“ Didi..Didi..Please give one
samosa..please..bhaiya…ek samosa de dijiye..paise nai chaiye…uncle..uncle adha
samosa hi dila dijiye..paanch din se kuch nahi khaya…ek to dila do….” Chinki
was screaming near the street corner.
“ Hasan Fast Food”… Hasan was busy
serving his customers. Chowmein, Momos, Tandoori, Kachori, Samosa; all orders
coming together..It was peak time then (8:00 AM). All the office goers usually
had their breakfast from the Hasan’s Food corner because it was the cheapest
one near the Daulatganj Bus Stop. At this hour when everyone was busy filling
their appetite, Chinki was getting kicked out from every suit-boot wala.
Indians are truly big enough to throw their chewed baits to the poor ones.
Chinki waited there for 2 long hours, but not a single person was kind enough
to give her some chewed baits, not even Hasan.
“ Hasan.. kaun hai ye? Ye ladki..Yaha
dhoop me kyu sooye hai? Tum jante ho isse?..” came a sweet and calm voice from
the front table.
“ Pata nahi Tahima Madam, Kaun hai
ye! Aj subah se yahi padi hai…sab se bhikh mangte phir rahe hai…kisi ne kuch
dia nahi to yahe so gayi ab.. Choriye na isse aap btaeye..Aap kya lenge aaj?..”
Answered Hasan.
“ I will have some soup today. Bhuk
nai hai aj….Aur suno.. ek plate samosa v la dena..”
Chinki woke up suddenly when some
tender hands fell on her face. She blinked her eyes to see this beautiful kind
creature in front of her, hair falling over the shoulder, some are brown some
are black. The big brown eyes were covered with shades and her pink
lips..shinny pink. Chinki was amazed to see such a beauty in reality.
“ Don’t be afraid girl..mai tumhe
kuch nai karungi..ye lo samosa..bhuk lagi hai na tumhe beta…” came the tendered
voice of Tahima. Tahima was wearing a knee length red kurti and black jeggings.
She moved towards the table and handed over the plate of samosas to the little
girl who didn’t say anything but kept on eating. It was quite clear from the
little eyes that she was hungry for days. Her fully torn dress, uncombed hair
and the dusty face was screaming high for help. If any bounteous person on this
earth is alive then someone please help this poor gift of God.
Chinki ate 6 samosas, the little girl
had agony over her face for those sanosas. This timid stuffed oily food proved
to be more delicious than those burgers and pizzas, people die for.
Tahima was smiling and gulping her
tears silently watching this young girl eating. “What is your name beta? And
where are your parents?” Asked Tahima
Tears started rolling down the cheeks
of this poor girl. Fear, Hunger, Anxiety, all left their marks on this young
poor girl. Tahima looked very mournful. She was sad to see the cruel luck of
this small soul. She made herself believe that this is the harsh reality of the
emerging global world.
Chinki while sobbing concludes that,
she was from a poor village, Garbhanga. Her parents sent her with a neighbour
to the village market for bringing some veggies, from where she never went back
to her home. The man locked her up in a dark room for ten days without food and
then brought her to Delhi, may be for some cruel reasons. It is then the little
one escaped and landed here in Daulatganj.
By this time Tahima’s scarf was wet
with those salty water droplets rolling down fast, through her cheeks. Tahima
then hugged the little one tight and said “Don’t get afraid dear. I will
definetly take you to your parents. Chalo mere sath”.
Chinki got exicted at once. “ Such me
didi,.. aap mujhe apne ghar chor aayenge..” She said, startled.
“Ofcourse dear..par pehle chalo mai
tumhe kuch naye kapre dila du…phir khana kahenge.. Delhi ghumenge aur kal subah
hote hi tumhare ghar chalenge..OK beta” Said
Tahima.
Tahima and Chinki went through
Chandni Chowk, the whole day. Tahima bought some beautiful clips for the 12
year old, some bangles, and a glittering white frock. They even had those
street golas. The entire day, both strolled down the city holding each other’s
hands. They looked as if they are true acquaintances. For the first time Chinki
saw this colourful world that too with a dazzling woman. Tahima made sure that
nothing worse should happen to this girl.
At night Chinki was sleeping fearlessly,
snoring high on Tahima’s bed. Tahima was gently touching her hair. Suddenly the
world turned upside down for this innocent. Days back, she spent her nights
lying on the bare mud floor and now she was sleeping on that pulped couch,
buried.
Next morning, Chinki woke up early.
She wore that white glittering frock, she bought only a day back. She was
getting nostalgic, lost between emotions, happy to be back to her village soon
or sad for leaving this beautiful angel, she got a day before.. behind.
“ Chalo Chinki..Late ho raha hai..”
Said Tahima. An hour passed by, Chinki was still sitting, gawking through the
window of Tahima’s black Mahindra Xylo,
counting the sprinting trees outside. Suddenly the car stopped with a bump, in
an unkonown place.
“Kya hua didi… hum yaha kyu ruke hai?
Ye to mera gao nahi hai..” came the surprised innocent.
“ Ab yahi tumhara naya ghar hai. Ab
se tum yahi rahogi..” Said Tahima.
She took hold of Chinki’s hand and
forcibly made her enter the dark, big black doors, where a nameplate was hung,
written over..
“Den
of iniquity. Enjoy the young shape.”
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