Ipdph¨³ ImtXmÀ¯p. Ft´m i_vZw tIÄ¡p¶pWvSv. F´msW¶p hyàaÃ. cmthsd sN¶ncn¡p¶p. ]Snªmdv Ipdp¡³aebpsS At§s¨cnhnse ]peb¡pSnepIfn tNmXnaq¸sâ t\XrXz¯n ]cnNap«pIfn ]Tn¡p¶Xmhpw. aoi Idp¯ sNdpan bphm¡fpw tNmcbpw \ocpapÅ InSm¯nIfpw aq¸sâ kwL¯nepWvSv.
aWn¨n¸mSs¯ tNdp\ndª IWvS§fn tNdp ]Xw hcp¯p¶Xn\v Rucn ASn¡p¶Xn AXnhnZKv[\mWv tNmXn aq¸³. ]mWep ]ncn¨pWvSm¡nb hSnsImWvSv aqcn¡p«·msc ASn¨v, Ahsc NqSp ]nSn¸n¨v HmSn¡pt¼mÄ tNmXn aq¸sâ Xg¼phoW ssIIÄ AXn\p ]n¶mse Rucnss¡bn _eambn ]nSn¨ncn¡pw. Bdphe¯p \pIw h¨ aqcn¡p«·mÀ HmSn¡gnbpt¼mÄ shÅw Ibdnb IWvS§fnse tNdp Rmdp \Sm³ ]mI¯n ]Xw h¶ncn¡pw.
]Ies¯ ITn\m[zm\w Ignªp cm{Xn cWvSp ]\tam´n IpSnbnse¯nbm tNmXn aq¸³ ]ns¶ ]cnNap«pIfn ]Tn¸n¡embn. Bimsâ IpSnen\p apä¯v Rmäp]m«nsâ CuW¯n ]cnNap«pIfn ]Tn¡p¶hÀ cmthsds¨¶p N{µ¡e am\¯p\n¶p adbp¶Xp hsc ]T\w XpScpw. tNmXn Bimsâ Nn« sNdpan bphm¡Ä¡p thZhmIyamWv. Bims\ [n¡cn¡p¶hÀ ]ns¶ IpSnbn hmgnÃ.
Ipdph¨³ hoWvSpw ImtXmÀ¯p. CÃ, X\n¡p tXm¶nbXmhpw. {Kmaw KmV\n{ZbnemWv. sXmSnbnse ]pfnac¯nsâ \ngepIÄt]mepw Dd§n \n¡p¶p. Ccp«n ]Xnbncn¡p¶ Ipdp\cnIÄ CctXSn Aebp¶ t\camWv. AhbpsS HmcnbnS t]mepw Ct¸mÄ tIÄ¡p¶nÃ.
Ipdph¨s\ Dd¡w A\p{Kln¡p¶nÃ. sa¯bn Xncnªpw adnªpw InS¶p. ]I a¯mbn ]dª hmÀ¯bmWv Ipdph¨sâ Dd¡w sISp¯nbXv.
hmkp PbnÂin£ Ignªp Xncns¨¯nbncn¡p¶ hmÀ¯. Ah³ C\n Fs´ms¡ s]mÃm¸pIÄ DWvSm¡psa¶v Bcp IWvSp? temIt¯mSp apgph³ ]IbmWh\v. s]g¨p s]äp hoW k´Xn F¶ ap{Z Ah\n Ien Cf¡pw.
Acniw aq¡pt¼mÄ X´bnÃm¯h\tà \o! F¶msc¦nepw DcnbmSnbm ASn Dd¸mWv. Ah\p Ien CfIm³ asäm¶pw thWvS. ]ns¶ hnfn¨h³ ASnsImWvSp Xdbn hogpw. AXpsImWvSv hmkp hcp¶Xp IWvSm ]ecpw hgnamdntb¡pw. hg¡pw h¡mWhpw hnebv¡p hm§p¶hÀ hmkphnsâ ssI¡cp¯v \¶mbn AdnbpIbpw sN¿pw.
Ipdph¨sâ a\Ên Hcp IcSmbn hmkp hfÀ¶p. F¶pw AkzØX hnXbv¡p¶ hmÀ¯Ifpambn Ipdph¨sâ ap¶n hmkp Hcp {]Xn_Ôambn \n¶p.
Nmb¸oSnIbnse ImenfInb Nmcp_©n Xebn h«s¡«pambn cm{Xn hfcm³ Im¯ncn¡pIbmWv hmkp. Ccp«n _oUn¡pänbnse sNdpXo Xnf§p¶pWvSv.
Ft´m \nÝbn¨pd¨ amXncn hmkp NmSnsbWoäp. Xebnse Cucngb³ tXmÀ¯v Agn¨v Ccp«n Bªp IpSªp. apdn_oUn H¶p IqSn Bªphen¨p ]pdt¯s¡dnªp.
sh«phgnbn ]Xnbncn¡p¶ Ccp«ns\ hIhbv¡msX AbmÄ apt¶m«p \S¶p. hnP\]mXbn Bf\¡anÃ. tdmUnd¼nse Im«pac§Ä t{]X§Ä IWs¡ t\m¡n \n¡pIbmWv. IÃp¦Â XdhmSnsâ ]Sn¸pcbmWv hmkphnsâ e£yw. Ccp«n ssIIÄ Bªphoin apt¶m«p \S¡pt¼mÄ \nÝbZmÀVy¯nsâ Ipdnb hcIÄ hmkphnsâ apJ¯p ]Xnªn«pWvSv. AbmÄ ]ÃpIfndp½n. tIm]w sImWvSp apJw Nph¶p. tNmc¡®pIfn ]IbpsS Xo\m¼pIÄ I¯n. ]n¨m¯n¸nSnbn ssIh¨t¸mÄ AXnsâ aqÀ¨tbdnb ap\bn tNmc¯pÅnIÄ hogm³ t\camsb¶p tXm¶n.
Ccp«nsehnsStbm Nmhmen¸«nIÄ Ime³ Iqhp¶p. Acbmensâ sIm¼pIfn ]I apgph³ Xq§n¡nS¶ \cn¨odpIÄ cmhnsâ hgn¯mcbn Xe§pw hne§pw ]d¶p \S¡p¶p. GtXm ac¯nencp¶p Ime ³tImgn Iqhp¶pWvSv.
hmkphnsâ ap¶n  Hcp ]nSn In«m t{] Xw amXncn IÃp¦Â XdhmSnsâ ]Sn¸pc AS ªp InS¶p. Ah³ Hcp \nanjw AXn\p t\ sc t\m¡n. ASªpInS¡p¶ ]Sn¸pc Xs¶ sImª\w Ip¯p¶Xpt]mse hmkphn\p tXm¶n. Ah³ ]Ãndp½n. Ahsâ kncIfneqsS tNmc Cc¼n. I®pIfn ]IbpsS Xo\m¼pIÄ Bfn¡¯n. Acniw apSnbngIfn ]nSn¨p hen¨p. tNmc¡®pIÄ IqSpX Nph¶p. s]cphncepIfnÂ\n¶nc¨p Ibdnb s]cp¸p tZlamkIew ]SÀ¶p.
ssIIÄ Iq«n¯ncp½n, ]Ãndp½n hmkp IÃp¦Â XdhmSnsâ aXn NmSn¡S¡m³ Xocpam\n¨p. Ah³ aXnen s]m¯n¸nSn¨p Ibdn, ]d¼nse I\¯ Ccp«nte¡p NmSn.
Ccp«n hmg¡q«§Ä¡pw sX§n³XS§Ä¡panSbneqsS Ah³ apt¶m«p \S¶p. ap¼n `oamImccq]w ]qWvSv IÃp¦se XdhmSv. s]m´¡mSpIfn ]Xnbncn¡p¶ Im«p]q¨IfpsS kq£vaXbpÅ ]mZ]X\t¯msS hmkp Hmtcm NphSpw apt¶m«p h¨p. XdhmSv KmV\n{ZbnemWv. Ccp«ns\ apdns¸Sp¯ns¡mWvSp aW hncn¨ apä¯pw \of³ hcm´bnepw sshZypXn hnf¡pIfpsS a§nb {]Imiw ]c¶pInS¡p¶p. hcm´bpsS aqebn kotdm _Ä_nsâ {]Imi¯nencp¶ hÀ¡n am¸nf XnIª Kucht¯msS hmkphns\ t\m¡n. B I®pIfnse {Iucyhpw sIm¼³ aoibpw iucyhpw Hcp\nanjw hmkphnsâ DÅw \Sp¡n. hmkp ]n¨m¯n¸nSnbn ssI apdp¡n. DÅnse \Sp¡s¯ ]IbpsS Icn\mK§Ä BªpsIm¯n. Ahsâ kncIÄ tIm]w sImWvSp Pzen¨p. apJs¯ amwkt]inIÄ henªp apdpIn. Xet¨mdn\pÅn Bbnc¡W¡n\p NohnSpIÄ i_vZn¨p.
FhnsS\nt¶m HmSnsb¯nb agbpsS ko¡mcw. Hcp shÅnSn sh«n. an¶ensâ shfn¨¯n hÀ¡nam¸nfbpsS apJw Hcn¡Â IqSn hmkp IWvSp. B apJw hÃmsX CcpWvSncn¡p¶p. hÀ¡nam¸nf tIm]w sImWvSp Pzen¨v Xsâ t\sc t\m¡pIbmtWm? hmkphn\p hoWvSpw N¦nSn¸p hÀ²n¨p. BImi¯v Xe§pw hne§pw sImÅn ao\pIÄ ]mªp. HmSn¡nXs¨¯nb agbpsS \mcpIÄ apäs¯ aW¯cnIfn hoWp. hmkp ag\\bmsX hcm´bnte¡p Ibdn.
GtXm almZpc´¯n\p \mµnIpdn¨psImWvSp sImÅnbm\pIÄ an¶pIbpw CSnapg¡§Ä {]]©s¯ \Sp¡pIbpw sNbvXp. XdhmSnsâ HmSn³ ]pd¯v I\¯ ag apg¡§Ä krjvSn¨p.
ssIbn Ducn¸nSn¨ ]n¨m¯nbpambn hmkp hcm´bneqsS ]mZ]X\¯nsâ i_vZw t]mepw tIĸn¡msX ]½n]½n \S¶p. hcm´sb Xm§n \ndp¯p¶ Dcpf³ XqWpIÄ km£n \n¶p. hmkphnsâ tNmc¡®pIÄ Ipdph¨sâ Adbnte¡p \oWvSp. Xpd¶p InS¶ P\mebpsS Agn¡nSbneqsS Ahsâ tNmc¡®pIÄ Ipdph¨s\ ]cXn. AcWvS shfn¨¯n k{]a©¡«nen \oWvSp\nhÀ¶p InS¡p¶ Ipdph¨³.
Aev]w AIse Xdbn ]mbv hncn¨p InS¡p¶ a¯mbn. hmkp ]n¨m¯nbn H¶pIqSn ]nSnapdp¡n. cWvSmfpw KmV\n{ZbnemWv. hmkp £am]qÀÆw Im¯p\n¶p. CSnapg¡§Ä ian¡s«. agbpsS ko¡mchpw AS§s«. X\n¡p thWvSpthmfw kabapWvSv. cm{Xn C\nbpw \oWvSp\nhÀ¶p InS¡pIbmWv.
hmkp kmhImiw ]½n¸½n AdbpsS hmXnen\Sps¯¯n. hmXn Nmcnbnt«bpÅq. X\n¡pthWvSn, Cu almZpc´¯n\v Ahkcw krjvSn¨v, AdbpsS hmXn Nmcnbn« ]SnInS¡p¶p. IpänbnSm³ ad¶Xmhmw. hmkp i_vZw tIĸn¡msX Nmcnbn« hmXn sasà Xpd¶p. ]pd¯v CSnapg¡§Ä Ahkm\n¡pIbpw agbpsS km{µX Ipdªv A´co£w X\n¡v A\pIqeamhpIbpw sN¿p¶Xp hmkp Adnªp.
a¯mbnsb DWÀ¯msX, ImÂs¸cpamäw XoÀ¯pw \n i_vZam¡n hmkp Ipdph¨sâ I«nen\Sps¯¯n. Ahsâ kncIfn tNmc Cc¨p Ibdn. tIm]w sImWvSp apJw hoWvSpw Nph¶p. Cu aplqÀ¯¯n\pthWvSnbmWv Xm³ Pohn¨ncp¶Xv. X\n¡p Poh³ k½m\n¨hs\, Cu `qanbn "X´bnÃm¯h³' F¶ hnfnt¸tcmSpIqSn ]nd¡m³ ImcWambhsâ Poh\nXm Xm³ Cu I¯nap\bn FSp¡m³ t]mIp¶p.
hmkp ]ns¶ H¶pw BtemNn¨nÃ. Ahsâ ]n¨m´n A´co£¯n DbÀ¶p XmWp.
Ipdph¨³ Hcp AeÀ¨tbmsS sR«n DWÀ¶p. Ipdph¨sâ AeÀ¨bn XdhmSv \Sp§n. a¯mbn sR«n DWÀ¶v, XnSp¡¯nseWoäv Ipdph¨sâ I«ne\Sps¯¯n Ipdph¨s\ Ipep¡n hnfn¨p.
""A¸¨m... A¸¨m... F´m hà No¯ kz]vt\mw ItWvSm?''.
Ipdph¨\v At¸mgpw ]cnkct_m[w hoWvSpIn«nbnÃ. AbmÄ ASnapSn hnbÀ¯p. icocw Imev]mZw apX s\dpIwXehsc hnd¨p. a¯mbn hoWvSpw Ipep¡n hnfn¨p.""A¸¨m.. A¸¨s\´p ]än? C¶se Ipcnip hcbv¡msXbmtWm sIS¶Xv. Zpxkz]v\w hÃXpw IWvSXmco¡w. FWotä''.
a¯mbn IqPbnÂ\n¶p ¥mknev shÅsaSp¯v Ipdph¨sâ apJ¯p Xfn¨p.
Ipdph¨³ At¸mgpw `b¸mtSmsS a¨n I®pangn¨v t\m¡n¡nS¡pIbmWv. CSbv¡p Nmcnbn« hmXnen\p t\tcbpw t\m¡p¶pWvSv.
""A¸¨³ Ft´m Zpxkz]v\w IWvSp s\ehnfn¨Xm. Cu shÅw sImd¨§v IpSn¡v. At¸m shdbev amdpw.''.
a¯mbn Ipdph¨s\ Xm§n FWo¸n¨v I«nenencp¯n. F¶n«v ¥mknse shÅw NptWvSmSp tNÀ¯p ]nSn¨p sImSp¯p. Ipdph¨³ Hähen¡p ¥mknse shÅw XoÀ¯p. a¯mbn IqPbnÂ\n¶v Hcp ¥mkv IqSn \nd¨p sImSp¯p. At¸mgpw Ipdph¨sâ hndb Ahkm\n¨ncp¶nÃ. AbmÄ hoWvSpw `b¸mtSmsS Nmcnb hmXnen\p t\tc t\m¡n.
a¯mbn Ipdph¨s\ hoWvSpw InS¡bnte¡p InS¡m³ klmbn¨p. josäSp¯v ]pX¸n¨p.
""A¸¨³ Dd§nt¡mfq. Rm\nhnsS ASp¯pWvSv. Imhembn. Rm\n\n Hd§WnÃ.''. a¯mbn kmhImiw FWoäp. ""sseäWt¨¡mw''. a¯mbn ]dªp. Ipdph¨³ AXpthWvS F¶v ssIsImWvSmwKyw Im«n. Ipdph¨sâ `bw At¸mgpw hn«pamdnbn«nÃ. AbmÄ hoWvSpw hoWvSpw hmXnen\p t\tc t\m¡n. ]n¶oSv Nn´m[o\\mbn a¨n I®p\«p InS¶p.
ag ]qÀ®ambpw ian¨ncp¶p. F¦nepw Hm«n³ ]pd¯p\n¶p ]m¯nbneqsS shÅw hogp¶ H¨ tI«psImWvSncp¶p.
B cm{Xn a¯mbn Dd§msX Ipdph¨\p Imhencp¶p. FhnsStbm ]mXncmt¡mgn Iqhn.
cmhnsâ \memw bma¯n ]cn£oWnX\mbn Ipdph¨³ Dd¡¯nte¡p hgpXn hoWp. Ipdph¨³ t\cnbtXmXn IqÀ¡w hen¡p¶Xv a¯mbn t\m¡nbncp¶p. a¯mbn¡v Dd¡w h¶nÃ.
kw`h_lpeamb \oWvS PohnX¯nsâ ambm¯ tcJIÄ a¯mbn Ipdph¨sâ apJ¯p IWvSp.
t\cw shfp¯p. At¸mgpw Ipdph¨³ KmV\n{ZbnemWv. a¯mbn i_vZw tIĸn¡msX Nmcnb hmXn Xpd¶p hcm´bnte¡nd§n. shfn¨w \¶mbn hoWncn¡p¶p.
a¯mbn apät¯¡p t\m¡nbt¸mÄ \Sp§nt¸mbn.
apäs¯ cm{Xnagbn ]pXª aWen Bg¯n ]Xnª Imev]mSpIÄ!