There is a special kind of happiness in meeting a dear friend after a long gap. When two friends who were once accustomed to seeing each other almost every day finally meet after months—or even years—the joy on their faces says more than words ever could. That is exactly what happened on Monday, August 24. Although we live in the same city, circumstances had kept us from meeting for a long time. So, carrying a fragrant garland of roses, I went to meet my dear friend Dr. Deepak Kumar Srivastava at the Mandal Library. There was also a special reason for the visit: following his promotion, he had recently been posted there. A congratulatory visit was certainly in order. The surroundings of the library seemed completely transformed. A new cemented road greeted visitors, while a neat and well-organised parking area stood at the end, with readers’ vehicles parked in orderly rows. The main entrance, the library’s nameplate and the façade of the building had all been beautifully renovated. The entire परिसर looked clean, well maintained and welcoming. For a moment, I wondered—could this really be the same library whose frontage, barely two years ago, had looked so disorderly?

I entered the building and walked into Dr. Srivastava’s chamber. He was engaged in a discussion about construction work with some KDA officials. The moment he saw me, he rose from his chair, greeted me warmly and embraced me with genuine affection. I placed the flower garland around his neck and conveyed my heartfelt congratulations and best wishes on his promotion, wishing him many more successes in the years ahead. He introduced me to the officials and then said, “Just give me five minutes; I’ll be free.” I sat there and looked around his chamber. The walls were filled with certificates and letters of appreciation—each one narrating a chapter of his remarkable professional and literary journey. When the officials left, I could not resist a little friendly teasing. “Sir, while the library building is being renovated, you should get a bigger chamber built for yourself too. This one has clearly become too small. The walls are already full, and there is hardly any space left for the awards and honours you are going to receive in the future!”

He burst into hearty laughter. He then briefed me about the renovation of the library building and the new members of staff who had joined. He also introduced me to them. And then, after such a long interval, two old friends finally had the opportunity to sit together and talk—really talk. For nearly an hour, we spoke freely. Things that had remained in the heart for months found their way into conversation. Both faces reflected the sheer happiness of being together again. Emotions flowed naturally, and there was an eagerness to share everything that had happened in the intervening period. Our conversation naturally moved towards literature. Dr. Srivastava appreciated the work I have been doing in the literary field and particularly spoke highly of the ‘Rajasthan Rachnakar Parichay Kosh’, describing it as an important and significant endeavour for documenting the literary fraternity of Rajasthan. Amid all this, we also enjoyed several cups of tea—the kind of tea that becomes memorable not because of its flavour, but because of the conversation that accompanies it. Just when our discussion was flowing beautifully, the arrival of respected litterateur Jitendra Nirmohi made the meeting even more special. He first congratulated Dr. Srivastava on his promotion with a warm garland. After some informal conversation, he suddenly asked me: “When is the Rajasthan Rachnakar Parichay Kosh coming out?”

I replied that only a few days remained. The proofreading and corrections had been completed, with one final proof still to be reviewed. Hopefully, the book would be published in the coming month. Then came his next question: “Have you included Deepak ji?”

I smiled and replied, “How could the Parichay Kosh have been completed without him?

Dr. Srivastava has played a significant role in promoting literary activities in Kota and encouraging writers and literary personalities. His tenure will always be remembered for that contribution.” Nirmohi ji agreed and remarked that it was a good decision, describing Dr. Srivastava as a truly unique personality. A little later, journalist Praveen Jain also joined us. The gathering instantly became livelier, and the conversation expanded into a long and engaging discussion on several issues. Naturally, another round of tea followed. Dr. Srivastava also gave us the opportunity to honour Praveen Jain for his achievements as a research scholar. We went to the auditorium on the first floor, where I had the privilege of felicitating Praveen ji and extending my best wishes to him. I frequently meet Jitendra Nirmohi ji, but meeting three friends together after such a long gap turned those two hours into an unforgettable experience. It was more than just a meeting—it was a reunion of friendship, literature, memories and emotions. As we finally prepared to leave, we said to one another, “We will meet again soon.” Dr. Srivastava came all the way outside to see us off. Nirmohi ji and I stood there for a while, continuing our conversation. He smiled and said, “It was a wonderful meeting—completely spontaneous, without any prior plan or purpose.” I agreed. There was, indeed, no doubt about it. And then, with warm memories of those precious two hours, we went our separate ways. Some meetings are planned. Others simply happen. But a few become memories for a lifetime. — Dr. Prabhat Kumar Singhal