Chhote shahar ke railway station ke bheed-bhaad mein, 18 saal ki Savita train ki khidki ke paas baithti hai, uski badam jaisi aankhein suraj ke sunehre rang mein chamakti hain. Uska bhara hua jism train ke jhatkon ke saath halke se hilta hai, bade bade chuchiyaan uski peeli kurti ke andar dabav jhelte hain, jaise garmi ke mausam mein aam ped se girne ko tayyar ho. Uski moti, laal honth, jaise taaza chuni hui gulab ki pankhudiyaan, halki si muskaan mein mudte hain jab woh duniya ko dhundhla hota dekhti hai. Kaale, lambe baal uski peeth par lahraate hain aur uska chehra jawani ki masoomiyat aur baghawat ki aag se roshan hota hai. 18 ki umar mein Savita naram dil aur lohe ki himmat rakhti hai, college ki ladki jo kisi ki madad se peeche nahi hat ti, chahe classmate ko notes dene ho ya ghar ke paas bhatakte kutte ko khana khilaana ho.
Uske maa-baap, shehar ki thakan se tang aur apne jadon se judne ke liye bechain, yeh safar plan karte hain, Savita ki Nani ke gaon jaana. Wajah? Kul devta ke mandir mein ek badi puja, jo gaon walon ko ek saath laati hai. Savita ka baap, sakht lekin pyar karne wala, chahta hai ki woh gaon ki zindagi ka saadgi samjhe, aur maa ko ummeed hai ki gaon ki hawa uski baaghi fitrat ko shant karegi.
Train chalti hai jab tak ek ajnabi station par rukti hai. Teen chhaye hue shakhs andar chadhte hain, unke chehre kaale kapde se dhake hue hote hain. Yaatri chupke se baatein karte hain, lekin woh teeno kuch nahi bolte, jab tak train phir se nahi chalti. Fir, jaise bhediye apni bhed ki khaal utaar fekein, woh apna asli roop dikhate hain. Chubhti garmi mehsoos hoti hai jab woh compartment mein ghoomte hain, bag loot te hain, gehne chheen te hain, aur afra-tafri failate hain. Jab woh Savita ke paas aate hain, unki aankhon mein laalach chamakta hai. “Sab kuch nikaal do!” ek ruk ruk ke chhuri hilate hue kehta hai.
Par Savita galat kaam ke aage jhukne wali nahi hai. Uske naram haath kaanpte hain, lekin irada pakka rehta hai. Ek jhatke mein, apni maa ki cheekh ko nazarandaaz karte hue, woh uthti hai aur emergency chain kheenchti hai. Train cheekhti hui rukti hai, choron ka santulan bigadta hai. Bheed mein do chor darwaze se kood padte hain, shaam ke andhere mein gayab ho jate hain. Teesra, ek patla sa aadmi jiske gaal par nishaan hai, itna khush kismat nahi hota. Yaatri gusse mein us par hamla bolte hain, use daba dete hain. Savita haanfte hue khadi hoti hai, uska seena tez saanson ke saath uth raha hai, jab bheed uss chor ko baandh dete hai.
Par yeh khatam nahi hota. Pakda gaya chor unme se ek ke bade bhai ka chhota bhai nikalta hai. Police aati hai, ladke ko jail le jati hai, lekin usse pehle bada bhai, ek dabang shakhs jiski aankhein zeher se bhari hain, Savita ko ghoor kar dekhta hai. “Tujhe yaad rakhunga, tera yeh chehra nahi bhoolunga,” woh train se koodte waqt dhamki deta hai, uski awaaz mein badle ki aag hoti hai. Savita thodi ghabrati hai, par apne honth sikod kar khadi rehti hai.
Kuch ghanto baad, Savita aur uska parivaar Nani ke gaon pahunchta hai, kacchi mitti ke ghar, hare khet ke beech base hue hote hain. Kul devta ki puja ke liye gaon mein josh hota hai, purana mandir pahaad par hai. Gaon wale apne sabse sundar kapdo mein, doodh, ghee aur phool ki bhet chadhaane ke liye tayyar hote hain.
Savita ko gaon ki garmi pareshan karti hai. Uska sir dard karta hai, jism paseene se tar hai, aur uska bukhar badhta hai. “Main ghar pe rukungi,” woh faisla karti hai, parivaar ko apni pareshani nahi batati varna maa ya chachi ruk jati, aur woh unka maza kharab nahi karna chahti.
Nani ke purane ghar mein akeli, Savita khatiye par let ti hai, ek purani magazine se hawa karti hai. Gaon ki awaaz door se aati hai, puja ke mantra halke se goonjte hain. Woh aankhein band karke sone ki koshish karti hai, kaale baal takiye par bikhre hue hote hain, uski kurti paseene se chipak gayi hai.
Ek halki si chiii ki awaaz aati hai. Savita ki aankhein khulti hain. Awaaz phir aati hai ek sarsarahat, ek zor ki pat ki awaaz, fir chalne ke kadam. Uska dil zor se dhadakta hai jab woh uthti hai, kurti uske jism se chipki hui hoti hai. Do bhagne wale chor, badle ki aag mein, uska pata lagakar gaon tak aate hain. Woh Nani ke ghar par nazar rakhte hain, yeh jaan kar ki Savita ka parivaar waha rehta hai. Din bhar woh ghar ke aane-jaane walon ko dekhte hain, aur puja ki raat jab shaam ko sab ghar se niklte hain, sirf Savita ko chhodkar, unhe lagta hai yeh mauka sahi hai.
Ab woh Nani ke ghar ke saamne hote hain, unke kadam mitti ke farsh par bhaari padte hain. Savita darwaze ke bahar lock lagne ki awaaz sunti hai. Woh saans rokte hue bolti hai, “Kaun hai? Chachi aap ho?” Par jawab mein sirf khamoshi hoti hai, aur fir darwaza band karne ki awaaz aati hai. Chor andar hote hain, aur woh fas jati hai.