10-11-2025, 10:01 AM
Raat ke kareeb 8 baje ka waqt tha. Mausam me ek ajeeb si thandak thi, aur aasman me ghane badal chhaye hue the. Jaise hi main bahar nikla, ehsaas hua ki aas-paas koi hotel ya dharamshala nazar hi nahi aa rahi. Sadak ke dono taraf andhera chaaya hua tha, bas kabhi-kabhi kisi gaadi ke headlights uss sannate ko tod dete. Upar se baarish bhi apne poore zor par thi — tez hawa ke sath badi-badi boonden gir rahi thi, jaise prakriti bhi kisi gusse me ho.
Iss sab ke beech humne faisla kiya ki yahan rukne ka koi faida nahi, behtar hoga agar seedha train pakad kar ghar wapas chalte hain. Main road par kabhi-kabhi koi auto ya rickshaw nazar aa jata, lekin unka aana-jaana bhi bahut kam tha. Pura mahal ek ajeeb si tanhai aur bechaini se bhara hua tha.
Lagbhag aadha ghanta intezaar karne ke baad, aakhir ek auto rukta hua dikha. Baarish ab bhi rukne ka naam nahi le rahi thi, lekin humare liye wahi ek umeed thi. Main uss autowale ke paas gaya, usne rate bataya — “500 rupaye lagenge sheher tak.” Us waqt thakan aur bheegti raat ke beech paison ka sochne ka bhi mann nahi tha, humne turant haan kar di.
Hum dono aadhe bheege hue, kapdon se paani tapakta hua, auto me baith gaye. Auto chalu hua to pehli hi hawa ka jhonka aur baarish ki boonde andar tak aa gayi. Chhata bhi koi kaam ka nahi raha. Andhera itna ghana tha ki saamne ka rasta bhi mushkil se dikhta.
Sadak ke kinare street lights band thi, isliye raste pe sirf auto ke dim headlights se thodi si roshni bikhri thi. Barish ke paani me sadak chamak rahi thi, jaise koi kaali chadar par chandi ki lakeerein kheench di ho. Do taraf bas pedon ke siluet aur kabhi-kabhi kisi kutte ke bhaukne ki awaaz.
Kareeb 45 minute beet gaye. Time ka pata hi nahi chala, bas lagataar baarish aur motor ki garaj sunai de rahi thi. Tab maine autowale se pucha,
“Bhai, aur kitni der lagegi station tak?”
Usne rear-view mirror me meri taraf dekha, phir shant awaaz me bola,
“Sir, aaj baarish bahut tez hai. Station wale main raste pe ek bada ped gir gaya hai, rasta poora band hai. Mai aapko dusre raste se le ja raha hu.”
Uske lafzon me kuch ajeeb sa thandapan tha — jaise wo baat sahi bhi lag rahi thi, par fir bhi dil ke kone me ek halka sa doubt jag gaya. Bahar andhera, beech jungle jaisa rasta aur auto ki halki si rattling — sab milke mahaul ko aur zyada darawna bana rahe the.
Thodi der aur guzri to Pooja ke chehre par bechaini saaf nazar aane lagi. Usne halki si nazar milate hue mujhe ishara kiya — wo kuch kehna chahti thi, par shabdon ke bina hi uski aankhon me darr tha. Baarish ab bhi zordar chal rahi thi, aur auto ke engine ki garaj us bechain khamoshi ko aur bhari bana rahi thi.
Mujhe bhi kuch ajeeb sa lagne laga. Raste pe kuch pehchaan hi nahi aa rahi thi, sab kuch andhere me dooba hua. Tab maine thoda sakhti se poocha,
“Bhai, kya hai yaar? Tu galat raste le ja raha hai kya?”
Mere itna kehne ki der thi, autowala ekdum se ruk gaya. Auto ke brakes ne zameen par chhapa sa chhod diya, aur wo gusse me utar kar bola,
“Aapko lagta hai main jhooth bol raha hu? Baarish me kaun jhooth me ghumaayega bhai?”
Baat badhti gayi. Gusse me aakar usne auto side me lagaya, hume beech raste me hi utaar diya, aur kehne laga,
“Jo dena hai do aur jao apne raste.”
Main kuch samajh paata usse pehle hi usne 200 rupaye liye aur andhere me gaayab ho gaya.
Ab main aur Pooja uss tez baarish me beech sadak par the — pedon ke neeche kuch der ke liye khade rahe, taaki kam se kam baarish se bach sakein. Thand aur ghabrahat dono apne peak par the.
Main use wahin chhod kar auto dhoondhne nikal gaya. Sadak pe paani bhar gaya tha, jahan tak nazar jaaye sirf andhera aur baarish. Kismat se kuch hi der me ek auto mil gaya. Maine usse station tak chhodne ko kaha, par usne seedha haath jod diya —
“Saab, station ka rasta poora jam hai. Aaj jaana mushkil hai.”
Wo thoda ruk kar bola,
“Ek sasta hotel jaanta hu main, agar aap dono chahein to wahan ek raat ruk jaaiye. Kal subah sab normal ho jaayega.”
Us waqt aur koi option nahi tha, humne haan kar di.
Auto chalu hua, par is baar ek aur ajeeb cheez mehsoos hui — driver baar-baar rear-view mirror me dekh raha tha, jaise uski nazar baar-baar Pooja par ja rahi ho.
Pooja ne nazar jhuka li, aur main khidki ke bahar dekhne laga, lekin dil me ek ajeeb sa ashantipan badhta ja raha tha...
Auto andhere raste par seedha badhta ja raha tha. Baarish thodi kam zaroor hui thi, lekin hawa me ab bhi nami aur wo bhari si khamoshi thi. Pooja chup thi — usne dupatta se chehra halka sa dhak rakha tha, jaise nazar milane se bhi bach rahi ho. Main khidki ke bahar dekh raha tha, lekin aankhen baar-baar rear-view mirror par ja rahi thi — jahan se wo autowala ab bhi baar-baar dekh raha tha.
Kareeb aadha ghanta aur beet gaya, tab usne bina kuch kahe auto ek chhoti si gali me mod liya. Gali patli thi, dono taraf purani imaratein aur beech me paani ka jama hua talab jaisa dikh raha tha. Maahaul me ek ajeeb sa sannata tha — na koi aadmi, na koi awaaz, bas auto ke tyres ke neeche paani ki chhapaak-chhapaak.
Main turant poochh baitha,
“Bhai, ye kahan ja rahe ho? Ye to station ka rasta lagta hi nahi.”
Usne bina meri taraf dekhe bola,
“Hotel yahi aas-paas hi hai, bas do minute aur.”
Uske bolne ka andaaz kuch alag tha — jaise har shabd me ek thodi si jaldbazi, thodi si chhupane wali baat ho.
Auto ek purane type ke building ke saamne ruk gaya. Board pe likha tha —
“Hotel Rajdeep Residency”
lekin kuch letters half broken the, aur light blink kar rahi thi — R–jdeep R–siden–y.
Reception pe ek aadmi baithe hue paan chaba raha tha. Usne hume upar se neeche tak dekha, fir dheere se bola,
“Room chahiye?”
Main ne haan me sir hila diya. Usne bina register khole hi ek chhabi nikali aur kaha,
“First floor, last room left side.”
Uske bolne ke tarike me kuch tha… jaise wo humse zyada kuch jaanta ho.
Jab hum seedhiyan chadh rahe the, niche se us autowale ki awaaz aayi —
“Saab, room sahi mil gaya na?”
par jab main mur kar dekha, to wo wahan tha hi nahi. Auto bhi gayab.
Seedhiyon me light flicker kar rahi thi, aur building me se ek purani moisture wali smell aa rahi thi. Pooja mere bilkul paas aa gayi, uske haath thande the. Hum dono chup-chaap us kamre ke paas pahuche… aur jaise hi maine door unlock kiya, andar se ek tik-tik-tik ki halki si awaaz sunai di…
Iss sab ke beech humne faisla kiya ki yahan rukne ka koi faida nahi, behtar hoga agar seedha train pakad kar ghar wapas chalte hain. Main road par kabhi-kabhi koi auto ya rickshaw nazar aa jata, lekin unka aana-jaana bhi bahut kam tha. Pura mahal ek ajeeb si tanhai aur bechaini se bhara hua tha.
Lagbhag aadha ghanta intezaar karne ke baad, aakhir ek auto rukta hua dikha. Baarish ab bhi rukne ka naam nahi le rahi thi, lekin humare liye wahi ek umeed thi. Main uss autowale ke paas gaya, usne rate bataya — “500 rupaye lagenge sheher tak.” Us waqt thakan aur bheegti raat ke beech paison ka sochne ka bhi mann nahi tha, humne turant haan kar di.
Hum dono aadhe bheege hue, kapdon se paani tapakta hua, auto me baith gaye. Auto chalu hua to pehli hi hawa ka jhonka aur baarish ki boonde andar tak aa gayi. Chhata bhi koi kaam ka nahi raha. Andhera itna ghana tha ki saamne ka rasta bhi mushkil se dikhta.
Sadak ke kinare street lights band thi, isliye raste pe sirf auto ke dim headlights se thodi si roshni bikhri thi. Barish ke paani me sadak chamak rahi thi, jaise koi kaali chadar par chandi ki lakeerein kheench di ho. Do taraf bas pedon ke siluet aur kabhi-kabhi kisi kutte ke bhaukne ki awaaz.
Kareeb 45 minute beet gaye. Time ka pata hi nahi chala, bas lagataar baarish aur motor ki garaj sunai de rahi thi. Tab maine autowale se pucha,
“Bhai, aur kitni der lagegi station tak?”
Usne rear-view mirror me meri taraf dekha, phir shant awaaz me bola,
“Sir, aaj baarish bahut tez hai. Station wale main raste pe ek bada ped gir gaya hai, rasta poora band hai. Mai aapko dusre raste se le ja raha hu.”
Uske lafzon me kuch ajeeb sa thandapan tha — jaise wo baat sahi bhi lag rahi thi, par fir bhi dil ke kone me ek halka sa doubt jag gaya. Bahar andhera, beech jungle jaisa rasta aur auto ki halki si rattling — sab milke mahaul ko aur zyada darawna bana rahe the.
Thodi der aur guzri to Pooja ke chehre par bechaini saaf nazar aane lagi. Usne halki si nazar milate hue mujhe ishara kiya — wo kuch kehna chahti thi, par shabdon ke bina hi uski aankhon me darr tha. Baarish ab bhi zordar chal rahi thi, aur auto ke engine ki garaj us bechain khamoshi ko aur bhari bana rahi thi.
Mujhe bhi kuch ajeeb sa lagne laga. Raste pe kuch pehchaan hi nahi aa rahi thi, sab kuch andhere me dooba hua. Tab maine thoda sakhti se poocha,
“Bhai, kya hai yaar? Tu galat raste le ja raha hai kya?”
Mere itna kehne ki der thi, autowala ekdum se ruk gaya. Auto ke brakes ne zameen par chhapa sa chhod diya, aur wo gusse me utar kar bola,
“Aapko lagta hai main jhooth bol raha hu? Baarish me kaun jhooth me ghumaayega bhai?”
Baat badhti gayi. Gusse me aakar usne auto side me lagaya, hume beech raste me hi utaar diya, aur kehne laga,
“Jo dena hai do aur jao apne raste.”
Main kuch samajh paata usse pehle hi usne 200 rupaye liye aur andhere me gaayab ho gaya.
Ab main aur Pooja uss tez baarish me beech sadak par the — pedon ke neeche kuch der ke liye khade rahe, taaki kam se kam baarish se bach sakein. Thand aur ghabrahat dono apne peak par the.
Main use wahin chhod kar auto dhoondhne nikal gaya. Sadak pe paani bhar gaya tha, jahan tak nazar jaaye sirf andhera aur baarish. Kismat se kuch hi der me ek auto mil gaya. Maine usse station tak chhodne ko kaha, par usne seedha haath jod diya —
“Saab, station ka rasta poora jam hai. Aaj jaana mushkil hai.”
Wo thoda ruk kar bola,
“Ek sasta hotel jaanta hu main, agar aap dono chahein to wahan ek raat ruk jaaiye. Kal subah sab normal ho jaayega.”
Us waqt aur koi option nahi tha, humne haan kar di.
Auto chalu hua, par is baar ek aur ajeeb cheez mehsoos hui — driver baar-baar rear-view mirror me dekh raha tha, jaise uski nazar baar-baar Pooja par ja rahi ho.
Pooja ne nazar jhuka li, aur main khidki ke bahar dekhne laga, lekin dil me ek ajeeb sa ashantipan badhta ja raha tha...
Auto andhere raste par seedha badhta ja raha tha. Baarish thodi kam zaroor hui thi, lekin hawa me ab bhi nami aur wo bhari si khamoshi thi. Pooja chup thi — usne dupatta se chehra halka sa dhak rakha tha, jaise nazar milane se bhi bach rahi ho. Main khidki ke bahar dekh raha tha, lekin aankhen baar-baar rear-view mirror par ja rahi thi — jahan se wo autowala ab bhi baar-baar dekh raha tha.
Kareeb aadha ghanta aur beet gaya, tab usne bina kuch kahe auto ek chhoti si gali me mod liya. Gali patli thi, dono taraf purani imaratein aur beech me paani ka jama hua talab jaisa dikh raha tha. Maahaul me ek ajeeb sa sannata tha — na koi aadmi, na koi awaaz, bas auto ke tyres ke neeche paani ki chhapaak-chhapaak.
Main turant poochh baitha,
“Bhai, ye kahan ja rahe ho? Ye to station ka rasta lagta hi nahi.”
Usne bina meri taraf dekhe bola,
“Hotel yahi aas-paas hi hai, bas do minute aur.”
Uske bolne ka andaaz kuch alag tha — jaise har shabd me ek thodi si jaldbazi, thodi si chhupane wali baat ho.
Auto ek purane type ke building ke saamne ruk gaya. Board pe likha tha —
“Hotel Rajdeep Residency”
lekin kuch letters half broken the, aur light blink kar rahi thi — R–jdeep R–siden–y.
Reception pe ek aadmi baithe hue paan chaba raha tha. Usne hume upar se neeche tak dekha, fir dheere se bola,
“Room chahiye?”
Main ne haan me sir hila diya. Usne bina register khole hi ek chhabi nikali aur kaha,
“First floor, last room left side.”
Uske bolne ke tarike me kuch tha… jaise wo humse zyada kuch jaanta ho.
Jab hum seedhiyan chadh rahe the, niche se us autowale ki awaaz aayi —
“Saab, room sahi mil gaya na?”
par jab main mur kar dekha, to wo wahan tha hi nahi. Auto bhi gayab.
Seedhiyon me light flicker kar rahi thi, aur building me se ek purani moisture wali smell aa rahi thi. Pooja mere bilkul paas aa gayi, uske haath thande the. Hum dono chup-chaap us kamre ke paas pahuche… aur jaise hi maine door unlock kiya, andar se ek tik-tik-tik ki halki si awaaz sunai di…
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