[Lusty_bOOz]

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         CHAPTER 14 — UNKAHA UPHAAR AUR PAVITRA EHSAAS
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Sardi ki aakhri aahat ke baad ab basant ki thandi, suhaani dhoop aur shaam ko ek meethi rangini phailne lagi thi.

Sonam ke ghar mein aaj ek khas raunak thi. Sonam ke pati poori tarah swasth ho chuke the aur unhone apni company ke ek naye project ki safalta aur parivaar ke sabhi sankaton ke talne ki khushi mein ek chhotey se family dinner ka aayojan kiya tha.

Is dinner ke mukhya mehman zaroor Vikram hi the.

Khane ki tayyari dophar se hi shuru ho gayi thi. Sonam ne aaj apni pasand ki light teal-green rang ki silk saree pehni thi, jiske pallu par halka sa golden work tha. Usne maathe par ek chhoti si bindi lagayi aur baalon mein taaza mogre ki gajra sajaya tha. Uski aakhon mein ek aisi shanti aur chehre par rangini thi jo poore ghar ko roshan kar rahi thi.

Raat ke aath bajte hi Vikram ki gaadi bahar ruki.

Vikram ne aaj light cream color ka silk kurta aur white churidar pehena hua tha. Uske haath mein Nana ji ke liye gaon se aayi khas mithai, pati ke liye ek achhi kitaab, aur parivaar ke liye dry fruits ki basket thi.

"Aaiye, aaiye Vikram ji! Hum aapka hi intezaar kar rahe the," Sonam ke pati ne aage badhkar Vikram ka behad garmahat se swagat kiya.

Nana ji ne Vikram ke sar par haath rakhkar aashirwad diya. Saas ne bhi Vikram ko ek bete jaisa sneha dikhaya.

Sonam rasoi se sarbat ke glass tray mein lekar aayi. Dono ki nazrein milin. Vikram ne Sonam ko dekha—us teal-green saree aur mogre ki khushboo mein Sonam behad pavitra aur khoobsurat lag rahi thi.

"Namaste, Sonam ji," Vikram ne haath jodh kar kaha, uski awaaz mein ek anjaan narmi thi.

"Namaste Vikram ji," Sonam ne halka sa sir jhukakar javab diya. Uski gaalon par halki si surkhi aa gayi thi.

Khana behad shaandar tha. Sonam ne Vikram ki pasand ka khas dhyan rakhte hue saadha, masaledar se pare, behad swadisht khana banaya tha. Subah se shaam tak kaam karne ke bawajood, Sonam ke chehre par thakan ki jagah ek meethi muskaan thin.

Khane ke baad sabhi log courtyard (aangan) mein baith kar chai peene lage. Nana ji aur pati Vikram se shehar ke naye vikas aur security arrangements ke baare mein baat kar rahe the.

Kareeb das baje, Vikram ne jaane ki ijazat maangi.

"Accha Uncle ji, ab mujhe nikalna chahiye. Kal subah jaldi ek meeting hai," Vikram ne khade hote hue kaha.

Sabhi log use gate tak chhodne ke liye aaye. Vikram ne sabhi se bida li. Lekin jab woh gate ke paas pahuncha, toh usne apne kurta ke andar waali jeb se ek chhota sa, patla sa brown paper envelope nikala.

Usne behad sabhya tarike se woh envelope Nana ji aur pati ke samne Sonam ki taraf badhaya.

"Sonam ji... yeh ek chhota sa gift hai aapke liye. Kripya ise swikaar kijiyega," Vikram ne kaha.

Sonam thodi chaunk gayi. Ghar ke baki log bhi Vikram ki taraf dekhne lage.

Pati ne muskura kar kaha, "Arey Vikram ji, iski kya zaroorat thi? Aap aaye, humare sath waqt bitaya, wohi bohot hai."

Vikram ne behad adab se pati aur Nana ji ki taraf dekha aur bola, "Uncle ji, iss ghar ne mujhe jo apnapan aur vishwas diya hai, uska koi mol nahi hai. Parso main ek sarkari exhibition mein gaya tha, wahan yeh dekh kar mujhe laga ki yeh Sonam ji ke liye hi bana hai."

Sonam ne kaanpte haathon se woh envelope thama.

Vikram ne haath jode, sabhi ko pranam kiya aur apni gaadi mein baithkar rawana ho gaya.

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Ghar ke sabhi log apne-apne kamron mein chale gaye.

Sonam apne kamre mein aayi. Pati sone ki tayyari kar rahe the aur pehle hi bed par leta chuke the. Sonam ne kamre ki lights thodi dheemi ki aur dresser ke paas aakar woh envelope khola.

Envelope ke andar ek behad khoobsurat, haath se bani hui wooden bookmark thi. Uspar ek bargad ke ped ke neeche baithi hui ek stree ki chhaaya painter dwara banayi gayi thi, aur uske neeche behad baareek aksharon mein ek kavitayi panti (line) likhi thi:

"Jo sabko chhaon deti hai, uske dil ki shanti duniya ka sabse khoobsurat phool hai."

Bookmark ke saath ek chhoti si silver-embossed pen bhi thi.

Sonam uss uphaar ko dekhti reh gayi.

Vikram ne koi mehenga gehna ya kapda nahi diya tha—jo shayad samajik maryadaon ke khilaaf lagta ya ajeeb lag sakta tha. Usne ek aisa uphaar diya tha jo Sonam ki aatmanirbharta, uske shauk (reading/writing) aur uski bheetari shanti ki izzat karta tha. Yeh uphaar batata tha ki Vikram use kitna baareeki se samajhta tha.

Sonam ne bookmark aur pen ko apne seene se laga liya. Usne khidki se bahar aasmaan mein chamakte taaron ko dekha.

Unke beech koi rasmi rishta nahi tha, lekin iss chhoti si saughat ne unke beech ek aisa aatmiya aur pavitra dhora baandh diya tha jo kisi bhi lafz ya rishte ke naam se behad upar aur khoobsurat tha.