Ananya ek chhote se gaon mein rehti thi, jahan zindagi har din ek nayi kasauti lekar aati thi. Uska ghar mitti ka bana tha, jiske chhat se baarish ke dinon mein paani tapakta rehta tha. Uske pita mazdoori karte the, aur maa logon ke ghar kaam karti thi. Paise itne kam hote the ki kabhi-kabhi do waqt ka khana bhi mushkil se milta tha.
Lekin Ananya ke sapne in sab mushkilon se kahin bade the.
Woh roz subah jaldi uthkar school jaati thi, purane aur fade hue kapdon mein. Uske jute bhi phate hue the, jinhe woh baar-baar silkar pehenti thi. School mein kai bachche uska mazaak udaate the.
"Dekho, phir wahi purane kapde pehen kar aa gayi," koi hansi udaata.
"Isse kya hi banega?" doosra keh deta.
Kabhi-kabhi teachers bhi use nazarandaaz kar dete the, jaise uski koi ahmiyat hi na ho.
Lekin Ananya chup rehti thi. Na woh jawab deti, na roti. Uski aankhon mein bas ek hi cheez hoti thi — sapne.
Woh padhai mein bahut tez thi. Jab bhi use mauka milta, woh library ki purani kitaabon mein kho jaati. Har page ke saath uske andar ek nayi umeed jagti. Use lagta tha ki shayad yahi kitaabein usse uski manzil tak pahucha sakti hain.
Raat ko jab sab so jaate, Ananya chhat ke neeche baithe-baithe aasman ki taraf dekhti. Taare chamakte rehte, aur woh dheere se khud se poochti —
"Kya main bhi ek din in taareon ki tarah chamak paungi?"
Gaon ke log aksar kehte the,
"Ladkiyon ka kaam bas ghar sambhalna hota hai."
"Zyada sapne dekhne ka koi faayda nahi."
Lekin Ananya ne kabhi in baaton ko apni sachchai nahi banne diya.
Uske andar ek ajeeb si aag thi — ek aisi aag jo use rukne nahi deti thi. Har taana, har mushkil uske junoon ko aur badha deta tha.
Ek din, school se wapas aate waqt, usne khud se ek vaada kiya —
"Main apni zindagi badal kar rahungi. Chahe kitni bhi mushkilein kyun na aayein, main haar nahi maanungi."
Us din se, Ananya ke liye sab kuch badal gaya.
Ab woh sirf sapne nahi dekh rahi thi…
Woh unhe sach karne ke liye taiyaar ho chuki thi.