[Deepak_bull]

CHAPTER 5



Eid ke jashn ke baad kuch cheezen ho rahi hain jo
main poori tarah samajh nahi pa raha



Subah ki roshni dheere dheere mere kamre mein dakhil ho rahi thi jaise ek narm
mehmaan, patle lace ke pardo se chhanti hui aur bistar par sunehri halki dhaariyaan
banaati hui.


Main dheere se karaha jab khinch kar utha, kal ki beinteha nach-gaane aur community
hall mein daud-dhoop se meri muscles ahista se ehtijaaj kar rahi thin.


Magar jaise hamesha hota tha, ammi mujhse bohot pehle uth chuki thin. Wahan,
mere bistar ke bagal mein chhoti lakdi ki meez par woh nashta rakha tha jo unhone
chupke se taiyaar kar ke rakh diya tha – unka woh pyar bhara ritual jo sust subahon
ko bhi khususi bana deta tha.








Taza, khasta parathon ka dher abhi tawa se garam, sunehre aur ghee ke daane chamak
rahe the jo dilkash tareeqe se mann ko lubha rahe the; ek piyali dahi mein cheeni aur
elaichi ka halka chhinta jo narm khushboo faila raha tha.


Main tasavvur kar sakta tha ki unhone pehle pairon ke panjon par aayi hongi, mujhe
jagana nahi chahte hue, sab kuch pyar bhari muskurahat ke saath sajaate hue.


Main dheere se baitha, ek paratha uthaya aur tukda tod kar muh mein daala, ghee
bhare patton ka maze lete hue jo muh mein ghul rahe the. Ghar mein khamoshi thi
siwaye bahar se aati hui ek pehchaani awaaz ke – paani ki barabar behti, rhythm wali
chhinta jo pattiyon aur mitti par pad rahi thi.


Mujhe turant samajh aa gaya: ammi
bagiche mein thi, apne pyare podon ko paani de rahi thin.
Yeh unki roz ki rhythm ka hissa tha, khusoosan subah ke waqt.






Lekin is subah, kuch theek nahi lag raha tha. Hawa mein ek halki si bechaini thi. Mujhe
yeh pal bohot pasand tha – pajame mein khada hona, garam subah ki dhoop chehre ko
chhoona, mohalla dheere dheere zinda hota dekhna.


Panchi chehchaha rahe the, meri
nazar bahar ke manzar par bhatki, aur tab maine usey phir dekha – padosi ghar ke us
rugged aadmi ko.


Woh apni chhoti balcony par tha, jo hamare darmiyaan ki neeche deewar se saaf nazara
deta tha. Woh purane plastic kursi par leta hua tha, taange aaram se phelaaye, god
mein ek magazine khula hua.


Woh page palat raha tha susti se, lekin uska posture bata raha tha ki woh poori tarah
padhne mein masroof nahi. Uske honthon mein cigarette lagi hui thi, nok halki si chamak
rahi thi jab woh kash leta, patla dhuaan hawa mein udta aur gayab ho jata. Bagal ki
chhoti meez par garam kaali coffee ka mug tha, abhi tak chhua nahi.


Curiosity is baar aur zor se kheench rahi thi. Woh ab bhi cigarette pee raha tha. Aaj usne
saada sleeveless vest pehna tha, jo garmi mein mazdoor aksar pehnte, uske chaude,
mazboot seene par tight khincha hua jo kaale baalon se dhaka tha – kapde ke khule hisse
se dikhai de raha tha.


Rok na saka, maine desk ke drawer se purana binoculars nikal liya – woh jo abbu ne saalon
pehle family picnic par panchi dekhne ke liye diye the – aur aankhon se laga kar focus kiya
jab tak woh saaf na dikhne laga.


Magazine lagta tha glossy wala, car ads ya shayad kuch zyada sensational; cover saaf nahi
dikh raha tha lekin lag raha tha porn magazine.
Phir sabse hairat angez baat hui, garam dhoop ke bawajood meri reedh mein sardi daud
gayi. Usne sar dheere dheere ghumaya, jaise sirf subah ka manzar dekh raha ho.


Uski nazar
gharoon ki qataar par pheri – pehle door wale ghar par thodi der tik kar, phir Nafisa ke ghar
par jo hamare bilkul bagal mein, aur akhirkaar hamare ghar par, beech mein.





Lekin yeh jaldi ki nazar nahi thi; uski aankhein khususan hamare peeche bagiche ki taraf
mud gayin, jahaan oonchi deewarein khatam hokar podon aur chhote aangan ka khula nazara
deti thin.


Maine dil se umeed ki ki woh sirf hariyali ko sarah raha hoga, lekin nazar bohot der tak tiki
rahi – minute lage – woh cigarette peeta raha, dheere kash lete aur susti se dhuaan chhodte
hue.


Usne ek ziddi makhi ko haath hila kar door kiya, haath susti se hila, lekin aankhein hamari
taraf se nahi hati.


Mera dil tezi se dhadka jab maine binoculars neeche kiye aur nangi aankh se bagiche ki taraf
dekha. Ammi ab bhi wahan thi, bekhabar, hose le kar ghadoon ke beech narm harkat se chal
rahi thin. Unhone halke cotton ke pajame pehne the – narm pant aur matching top jo ghar
mein araam ke liye dheele the.


Main is baare mein koi ghalat tareeqe se nahi sochna chahta tha, meri parvarish aur usool mujhe
ammi ke jism ke baare mein sexual baat karne se sakht mana karte the – lekin subah ki oas aur
jhukne ki harkatein kapde ko halka sa chipka rahi thin, unki shakl ko zyada zahir karte hue:
seene se kamar aur hips tak narm curve, jab woh neeche podon ko paani dene ke liye jhukti ya
baithti thin.


Main yakeen nahi karna chahta tha ki woh aadmi unke jism ko aise dekh raha hai – us tareeqe se
sarah raha jo intrusive aur ghalat lag raha tha.


Lekin binoculars phir se laga kar maine dekha uski aankhein bagiche par, jahaan ammi podon ko
paani de rahi thin, bilkul tikki hui, chehra padha nahi ja sakta lekin intense. Kuch ghalat tha;
mere andar hifazat ka jazba bhadak utha.


Maine binoculars gira diye aur kamre se daud kar bahar nikla, bagiche ki taraf jaane ka irada ki
ammi ko jaldi khatam karne ko kahoon – shayad bahana bana loon ki andar madad chahiye ya
nashta thanda ho raha. Dimagh fikr se daud raha tha jab main corridor se guzra.


Lekin sitting room mein pahunchte hi ruk gaya, rahat ki lahar daud gayi.
Wahan darwaze par dadi Zainab khadi thin, ammi ki maa – chehre par pyar bhari badi muskurahat,
haathon mein homemade mithaiyon se bhare kapde ke thaele.


Main poori tarah bhool gaya tha
Eid ke phone call mein unka wada: woh aur nana Qadir agle din aayenge, gaon ki mithaiyaan
laayenge aur ek do khane ke liye rukenge.






Bagiche ke darwaze se ammi dikhi, geele haathon ko towel se ponchhti hui, chehra suraj ki
tarah chamak utha. “Ammi! Oh, kitni khoobsurat surprise – jaldi aa gaye! Andar aao, andar
aao.” Phir dadi ne mujhe salaam kiya.


“Assalamu alaikum, mere shararti pote!” unhone pukara, thaele neeche rakhte hue aur
baahen phelaate hue. “Idhar aao – dekhoon pichhli baar se kitna bada ho gaya.”
Pehle ki tension pal bhar mein pighal gayi; “Wa alaikum assalam, Dadi! Phir se Eid Mubarak!
Aa gaye – mujhe laga bus late ho jaayegi.”


29 minute mein, nana Qadir bhi shamil hue.
Us subah baad mein, main poora faaida uthana chahta tha – unki aur kahaniyaan sunna,
mohalle mein saath ghumna, shayad gaon ki hikmat jo woh batana chahti thin.


Jabir, mera hamesha saath rehne wala dost, jab thodi der baad aaya to plan ki khabar lagi aur
excited ho kar shamil ho gaya. “Mujhe bhi count karo,” usne muskurate hue kaha. “Dadi ki
kahaniyaan kisi video game se behtar hain.”


Ghar se nikalne se pehle, main rok na saka aur khidki se chupke se padosi ki balcony ki taraf
dekha – us rugged aadmi ki, jo kal se mere khayaalon mein ghoom raha tha.


Main nahi chahta tha ki koi baqi bechaini hamare safar par saaya kare. Parde ke peeche se
dheere dekhte hue maine scan kiya: kursi khaali thi, na magazine na coffee ka mug, cigarette
ka dhuaan nahi. Woh kahin nahi dikha – na balcony par, na saamne ke chhote aangan mein jo
hamari taraf se dikhta tha.


Rahat ki lahar aayi jaise thandi hawa. Woh bahar gaya hoga, shayad kaam ya sauda ke liye.
Wajah kuch bhi, raasta saaf tha, aur seene mein sukoon utra. Aaj koi ajeeb nazrein nahi; main
relax kar sakta tha aur dadi ke saath waqt enjoy kar sakta tha.


“Chalo lads – dhoop tez hone se pehle,” dadi ne darwaze se pukara, hamare saath baahen jodte
hue, chehra umeed se chamakta hua. Main aur Jabir dopahar ki garam roshni mein bahar nikle,
dukandaar apni gaadiyon se taza phal aur Eid ki baqi rang birangi choodiyon ki pukaar laga rahe
the.






Humne dadi ko mohalle ki pehchaani galiyon mein dheere dheere ghumaya, pichhli mulakaat se
chhoti chhoti tabdeelian dikhaate hue.


Akhirkaar hum unhen Anarkali Bazaar ki taraf le gaye, seedhe abbu ki dukaan par. Bazaar jaise
hamesha goonj raha tha, tang galiyan shoppers se bhari jo kapdon aur taiyaar kurton par mol-le
rahe the.


Abbu ki dukaan chal rahi thi – racks rang birange shalwar kameez sets se bhare, embroidered
dupatte jharne ki tarah latke, customers shirts ke dher palat rahe jabki abbu purchases tezi se
pack kar rahe the.


“Abbu! Dekho kisko laaye,” maine pukara, haath hilaate hue jab hum qareeb pahunche.
Abbu ne customer ko kurta modne mein madad karte hue sar uthaya, chehra hairat bhari badi
muskurahat se chamka jab unhone dadi ko dekha. Jaldi maafi maang kar counter ke aage aaye,
haath kapde se ponchhte hue. “Ammi ji! Kitni khoobsurat surprise – phir Eid Mubarak! Safe
pahunche?”


Dadi chamkin, unhen garam jhappi mein kheenchte hue. “Eid Mubarak, beta. Bilkul – apne damad
ki empire dekhne kaise chhodti. Dekho yeh jagah; pehle se zyada busy.”


Abbu sharma kar hansa, bhare racks ki taraf ishaara karte hue. “Fazl se, Ammi ji. Eid ke baad rush
– sabko visits ke liye nayi cheezen chahiye. Baitho, baitho – bagal se chai laata hoon.”


“Fuss ki zaroorat nahi,” dadi ne kaha, magar stool par baith gayin jo unhone nikala. “Sirf guzar
rahe the. Lekin batao – business kaise chal raha? Shahida kehti hai hamesha pairon par rehte ho.”
“Shikayat nahi,” abbu ne kaha, aankhein chamakti hui. “Achche din aur sust, lekin barabar. Aur
tum – safar theek? Nana saath hain?”


“Woh taangain hilane ghum rahe,” dadi ne kaha. “Ab bhi mazboot, woh shakhs.”
Hum thodi der aur ruke, bazaar ke daam aur gaon ke muqaable par halki baatein karte hue, phir
abbu ko unke busy customers ke liye chhoda.


Bazaar se nikalte hue, hum chaar – main, Jabir, dadi, aur ab nana jo apni sair ke baad mil gaye –
asaan baaton mein doob gaye.


Baat shaam ke plans par aayi. Dadi ki aankhein achanak chamkin. “Jaante ho mujhe kya pasand
aayega? Aaj raat khana banana – proper gaon style. Tum sab ke saath kitchen mein bohot der se
nahi hui. Kya kehte ho?”


Main muskuraya. “Haan! Tumhara khana sabse behtar.”
Jabir excited se maana. “Bilkul – Aunty ka khana achcha, lekin Dadi ka woh special taste.”
Dadi hansi, khush hokar. “Chaplus dono. Theek, phir – taza chicken chahiye. Yahaan achchi jagah
kahaan? Saaf, bharosemand?”


Maine socha. “Wahi Suraj ki butchery jahaan ammi hamesha bhejti thin. Best cuts, hamesha taza
aur halal.”

“Perfect,” dadi ne excited kaha. “Raasta dikhao, lads. Mere purane masala wali spicy karahi
banane ka irada hai.”
Hum butchery ki taraf chale, busy side lane mein, hawa mein taza gosht aur latakte herbs ki
khushboo.


Main: Dadi, yeh kasai ki dukaan. Woh chicken le lete hain jo tum chahti thin.

Dadi: Theek hai beta. Yaqeen kar lo taza aur theek halal ho.

Kasai: (apron par haath ponchhte hue counter par jhuk kar badi muskurahat ke saath) Good
afternoon! Welcome, welcome. Aaj kya chahiye, khoobsurat madam? Kuch taza chicken?

Dadi: (sharafat se sar hilate hue) Haan, do poore chicken please, saaf kiye aur kaate hue.

Main: Dadi, main Jabir ke saath kuch dekhne ja raha hoon. Kasai ko taiyaar karne do, hum
jaldi wapas.

Dadi: (mujhe taraf mud kar thodi fikr se) Theek, lekin door mat jaana beta. Mujhe yeh jagah
achchi nahi aati.


(Main aur Jabir dukaan se nikal gaye. Dadi counter ki taraf mudin, sar ka dupatta halka
theek karte hue.)


Kasai: (mujhe jaate dekhte hue, phir dadi par poori tawajjoh dete hue garam muskurahat ke
saath) Bilkul fikr mat karo, madam. Jab tak woh gaye hain main aapka bohot achcha khayaal
rakhunga. To… aisi khoobsurat aurat ko aaj meri nek dukaan mein kya laaya?


Dadi: (gosht ke display par nazar daalte hue) Bas roz ka – chicken pote-potion ke liye. Kuch
fancy nahi.


Kasai: (unke figure par tawajjoh se nazar daalte hue phir aankhon mein milate hue) Ah, lekin
aap yahan khadi hain to sab fancy ho jata hai. Main Suraj hoon waise. Aur aap…?


Dadi: (sar halka tedha karte hue chhoti sharaarti muskurahat ke saath) Hmm… abhi se naam
chahiye? Sirf chicken khareed rahe hain.


Kasai: (dheemi hansi ke saath chicken chunte hue) Bilkul chahiye. Mujhe jaanna pasand hai
kisko apna best gosht de raha hoon. Khusoosan jab unka taste itna… generous ho.


Dadi: (bhoonh chadha kar narm muskurahat ke saath, chicken ki taraf dekhte hue) Generous
taste? Mujhe bas achcha quality chicken pasand hai, bas.


Kasai: (mota chicken utha kar dikhaate hue, nazar pal bhar unke seene par ja kar phir
aankhon mein) Quality, haan. Dekh sakta hoon aap achchi cheezon ki qadr karti hain. Dekho
kitna bhara aur perfect… aadmi ko apna maal dikhane mein fakhr hota hai.


Dadi: (chicken ko sarah kar sar hilate hue, aankhon mein halki amused chamak) Tumhara
chicken taza lagta hai, yeh to maanna padega.

Kasai: (muskurahat aur chaudi karte hue saaf karna shuru) Sirf special customers ke liye
taza. Batao madam… kabhi pig sausages pasand aaye? Kuch auratein kehti hain curious hain,
sirf ek baar.





Dadi: (narm hansi ke saath sar hilate hue) Nahi shukriya. Hamare ghar mein woh nahi chhoo
jaata. Sirf halal.


Kasai: (chopping karte hue playful aankh maarta hua) Samajhdar aurat. Paak aur theek
cheezon se chipki hui. Lekin agar kabhi kuch bada, mota, poora halal try karna ho… mere
paas best rakhe hote hain.


Dadi: (thodi aur muskurate hue, uske haathon ka kaam dekhte hue) Yaqeen hai. Mere chicken
ko kitni der lagegi?


Kasai: (sar utha kar dekhte hue, awaaz halki neeche) Zyada nahi – sorry, madam keh raha tha.
Aap wahin khoobsurat khadi raho main jaldi kar dunga. Jaante ho, din bhar gosht sambhaalne
se achche tukde pehchaan mein aate hain jab aate hain.


Dadi: (seene ke neeche baahen halki modte hue, ab garam muskurahat) Kasai ke liye bohot
baatein karte ho.


Kasai: (dheemi hansi ke saath pehla chicken lapet te hue) Sirf jab koi baat karne layak ho. Aapki
muskurahat achchi hai, jaante ho? Poori dukaan roshan kar deti hai.

Dadi: (halki si sharmaahat ke saath neeche dekhte hue) Shukriya. Umar mein shayad tareef
hamesha pasand aati hai.


Kasai: (lapet khatam karte hue counter ke qareeb aate hue) Umar? Aap to stunning se ek din
zyada nahi lagti. Yeh lo, ye bhi khatam. Aur please – mera card le lo. Business ke liye bilkul. Agar
kabhi aur… gosht ya kuch aur chahiye to call karna.

Dadi: (card lene haath badhate hue) Theek, le leti hoon.

Kasai: Lo… achche se gehra, purse ke andar safe.

Dadi: (purse mein dekhte hue halki hairat se) Yeh card kis liye?

Kasai: (halka jhuk kar, awaaz dheemi aur mazak bhari) Sirf mera number aur details, Zainab.
Lekin agar kabhi mera bada halal sausage try karna ho… woh sach mein special wala… to kabhi
bhi call karna. Wada hai worth hoga.







Jab main aur Jabir kuch minute baad dadi ke paas wapas aaye, unke paas saaf lapeta package
tha, lekin unka expression badal gaya tha. Woh soch mein doobi lag rahi thin, pehle jaisi khushi
ki chamak kam, sadak ki taraf absently dekhti hui.


“Dadi, sab theek?” maine poocha, unke bagal mein chalte hue ghar ki taraf.
Jabir ne curious nazar daali. “Haan – chup kyun lag rahi ho? Suraj ne kharab gosht diya ya zyada
paise liye?”


Dadi palak jhapki, jaise khwaab se jaag kar, aur chhoti, be-maani muskurahat di jo aankhon tak
nahi pahunchi. “Kya? Oh nahi lads – gosht theek hai. Achchi quality, theek daam.”
“Lekin kuch to hai,” maine narmi se dabaya, Jabir se jaldi nazar mila kar. “Zor se soch rahi lag
rahi ho.”


Woh pal bhar ruki, bag ke handle par ungliyaan kasin, phir halke se kandhe uchaake.
“Kuch nahi sach mein. Bas… intezaar mein ek purani yaad aa gayi. Gaon ke bazaar alag the na –
sab ek doosre ko jaante the.”


Jabir ne sar tedha kiya. “Yaqeen?” Dadi ne kaha, “Chhodo lads – baat karne layak nahi. Dinner
par focus karen; tumhari ammi khush hogi kitchen mein madad se.”
Humne zyada nahi dabaya, lekin saaf tha kuch hua tha.


Ab ghar par wapas shift karen, pahunchne se pehle hi, ammi ghar mein akeli thi, bilkul akeli,
intezaar karte hue woh narm dua wali tasbeehat gun-guna rahi thin sukoon aur ibadat ki.
Achanak front door par zor ki dastak ne khamosh sur ko kaat diya.


Ammi ruk gayin, dramatic
tareeqe se mud kar awaaz ki taraf, aankhein chaudi aur maathe par halki si surprise ki lakeer.
Unhen kisi ki umeed nahi thi – is waqt nahi. Lekin kaun ho sakta tha?