[Mehtab_]

Vivek vinodit dikha aur bola, “Tumne yeh bhi kaha tha ki nahi baithogi, phir baith gayi.” Maa ne use ghura aur phusphusaya, “Yeh hasne ki baat nahi. Mera pati andar so raha hai.” 


Vivek ne awaz giraayi, “Phir yeh natak band karo ki samajh nahi aata main kyun aaya.” Maa ne kaha, “Sach mein nahi samajh aata.” 

“Samajh aata hai,” usne kaha. “Pichhli baar tumhare liye bhi kaafi nahi thi aur aaj ka munh ka kaam jaldbazi mein tha, aaj raat samay lete hain, tumhara pati subah tak nahi jagega.” 

Maa ka chehra kathor hua aur usne phusphusaya, “Meri chaah ka faisla mat karo.” Vivek ne kaha, “Phir kaho tumne nahi socha main tumhe doosri baar chhodun.” 

Jawab se pehle shayankaksh se ek gehra karahna aaya jab pita ne neend mein palat liya. Sab ek pal mein badal gaya. 

Maa ne Vivek ka haath pakda aur phusphusaya, “Aao.” Yeh mujhe uske dwar par aane se zyada chakit kiya kyunki ek pal pehle use jaane ko keh rahi thi, phir bhi pita ke hilne ki awaz ne use bhagaya nahi—chhupaya. 







Usne use jaldi galeyare se atithi-kaksh ki taraf kheencha. Main uttejit ho gaya aur ling kathor ho gaya kyunki maa khud apne kaam se chakit lagi, par faisla hote hi sahaj ne le liya. 

Shayankaksh dekha, phir baithak, aur phusphusaya, “Andar.” Vivek atithi-kaksh mein gaya aur maa ne galeyare ka deepak bujha taaki achanak jagne wala sarak kam dekhe. 

Phir uske peeche khisak gayi aur dheeme dwar band kiya. Andhere ne sab ko gambhir bana diya kyunki tab tak yeh dikha sakti thi ki anapekshit atithi sambhal rahi hai, par uske saath andhere kamre mein ghusna uska apna faisla tha. 

Theek se palatne se pehle Vivek ne kandhe narmi se pakde aur chuma. Maa ek pal jaam hui, par nahi dhakela. 

 
Shayad yahi hissa tha jo woh khud sabse kam samajhti thi—vivek abhi kehta tha yeh galat hai, par bhav se guptata aur dhyan se pehle hi jud chuki thi. Alag hote usne phusphusaya, “Tumhe yahan nahi hona chahiye.” 

Vivek ne kaha, “Par tum andar laayi.” Maa ne kaha, “Isliye kyunki pati hila aur uska karahna suna.” 

“Bahar dhakel sakti thi,” Vivek ne kaha. Maa ke paas uttar nahi tha. 

Vivek ne dheeme kaha, “Tumhari yaad aayi.” Maa ne nazar pheri, “Pehle dekha tha.” 

“Woh matlab nahi,” usne kaha. Maa ne saans chhodi, “Tum hamesha aisi baat kehte ho jo sab uljha de.” 

Vivek ne kaha, “Shayad kyunki tum dikhati ho yeh aasan hai.” Phir sneha se zyada aham se joda, “Kabhi lagta hai main tumhe tumhare pati se behtar samajhta hoon.” 

Maa ne turant dekha, “Yeh mat kaho.” Vivek ne poocha, “Kyun?” 

“Kyunki woh mera pati hai,” usne kaha. “Tum unse spardha nahi kar sakte.” 

Vivek ne sir hilaaya, chahe chehra kehta raha use chhedna chahta hai. “Theek. Phir kaho yaad nahi aayi.” 

Maa chup rahi, aur Vivek ne kaha, “Yahi socha tha.” Usne phusphusaya, “Chup rehna uttar nahi.” 

“Tumhare saath aksar hota hai,” usne kaha. Maa ne sir hilaaya, aadhi chirchiri aadhi lajjit. 

Vivek ne uska dhusar reshami raatri-vastr dekha aur narmi se haath badhaya. Maa ne poocha, “Ab kya kar rahe ho?” 

“Koi natak nahi,” usne kaha. “Ruko.” 








Usne raatri-vastr utar diya. Maa ne apna nanga shareer neeche dekha, achanak jaan gayi us gupt kamre mein itni si cheez bhi kitni antarang lag sakti hai. Usne yoni malni shuru ki par maa karahi aur jaldi rok diya. 

“Wapas do,” usne phusphusaya. Vivek ne dheela haath mein thaama, “Natak band karo Shobha.” 

Maa jo ho raha tha usse chakit thi par kisi kaaran khud ko rok nahi paayi. Stanon ko haathon se dhak liya taaki chuchuki na dikhe. Par iska koi arth nahi tha kyunki poori nangi thi aur yoni bhi dikh rahi thi. 

Usne use narmi se ghumaaya taaki peeth uski taraf ho, aur maa ne turant kandhe se peeche dekha. “Ab kya kar rahe ho?” shak se poocha. 

“Kuch nahi,” Vivek ne kaha. “Kuch yaad kar raha tha jo un dinon aankh mein atka.” 

“Tumhare munh se aisa vaakya aksar pareshani hota hai,” maa ne kaha. 

Vivek dheeme hansa aur us tarike ko dekha jaise woh ghabra kar bojh sarkaati, phir bola, “Jaanti ho, varshon pehle main peeche se tumhara yeh bada nitamb pehchaan leta tha palatne se pehle.” 

Maa chahti hui bhi lagbhag muskurayi, “Yeh kaisa murkh vaakya hai?” 

“Tumhari chaal,” usne kaha. “Hamesha dikhati thi jaise pata nahi sab tumhara mota nitamb dekhte hain Shobha.” 









Main lagbhag hans pada kyunki maa turant raksha par aa gayi. “Koi nahi dekh raha tha,” usne phusphusaya, aur Vivek ne kaha, “Main dekh raha tha.” 

Maa ne sir aur uski taraf phera. “Yeh aisi baat nahi jise ghamand se maano.” Vivek ne kaha, “Maine ghamand nahi kaha. Kaha yaad hai. Ab mera raatri-vastr wapas do.” 

Woh kareeb jhuka aur kandhe ke peeche narmi se chuma phir gardan ke bagal oopar. 

Maa ne turant phusphusaya, “Vivek,” us khaas chetavani-sur mein jo tab lagati thi jab use yakeen dilana chahti ki chirchiraahat asal se zyada hai. 

“Kya?” usne phusphusaya. Maa ne kaha, “Tum jaante ho kya.” 

“Sirf chuma.” 

“Yahi to.” 

Mujhe dheeme hansna pada kyunki woh shikayat karti rahi bina hate. 

Woh uske peeche ghutnon par baitha. 

Dekha uska chehra nitambon ki oonchai par aaya aur wahi raha, turant nahi pakda, adhyayan karta, jaise purush us cheez ko dekhe jise pehle istemal kar chuka ho aur abhi dekhna khatam na hua ho. 

“Ruko,” usne kaha. “Ise theek se dekhna hai. Pichhli raat sirf mehsoos kiya. Aaj raat dekh sakta hoon.” 

“Aise mat dekho. Yeh kamra atithiyon ka hai. Iske liye nahi. Woh bees kadam door so raha hai.” 

“Tumhara murkh pati bees kadam door kharrate le raha hai. Yeh dekhna nahi. Yeh nitamb-gaal… Shobha, tum ise sadi ke neeche chhupati ho jaise pareshani ho. Pareshani nahi. Tumhara sabse achha hissa hai.” 

Woh asahaj thi. Dikha us tarike se jaise haath shringar-mez ka kinara dhoondhkar thaame. 

Stree kamar se neeche nangi hokar bhi kandhon mein ijjat rakhne ki koshish kar sakti hai. Kandhe kase the. Pair thode andar mudhe. Apne atithi-kaksh mein peeche ghutnon par baithe purush ke saamne nitamb kahan rakhe yeh nahi jaanti thi. 

Usne har gaal par angootha rakha aur unhe alag kiya. 

Maine socha kyun. Pehla uttar seedha aur ganda hai. Jo purush yoni mein rah chuka ho agli band jagah dhoondhta hai. Doosra uttar niyantran hai. 

Agar woh hissa kholkar usse uski baat karwa sake, shareer ka aakhiri sata dwar uplabdh lagne lagta hai. Usne nitamb dheere khole, phadte nahi, itna hi ki gude ka chhota saanwala ganth deepak ki roshni mein dikhe, sikuda, sharmila, usse saaf jitna woh kisi ko dikhana chahe. 

“Woh dekho,” usne kaha, aur awaz naram ho gayi, lagbhag meethi, jisne use aur bura banaya. “Sakht. Saaf. Koi gandagi nahi. Ek vivahit guda jo dhula, rakha, kabhi kisi ko na bulaya lage. Sunder us tarah jo tum nahi manogi.” 

“Ruko. Us jagah ki baat mat karo.” 

“Kyun? Yeh tumhara hissa hai. Kinare se naram. Beech mein saanwala. Imandaar lagta hai. Yoni natak kar sakti hai. Yeh nahi. Bas yahan band baitha hai jaise bhed.” 

“Vivek, rukne ko keh rahi hoon. Agar woh jage aur shauchalay jaye to is dwar se guzrega.” 

“Phir tez mat karaho. Main sirf dekh raha hoon.” 

“Sirf nahi dekh rahe. Haath mujh par hain.” 

“Haath usko thaame hain jiski prashansa kar raha hoon. Farq hai.” 

Usne chehra nitamb-gaalon ke beech rakh diya. 

Woh aage jhatki aur shringar-mez khadkada. 

“Aahhhh—kya kar rahe ho—ruko—” 

Usne ek gaal ke andar ke ubhar ko kaata, itna nahi ki subah nishan rahe, itna ki awaz toote. Phir doosri taraf kaata. Naak uske cheer mein tha. Munh mota maas kaam kar raha tha jaise poori raat ho aur koi pati na ho. 

“Uuuhhhhhh—Vivek—ruko—woh ghar mein hai—so raha hai—aahhhh—wahan munh mat rakho—” 

“Phir awaz gale mein rakho. Swad saabun, paseena aur thoda namak. Saaf. Dhoya aur phir bhi us stree jaisi gandh jo kal chhodi gayi. Mujhe yeh achha lagta hai.” 








“Wahan sungho mat. Yeh ghrinit hai. Aahhhh—chehra hatao—” 

“Ghrinit nahi. Namkeen aur garam aur tumhari soch se saaf. Tum ghar ko mandir ki tarah rakhti ho aur is gude ko bhi waisa. Sakht. Dhula. Uske intezaar mein jo itna rude ho ki notice kare.” 

“Main intezaar nahi kar rahi. Uuuhhh—khade hone ko keh rahi hoon.” 

Usne guda chaata. 

Awaz geeli, chhoti aur nirlajj thi shant atithi-kaksh mein. 

Jeebh ki lambi, dheemi lehar kasi hui chhalle par, phir ek aur, jaise yoni se parichay ho chuka ho aur yeh agli vandana ho. Woh unglion par uthi aur phir bhi dwar ki taraf nahi daudi. 

“Aahhhh—yeh jeebh—ruko—wahan nahi chaat sakte—” 

“Sakhta hoon. Chaat raha hoon. Kholo. Guda mat kaso.” 

Phir bhi kasa. Shareer tab yahi karta hai jab ungli ya jeebh us chhed par aaye jo vivah ka hissa kabhi nahi raha. Chhalla band hota hai. Gaal chehre par band hone ki koshish karte hain. Usne uske khilaf woh shor kiya jo aadha hasi aadhi bhookh tha. 

Usne ungli aazmayi. 

Dekha beech wali ungli ka guda geele, chaate gude par daba. Chhed nahi chahta tha. Guda kasa. Ungli us thook par bagal khisak gayi jo wahan chhoda tha. 

“Kholo, Shobha. Darr gayi ladki ki tarah mat kaso. Thoda bahar dhakelo. Ungli ka sir andar aane do.” 

“Wahan ungli nahi aane de sakti. Aahhhh—woh ungliyon ki jagah nahi. Tumhari jagah nahi.” 

“Hogi. Bahut jaldi ungli bhi nahi lagani padegi. Is gude ko ling se kholunga. Pehle dheere. Phir dheere nahi. Yeh sakht chhalla mera aakaar seekhega jaise yoni seekh chuki.” 

“Kabhi nahi. Sun rahi ho? Kabhi nahi. Uuuhhhhhh—ungli hatao—gambhir hoon.” 

“Kabhi nahi woh shabd tha jo kal munh ke liye istemal kiya. Aaj munh aadat hai. Yeh bhi waisa hoga.” 

“Mera pati so raha hai tum sun kyun nahi rahe aaahh uuuuhhhh.” 

“Jaanta hoon. Isliye imandaar baat ho sakti hai. Kya usne yeh istemal kiya? Chehra yahan rakha? Ungli, jeebh, ling, kuch?” 

Pehle sir hilaaya, jo us jaise purush ko uttar nahi maanta. 

“Kaho. Sir mat hilaao. Vaakya chahiye.” 

“Uttar nahi dena chahti. Aahhhh—ungli abhi wahan hai—” 

“Uttar do.” 

“Nahi. Nahi kiya. Us jagah ki baat bhi nahi karta. Hum yeh nahi karte. Uuuhhh—khush? Ab ruko.” 

“Khush hoon. Matlab pehla main hounga. Barish mein munh mein pehla. Dhoop mein peechhe aangan mein pehla. Is chhed mein pehla jab apne nitamb se jhoot bolna band karogi.” 

“Woh nahi dungi. Pehle hi bahut de chuki.” 

Woh ek minat aur wahi raha, chaatta, gaal kaat-ta, ungli dabaata bina zor se andar kiye, maanspeshi ko sikhata ki ek purush ko ruchi hai. Woh shringar-mez ki lakdi mein karahi, aahh aur uuhhh mein rukne-ki-binti mili, binti usi saans par aati jo karahna, jaisa dvandvit shareer bolta hai. 

Phir khada hua. 

Kamar se ghumaaya jab tak saamne na ho. Deepak ne chehra theek dikhaya: lal, chirchiri, munh din se pehle se naram. Do ungliyan thoodi ke neeche rakhkar neeche ishara kiya. 

“Jhukao.” 

“Ghutne aangan se khatam hain.” 

“Phir bhi jhukao. Woh munh phir chahiye. Use chhodna pasand hai. Pichhli raat pasand aaya. Aaj dopahar pasand aaya jab pati naali poochh raha tha. Ab chahiye jab kharrate le.” 

Woh baithi. Suruchi se nahi. Thaki. Atithi-kaksh ki chatai ne bojh liya. Stan khuli blauz mein aage latke. Ling ko us tarah dekha jaise stree us kaam ko dekhe jisse pehle se nafrat ho aur pehle se jaanti ho karegi. 

“Kripya munh nahi. Dard hai. Aangan mein tab tak choosa jab tak jabda na atke. Kone phate hain. Bolte khichav mehsoos hoti hai. Aaj raat phir mat karwao.” 

“Binti nahi sunni. Binti un striyon ke liye hai jo abhi sochti hain chunav hai. Pehle malo agar jabda thaka ho. Haath lagao. Woh nirlajj hissa dikhao jo deepak aur dhatu ki thaliyon ke neeche rakhhti ho.” 

“Mujhe woh mat kaho.” 

“Atithi-kaksh mein ho, nitamb abhi meri jeebh se geela, pati vivah-palang par soya. Agar yeh kulta nahi to behtar shabd do, sochunga.” 

Usne bhaun tedhi keen. Bhaun maathe par rahi jab haath uske aas-paas band hue. 

Dandi dono hatheliyon se mali, pehle dheere, phir us kasi lehar se jo naksha seekh chuki ho. Mutthiyon mein mota hua. Ek baar dwar dekha, kharrate sune, aur malti rahi. 

“Dekho. Bhaun bhi kaam karti hai. Gusse wale haath bhi kathor karte hain. Munh mein lo.” 

“Kaha dard hai.” 

“Phir sirf shir se shuru karo. Chumo. Chaato. Geela karo taaki baaki sarak jaye. Bhashan nahi maang raha. Woh munh maang raha hoon jo pehle se jaanta hai.” 

Usne shir se shuru kiya. 

Yahi se jaana shareer chahta tha, kam-se-kam. Jo stree sirf ghabrahat mein maane, munh thap-thap kaam ki tarah lagati-hatati hai. 

Honth shir se lagaakar ruki, saans li, phir shir munh ke garam geele chhalle mein aane diya aur wahi thaama, jeebh dhaar ke neeche hilti, jaise pehli ungal uska faisla hona chahiye. 

Chaahna hamesha muskaan nahi dikhta. Kabhi us stree jaisa dikhta hai jo shuruat theek se karne ka samay le. 

“Yahi. Shir chooso. Khud dekho. Koi lajja nahi. Pati kharrate, putra ghar mein, aur tum doosre purush ka ling chamka rahi ho jaise yahi raat ki asli prarthana ho.” 

Uske aas-paas woh shor kiya jo virodh ho sakta tha. Woh bolna nahi ruka. 

“Atithi-kaksh ki veshya. Vivahit munh. Vishwasghat wali jeebh. Kulta kehte bhaun tedhi keen aur phir thook se phislan di jaise peshewar. Mere ling par honth liye sir mat hilaao. Woh hilaav jhoot hai.” 

Usne phislan diya phir aur liya. 

Dandi geeli hote sarak aasan ho gayi. Ummeed se tez hili. Isliye nahi ki achanak ghamand ho. Isliye ki tez munh cheez khatam karta hai, aur isliye bhi ki tez munh woh hota hai jo shareer karta hai jab rekha paar ho chuki ho aur baatchit ke bina ehsaas chahe. 

Sir uchla. Thook ikattha hua. Geeli awaz chhote kamre mein us taal se bhari jo pita ke kharrate se nahi milti aur isliye kharrate aur saaf karti, jaise do ghadiyan alag samay par. 

“Koi lajja nahi,” Vivek ne kaha, haath phir baal mein. “Woh sarrak suno. Ijjatdar stree yeh shor nahi karti. Tum karti ho. Pavitra natak band karo to tumhari vidhi lalchi hai. Neeche wale hisse par jeebh aur lagao. Haan. Aise. Us stree ke liye jisne kaha munh dard karta hai, aise choos rahi ho jaise dopahar se yaad aayi ho.” 

Woh sunti rahi. Yeh maayne rakhta hai. Har vaakya ladne ko nahi hatayi. Bure shabd us par baithe rahe jab munh kaam karta raha. Lajja-baat us tarike ka hissa hai jisse woh use thaamta hai. Shabd se nafrat karti hai aur unke neeche karti rehti hai.