Diary mein ek ladki ki zindagi, uske khwab, uski duaen aur uski dosti ke baare mein likha tha.

Jitna zyada Navira padh rahi thi, utna hi use lag raha tha ki us ladki ki soch usse milti-julti hai.

Achanak diary ke aakhri safhe se ek tasveer neeche gir gayi.

Navira ne tasveer uthayi...

Aur uski aankhen hairat se phail gayin.

Tasveer mein jo ladki muskurati hui khadi thi...

Woh bilkul Navira jaisi lag rahi thi.

Navira kuch lamhon tak tasveer ko dekhti reh gayi.

"Yeh... yeh kaise mumkin hai?" usne dheere se kaha.

Zara ne bhi tasveer dekhi aur hairan reh gayi.

"Navira, yeh ladki sach mein tumhari tarah lag rahi hai!"

Tasveer ke peeche kuch likha hua tha.

Navira ne use palat kar dekha.

Wahan sirf ek naam tha:

"Nur"

Aur neeche ek tareekh.

Lagbhag 15 saal purani.

"Nur kaun thi?" Zara ne poocha.

Navira ne sar hila diya.

"Mujhe nahi pata..."

Usne diary ka aakhri safha dobara padha.

Wahan ek aur jumla likha tha:

"Jab waqt sahi hoga, meri kahani apna raasta khud dhoond legi."

Us raat Navira ko neend der se aayi.

Uske zehan mein diary, tasveer aur Nur ka naam ghoomta raha.

Subah jab woh nashta kar rahi thi, uski Ammi ki nazar tasveer par padi.

Ek pal ke liye unka chehra badal gaya.

"Yeh tasveer tumhe kahan mili?" Ammi ne poocha.

Navira ka dil zor se dhadka.

"Library mein... kyun?"

Ammi kuch lamhe khamosh rahin.

Phir unhone tasveer ko dhyan se dekha aur dheere se kaha:

"Maine is ladki ko pehle dekha hai..."

Navira aur bhi hairan ho gayi.

"Aap jaanti hain ise?"

Ammi ki aankhon mein jaise purani yaadein ubhar aayi.

"Haan... lekin mujhe kabhi umeed nahi thi ki iska naam dobara meri zindagi mein aayega."

Room mein gehri khamoshi chha gayi.

Navira ko mehsoos hua ki woh ek aise raaz ke qareeb pahunch gayi hai jo saalon se chhupa hua tha.

Ek Purani Yaad....

Navira bechaini se Ammi ki taraf dekh rahi thi.

"Ammi... Nur kaun thi?"

Ammi ne tasveer ko apne haath mein liya aur kuch pal tak use dekhti rahin.

Unki aankhon mein udaasi si aa gayi.

"Nur meri bahut achhi dost thi."

Navira aur Zara dono chup ho gayin.

"Hum school se lekar college tak saath rahe. Woh bahut nek dil, samajhdar aur hamesha dusron ki madad karne wali ladki thi."

"Phir kya hua?" Navira ne dheere se poocha.

Ammi ne gehri saans li.

"Ek din woh achanak shehar chhod kar chali gayi. Uske baad humara koi rabta nahi raha."

"Lekin diary? Library? Aur woh khat?" Navira ne poocha.

Ammi ne sar hila diya.

"Us baare mein mujhe bhi kuch nahi pata."

Us raat Navira ne diary dobara kholi.

Har safhe mein Nur ki zindagi ke chhote-chhote waqiat likhe hue the.

Lekin ek safhe par uski nazar ruk gayi.

Wahan likha tha:

"Agar kabhi meri kahani kisi tak pahunche, to woh purane neem ke darakht ke paas zaroor jaye."

Neeche ek chhota sa naqsha bana hua tha.

Navira ka dil zor se dhadakne laga.

Agle din woh aur Zara naqsha lekar nikal padi.

Naqsha unhe college ke pichhle hisse mein le gaya, jahan ek bahut purana neem ka darakht khada tha.

Darakht ke neeche mitti thodi si uthi hui nazar aa rahi thi.

"Yahan kuch to hai..." Zara ne dheere se kaha.

Navira ghutnon ke bal baithi aur mitti hatane lagi.

Kuch hi der mein unke haath ek chhote se lohe ke box tak pahunch gaye.

Box purana tha aur us par zang lagi hui thi.

Dono ne ek dusre ki taraf dekha.

Navira ne kaanpte hue haathon se box khola...

Aur andar jo cheez thi, use dekh kar uski saansen ruk si gayin.

Andar ek aur tasveer thi...

Aur us tasveer mein Nur ke saath khadi hui ek chhoti si bachchi thi.

Woh bachchi...

Bilkul Navira jaisi lag rahi thi..!!

Chapter 3: Chhupi Hui Sachchai

Navira ke haath kaanp rahe the.

Usne tasveer ko dobara dekha.

Nur muskur rahi thi, aur uske saath khadi chhoti si bachchi waqai uski tarah lag rahi thi.

"Yeh kaise ho sakta hai?" Zara ne hairani se kaha.

Box ke andar tasveer ke saath ek murjha hua lifafa bhi tha.

Navira ne dheere se lifafa khola.

Andar ek khat tha.

Khat par likha tha:

"Agar yeh khat tum tak pahuncha hai, to shayad waqt aa gaya hai sach jaanne ka."

Navira ka dil tez dhadakne laga.

Usne aage padhna shuru kiya.

"Mera naam Nur hai. Agar tum yeh padh rahi ho, to ho sakta hai tum wahi bachchi ho jise maine saalon pehle apni baahon mein uthaya tha."

Navira ki saansen ruk si gayin.

"Main tumhari maa nahi hoon, lekin tum meri duaon ka hissa zaroor rahi ho."

Uski aankhon mein aansu aa gaye.

Zara ne uske kandhe par haath rakha.

Khat mein aage likha tha:

"Tumhare baare mein poora sach ek aur shakhs jaanta hai. Uska naam tumhe meri diary ke aakhri safhe par milega."

Navira ne foran diary nikali aur aakhri safha khola.

Jahan pehle kuch bhi nahi likha tha, wahan roshni padne par halki si likhawat nazar aayi.

Us par sirf ek naam tha:

"Haji Kareem"

Aur neeche ek pata.

Woh pata shehar ke purane hisse mein maujood ek chhote se makaan ka tha.

Navira ne diary band ki.

Uske dil mein hazaron sawaal the.

Nur ka usse kya rishta tha?

Aur Haji Kareem kaun the?

Us raat Navira ne sajde mein ja kar dua maangi:

"Ya Allah, agar yeh sach mere liye behtar hai, to mujhe himmat dena."

Use bilkul andaza nahi tha...

Ki Haji Kareem se mulaqat uski zindagi ka sabse bada raaz kholne wali thi.

Chapter 4 : Haji Kareem

Agle din college ke baad Navira aur Zara seedha us purane pate ki taraf nikal padi.

Shehar ka woh hissa kaafi purana tha. Tang galiyan, purane makaan aur khamosh si fiza.

Aakhir woh ek chhote se makaan ke saamne ruk gayin.

Darwaze par purani si nameplate lagi thi:

Haji Kareem

Navira ka dil zor-zor se dhadak raha tha.

Usne darwaza khatkhataya.

Kuch der baad ek buzurg shakhs ne darwaza khola.

Safed daadhi, narm chehra aur gehri aankhen.

"Assalamu Alaikum," Navira ne kaha.

"Wa Alaikum Assalam, beti. Aao."

Jaise woh pehle se hi unka intezar kar rahe hon.

Andar baithne ke baad Navira ne diary, tasveer aur khat unke saamne rakh diya.

Haji Kareem ne tasveer dekhi.

Unki aankhon mein ek chamak si aayi aur phir udaasi.

"Toh aakhir woh din aa hi gaya..." unhone dheere se kaha.

Navira ne bechain ho kar poocha,

"Aap Nur ko jaante the?"

Haji Kareem ne sar hila diya.

"Bahut achhi tarah."

Room mein khamoshi chha gayi.

"Nur meri beti jaisi thi."

Navira aur Zara ek dusre ko dekhne lagin.

"Usne apni zindagi dusron ki madad karne mein guzar di. Lekin ek din usse ek aisa faisla karna pada jisne sab kuch badal diya."

"Kaunsa faisla?" Navira ne poocha.

Haji Kareem ne gehri saans li.

"Ek chhoti si bachchi ki hifazat ka."

Navira ka dil ek pal ke liye ruk sa gaya.

"Bachchi...?"

"Ji."

Haji Kareem ne tasveer ki taraf ishara kiya.

"Wahi bachchi jo is tasveer mein hai."

Navira ke haath thande pad gaye.

"Kaun thi woh?"

Haji Kareem ne uski taraf dekha.

Unki aankhon mein aansuon ki halki si chamak thi.

"Yeh baat main tumhe bataunga..."

Woh kuch pal ke liye ruk gaye.

"...lekin pehle tumhe yeh jaan lena chahiye ke Nur ne apni diary mein sab kuch nahi likha tha."

Yeh keh kar unhone almari se ek purana lakdi ka box nikala.

Box par chandi ke haroof mein likha tha:

"Amanat"

"Is box mein woh sach hai jo saalon se chhupa hua hai."

Navira ne box ko dekha.

Uska dil itni tezi se dhadak raha tha ke jaise seene se bahar aa jayega.

Haji Kareem ne dheere se box uski taraf badhaya.

"Ab waqt aa gaya hai ke tum sach jaano."

Chapter 5: Amanat Ka Raaz

Navira ne dheere se lakdi ka box apne haathon mein liya.

Uska dil itni tezi se dhadak raha tha ke use apni saansen tak sunai de rahi thi.

Haji Kareem khamoshi se usse dekh rahe the.

"Kholo, beti," unhone narmi se kaha.

Navira ne box ka purana tala khola.

Andar kuch purane khat, ek chandi ka locket aur ek chhoti si diary rakhi hui thi.

Sabse upar ek kagaz tha.

Us par likha tha:

"Yeh amanat us bachchi ke liye hai jise Allah ne ek khaas maqsad ke liye chuna hai."

Navira ne kagaz ko zor se pakad liya.

"Bachchi...?" usne dheere se kaha.

Haji Kareem ne sar hilaaya.

"Nur hamesha kehti thi ke ek din yeh amanat apne asal haqdaar tak zaroor pahunchegi."

Navira ne locket uthaya.

Jaise hi usne use khola, andar do tasveerein nazar aayi.

Ek tasveer Nur ki thi.

Aur doosri...

Navira ki Ammi ki.

"Ammi?!" Navira hairani se bol uthi.

Zara bhi tasveer dekh kar chok gayi.

"Toh Nur aur tumhari Ammi ek dusre ko jaanti thi!"

Haji Kareem ki aankhon mein aansu aa gaye.

"Sirf jaanti nahi thi... woh dono behnon ki tarah thi."

Room mein gehri khamoshi chha gayi.

Navira ke zehan mein hazaron sawaal ghoomne lage.

Agar Ammi aur Nur itni qareeb thi, to phir Ammi ne kabhi iska zikr kyun nahi kiya?

Tabhi diary ke andar se ek aur khat neeche gira.

Us par likha tha:

"Navira ke naam..."

Yeh dekhte hi Navira ka dil ek pal ke liye ruk sa gaya.

"Kya... Nur mera naam jaanti thi?" usne dheere se kaha.

Khat abhi tak khola nahi gaya tha.

Aur shayad us khat mein woh sach likha tha...

Jo saalon se chhupa hua tha.

Chapter 6 : Navira Ke Naam

Navira ke haath kaanp rahe the.

Usne lifafe ko dheere se khola.

Andar ek purana sa khat tha, jiske kagaz par waqt ke nishaan saaf nazar aa rahe the.

Usne gehri saans li aur padhna shuru kiya.

"Meri pyari Navira,"

Pehli line padhte hi uski aankhen nam ho gayin.

"Agar tum yeh khat padh rahi ho, to iska matlab hai Allah ne tumhe sach tak pahunchne ka raasta dikha diya hai."

Navira ne bechaini se aage padha.

"Shayad tum mujhe nahi jaanti, lekin maine tumhare liye bahut duaen ki hain. Jab tum bahut chhoti thi, tab maine tumhe apni baahon mein uthaya tha."

Uska dil zor se dhadakne laga.

"Tum ek bahut khaas amanat thi. Aur tumhari hifazat ke liye kuch sach chhupane pade."

Navira ki aankhon se aansu tapak pade.

"Kaunsa sach?" usne dheere se kaha.

Khat mein aage likha tha:

"Tumhare sawaalon ke jawab meri diary mein nahi, balki us jagah par milenge jahan tumhari kahani shuru hui thi."

Neeche ek pata likha tha.

Woh pata shehar ke bahar ek purane orphanage ka tha.

Navira aur Zara ne ek dusre ki taraf dekha.

"Orphanage?" Zara ne hairani se kaha.

Haji Kareem ne dheere se sar jhuka liya.

"Main itna hi jaanta tha ke ek din tumhe wahan jana hoga."

Us raat Navira ne khidki ke paas baith kar chaand ko dekha.

Uske dil mein darr bhi tha aur umeed bhi.

Agle din woh aur Zara us orphanage ki taraf rawana ho gayin.

Jab woh wahan pahunchin, to purani imarat ko dekh kar ajeeb si khamoshi mehsoos hui.

Gate ke paas ek buzurg khatoon baithi thi.

Unhone Navira ko dekhte hi hairani se aankhen phaila di.

Aur phir dheere se kaha:

"Ya Allah..."

"Bilkul uski tarah..."

Navira ka dil ruk sa gaya.

"Uski tarah? Kiski tarah?"

Buzurg khatoon ki aankhon mein aansu aa gaye.

"Tumhari maa ki tarah..."

To Be Continued...