Postcards — America se Allahabad
Jab Vikram America gaya — MS ke liye — tab bhi WhatsApp tha, Instagram tha. Par Tara ne kaha — "Mujhe postcards bhejo." "Postcards? 2023 mein?" "Haan. Digital mein feel nahi aati. Likhke bhejo — haath se." "Tara, postcard 2-3 hafte lagta hai pahunchne mein." "Toh 2-3 hafte ka intezaar karoongi. Intezaar mein bhi pyaar hota hai." --- Pehla postcard — New York se: "Tara, Statue of Liberty dekhi. Bahut badi hai. Par teri muskaan — woh isse bhi badi lagti hai. Cheesy? Haan. Par sachchi. — V" Doosra — Boston se: "MIT ka campus dekha. Bahut smart log hain yahan. Par tere jaisa — jo Maths mein fail hoke bhi confident rahe — aisa koi nahi. Tu unique hai. — V" Teesra — San Francisco se: "Golden Gate Bridge. Sundar. Par Allahabad ka Sangam bridge — woh ghar ki yaad dilata hai. Aur ghar — tum ho. — V" --- Tara bhi bhejti thi — Allahabad se: "Vikram, aaj ganga ghat par baithi thi. Shaam ki dhoop. Tujhe yaad kiya. Jhooth nahi — roz karta hoon. Par aaj zyada. Kyunki aaj tera birthday hai aur tu yahan nahi hai. Happy Birthday. Yeh postcard late pahunchega — par pyaar late nahi hota. — T" --- Ek saal mein — 24 postcards. 12 uske, 12 mere. Har ek — haath se likha hua. Har ek mein — jagah ki photo. Har ek mein — woh feeling jo WhatsApp text mein nahi aati. Tara ne sab postcards ek string pe latka diye — apne kamre mein. Left se right — journey dikhayi — New York se California tak. "Mere kamre mein tera America trip hai," usne video call par dikhaya. "Aur mere kamre mein tera ek bhi photo nahi — kyunki tu postcards bhejti hai, selfie nahi." "Toh photo bhi bhejungi — postcard ke saath." --- MS khatam hua. Vikram wapas aaya. Allahabad station. Platform par — Tara khadi thi. Haath mein ek postcard. "Yeh kya hai?" Vikram ne pucha. "Aakhiri postcard. Padh." Vikram ne padha: "Vikram, yeh postcard nahi bhejungi — khud dungi. Kyunki ab dooriyan khatam. Aur ek baat — jo 24 postcards mein nahi likhi — aaj likh rahi hoon: Main tumse pyaar karti hoon. Bahut. Station se zyada — jahan se trains jaati hain. Sangam se zyada — jahan nadiyan milti hain. Allahabad se zyada — jahan main rehti hoon. Welcome home. — T" Vikram ne postcard pocket mein rakha. Aur Tara ko gale lagaya. "25th postcard," usne kaha. "Sabse achha." "Kyunki yeh haath se diya — haath se likha nahi." "Same thing." "Nahi. Bahut alag. Aur bahut achha."