"Har jagah se bachon ka shor aa raha tha…
jaise poora school ek saath bol raha ho.
Usi shor ke beech,
koi mujhe pukaar raha tha —
"Muskan… Muskan… main yahan hoon!"
Maine idhar-udhar dekha…
"Manshi…!"
"Jaldi idhar aa jao, prayer start hone wali hai!"
meri dost ne haath hila kar kaha.
"Thik hai… aa rahi hoon!"
Hum sab line me khade ho gaye…
Sab bachon ki awaaz ek saath goonj rahi thi…
aur unhi awaazon ke beech,
meri halki si awaaz bhi kahin kho jaati thi.
"Prayer khatam hote hi…
sab bachche apni-apni class ki taraf bhaagne lage.
Koi haste hue,
koi ek dusre ko dhakka dete hue…
aur koi apni jagah pakadne ki jaldi me.
Main bhi dheere-dheere apni class me jaakar baith gayi…
apni usual jagah par.
Class me abhi bhi halki si awaaz chal rahi thi…
koi baat kar raha tha,
koi apni copy nikaal raha tha.
Tabhi teacher class me aayi…
"Good morning ma'am…"
sab bachchon ne ek saath bola.
"Good morning… sit down."
Sab turant apni jagah par seedhe baith gaye.
"Kal jo homework diya tha, sabne kiya?"
teacher ne poocha.
Kuch bachchon ne "Yes ma'am" kaha…
aur kuch chup rahe.
Main jaldi se apni copy nikaalne lagi…
aur dheere se apni friend ki taraf dekha.
Usne bhi copy nikali…
aur hum dono halki si muskura diye.
Teacher ek-ek karke sabki copies check karne lagi…
jab meri baari aayi,
toh maine chup chaap apni copy aage kar di.
Teacher ne dekha…
aur sirf itna kaha — "Theek hai."
Mujhe andar hi andar thodi si khushi hui…
jaise maine koi chhoti si jeet hasil kar li ho.
Class me phir padhai shuru ho gayi…
teacher board par likh rahi thi,
aur hum sab apni copies me utar rahe the.
Par mera dhyaan kabhi board par hota,
toh kabhi window ke bahar…
jahan se halka sa hawa ka jhonka aata tha.
Kabhi-kabhi lagta tha…
class ke andar baithkar bhi,
mera mann kahin aur hi ghoom raha hai.
Par phir bhi…
main apni chhoti si duniya me,
sab ke saath bethi thi."
"Ringgg…!"
Lunch time!
"Yehhh…!"
sab bachche khushi se chillaye.
Hum sab apne bags khol kar baith gaye…
"Aaj tum kya layi ho?"
ek dusre ka lunch dekhte hue hum pooch rahe the.
"Yeh dekho…"
maine apna tiffin khola.
"Achhaaa…"
sab haste hue baat kar rahe the.
Tabhi meri dost ne kaha —
"Muskan, tumhe pata hai…
mere papa keh rahe the ki hume aane wale exam me achhe se pass hona hai…
taaki humara achhe school me admission ho jaye."
Maine thoda rukkar poocha —
"Achha… iska matlab hum alag ho jayenge?"
"Haan…"
usne dheere se udas mann se kaha,
"aur agar achhe marks nahi aaye,
toh hum isi school me reh jayenge…"
Mujhe ajeeb sa laga…
"Par mujhe tumse alag nahi hona…"
maine udaasi se kaha.
"Mujhe bhi nahi…"
meri dost ne bhi dheere se bola.
Kuch der ke liye hum dono chup ho gaye…
Phir achanak usne kaha —
"Idea! Muskan… mere paas ek idea hai!"
"Maine hairani se poocha — kya?"
"Agar hum achhe marks hi na laaye…
toh hum alag nahi honge!"
Main ek second ke liye usse dekhi
"Waa… yeh toh achha idea hai!" - maine kush hokar kha
"Thik hai, pakka!"
usne bhi haste hue kaha.
"Ringgg…!"
Lunch over.
"Chalo bachcho, sab apna classwork check karwa lo
aur kal ka homework note karo…"
teacher ne kaha.
"Ji ma'am…"
Mam ne firr se kha -
"Sab apni-apni mid-term exam ki date sheet le lo
aur ghar jaakar apne parents ko dena."
"Okay ma'am…"
Class phir se shuru ho gayi…
"Ringgg…!"
Chhutti.
"Bye ma'am…"
"Bye…"
Main bahar aayi…
"Mumma! Aap aa gaye…" ?
Aur phir…
school ki wo chhoti si duniya khatam ho gayi,
aur main wapas apni doosri duniya me laut aayi