Status symbol

He believed love. He valued relations. At least, as I knew him. As a friend and as space we shared from last five years. But today, as I am staring at him and he us walking away from me, he is looking like a stranger to me. I feel like, I don't even know a little bit of him.
He had a lot of people around him. Few good friends and a sweet, loving family. But the special place inside his heart was always vaccant. He wanted someone to fill that place in his life. He wanted someone who could understand him and care for him and love him. And I always believed that one day he would lead an endless relationship one day.
A true person he was, who knew the meaning of losing. And also he knew the meaning of waiting. Once when in school, he fell in love. But couldn't make his story as it was one sided and this ended before it started. Still, with the emotions he talked about that girl was enough for me to realize that he can never fake. He can never hurt a person.
This time when he got back to meet me after almost 6 months, he told me he is in a relationship. I was more than happy for him. Finally the space was filled. I congratulated him and asked many thing about the girl.
But, when I asked him about the future plans with his girlfriend, I was amazed with his response. I never expected this kind of reply from him. From any other guy I could have accepted it as I know how people think about a girl or a relationship today. But this was not just the other guy. He was the one who alway respected these things.
" Look yaar. I know it doesn't sound like me but really, she is just a status symbol for me in my college. She is a beautiful and good at academics too and a girlfriend like her ranks you on top among your friends. And I am enjoying this. One more year and I will walk my way. That's it."
His words were still echoing in my ears as he was waiting few steps away for me. He was looking at me and I was re- thinking my view about him. Does he really respect relations? Does he even respect a girl?  And friendship? Everything seemed fake....!!
    Kundan Vidyarthy

घरौंदा: अतिलघु कथा

थका हारा, लड्खाराते क़दमों से मैं समंदर की ओर बढ़ा चला जा रहा था । जैसे आज तो डुबो ही दूंगा खुद  को इन लहरों में । और फिर चैन की नींद सो जाऊँगा लहरों को तकिया और नीले अम्बर को छत समझ कर । कुछ भी तो बाकी नहीं था बचा अब मेरी जिंदगी में । अपने और पराये कोई भी तो नहीं थे मेरे पास । सब ही तो छोड़ आया था खुद ही । बहुत सारे खयालो के साथ टूटा सा बढ़ रहा था समंदर की तरफ । जीने की हर इच्छा समाप्त हो चुकी थी। बस अब तो इन्ताजार था एक तेज़ लहर का जो मुझे निगल जाए ।
अचानक मैंने एक बच्चे को देखा ।समंदर की लहरों से बेखबर वो अपने काम में लींन था । वह रेत पर रेत से ही कुछ कर रहा था । कौतुहलवश मैं नजदीक चला गया । या यूँ कहें के बच्चे की मासूमियत ने मुझे अपनी ओर खीच लिया ।
वह मेरे उपस्थिति से बेखबर व्यस्त था महल बनाने में । हाँ, महल ही तो बना रहा था वो, रेत का महल । वो इतने प्यार से उसे गढ़ रहा था जैसे के वो उसके सपनो का महल हो । जैसे के ये महल ही उसका सबकुछ हो ।
महल लगभग बनकर तैयार था । अचानक से एक तेज़ हवा का झोंका आया । बालक घबरा गया और  अपने घरौंदे के आसपास यूँ खड़ा हो गया के हवा उसके महल को छू भी न सके । वह यूँ ही सिमटा रहा अपने घरौंदे के इर्द गिर्द जब तक हवा और बरसात थम नहीं गयी । भींगता रहा अपने कृत्य को बचाने के लिए और सहता रहा हवा के हर थपेड़े को एक माँ की तरह जो अपने बच्चे के लिए हर जख्म सह जाती है । और मैं वहीँ खड़ा सब देखता रहा ।
बरसात थम गयी थी और बालक अब अपने नए नवेले घरौंदे को निहार रहा था जैसे उसने अपना सर्वस्व बचा लिया हो और वो अब उसके सामने हो । अचानक स  एक तेज़ और बड़ी ऊँची लहर आई और हमारी तरफ यूँ बढ़ी के जैसे अब हमारी जीवनलीला समाप्त कर के ही दम लेगी । पहले तो मैं बड़ा खुश हुआ पर उस नन्हे बालक को सोचकर सिहर गया । क्या ये बालक भी मेरी तरह इस लहर का शिकार होनेवाला है? नहीं, मैं ऐसा नहीं होने दे सकता । मैंने बच्चे का हाथ पकड़ा और दौर पड़ा किनारे की ओर ।
लहर वापिस जा चुकी थी और हमदोनो उसी जगह वापिस लौट आये थे जहाँ बालक ने घरौंदा बनाया था । पर वो घरौंदा तो समंदर की लहरें लील गयी थी । बालक तड़प उठा । उसकी सारी मेहनत पे पानी फिर गया था । कुछ देर यूँही सुन्य में ताकता रहा और फिर समंदर की ओर जाने किन नज़रों से देखा उसने । फिर अचानक जमीन पर बैठ गया कुछ सोचकर । और रेत से फिर वही खेल शुरू   हो गया । कुछ इसकदर के फिर से वो अपना महल बना कर ही दम लेगा । मैं देखकर दंग रह गया । और खुद पे ग्लानि महसूस होने लगी । अगर बालक में इतनी हिम्मत और इछासक्ति हो सकती है तो फिर मुझमे क्यूँ नहीं । अचानक से मुझमे एक नयी उर्जा आ गेई । मैं अब काफी बेहतर महसूस कर रहा था ।
मैं फिर से जीना चाहता था । मैंने बालक की ऊँगली पकड़ी और बढ़ चला एक नयी दिशा की ओर । अपनी मंजिल की ओर कुछ मजबूत कदमो से ।
    कुंदन विद्यार्थी

My marriage: A rumour.

Funny things keep happening with me always. And I enjoy it always, no matter it's in my favor or not. Most of the time it opposes me. However it is the part and parcel of the game and I don't complain it.
Anyway, it is about the latest funny incident. Believe me, its really funny. Few days ago an old man approached my home. I was not present there then. He introduced himself as a father while he looked like a grandfather. Now the joke starts. He was a father of a daughter and he was on a visit to my place for a 'Rishta'. When he said the related words, my father was in a funny sock. And other members of the family were hardly controlling their laughter. I couldn't have controlled if present though. The old man wanted to arrange my wedding to his daughter. And he wanted to see me.
"How do you know my son?" my father asked him. And the old man took a name which was hard to believe. Anyway the conversation went on like this.
"Okay, my son is actually not in the town. So tell me what do you want to know about him."
"There is nothing to ask as the relation is suggested by Raman babu. I just wanted to see your son and finalise everything." what a confident person he was.
"But I have something to tell you. Everything should get clear before we go ahead with it."
He looked with a bit confused eyes.
"My son does nothing. And he doesn't have a plan to do something meaning ful in near future. Apart, he is a wasted poet and an author too...." And he kept on counting the bad points about me to avoid this situation. The old man had the look of wonder in his eyes.
"But we heard that your son is in government service as told by Raman babu."
"Sorry, you have mis heard it." My dad said.
"No problem, we can wait for him. We are in no hurry." what he was? He wanted to tie his daughter to an unemployed person?
"Look Shyam babu, I don't want to hurt you but the fact is, we can't decide anything about my son. He has strictly asked me to not to look for anyone. And last, he is not yet matured to get married. So, you can look for a better groom around." Finally he went. And my sister called me to tell this. I couldn't stop my laughter. Nor she could. I mean, I am still only 23 and they want me to get married. And get married to a girl whom I don't even know. Strange it is.
And by the way, I don't believe in arranged marriages in todays world. It doesn't have any meaning. May be only I think this way, but love come arrange is the best possible option available.
"Aur Waise v, main shayar hu aur shayar arrange marriages to nai karte hain. Hum shayar to mohabbat karte hain. Main alag nahi hu."