उम्र के साथ प्यार

Dadaji 82 saal ke hain. Dadi — 78. Shaadi ko 58 saal ho gaye. Maine pucha — "Dadaji, 58 saal? Bore nahi hote?" Dadaji ne chasma saaf kiya. Muskaraaye. "Beta, jab tum roz subah wahi suraj dekhte ho — bore hote ho? Nahi. Kyunki har subah suraj thoda alag hota hai. Wahi suraj — par roshni nayi. Teri Dadi bhi waise hi hai. Wahi chehra — par har din kuch naya dikhaati hai. 58 saal mein maine woh sab dekha jo tum 58 minute mein nahi dekh sakte." Dadi — kitchen se aayin. Haath mein chai ka tray. "Kya gossip ho rahi hai?" Dadi ne pucha. "Poochh raha hai ki bore nahi hote ek doosre se," Dadaji ne kaha. Dadi hansi. "Bore? Inhe dekho — 82 saal ke hain, par jab main saree pehnti hoon toh aaj bhi waise dekhte hain jaise pehli baar dekha tha." "Pehli baar bhi aisi hi khubsoorat thi," Dadaji ne kaha — naturally, bina effort ke. Dadi ki cheeks pink. 78 saal mein blushing. "Buddhe ho gaye ho, par baatein abhi bhi wohi hain." --- Shaam ko — park mein walk. Dono saath. Dadaji dheere chalte hain — ghutne dard karte hain. Dadi ka haath pakad ke chalte hain — "support ke liye," kehte hain. Par Dadi ka balance perfect hai. Woh support ke liye nahi — pyaar ke liye haath pakadti hain. Bench par baithe. Ice cream khayi. Dadaji ko vanilla pasand hai, Dadi ko butterscotch. "58 saal mein ek bhi baar same flavour nahi liya," Dadaji ne kaha. "Kyunki different hona zaroori hai," Dadi ne kaha. "Agree karna zaroori nahi — saath rehna zaroori hai." --- Raat ko — Dadi ki dawai ka time. Dadaji yaad dilaate hain — roz. BP ki goli, thyroid ki goli, calcium. "Itni dawaiyan," Dadi kehti hain. "Kabhi kabhi lagta hai bas dawaiyon pe zinda hoon." "Dawaiyon pe nahi," Dadaji kehte hain. "Mere pe. Main hoon na — yaad dilaane ke liye, paani laane ke liye, aur mushkil mein haath pakadne ke liye." Dadi kuch nahi boltin. Bas dawai kha letin hain. Par aankhon mein — sab likha hota hai. --- Maine pucha — last sawaal — "Dadaji, pyaar ki ek definition do. 58 saal ke experience se." Dadaji ne socha. Deri tak. Phir kaha — "Pyaar woh hai jab tum 82 saal ke ho, ghutne dard karte hain, aankhein kamzor hain, yaaddaasht jaati hai — par ek chehra kabhi nahi bhoola — aur nahi bhulana chahte." Woh Dadi ki taraf dekha. Dadi unki taraf. Koi shabd nahi. Koi zarurat nahi. 58 saal ka pyaar — khamoshi mein bolta hai. Zyada. Gehri.