Yeh kahani hai meri dost Ravi ki, Ravi ek chhote se gaon ka gareeb ladka tha. Uske pita dihaadi mazdoor the aur maa logon ke gharon mein bartan maanti thi. Ghar ki haalat aisi thi ki kai baar raat ka khana bhi poora nahi ho pata tha, lekin Ravi ke sapne bahut bade the.
Ravi sarkari school mein padhta tha. Uski chappal aksar tooti rehti, kitabein purani hoti aur copy ke aakhiri panno tak vah bahut sambhal kar likhta. Class mein kuch bachche uska mazak udaate,
"Are Ravi, tu to phate kapdon mein hi topper banega kya?"
Ravi chup rehta, lekin uske dil mein aag jalti rehti.
Vah roz subah 4 baje uthta, pehle paani bharta, fir pita ke saath thodi mazdoori karta aur uske baad school jaata. Raat ko jab poora gaon so jaata, tab vah mitti ke diye ki roshni mein padhai karta. Ravi din raat mehnat karta raha.
Ek din school mein scholarship ka form aaya. Teacher ne kaha,
"Ye unhi ke liye hai jo mehnati hain."
Ravi ne form bhar diya, lekin ghar aakar dar gaya.
"Agar nahi mili to…?"
Maa ne uske sir par haath rakha aur kaha,
"Beta, mehnat kabhi bekaar nahi jaati."
Kai mahino baad result aaya. Ravi ka naam sabse upar tha. Use scholarship mili. Pehli baar uske ghar mein khushi ke aansu bhe.
Samay badla. Ravi ne padhai jaari rakhi, sheher ke college mein daakhla liya. Mushkilein aayi, lekin usne haar nahi maani.
Saalo baad wahi Ravi ek bada afsar bana. Ek din vah apne purane school gaya. Bachchon ko dekhkar muskuraya aur bola—
"Gareebi buri nahi hoti, haar maan lena bura hota hai."
Us din tooti chappal wala ladka, hazaaron bachchon ki ummeed ban chuka tha.
Ab mera dost Ravi Jaipur sheher mein apne college mein pravesh leta hai.
Lekin mere pyaare mitra Ravi ke liye Jaipur sheher naya tha—oonchi imaaratein, tez raftaar zindagi aur ajnabi chehre.
Gaon se aaya vah ladka ab college ka student tha, lekin uski jeb abhi bhi utni hi khali thi.
College ke pehle din sabke haath mein mahange mobile the, laptop the.
Ravi ke paas sirf ek purana bag aur maa ki di hui dua thi.
Hostel ki fees zyada thi, isliye vah ek chhote se kamre mein rehne laga.
Din mein college, shaam ko tuition padhana aur raat ko khud ki padhai.
Kabhi-kabhi thak kar vah chhat par baith jaata aur aasman dekhkar sochta—
"Kya main sach mein aage badh paunga?"
Ek din college mein seminar tha. Ek bada motivational speaker aaya.
Usne kaha,
"Safalta unhi ko milti hai jo dard ke saath chalna seek lete hain."
Ye shabd Ravi ke dil mein ghar kar gaye.
Lekin zindagi itni aasaan nahi thi.
Ek din uski scholarship der se aayi.
Kamre ka kiraya, kitabein, khana—sab mushkil ho gaya.
Teen din tak usne theek se khana nahi khaya.
Chauthe din jab vah class mein baitha tha, aankhon ke aage andhera chha gaya.
Vah behosh ho gaya.
Jab hosh aaya to usne khud ko college ke medical room mein paaya.
Paas mein ek ladki baithi thi—saral kapde, shaant chehra.
" Tum theek ho?" usne poocha.
Ravi ne halki muskaan ke saath kaha,
"Haan… bas thodi kamzori."
Vah ladki thi Ananya—college ki topper, lekin ghamand se door.
Us din se Ravi ki zindagi mein ek naya mod aaya.