Chacha Noor — Chaiwala

Chacha Noor ki dukaan mein chai sirf peene ki cheez nahin thi — wahan zindagi bhi milti thi, thodi thodi. Subah saat baje se raat das baje tak. Yahi unka course of life tha. Na chhutti, na beemar. Aik baar teez bukhar mein bhi dukaan kholi thi kyunki "log pareyshan ho jaate hain." Chai banate waqt baat karte the. Baat karte waqt chai banate the. Dono kaamon mein mazal naam ki cheez nahin thi. Unka andaaz tha: pehle chai parosi, phir salaam kiya. Kehte the — "Miyan, pehle dil ko sukoon do, phir takalluf karo." Har roze ek naya admi unki dukaan par baithta tha aur apna dard sunata tha. Chacha Noor sunta tha. Kehta kuch nahin tha — bas ek aur cup rakh deta tha. Ek roz dukaan band mili. Agle roz bhi. Mohalle walon ne jana — Chacha Noor hospital mein hain. Tab pata chala ki woh saalon se ghutnon ke dard mein the. Kabhi khud ne nahin bataya. Chai bana ke dene ka farz ada karte rahe.