Adultery SAMREEN: Shikast-e-Zanjeer-e-Muflisi

[Herotic]

EPISODE 01

Zindagi hamesha ek jaisi nahi rehti. Kabhi-kabhi *** hamari aazmaish ke liye hamare raste me thode kaante bikhair deta hai, taaki hum sabr aur mehnat ka daaman thamein aur Uske aur kareeb ho jayein. Mera naam Samreen hai. Meri umar 34 saal hai, aur main ek nikaah-shuda aurat hoon. Mera nikaah Asif se hua hai, jo behad nek, narm-dil aur deendar insaan hain. Hum dono ki zindagi hamesha se saadgi aur sukoon ke sath guzri hai. *** ne mujhe surat aur seerat dono se nawaza hai, aur mai hamesha koshish karti hoon ki apne parde aur deeni aqeedo ki puri hifazat karoon. Mere liye paakizagi aur haya hi ek aurat ka sabse bada gehna hain.
 
Lekin pichhle kuchh mahino se hamare ghar ke halat thode badal gaye hain. Asif ki ek chhoti si *** kitabon, itar, aur nazaqati chizon jaise ***, ***, aur veil ki dukaan hai. Kuchh waqt se bazaar ki mandali aur dukan ke kiraye me badhauti ki wajah se hamara financial struggle shuru ho gaya. Asif ke chehre par wo fikr ki rekhaayein mujhe andar hi andar takleef deti thin, jo wo mujhse chhupane ki koshish karte the. Ek din maine tay kiya ki main unka hath bataungi. Mujhe bachpan se hi mehendi lagane ka bohot shauk tha, aur poore mohalle me log mere mehendi ke designs ki tareef karte the. Maine socha, kyun na is hunar ko apni taqat banau?
 
Us subah, maine hamesha se thoda jaldi uthkar *** ki *** ada ki. *** se dua mangi ki wo mere is naye kadam me barkat dale aur meri haya aur izzat ki hifazat farmaye. *** ki *** aur *** ki tilawat ke baad, maine ghar ka saara kaam niptaya. Asif dukan ke liye nikalne wale the aur humare ghar ke us bakse jaise purani TV pe news dekh rhe the.
 
BBC News Pakistan, “Lahore ki mashoor Qureshi General Store ke maalik ki eklauti beti Mahira Qureshi ne kuchh aisa kar diya hai jisse pure mulk me sansani hai”, Aaiye yahan ke kuchh logon se puchhte hain ki mahaul kaisa hai, reporter ne ek bande se puchha “Aap zara batayein ki yahan asal me masla kya hua Paijaan”, “are naa karein janab naa karein… dekhein hum yahan apne kaam ke silsile me aayein hain… hume kuchh malooom nhi hai paaijaan… aap kisi aur se puchhein…” us aadmi ne kahan.

[Authors Note: Mahira Qureshi: Ek Gunaah-e-Naseeb ki story complete ho chuki hai, agar aap read karna chahte ho to mujhe messege kar sakte ho.]
  
Tabhi maine TV band kar diya kyuki dusre mulk ke news se humara kya lena dena. Maine unhe chai pesh ki aur bohot hi narm aawaz me apne is faisle ke baare me bataya. "Asif, maine socha hai ki mai shaadi-byah aur tyoharon ke is season me mehendi lagane ka kaam shuru karoon. Meri ek saheli ne ek bade parlour me baat ki hai, jahan sirf khawateen aati hain," maine thoda jhijhakte hue kaha.
 
Asif ne mujhe thodi fikr se dekha, phir unhone muskura kar mera hath thama. "Samreen, mujhe tum par poora bharosa hai. Bas is baat ka khayal rakhna ki jahan bhi jao, tumhara parda aur tumhari paakizagi barkarar rahe."
 
Maine unhe poora yaqeen dilaya. Unke nikalne ke baad, maine aaine ke samne khade hokar khud ko dekha. *** ne mujhe khoobsurati bakhshi hai, lekin us khoobsurati ka asli parda meri haya hai. Maine apni kaali abaya nikali, jise pehan kar mujhe hamesha ek ajeeb sa sukoon milta tha. Maine use pehna, aur bohot hi saleeqe se apne sarr par kaala veil baandha, jisse sirf mera chehra numaya ho rha tha. Mere chehre par koi make-up nahi tha, bas ek paakiza chamak thi jo shayad subah ki *** ki wajah se thi. Apne hath me ek chhota sa purse liye, jisme maine mehendi ke cones, kuchh designs ki photos aur thoda zaroori saaman rakha tha, main ghar se nikal padi.
 
Mera rukh shehar ke ek mashhoor Ladies Parlour and Mehendi Centre ki taraf tha. Jab mai wahan pahunchi, toh bahar se hi halchal saaf mehsoos ho rahi thi. Eid aur shaadiyon ka mahina hone ki wajah se wahan kaafi bheed thi. Maine andar kadam rakha. Parlour ka mahol poori tarah se khawateen ke liye mahfooz tha, isiliye maine wahan jaakar apna veil thoda dheela kiya aur abaya ko sambhala. Wahan kaafi saari auratein pehle se hi baithi hui thin. Kuchh apne baal set karwa rahi thin, toh kuchh facial lagwa rahi thin, lekin sabse zyada bheed mehendi ke section me thi. Hawa me itar, mehendi aur gulab jal ki ek milti-julti, bohot hi pyaari khushboo bikhri hui thi.
 
Wahan ki manager, Farha Baaji, mujhe dekhte hi aage badhin. "Assalamaikum, Samreen! Tumhara hi intezar tha. Tumhari saheli ne tumhare hunar ki bohot tareef ki thi. Aaj hamare paas bohot clients hain, chalo jaldi se shuru ho jao.", Maine unhe salam kiya, "Walaikumsalam Farha Baaji, main apni taraf se poori koshish karungi."
 
Farha Baaji ne mujhe ek aaramdayak kursi par bithaya. Mere saamne ek badi mez thi aur aas-pas kaafi saari auratein baithi thin, jo aapas me hans-bol rahi thin. Unme se kuchh auratein mujhe bade gaur se dekh rahi thin. Shayad unhe mera itna deeni aur parda-nasheen hona, aur sath hi is tarah ke kaam me aana thoda alag lag raha tha. Meri pehli client ek nayi-nayi begum thin, jinka naam Shazia tha. Wo thodi pareshan thi kyunki unhe bohot hi bariki wala Arabic design chahiye rakhna tha.
 
"Baji, mujhe aisi mehendi chahiye jo bohot ghani ho aur rang bhi bohot gehra aaye," Shazia ne thoda nakhre se kaha. Maine muskura kar apne purse se mehendi ka cone nikala. "Aap befikr rahiye, *** ne chaha toh design bhi achha banega aur rang bhi chokha chadhega."
 
Maine unka hath apne hath me liya. Unke naram hath par jaise hi maine cone chalana shuru kiya, meri ungliyan khud-ba-khud ek jaadui raftaar se chalne lagin. Maine bina kisi jhijhak ke, bohot hi khoobsurat phool, pattiyaan aur bareek jaali ka kaam shuru kiya. Mere haathon ki safai dekh kar aas-pas baithi doosri auratein bhi paas aakar khadi ho gayin. "Mashahalah, Samreen! Tumhare haathon me toh sach me jaadu hai," ek buzurg khatoon ne meri tareef karte hue kaha, Maine nigahein neeche rakhte hue kaha, "Sab *** ka karam hai, Ammi jaan."
 
Par aane wali auraton ki sankhya badhti ja rahi thi. Ab tak maine paanch-chhe auraton ko mehendi laga di thi. Kaam karte-karte, wahan baithi auraton se baatein bhi ho rahi thin. Wo sabhi gharelu aur deeni mizaaj ki thin, isiliye meri unse kaafi acchi banti chali gayi. Ek khatoon, jinka naam Razia tha, unhone mujhse puchha, "Samreen, tum dikhne me itni haseen ho, aur tumhara andaz bhi itna paakiza hai. Tumhare shauhar kya karte hain?"
 
Maine bina kisi jhep ke sacchaai batayi, "Ji Unki ek chhoti si dini cheezon ki dukan hai. Bas aajkal bazaar ke halat thode thik nahi hain, toh maine socha unka sath doon." Meri baat sunkar wahan baithi kayi auraton ke dilon me mere liye izzat aur badh gayi. Razia ji ne mere sarr par hath rakha, "*** tumhare rizk me barkat de aur tumhare nikaah ko hamesha salamat rakhe. Aaj ke daur me aisi samajhdar aur nek biwi milna naseeb ki baat hai."
 
Unki baaton se mujhe andar se ek ajeeb sa hausla mila. Jo darr aur hichkichahat subah ghar se nikalte waqt mere dil me thi, wo ab poori tarah se gayab ho chuki thi. Mujh jaisi ek aam, deeni aur parda-nasheen aurat ke liye, ghar se nahar nikal kar kaam karna aasan nahi tha, lekin jab maqsad saaf ho aur niyat me paakizagi ho, toh raaste khud-ba-khud aasan ho jaate hain.
 
Dopahar ki *** ki aawaz jab qareeb ki *** se aayi, toh maine thodi der ke liye kaam rok diya. Farha Baaji ne parlour ke andar hi ek chhota sa kona *** ke liye banaya hua tha. Maine wahan jaakar *** kiya aur bohot hi sukoon se *** ki *** ada ki. *** ke baad maine apne purse se thoda sa khana nikala jo mai ghar se layi thi.
 
Abhi mai khana kha hi rahi thi ki Farha Baaji daudti hui aayin. "Samreen, jaldi karo! Ek bohot hi khas client aayi hain. Wo shehar ke ek bade pakki-saakh wale khandaan se hain. Unhe kisi khas function me jaana hai aur unhe sabse behtareen artist chahiye. Maine unhe tumhara naam diya hai.", Maine apna hath dhoya, apni abaya aur veil ko dubara sahi kiya aur apni jagah par aakar baith gayi. Jo khatoon aayin thin, unka naam Yasmin Begum tha. Wo kaafi robdar aur ameer gharane ki lag rahi thin, lekin unke mizaaj me ek therao tha.
 
Unhone mujhe upar se neeche tak dekha, shayad mere is saadgi bhare parde ko dekh kar wo thoda hairan thin. "Toh tum ho Samreen? Maine suna hai tum bohot haseen designs banati ho.", "Ji, Begum Sahiba. *** ne jo thoda bohot hunar diya hai, wahi pesh karti hoon," maine narm-dili se jawab diya, Yasmin Begum ne apna hath aage badhaya. Unke hath par mehendi lagana ek badi chunauti thi, kyunki unhe ekdum traditional design chahiye tha, jisme kaafi bariki aur sabr ki zaroorat hoti hai. Maine gehri saans li, Dil me *** padha aur cone thaam liya.
 
Ghanto beet gaye, meri ungliyan bina ruke chalti rahin. Maine Yasmin Begum ke haathon par ek aisi mehendi rachayi jo kisi shahkaar se kam nahi thi. Beech-beech me parlour ki doosri ladkiyan aur auratein aakar dekhti aur dabi aawaz me tareef karti. Meri kaali abaya ke aasteen thode upar the, jisse mere apne gore aur saaf hath numaya ho rahe the, jo khud mehendi ki halki laali se saje hue the. Jab mehendi poori hui, toh Yasmin Begum ne apne haathon ko dekha. Unke chehre par ek munasib muskaan aagayi. "Mashahalah, Samreen! Jaisa suna tha, tum usse kahin badhkar ho, Tumhare haathon me safai toh hai hi, par tumhare mizaaj ki paakizagi tumhare kaam me dikhti hai." Unhone khush hokar mujhe tay-shuda paise se kahin zyada inaam diya.
 
Din khatam hote-hote mera purse un paison se bhar chuka hai, jinki hamein is waqt sakht zaroorat thi. Maine Farha Baaji ka shukriya ada kiya, apna veil sahi se dhaanpa, aur bahar nikal aayi. Bahar sham ki thandi hawa chal rahi thi. Mai tezi se apne ghar ki taraf badh rahi thi, jahan Asif mera intezar kar rahe honge. Mere dil me aaj ek alag hi sukoon aur fahr ka ehsaas tha. Maine ye pehla din kamyabi se poora kar liya tha, aur mujhe yaqeen tha ki *** hamari mushkilon ko jald hi aasan kar dega.
 
Zindagi me har naya din ek jaisi dhup lekar nahi aata. Kuchh subah aisi hoti hain jo dil me sukoon bikhair deti hain, aur kuchh din aisi aazmaish lekar aate hain jahan aapki haya, aapka sabr aur aapke mizaaj ka imtihan hota hai. Us din se agle din, mai bohot ummeed aur hausle ke sath uthi thi. Kal ki kamyabi ne mujhe ek naya bharosa diya tha. Maine hamesha ki tarah *** ki *** ke baad *** ka shukr ada kiya ki usne hamare financial struggle ke beech ek aasan rasta dikhaya.
 
Ghar ka kaam niptakar, maine aaine ke samne khade hokar apna kaala abaya pehna. Apne sarr par veil ko is tarah saleeqe se baandha ki meri paakizagi par koi aanch na aaye. Meri gori rangat aur nigaahon ki haya, is kaali abaya me hamesha aur numaya ho jaati thin. Log kehte hain ki mai sundar hoon, lekin mere liye meri sundarata sirf mere shauhar Asif ke liye hai. Bahar ki duniya ke liye toh ye sirf ek aazmaish hai, jisse mujhe khud ko hamesha mahfooz rakhna hota hai. Maine apna wahi chhota sa purse uthaya aur Farha Baaji ke parlour ki taraf nikal padi.
 
Jab mai parlour pahunchi, toh dopahar ka waqt ho raha tha. Kal ki kamyabi ke baad Farha Baaji ne mujhe dekhte hi gale se laga liya. "Aao, Samreen! Aaj bhi kaafi kaam hai. Kal jo tumne Yasmin Begum ke hath par mehendi lagayi thi, uski wajah se aaj do-teen naye clients sirf tumhara puchhte hue aaye hain.". Maine narm-dili se muskura kar kaha, "***, Baaji. Ye sab *** ka karam hai."
 
Maine apna abaya thoda sambhala, veil ko sahi kiya aur apni kursi par baith gayi. Shuruati do-teen ghante bohot tezi se beete. Maine do ladkiyon ko unke bhai ki shaadi ke liye bohot hi pyare designs lagaye. Wo dono mere mizaaj aur meri deeni baaton se itni mutasir thin ki unhone mere sath kaafi der tak deen aur paakizagi par baatein kin. Mujhe lag raha tha ki ye kaam mere liye sirf paisa kamane ka zariya nahi, balki logon se judne aur ek paakiza daayra banane ka sabab ban raha hai. Lekin tabhi, dopahar ke dhalte waqt, parlour ka darwaza khula aur ek aisi tabdeeli aayi jisne mere dil ke sukoon ko hila kar rakh diya.
 
Parlour ke darwaze par lagi kaanch ki ghanti baji. Maine sarr utha kar dekha, toh ek bohot hi ameer sahab andar dakhil hue. Unki umar lagbhag 40 se 45 saal ke beech rahi hogi. Unhone bohot hi mehnge kapde pehne hue the, hath me ek qeemti ghadi thi, aur unke mizaaj se saaf jhalak raha tha ki wo ek bade *** gharane se taalluq rakhte hain. Unke sath unki wife thin, jo behad khoobsurat thin aur unhone bohot hi bhaanpne wala, mehnge reshmi sadi ka pehnawa pehna tha.
 
Farha Baaji unhe dekhte hi apni kursi se khadi ho gayin aur bade hi garm-joshi se unka welcome kiya. "Namaste, Pandey Ji! Namaste Madam, Aaiye, aaiye. Madam, aap toh bohot dino baad aayin. Bilkul bhul hi gyi hain, aap toh hamari sabse purani aur khas customers me se hain. Bataiye, aaj kya sewa karein aapki?", Pandey Ji ne muskura kar jawab diya, "Madam ko ek khas function ke liye sabse behtareen mehendi lagwani hai Farha Ji. Maine kaha ki aapke parlour se achhi mehendi poore shehar me koi nahi laga sakta." Ye sunkar farha baaji hasne lagin.
 
Farha Baaji ne turant meri taraf ishara kiya. "Aapne ekdum sahi kiya Pandey ji. Ye hain Samreen. Hamari sabse behtareen aur naye zamane ki sabse maahir artist. Inke haathon me toh jaise jaadu hai.", Jaise hi Farha Baaji ne mera naam liya, Pandey Ji ki nigahein ghumkar mujh par aakar tik gayin. Us lamhe, jab unhone mujhe dekha, toh wo jaise poori tarah hakka-bakka reh gaye. Unki nigaahon me ek ajeeb sa thehrao aur hairani thi. Main apni kaali abaya aur veil me baithi hui thi, lekin meri aankhon ki chamak aur mere chehre ka paakiza noor shayad unke liye bilkul anjaan aur hila dene wala tha. Wo kuchh pal ke liye bilkul sunn khade rahe, jaise unhe yaqeen na ho raha ho ki koi aurat parde me bhi itni haseen aur purkashish ho sakti hai.
 
Unki wo pehli nazar hi mere dil me ek ajeeb sa bechaini paida kar gayi. Ek deeni aur paakiza khaatun hone ke naate, mujhe mardon ki nazron ki pehchan bohot acche se thi. Jab koi mard kisi aurat ko is tarah gaur se dekhta hai, toh ek shareef aurat ka dil andar se kaamp uthta hai. Maine turant apni nigahein neeche kar lin aur dil hi dil me *** padhne lagi.
 
Madam meri mez ke saamne aakar baith gayin. Pandey Ji bhi unke theek peechhe, ek aaramdayak sofe par baith gaye, jahan se meri mez aur main bilkul saaf dikh rahi thi. "Samreen, zara mere haathon par kuchh alag aur naya design banao," Madam ne bohot hi narm aawaz me kaha. "Ji, bilkul," maine dabi aawaz me kaha, lekin mera dhyan lagane me thoda waqt lag raha tha. Mera poora jism is ehsaas se tharr-tharra raha tha ki Pandey Ji ki nigahein mujh par hi tiki hui thin.
 
Maine Madam ka hath apne hath me liya aur mehendi ka cone chalana shuru kiya. Lekin jaise hi maine kaam shuru kiya, mujhe mehsoos hua ki Pandey Ji apni wife ko dekhne ke bajay, lagatar sirf aur sirf mujhe hi ghur rahe the. Unki aankhein mere chehre, mere baandhe hue veil, aur jab main cone chalane ke liye apni abaya ki aasteen ko halka sa peechhe karti, toh mere gore haathon aur ungliyon par aakar ruk jaati thin.
 
Mera andaruni jung shuru ho chuka tha, mera dil mujhse keh raha tha, 'Samreen, uth ja yahan se! Ek gair-mard is tarah tujhe ghur raha hai, ye teri haya aur tere parde ke khilaf hai.' Lekin doosri taraf, mere dimaag me mere shauhar ka chehra ghoom gaya. Unki dukan ki maali tangi, ghar ke kharche, aur wo umeed jo kal unki aankhon me dikhi thi, unhone mujhe ijazat di thi is shart par ki mai apni hifazat karoon. Agar mai is tarah beech me kaam chhod kar uth jaati, toh Farha Baaji ka nuksaan hota, unke sabse purane customer ke samne tamasha banta, aur shayad mujhe is parlour se nikal diya jaata.
 
Maine apni nigaahon ko poori tarah se Madam ke haathon par kendrit kar liya. Maine tay kiya ki main upar dekhungi hi nahi. Lekin ek aurat ki sixth sense kabhi jhoot nahi bolti. Jab koi aapko itni shiddat aur gaur se ghurta hai, toh aapki jild par us nazar ki tapish mehsoos hoti hai. Pandey Ji sofe par baithe kabhi apni ghadi dekhte, toh kabhi dukan ke bahaane mujhse baat karne ki koshish karte.
 
"Samreen Ji, aap kaafi tezi se aur safai se kaam karti hain. Waise aapne ye kaam kahan se sikha?" Pandey Ji ne achanak puchha. Unki aawaz me ek ajeeb sa jhukav tha, Mera dil zor se dhadka. Maine bina unki taraf dekhe, bohot hi choti aur ruki hui aawaz me jawab diya, "Ji Ghar par hi sikha hai."
 
Madam ne bhi unka sath diya, "Haan, waise tumhari mehendi ki khushboo aur design dono hi bohot acche hain. Pandey Ji, dekhiye na, kitna pyara phool banaya hai inhone." Pandey Ji ne apni wife ki baat ka jawab toh diya, lekin unki aankhein ab bhi mere chehre par thin. "Haan haan, mai dekh raha hoon. Sach me, aisi khoobsurati aur aisa hunar roz-roz dekhne ko nahi milta."
 
Unke is bayaan me ek chhipa hua ishara tha, jo meri sundarata ki taraf tha na ki sirf mehendi ki. Ye sunkar mere kaan garam ho gaye aur mujhe ek ajeeb si sharm aur gusse ka ehsaas hua. Mujhe lag raha tha ki meri paakizagi par ek anjaan shakhs apni nazron se daka daal raha hai. Mai ek deeni aurat thi, mere liye ek gair-mard ki aisi nigaah kisi khanjar se kam nahi thi. Mera dil chah raha tha ki mai apna abaya aur veil aur zor se samet loon aur wahan se bhaag jaun.
 
Maine apne dil ko sambhalne ke liye andar hi andar *** ka naam lena shuru kar diya. 'Ya ***, meri hifazat farma. Mere is parde ki, meri haya ki hifazat farma. Mai yahan kisi galat niyat se nahi aayi hoon, bas apne shauhar ka sath dene aur nek kaam karne aayi hoon. Mujhe is aazmaish se surkhru kar.'
 
Madam ke haathon par mehendi ka design aage badh raha tha. Pandey Ji beech-beech me uthkar thoda paas aate, jaise wo mehendi ka design dekh rahe hon, lekin unka asli maqsad mere qareeb aana aur mujhe aur gaur se dekhna tha. Jab wo paas aate, toh unke mehnge perfume ki khushboo meri saanson tak pahunchti, jo mujhe aur pareshan kar deti. Mere apne hath thode kaampne lage the, lekin maine apne hunar ko bikharne nahi diya. Maine apni ungliyon par kabu rakha aur design ko bilkul kharab nahi hone diya.
 
Farha Baaji thodi der ke liye doosre section me gayi hui thin, isiliye mujhe is mahol me khud ko akele hi sambhalna tha. Maine socha ki agar mai yahan thoda sa bhi gussa dikhaungi, toh halat kharab ho sakte hain, aur agar mai kamzor pad gayi, toh Pandey Ji ka hausla aur badh sakta hai. Isiliye maine ek paakiza khamoshi ka rasta chuna. Ek aisi khamoshi jo khud me ek parda hoti hai.
 
Lagbhag do ghante tak wo aazmaish chalti rahi. Pandey Ji ki lagatar ghurti hui nigaahon ne mujhe andar se thaka diya tha, jitna main din bhar ke kaam se bhi nahi thakti thi. Jab Madam ke dono haathon aur pairon par mehendi poori ho gayi, toh unhone aaine me dekha aur khushi se uchhal padin, "Oh my god, Samreen! Ye toh kaafi sundar hai! Itni sundar mehendi maine aaj tak nahi lagwayi," Madam ne tareefon ke pul baandh diye. Pandey Ji bhi khade ho gaye. Unhone apne purse se paise nikale aur Farha Baaji ko diye, aur phir ek bada note nikal kar meri taraf badhaya. "Ye aapki mehnat aur aapki... khoobsurati ka inaam hai, Samreen Ji."
 
Maine unke hath ki taraf dekha bhi nahi. Maine apni nigahein zameen par tikaye rakhte hue narm magar saaf aawaz me kaha, "Shukriya Pandey Ji, lekin mujhe meri mehnat ke paise Farha Baaji se mil jaate hain. Mujhe alag se inaam ki zaroorat nahi hai.", Meri is baat me jo therao aur parda-nasheen mizaaj tha, usne shayad Pandey Ji ko ye samajhne par majboor kar diya ki main koi aisi-waisi aurat nahi hoon. Unhone thoda jhijhakte hue apna hath peechhe kiya aur apni wife ke sath parlour se bahar nikal gaye.
 
Unke jaane ke baad, maine ek gehri aur thandi saans li. Mera jism ab bhi thoda kaamp raha tha, lekin mere dil me ek sukoon tha ki maine apni haya aur apni paakizgi par koi aanch nahi aane di. Maine is naye din ki aazmaish ko bhi sabr aur paakizagi ke sath jhel liya tha. Maine apna veil sahi kiya, apna purse uthaya, aur ghar ki taraf chal padi, jahan mere shauhar ki sukoon bhari duniya mera intezar kar rahi thi.