        i\nbmgvN sshIpt¶cw \yqtbmÀ¡nÂ Fµp¶ coXnbnÂ Bbncp¶p {io\nhmk
sdÍn Sn¡Áv icnbm¡nbncp¶Xv. Atacn¡³ kabhpambn C´y³ icocsµ
sacp¡nsbSp¡phm³ Hcp Znhkw aXnbm¡pw.
        "FbÀt]mÀ«nÂ Bsc¦nepw Imµp\nÂ¸p¯mhpw. H¶pw `bt¸t«¯" _m¥qcnÂ \n¶pw
Xncn¡p¶Xnsâ XteZnhkhpw sdÍn hnfn¨p ]dªncp¶p.
        F¦nepw \o¯bm{Xbv¡p tijw Cant{Kj³ ¢nbd³knsâ \o¯ IyphnÂ \nÂ¡p
t]mÄ Hcp sNdnb t]Sn tXm¶nbncp¶p.   Bcpw AhnsS Xs¶ Imµp\nÂ¡p¶nsÃ¦nÂ.
AdnbmsX Xs¶ sdÍnbpsS t^m¬\¼dpw \yqtbmÀ¡nÂ\n¶pw ]ns¶bpw Ipsd
ZqscbpÅ s]mlvv¡n]vkn F¶ \Kcµnse tIm¯mIvÁv A{UÊpw CtÃsb¶p AcbnÂ
sI«nb sNdnb _mKnÂ X¸nt\m¡n. 631, sabn³ kv{SoÁv, s]mlvv¡n]vkn, \yqtbmÀ¡v.
]eh«w hmbn¨p a\]mTam¡nbXv H¶p IqSn Hcphn«p.

        Imµp\nÂ¸nsâ AkzkvYXIÄ \oe_mâpIfnÂ sI«n\nÀµnb \ncIfnse
apJ§fmbn B henb lmfnÂ \ndªp\n¶p.
        Iu¯dnÂ \n¶ \ot{Km¡mc³ Hcp ]pXnb ImÀUp ]mkvt]mÀ«nÂ ASn¨p X¶p.
henb c¯p _mKpIfpw t{SmfnbnÂ IbÁn, D´n ]pdtµ¡p \S¶p.
        t]cpIÄ FgpXnb t_mÀUpIfpambn CtXhtc ImWmµhÀ¡mbn Ipsdt]À
Imµp\nÂ¡p¶p. Bcmbncp¡pw X\n¡p th¯n Imµp\nÂ¡p¶Xv?.. "\Znb s^¯m¯kv",
"tUhnUv Ith".. hbÁnse hn½njSw t\Àµ A¼c¸mbn amdn. BfpIfpsS Iq«w
Ahkm\n¡mdmbncn¡p¶p. ]pdµp, \yqtbmÀ¡v \Kcw Dd§ms\¶h®w ]Xps¡
I¬Nn½nsIm¯ncp¶p.
        "\mbÀ" F¶p henb A£cµnepw "I®³" F¶p sNdnb A£cµnepw FgpXnb
t_mÀUpw ]nSn¨p \nÂ¡p¶ kÀZmÀPnsb I¯t¸mÄ sXsÃm¶paÃ Bizmkw tXm¶nbXv.
        BdSnbntesd Dbcw. aª\ndµnepÅ XebnÂsI«v. aoibpsS Ahkm\§Ä
XmSnbpsS BZy§fnÂ sI«p]nWªpInS¡p¶p.
        "Rm³ \mbÀ, I®³ \mbÀ".    Bizmkw tXm¶nbncn¡Ww kÀZmÀPn¡pw. ss^Áv H¶c
aWn¡qÀ teÁmbncp¶p.
        "Su¬ Imdn"sâ ]n³hiµp _mKpIfpw ap³hiµp Xs¶bpw {]XnjvTn¨p Ccn¡pt¼mÄ
kÀZmÀPn HmÀ½n¸n¨p.
        "koÁv s_Â«v".
        koÁv s_Â«nSmsX Ccp¶mÂ ss{UhÀ¡p ss^³ In«pat{X.
        KpÀao·Àkn§v hgn\osf \ndpµmsX kwkmcn¨psIm¯ncp¶p.
        km[mcW BgvNIfnÂ \mepw A©pw t]cp¯mhpat{X kÀZmÀPnbv¡p ]n¡vsN¿m³.
I¼yq«dpIÄ¡p _p²nbpsSbpw hnthIµnsâbpw heIÄ sas\sªSp¡m³ CXm
A¼mSnbnÂ I®³\mbÀ IqSn. _nÂtKÁvknâbpw Atacn¡³ tkm^vÁvhbdnsâbpw
kz]v\§sf kmIvjmXvIcn¡m³ Ccp]µnsbm¶mw \qÁm¯nsâ hmKvZµ`qanbnte¡v
C´ybnÂ \ns¶µp¶ Bbnc§fnÂ CXm Cu icµvImeµnsâ Ccp¯ kmb´\µnÂ
HcmÄ IqSn.
        kz]v\§Ä tXSn hmKvZµ`qanbnÂ Fµnb At\IcpsS IY kÀZmÀPn ]dªpsIm¯ncp¶p.
                   ]Xnaq¶v hÀj§Ä¡p ap¼mWt{X ]©m_nse GtXm {KmaµnÂ \n¶pw ChnsS
sdkvtÁmdâp \Sµp¶ tPjvT³ hgn Fµnbµv. A²zm\µnsâ \mfpIÄ. HSphnÂ
Ct¸mÄ CXpt]msebpÅ aq¶v ImdpIÄ. Hcp {SmhÂ GP³kn. \mÂ]µp hbÊnsâ
_m¡n]{Xµnse FÃm XmfpIfpw ap¸µv an\p«v sIm¯v KpÀao·À hc¨pIm«n.
        BXvakwXr]vXnbpsS t\Àµ ]p©ncnIÄ kÀZmÀPnbpsS \o¯XmSnbnÂ
shÅntcma§fmbn Fµnt\m¡p¶p¯mbncp¶p. Dd¡anÃmµ, \o¯ cmhpIfnse
Idpµ Ccp«v I®pIÄ¡p Iosg]Xp§nInS¶p.
        \o¯p\nhÀ¶pInS¡p¶ aq¶p\nc¸mX.    ]mXIsf thÀXncn¡p¶ \nesµ
dn^vfIv«dpIÄ Imdnsâ shfn¨w I¯p sR«nbpWÀ¶p hnf¡pIÄ Iµn¨psh¨p
sIm¯ncp¶p.
        “ip`cm{Xn“
        {SmhÂ GP³knbpsS ImÀUpw X¶v KkvÁvluknsâ apIfnte¡pÅ Nhn«p
]SnIfpsSGÁhpw AÁsµ X«nÂ henb s]«nbpw sh¨v KpÀao·À Ft¶mSv bm{X ]dªp.
t]m¡p¶Xn¶p ap¼v sabnÂt_mIvknsâ IXIv Xpds¶Spµ Xmt¡mÂ GÂ¸n¨p
F§s\bmWv hmXnÂ ASt¡¯sX¶v Fs¶ ]Tn¸n¨p.
        X\nsb ASbp¶ hmXnemWt{X. Xmt¡menÃmsX ]pdµpt]mbmÂ
IpSp§nbXpXs¶.
        “C¶pw \msfbpw \¶mbn Dd§nt¡mfq.    Xn¦fmgvN cmhnse Im_v AhnsS
Fµpw, Xs¶ ]n¡v sN¿m³“.
{io\nhmksdÍnsb hnfn¨p Fµnb hnhcw ]dªt¸mgmWv Ipd¨p Bizmkw tXm¶nbµv.

        -“bq BÀ F e¡nam³“
        ]Xnª i_vZµnÂ {io\nhmksdÍn ]dªp.    “`mKyapÅh³“ ]ecpw
]eh«w ]dªXmWv.
        km[mcW Atacn¡³ I¼\nIÄ sSet^mWneqsS \Sµp¶ C³dÀhrphns\
am{XwASnØm\am¡n tPmen sImSp¡mdnÃt{X. hfsc A]qÀÆw am{Xta AhÀ
A§s\ sN¿mdpÅq.
        `mKyw! A]qÀÆ`mKyw.
        A\mhiyambn Gsd {]m[m\yw In«nXpS§nb hbÁnte¡v Po³kv hen¨ptIÁn
{io\nhmksdÍn koÁnÂ H¶p IqSn Ibdnbncp¶p. CSbv¡nsS t^msWSpµv _mKvfqcnsebpw
a{ZmÊnsebpw ^vfmÁpIfnte¡v Xm³ {io\nhmksdÍnbmsW¶pw \yqtbmÀ¡vknÁnbpsS
ap¶qdv ssaÂ hS¡v]SnªmdpÅ s]mlvv¡n]vkn F¶ knÁnbnÂ \n¶pw C¶ I¼\nbnÂ
\n¶mWv hnfn¡p¶sX¶pw ]dªv ]cnNbs¸«psIm¯ncp¶p.
        Hcp th«¡mcsâ iucytam Bthitam B ]Xnª kzcµnÂ F\n¡p
I¯p]nSn¡m\mbnÃ.
        \msfXs¶ tPmbn³sN¿Wsa¶pw AXnåap¼v t]¸ÀhÀ¡pIÄ XoÀ¡Wsa¶pw
tkmjyÂskIqcnÁn \¼dn\p As¹ sN¿Wsa¶pw sSet^mWnsâ CSthfIfnÂ sdÍn
Fs¶HmÀ½n¸n¨p sIm¯ncp¶p.

        XWpµ ImÁv ASnbv¡p¶ {]`mXµnÂ shÅ]qinb sI«nSµnsâ hnimeamb
dnk]vj\nÂ Imµp\nÂ¡pt¼mgpw ]ns¶ Xmtg¡p h¶ amt\Pcnsâ ]ndsI \S¶v Ccp¼v
hmXnepÅ apdnbnÂ Ibdn I¼yq«dnå ap¶nÂ Ccn¡pt¼mgpw \ndª kt´mjambncp¶p
a\ÊnÂ.
        -“ tkm ho BÀ tKmbnwMv t^mÀ e©v SpsU?“
        t_m_mWv. tdm_À«v {KmUvt^mÀUv.    hmXnÂ¡Â Fµnt\m¡n Nncn¡p¶p.
t_m_nsâ shfpµ apJsµ s{^©vXmSnbpw ]p©ncn¡p¶Xmbn F\n¡p tXm¶n. Xe
]Xps¡ sNcn¨p ]n³`mKsµ Ij¯nbnÂ ]Xps¡   XtemSp¶p t_m_v.
        Ignªpt]mb Cu c¯mgvNbnÂ CXp A©masµ XhWbmWv t_m_v e©n\mbn
£Wn¡p¶Xv. C¶se hnfn¨t¸mÄ C¶p hcmsa¶v Dd¸v ]dªXv HmÀµp.
        “XoÀ¨bmbpw“
        I®pIfnÂ Fs¶ Ipcp¡n, XmSn XShn ]ns¶bpw shdpsX Nncn¨v t_m_v IS¶pt]mbn.
Im³Áo\nte¡pÅ hgnbpw F§s\ A¡u¯v Xpd¡Wsa¶pw tNmZn¡msX t_m_v ]dªp
X¶ncp¶p.
        tamWnÁdnse IÀkÀ hm¨nse sk¡³dv kqNn t]mse IrXramb CSthfIfnÂ InX¨v
InX¨v I¬Nn½n kabsµ Ipdn¨v HmÀ½s¸Spµp¶p¯mbncp¶p.
        Hm^oknsâ ]pdtµbv¡v hmXnepw IS¶v t_m_n¶p ]n¶mse \S¡pt¼mÄ
AhImiµnsâ t\Àµ Al¦mchpambn aqfnFµnb XWpµImÁv XgpIn IS¶pt]mbn.
icµvImeku·cyµnå ap¶nÂ CeIsfÃmw sImgn¨n«v PmfyXcmbn \nÂ¡p¶ ac§fpw
IS¶v ]mÀ¡nwMv Gcnbbnte¡v \S¶p.
        F\n¡vth¯n Imdnsâ heXp`mKsµ hmXnÂ Xpd¶pX¶p t_m_v.
        shPntÁdnb³]nÊbpw Nn¡³IjW§fpw tIm¡pw \oe\ndµnepÅ HmhÀt¡m«v [cn¨
shfpµpsImep¶s\bpÅ s]¬Ip«ntbmSv HmÀUÀ sNbvXp C\nsbsR¦nepw thtWmsb¶v
t_m_v Ft¶mSv tNmZn¨p.
        s]m«nNncnbpWÀ¶p ASpµ taibnÂ\n¶pw.    I®S¡mc³ Ft´m sRm«p
sRmSp¡v hnZyIÄ Im«n c¯p s]¬Ip«nIsf ckn¸n¡p¶p¯mbncp¶p. Iq«n]nSn¨
hncepIÄ.Npcp¯ apSn.   s]s«¶v Xo. Hcp am{´nIsâ ssIthKtµmsSbpÅ s]m«n¨ncn.
IuXpIµnsâ Ahkm\w F\n¡pw Nncns]m«n. t\Àµ kwKoXµnsâ AeIÄ
BZysam¶p aSn¨pw ]ns¶ Gsd BthitµmsSbpw sI«n]pWÀ¶p.
        Atacn¡³ {]knU³dnsâ tIfnIsfIpdn¨pw \mSphnd¸n¨ kp·cnsbIpdn¨pw
s]mSn¸pw sXm§epw sh¨v t_m_v ]dªpsIm¯ncp¶p. \¶mbn kwkmcn¡m³ Adnbmw
t_m_n\v.
        Fs¶Ipdn¨pw \mSns\Ipdn¨pw Gsd tNmZn¨p a\Ênem¡n. CSbv¡nsS Xo£Wamb
I®pIfnÂ Fs¶Ipcp¡n Nncn¨psIm¯ncp¶p.   kap{Zµnse AKmZXbnset¶mWw
\oeI®pIfnse im´X Fs¶ AÛpXs¸Spµn. ap¼v ]et¸mgpw tXm¶nb kwibw
At¸mgpw F\n¡p tXm¶n. t_m_nsâ I®pIÄ FhnsStbm I¯t¸mse...
        kwKoXw.. hnclZp:Jµnsâ AeIfmbn, ImapIn¡mbn tIgp¶ ImapIsâ t\Àµ
hnXp¼epIÄ. XWpµ kpJapÅ ImÁnsâ AeIfmbn kwKoXµnsâ AI¼Sn.
        Fs´¦nepw tNmZn¡Ww F\nbv¡pw. F´v tNmZnbv¡Ww?.. hm¡pIÄ¡vth¯n
Rm³ ]cµn.
                 ]nÊbpsS samcnª ]pdw`mKw ISns¨Spµv {io\nhmksdÍn t]mcpt¼mÄ X¶ncp¶
aq¶v IÂ]\IfnÂ H¶p sXÁn¡m³Xs¶ Rm³ Xocpam\n¨p.
        -“t_m_v, BÀ bq amcoVv?.“
        IpSn¨psIm¯ncp¶ tIm¡nsâ ¥mÊv t_m_v \neµpsh¨p. ZoÀL\nizmk§Ä
t\Àµ panfIfmbn ¥mÊnÂ ]XªpsIm¯ncp¶p. apJsµ im´X s]m«nXIÀ¶p
XncameIfpsS AeÀ¨bmbnHcp \nanjw amdn.   shfpµ apJw Nph¶pXpSpµp. cq£amb
I®pIfnse hnImc{]]©w..
        tNmZnt¡¯mbncp¶p. At¸mÄ F\n¡p tXm¶n.
        t_m_nsâ \o¯p saenª hncepIÄ Fsâ ssIIsf Iq«n]nSn¨p. sFkn«
tIm¡nt\¡mÄ XWp¸p tXm¶n hndbv¡p¶ B hncepIÄ¡v.
        acn¨t]mb `mcy.. A\mYcmb Ip«nIÄ.. AtXm h©\bpsS IYItfm.. Rm³
kwibn¨p.
        ]pXnb GtXm Km\µnsâ {ipXn ad¨psh¨ kv]o¡dpIfneqsS Hgp¡m³ XpS§n.
thKµnepdªp XpÅp¶ PmÊnsâ {]I¼\§Ä.. Ft´m Ahnizmkµnsâ
ImÀtaL§Ä t_m_nsâ \oeI®pIfnÂ ]mdn\S¶p.    t_m_nsâ s{^©v
XmSnbnse tcma§Ä ]\n]nSn¨Xpt]mse hndbv¡p¶p¯mbncp¶p.
        lyZbµnsâ AKmZamb GsXm IbµnÂ \ns¶¶h®w Nh¨pXp¸nb hm¡pIÄ.
Rm³ tI«p.
        -“ Abmw F sK“.
        Nph¶pXpSpµ B I®pIfntebv¡v t\m¡nbt¸mÄ F\n¡p a\Ênembn, t_m_ns\
Rm³ FhnsS sh¨pw I¯n«nsÃ¶v.
        Np«ps]mÅp¶ Xo¡pWvTµnÂ \ns¶®h®w AdnbmsX Xs¶ I®³\mbÀ ssIIÄ
hens¨Spµp.
        GtXm Idpµ KmbIsâ, temItµmSpÅ Bt{Imiambn ImXS¸n¡p¶ kwKoXw..
thÀXncn¨dnbm³ Ignbmµ hm¡pIÄ kwKoXµnsâ sI«pIfnÂInS¶p ]nSªp.
        -“Abv ebvv¡Vv bq sbÁv Z ^kvÁv sskÁv CÁvskÂ^v.. sbkv.. bphÀ »m¡v
Abnkv.. bphÀ t\mkv.. ...“
        \ni_vZNe¨n{Xµnse IYm]m{Xsµ t]mse t_m_v ]ns¶bpw kwkmcn¨p
sIm¯nbncp¶p.
        sdkvtÁmdânå]pdsµ, amfnå]n¶nse, ta¸nÄac§Ä¡pw ]ndInse tZiob
]mXbneqsS Nodn]mªpt]mIp¶ hml\§fpsS Ie¼epIÄ¡nSbnÂ t_m_nsâ
i_vZw CgpInt¨À¶p.