Suraj ki pehli kiran ne Rampur ke us chhote se ghar ki deewar ko chhoo liya tha. Andar, ek kamre ke kone mein, Vikram apni purani si charpai par let kar kitaab padh raha tha. Uske ghar ki chhat se paani tapak raha tha, lekin woh kitaab ko bacha ke rakhta, kyunki yeh kitaab uske liye kisi khazane se kam nahi thi.
"Vikram! Kitne baar kaha hai raat ko lamp jalake mat padha kar. Aankhein kharab ho jayengi," Maa ki awaaz aayi kitchen se.
"Haan Maa, bas 5 minute," Vikram ne jawab diya, bina kitaab se nazar hataye.
Vikram ka parivar Rampur ke sabse gareeb ilaake mein rehta tha. Uske Pitaji ek chhoti si kirana dukaan chalate the jo mushkil se hi unka pet bhar paati thi. Maa subah 4 baje uthkar pados ke gharon mein kaam karti, taaki Vikram aur uski chhoti behen Priya ki padhai jari reh sake.
Lekin Vikram ke sapne bahut bade the. Jab woh school ke baad railway station ke paas jaata, toh unki aankhon mein woh bade bade sheher, chamakti gaadiyaan, aur ameer log saaf dikhai dete the. Uske dost uski hamesha hansi udate.
"Aye Vikram, tu Mumbai jayega? Tu toh Rampur station tak ka kiraya nahi juta pata!" Sonu, mohalle ka sabse shaatir ladka, hamesha taana marta.
Lekin Vikram ke kaan par joon tak nahi rengthi. Uski aankhon mein sapne the. Bade sapne. Aisa sapna jo kabhi kisi Rampur waale ne nahi dekha tha.
"Ek din main itna ameer ban jaunga ki pure mohalle ko badal dunga," Vikram aksar sochta. "Maa ko kabhi kaam karne nahi bhejunga. Pitaji ko nayi dukaan kholwa dunga. Aur hum sab ek bade ghar mein rahenge jahan chhat se paani nahi tapkta."
School mein Vikram hamesha first aata tha. Sarkari school tha, facilities kam thi, lekin Sharma sir, uske science teacher, hamesha kehte, "Vikram, tum is school ke heere ho. Tumhare andar kuch alag baat hai."
Har raat sone se pehle, Vikram khidki se baahar dekhta aur door-door tak failti basti ki roshan battiyaan dekhkar sochta, "Yeh roshni ek din mere naam hogi. Main yahan se nikalunga, aur jab lautunga, toh koi mujhe nahi pehchanega."
Rampur ki tang galiyon mein bada hote huye, Vikram ne yeh seekh liya tha ki zindagi kisi ko kuch muft mein nahi deti. Har cheez ke liye keemat chukani padti hai. Aur sapnon ki keemat sabse zyada hoti hai.
Jab raat gaehri ho jaati, aur ghar mein sannata chhaa jata, Vikram apni diary kholta aur likhta: "Aaj main ek aur din zinda raha. Aaj main apne sapne ke ek kadam aur kareeb hoon."
"Vikram, aaj phir late ho raha hai school ke liye!" Maa ki awaaz sunte hi Vikram ne apni purani diary band ki aur jaldi se apne fatte-purane baste mein kitaabein bhar li.
"Haan Maa, bas nikal raha hoon," usne jawab diya, apni kameez ke button lagate huye.
School 3 kilometer door tha. Aur bus ka kiraya bachane ke liye, Vikram roz paidal jaata. Garmi ho, baarish ho, ya thand – koi fark nahi padta. Uski kitaabein purani thi, uniform ka color ud chuka tha, lekin uski aankhon mein chamak nayi thi.
Aaj chemistry ka test tha. Saari raat Vikram ne lamp ke neeche padhai ki thi. Kerosene khatam ho gaya tha beech mein, lekin usne candle jalake padhai puri ki.
"Dekho, topper aa gaya!" Sonu ne taunt mara jaise hi Vikram school ke gate se andar aaya. "Aye Vikram, agar first aaya toh kya milega tujhe? Governor sahab aake medal pehnayenge?"
Sonu ke sath khade ladke hans pade. Vikram muskuraya aur aage badh gaya.