jab din dhal jata hai, suraj dharti ki ot mein ho jata hai aur bhidon ke chhatte jaisi bhin-bhin bazaron ki garmi, afra-tafri motor, bas, barqi railon ka hangama tham jata hai chae-khanon nach-gharon se kam-sin ladke apne ham-sin mashuqon ko jin ki jinsi khwahish waqt se pahle jag uthi hai le kar ja chukte hain badhti phailti unchi himala jaisi tamiron par khamoshi chha jati hai theater tafrih-gahon mein tale pad jate hain aur ba-zahir duniya so jati hai main apne kamre mein baitha socha karta hun kutton ki dum tedhi kyun hoti hai ye chitkabri duniya jis ka koi bhi kirdar nahin hai koi falsafa koi painda aqdar nahin, mear nahin hai is par ahl-e-danish widwan, falsafi moti moti adaq kitaben kyun likkha karte hain? 'furqat' ki man ne shauhar ke marne par kitna kohram machaya tha lekin iddat ke din pure hone se ek hafta pahle 'nilam' ke mamun ke sath badaun ja pahunchi thi bi-bi ki sehnak konde fatiha-khwani jang-e-siffin, jamal aur badar ke qisson sirat-e-nabwi tark-e-duniya aur maulwi-sahab ke halwe mande mein kya rishta hai? din to ud jate hain ye sab kale par wale bagule hain jo hanste khelte lamhon ko apne pankhon mein mund ke aankhon se ojhal ho jate hain rahat jaise khwab hai aise insanon ka jin ki ummidon ke daman mein paiwand lage hain jama ek taraf site hain dusri jaanib phat jata hai ye duniya lamha lamha jiti hai 'maryam' ab kapde seti hai aankhon ki binai sath nahin deti ab aur 'ghazanfar' jo rumal mein laddu bandh ke us ke ghar mein phenka karta tha aur us ki aankhon ki tausif mein ghazlen likhwa kar laya karta tha us ne aur kahin shadi kar li hai ab apni lakdi ki tal pe baitha apni kaj-rai aur jawani ke qisse dohraya karta hai tal se uth kar jab ghar mein aata hai beti par qadghan rakhta hai nae zamane ki aulad ab waisi nahin rah gai badkari badhti jati hai jo din bit gae kitne achchhe the! bargad ke niche baitho ya suli chadh jao bhainse ladne se baz nahin aaenge maut se hum ne ek taawun kar rakkha hai sadkon par se har lamha ek mayyat jati hai pas-manzar mein kya hota hai nazar kahan jati hai samne jo kuchh hai rangon aawazon chehron ka mela hai! gurgal ud kar wo pilkhan par ja baithi pipal mein tote ne bachche de rakhe hain guldum jo pakdi thi kal be-chaari mar gai 'najma' ke bele mein kitni kaliyan aaen hain phulon ki khushbu se kya kya yaad aata hai ye jab ka qissa hai sadkon par nai nai bijli aai thi aur mujhe sine mein dil hone ka ehsas hua tha id ke din hum ne latthe ki shalwaren silwai thin aur siwayyon ka zarda ham-sae mein bhejwaya tha sab niche baithak mein baithe the main upar ke kamre mein baitha khidki se 'zainab' ke ghar mein phulon ke guchchhe phenk raha tha kal 'zainab' ka ghar nilam ho raha hai sarkari tahwil mein tha ek muddat se shayad patjhad ka mausam aa pahuncha patton ke girne ki aawaz musalsal aati hai chechak ka tika bimari ko roke rakhta hai zabt-e-taulid isqat waghaira insani aabaadi ko badhne se rokengi bandar ne jab se do tangon par chalna sikha us ke zehn ne harkat mein aana sikha hai patton ke girne ki aawaz musalsal aati hai sadkon par roz nae chehre milte hain maut se hum ne ek taawun kar rakkha hai pas-manzar mein nazar kahan jati hai phulon ki khushbu se kya kya yaad aata hai chauk mein jis din phul pade sadte the khuni darwaze par shahzadon ki phansi ka elan hua tha ye duniya lamha lamha jiti hai dilli ki galiyan waisi hi aabaad shad hain sab din to kale par wale bagule hain jo sab lamhon ko apne pankhon mein mund ke aankhon se ojhal ho jate hain chaaron jaanib rang rang ke jhande udte hain sab ki jebon mein insanon ke dukh-dard ka darman khushiyon ka nuskha bandha pada hai lekin aisa kyun hai jab nuskha khulta hai 1857 jata hai 1947 aa jata hai