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

[Herotic]

EPISODE 24

Wo dhaba ab ek chhote se pinjre ki tarah tha, jiske andar main, Samreen, apne hi darr, apni bebasi aur is khooni raat ke saaye mein qaid baithi thi. Bahar dhabe ki wo dhool, wo peeli roshni ka jhilmilata hua bulb, aur sadak par sookhne laga hua Pappu ka wo laal khoon, sab mil kar ek aisi tasveer bana rahe the jise dekh kar rooh andar se thandi pad chuki thi. Mera jism kaanp raha tha. Mere daant aapas mein pees rahe the, aur hothon par sukhapan aisa tha maano paani ki ek-ek boond ke liye gala taras gaya ho. 

Itni jaldi... aakhir itna sab kuchh kaise ho gaya? Yahi ek sawal tha jo baar-baar mere zehan ki deewaron se takra raha tha. Subah jab main apne ghar se nikli thi, toh maqsad kitna saada, kitna mamuli tha, bas ek bade ghar ke bete ke birthday par us ghar ki auraton ko apni mehendi se sajana, aur fir apne ghar, apne shauhar ke paas laut aana. Magar kismat ne mere liye kaun sa raasta chun rakha tha? Aaj ek aise khooni manzar, goli-baari aur maut ki daldal mein aa phasi thi, jahan zindagi ki dor bas ek baarik dhaage par latki hui thi.
 
Main wahin kone waali kursi par simat kar baithi thi. Meri aankhein door us aisi sadak par tiki thin, jahan se kisi nayi gaadi ke aane ki ummeed thi. Mera dil ek hi raag alap raha tha, Vivaan... jaldi aa jao... Please, mujhe yahan se le chalo. Lekin us ummeed ke sath hi ek ajeeb sa khauf aur zehar mere dil mein utar raha tha. Kya Vivaan sach mein mujhe lene aayega?
 
Wo ladka... jise main andar se ek psycho, ek sarddil aur beparwah insaan ke roop mein jaan chuki thi. Wo ladka jisne thodi der pehle mujhe un mardon ke beech akela chhodte waqt ek pal ke liye bhi reham nahi khaya tha, jo meri bebasi aur darr ko dekh kar bas ek teekhi, zaleel karne wali muskurahat apne chehre par sajaye khada tha, kya wahi ladka is khooni raat mein, is sunsaan dhabe par mujhe bachane aayega?
 
Mera dil andar se cheekh uthta tha, Nahi! Wo nahi aayega... Wo mujhe yahan tadapne ke liye chhod dega... Shayad wo yahi chahta tha ki main is azaab mein phasun. Lekin phir, ek doosri taraf, ek akeli aurat ki wo laachari thi jo kisi bhi tinke ka sahara dhoondne par majboor hoti hai. Mere paas na koi aur rasta tha, na phone mein battery baaki thi, na kisi aur ka number yaad tha, aur na hi is sunsaan raste par chalne ki himmat thi. Main poori tarah se unke reham-o-karam par thi.
 
Soch-soch kar mera dimaag phatne ko ho raha tha. Main apne dono haathon se apna sar pakad kar baithi thi. Aansoo the ki rukne ka naam hi nahi le rahe the, wo chupchap bina kisi aawaz ke meri aankhon se bahte ja rahe the aur mere gaalon ko bhigote hue meri kurti par gir rahe the.
 
Haaye ***… Maine kya-kya nahi dekh liya is ek din mein? Apne ghar ki pakiza chaar-diwari se nikal kar, Pandey ji ke us azeem-o-shaan ghar ki ghutan, wahan unke zaalim bete aur ghar ke naukar ke sath kiye gaye wo gunah, Vivaan ke sath wo jismani aish aur badnasibi ke kisse, Pappu ka wo ghinona jumla aur fir mera use zordar thappad marna, uske baad us kaali Scorpio mein darr ke maare ghutna, aur ab... ab apni hi aankhon ke samne Pappu ko goli lagte hue aur tadap kar marte hue dekhna!
 
Aisa lag raha tha maano meri zindagi ek aisi horror film ban chuki ho jiska koi ant hi nahi hai. Zameer ka bojh itna bhaari ho chuka tha ki mujhe lag raha tha zameen phat jaye aur main usme sama jaun. Main andar hi andar apne khuda se maafi maang rahi thi, gidgida rahi thi, Ya ***, meri yeh saza maaf karde... Mujhse bohot badi galti ho gayi... Main bhatak gayi thi... Mujhe mere shauhar ke paas, mere ghar wapas pahuncha de...
 
Lekin fiza mein bas sannaata tha, aur door se aane wali hawa ki sargoshi thi jo kisi bhoot ki siski ki tarah lag rahi thi. Main abhi inhi khaufnaak khayalon aur aasuon mein doobi hui thi, tabhi achanak... door sarak par ek gaadi ki headlights ki tez roshni chamki. Us roshni ne us andhere ko cheer diya. Mera dil ek lamhe ke liye zor se uchhal gaya, aur saansein ruk gayin. Kya wo aa gaya? Kya wo Vivaan hai?
 
Main aur zyada dar kar pichhe aur simat gayi, aur apni fati hui aankhon se us aane wali gaadi ki taraf dekhne lagi, yeh jaane bagair ki wo gaadi mere liye aazadi ka rasta ban kar aa rahi hai, ya phir kisi aur nayi qayamat ka paigam lekar.
 
Sadak par chamakti hui wo headlights abhi door hi thin, lekin unki roshni ne mere andar darr aur ummeed ka ek ajeeb sa toofan khada kar diya tha. Aur agle hi lamhe... fiza ko cheerte hue ek behuda tez poww-poww… ki horn ki aawaz goonji.
 
Wo gaadi poori raftaar mein daudti hui aayi aur seedha dhabe ke saamne dakhil hui. Skrrrrrrt! Ek khatarnak drift leti hui wo car dhool aur dhuein ka ek bada sa bawandar udati hui theek dhaabe ke saamne aakar achanak ruki. Gaadi rukte hi uske headlamps ek jhatke ke sath bujh gaye, aur chaaron taraf ek gehri, daagdar khamoshi phail gayi.
 
Mera dil zor se dharak raha tha. Maine fati hui aankhon se us gaadi ke driver side ka door khulte dekha. Andar se ek saaya nikal kar baahar aaya. Wo Vivaan hi tha. Wahi zaalim ladka, jise main abhi tak ek psycho, ek patthar dil aur beparwah insaan samajh rahi thi. Lekin is khooni raat ke is siah andhere mein, use apni aankhon ke samne dekh kar achanak mere andar ek ajeeb si, thandi tasalli ki lahar daud gayi. Jaise dubte hue ko tinke ka sahara mil jata hai, wahi bebas sukoon mere seene mein utar aaya. Main palak jhapkaaye bina, ektak bas use hi dekhe ja rahi thi.
 
Vivaan ne bahar aate hi meri taraf ek baar bhi nahi dekha aur na hi uski nigaahon ne mujhe dhundhne ki ek bhi koshish ki. Uska poora dhyaan kisi aur hi cheez par tha. Usne apne kadam aage badhaye aur seedha wahin ja khada hua, jahan kuchh der pehle Pappu ka khoon gira tha aur ab dhool bhari zameen par ek gahra, kala-laal dhabba ban chuka tha.
 
Wo wahan ruka. Vivaan ne niche zameen par sookh rahe us khoon ki taraf dekha. Uske chehre ke taassur itne sard aur behis the ki unhe padhna namumkin tha. Wo thoda sa aage jhuka, aur achanak, jaise uske pairon ne uska saath chhod diya ho, wo ladkhada gaya aur wahi ghutno ke bal zameen par baith gaya.
 
Ye manzar dekh kar meri saas gale mein atak gayi. Pehle toh main apni jagah se hil bhi nahi saki, lekin phir ek anjaani si kashish ya majboori ne mere pairon ko hila diya. Maine kaanpte hue kadmo ke sath dheere-dheere aage badhti hui dhaabe se baahar nikal aayi.
 
Hawa ka ek thanda jhonka mere pasine se bheega chehra cheer kar nikal gaya. Main chalte-chalte seedha Vivaan ke paas aa kar khadi ho gayi. Mere kadam wahi thahar gaye. Mera gala poori tarah khushk ho chuka tha, aur mere honton se ek lafz bhi nikalne ki taaqat nahi bachi thi. Main bas wahi khadi, use niche zameen par baitha hua dekh rahi thi.
 
Vivaan ne ek pal ke liye bhi apna sar upar nahi uthaya. Wo bas patthar ki tarah wahi baitha, us khoon ki taraf dekh raha tha. Uski ankhon mein na koi darr tha, na koi aansoo, aur na hi koi pachhtawa, bas ek ajeeb sa khamosh sannata tha jo uske pure wajood par chhaya hua tha.
 
Aur tabhi, ek ajeeb harkat hui. Usne bina ek bhi lafz bole, dheere se apna haath apni pant ki pocket mein dala. Usne pocket se ek cigarette ka packet aur ek metal ka lighter nikala. bade aaram se, jaise kuchh hua hi na ho, usne packet se ek cigarette nikaali aur use apne honton ke beech daba liya.
 
Katchh... Lighter ki aag jali aur andhere mein ek chhota sa shola roshan hua. Usne cigarette ko aag lagayi, lighter wahi band karke wapas pocket mein daal liya. Uske baad, usne ek lamba aur gehra kash mara. Cigarette ka wo sira andhere mein lal rang ki tarah chamka, aur Vivaan ne dhuan dheere-dheere hawa mein chhod diya. Wo dhuan us peeli roshni ke beech ghumne laga jis roshni ke saaye me ek khoon ho chuka tha, aur main wahi khadi, uski is behis harkat ko bas sannaate mein dekhti reh gayi.
 
Cigarette ka wo dhuan dheere-dheere hawa mein ghul raha tha, lekin uske jism se aane wali khamoshi usse bhi zyada ghutan-zada thi. Main wahi, us khoon se sani zameen ke qareeb khadi thi, aur mera dil is darr se baith raha tha ki is ladke ka agla qadam kya hoga.
 
Maine ise pehle kabhi itna shaant, itna beharkat nahi dekha tha. Vivaan hamesha ya toh ek tanzhiya muskurahat apne chehre par rakhta tha, ya ek beparwah attitude ke sath har cheez ko mazaak bana deta tha. Lekin abhi... abhi is sannate mein uska yeh roop dekh kar meri rooh kaanp rahi thi. Aisa lag raha tha maano wo zinda insaan nahi, balki is khooni raat ka koi khamosh paida hua saya ho. Mera gala andar se puri tarah khushk ho chuka tha. Saansein seene mein phansi hui thin.
 
Maine thodi si himmat jutaayi, apne kaanpte hue honton ko aapas mein ragada, aur apni ladkhadati hui, dabi-dabi aawaz mein use pukaara, "Vi… Vivaan..." Meri aawaz us khamoshi mein goonji. Usne ek lamhe ke liye bhi foran jawab nahi diya. Woh waise hi zameen ke qareeb baitha raha, aur phir, ek aahista lekin bhaaripan liye hue apni gardan ko upar uthaya. Usne apni nazrein seedha meri taraf taraf kin.
 
Jaise hi uski aankhon ne meri aankhon ko chua, mere jism mein ek sardaari lahar daud gayi. Uski wo aankhein... aam taur par jo sard aur patthar jaisi hoti thin, abhi bilkul alag thin. Wo poori tarah surkh ho chuki thin, laal, jaise unme khoon utar aaya ho. Aur unke beechon-beech, paani ki ek halki si nami, kuchh aansoo the jo palkon ke kinaron par ruke hue the, lekin wo unhe girne nahi de raha tha. Uski ankhon ka wo dard, wo ghuma hua gussa aur ajeeb sa aalam dekh kar main aur zyada sehem si gayi. Main wahan se hil bhi nahi saki, bas ek kaanpte hue parinde ki tarah use dekh rahi thi.
 
Vivaan ne ektak, bina palak jhapkaye, meri aankhon mein dekha. Uski nazron ki wo gehrai aisi thi maano wo meri rooh ke andar tak jhaank raha ho, mere saare gunaahon, meri saari kamzori aur mere is waqt ke darr ko ek hi pal mein padh raha ho. Aur usne wahi dekhte hue, apne honton ke beech dabi cigarette ko khicha, aur ek aur lamba, gehra kash mara.
 
Cigarette ki chingari ek baar fir chamki, aur usne dhuan mere bilkul chehre ke samne, hawa mein chhod diya. Wo dhuan hamare beech ki doori ko cheerte hue mere gaalon aur naak se takraya. Uske baad, bina ek bhi lafz bole wo aahista se, apne kadam uthakar seedha khada ho gaya.
 
Jaise hi wo mere bilkul saamne khada hua, meri jaan hi jaise nikalne lagi. Wo mujhse itna qareeb tha ki uske jism ki garmahat aur uske andar uth rahe toofan ki khushboo mere qareeb aa gayi thi. Mera dil chaha ki main behosh ho jaun, ya zameen mein sama jaun, kyunki us waqt uski aankhon ki wo surkhi aur wo khamoshi kisi bade khatre ka aelan lag rahi thi.
 
Vivaan mere bilkul samne khada tha, itna qareeb ki uske seene ki uthal-puthal aur uske saanson ki garm aahat mere chehre par mehsoos ho rahi thi. Uski wo surkh, laal aankhein ektak bas meri aankhon mein gadi hui thin. Main aisi halat mein thi ki agar koi mujhe chhu bhi leta, toh shayad main dhool ki tarah bikhar kar gir padti. Mera poora wajood darr ke maare tharr-tharr kaanp raha tha. Ek ajeeb sa anjaana khauf mere dil aur dimaag ko is tarah jakad chuka tha ki saans lena bhi dushwaar ho gaya tha. Main bas ek murat bani, apni palke jhukane se bhi qasir, us psycho ladke ki unn siah aur dardnak aankhon mein dekhe ja rahi thi.
 
Tabhi, usne ek aur ajeeb harkat ki. Usne ek naya kash lene ke andaz mein apne honton ko khola aur gehra kash liya, bina ek pal ke liye bhi apni nazrein meri aankhon se hataye, jaise wo meri rooh ke andar tak utar kar mere saare chhupe hue raaz, mere darr aur meri majboori ko noch lena chahta ho. Aur phir, usne apne honton ke beech se wo dhuan nikaal kar seedha mere chehre par, meri naak aur aankhon ke qareeb chhod diya.
 
Wo dhuan mere chehre ko cheerte hue guzar gaya, aur uske turant baad, uske jabde is qadar sakht hue ki uske gaalon ki haddiyan ubhar aayin. Usne apne danton ko aapas mein peeste hue, ek aisi ghinauni, gandi aur zillat se bhari hui aawaz mein wo jumla kaha jisne mere jism ka ek-ek lomkaanta khada kar diya, aur mere andar ki duniya ko jala kar rakh diya.
 
Uske munh se nikla wo ek-ek lafz kisi dahakte hue lohe ki tarah mere kaano aur dil par daag gaya, "Tu kya us waqt apni gaand marwa rahi thi... do kaudi ki raand?" Aisa laga maano kisi ne achanak mere sar par ek bhari patthar de maara ho. Mera jism, jo pehle se hi darr ke maare kaanp raha tha, us ek lafz ko sunte hi wahi patthar ban gaya, ekdum jam sa gaya. Main saans lena bhool gayi. Mera gala andar se ekdam khushk ho gaya, aur dimag mein ek bhayanak, sannata chha gaya.
 
Ye kya sun liya tha maine? Ek mard, jiske sath meri ek alag hi ajeeb aur gunah-gar kahani judi thi, wo mujhe sareaam is tarah ki behuda, gandi aur sabse zaleel gaali de raha tha? Ek aisi aurat ko, jo nikaah shuda hai, jo samaj ke daayre mein ek izzatdar ghar se talluq rakhti hai, jiske apne zameer ka bojh pehle hi use qatl kar raha tha, use ek ghinoni zabaan mein pukaara gaya tha!
 
Mujhe is baat se jitna bura laga, use lafzon mein bayaan karna namumkin tha. Ek to maine itna bhayanak haadsa apni un aankhon ke saamne dekh liya jisne aaj tak ek maamuli si cheenti ko kuchalna aur use dard me tadapta hua dekhna bhi mehsoos nhi kiya tha, na hi maine kisi janwar ki qurbani ko aajtak apni nangi aankhon se hota dekha tha, aur aise me kisi aise mard ka sareaam khoon ho jaana jise abhi main kuchh der pehle se jaan chuki thi, itna gehra ghaao mere liye bardasht karne laayak nhi tha, aur upar se is ladke ne mujhpe ye jumla chhod kar shayad ek sawaal utha diya tha,  wo dard sirf kaano tak mehdood nahi tha, balki wo seedha meri rooh ke andar utar gaya.
 
Achanak mujhe apne wajood par, apni saanson par, aur apni is zindagani par aisi ghinn aane lagi ki mera jee chaha ki main wahi zameen par gir padun aur zameen phat jaye aur main usme hamesha ke liye dafan ho jaun. Mera sara guroor, meri bachi-khuchi izzat, aur meri wo ghairat jo abhi tak ek chote se tinke ki tarah bachi thi, us ek lafz ne pal bhar mein raakh kar di. “do kaudi ki raand?”... aur wo ganda lafz.
 
Kya meri auqaat sirf itni hi reh gayi thi? Kya ek aurat jab apni zindagi mein ek baar behak jaati hai, jab wo apne wajood se majboor ho kar ya kisi behkaawe mein aakar koi gunah kar baithti hai, toh kya duniya aur in mardon ki nazron mein uski izzat, uski aabru aur uski insaniyat ki koi keemat hi baaki nahi rehti? Kya har mard, jab mauqa mile, use kisi pair ki dhool ya kisi bazaar ki cheez ki tarah samajh kar kuchh bhi keh sakta hai?
 
Mera dil andar se cheekha, Nahi! Main aisi nahi hoon! Lekin wo cheekh mere gale ke andar hi ghut kar reh gayi. Meri aankhon se aasuon ka ek sailab achanak umad pada, jo bina kisi aawaz ke mere gaalon par behne laga. Wo aansoo darr ke nahi the, balki us bepanah zillat, us behis beizzati aur us rooh ko noch lene wale dard ke the jo Vivaan ke un gande lafzon ne mere andar paida kar diye the.
 
Mera dil kiya ki main apne dono kaan band kar lun, ya apna chehra chhupa lun. Main wahi khadi, pathar ki murat bani, apne aasuon mein doobi hui, aur us zaalim ki aankhon me dekhti hui khud ko duniya ki sabse bebas aur gandi aurat mehsoos kar rahi thi. Vivaan ke chehre par abhi bhi wo siah, sard aur pathar jaisi beparwahi thi, jo yeh bata rahi thi ki uske liye mere is dard, is zillat aur is rooh ke qatal ki koi ahmiyat nahi hai.

To Be Continued...