Ek dafa ka zikr hai, ek chhoti si basti ke bagh mein do pyare parinday rehte the – Tota aur Mena. Dono bachpan ke dost thay, aur unki dosti poore bagh mein mashhoor thi. Har subha jab suraj ki pehli kiran phoolon par girti, Mena apne par phaila kar geet gaati aur Tota hans kar kehta, “Tera sur toh bagh ko jaga deta hai, Mena!”

Waqt guzarta gaya, aur unki dosti ek gehri mohabbat mein badal gayi. Magar bagh mein sab log – totay, bulbul, kauway – unki dosti ka mazaq udate thay. “Aray dekho, Tota Mena ka deewana ho gaya hai!”
Mena hans kar kehti, “Unko kehne do, humara rishta dil ka hai, zuban ka nahi.”

Ek din bagh mein ek nayi mehmaan parindee aayi – Neelam, jiska rang samundar jaisa neela tha aur awaaz itni meethi ke sab parinday use sunte reh jaate. Tota bhi uski awaaz mein kho gaya. Mena ne pehli dafa Tota ki aankhon mein wo chamak dekhi jo pehle sirf uske liye hoti thi.

Us raat Mena ne chand ko dekha aur dil se dua ki: ... See More