Adultery Maryada Ki Dararein: Jab Pati Ne Hi Rachi Apni Sanskari Biwi Ki Sej

[wofeloh916]

Chapter 27: Brandy ka Ghoont, Baarish ki Raat aur Ladkhadati Zubaan

"Hello... Kavya?" maine phone ko kaan se aur kaskar satate hue poochha.
Kamre mein AC ki halki si sarsarahat ke siva koi awaaz nahi thi. Phone ke us paar se Kavya ki vah chir parchit, chahakti hui awaaz nahi aayi jo hamesha tour par mujhe sunte hi kisi chidiya ki tarah bolne lagti thi. Aamtaur par jab bhi meri call connect hoti thi, Kavya ek saans mein das sawaal poochh leti thi.
Lekin aaj... us paar ek bhaari, damghontu khaamoshi thi. Sirf uski ukhdi ukhdi, tez saanson ki ghabrai hui awaaz aa rahi thi.
"Kavya? Awaaz aa rahi hai meri? Network ka koi issue hai kya?" maine utsukta aur dabi hui ghabraahat ke beech poochha.
"H... haan, Rajesh," Kavya ki awaaz aakhirkaar ubhri. Lekin uska swar bahut dheema, bheega hua aur ladkhadaata sa tha, "Khaana kha liya aapne?"
Yeh wahi jumla tha jo vah hamesha sabse pehle poochhti thi. Lekin aaj uske in do shabdon mein ek ajeeb si kamzori, ek thaki hui nami thi jise main saaf pakad pa raha tha.
"Haan, maine kha liya. Par tumhe kya hua hai, Kavya?" maine bhauhein sikoDte hue poochha, mere dil ki dhadkan tez hone lagi thi, "Tumhari awaaz itni baithi hui kyun lag rahi hai? Tabiyat theek nahi hai kya tumhari?"
"Nahi... nahi to, meri tabiyat ko kya hona hai? Main ekdum theek hoon," Kavya ne hadbadaakar kaha. Uske lehje mein ek aisa banaavattpan tha jaise koi chori pakde jaane par achanak safai dene lage.
"Ghar par sab theek hai? Tauji theek hain?" maine poochha.
"Haan... sab bilkul theek hain, koi fikr ki baat nahi hai."
"Are, to phir meri biwi ek hi din mein haklane kyun lagi hai?" maine mahaul ko thoda halka karne ke liye hanste hue taana maara, "Din bhar tumhara ek bhi phone nahi aaya... aur ab baat kar rahi ho to aisa lag raha hai jaise kisi se dar rahi ho."
"Main... main kahan dar rahi hoon, aap bhi na..." Kavya ne apni purani lay mein lautne ki naakaam koshish ki.
Lekin uske turant baad, phone par phir wahi gehra sannata chha gaya. Aamtaur par hamare beech ki baatcheet mein Kavya hi aage aage bolti thi aur main sirf sunta tha. Par aaj vah jaise ek ek lafz bolne ke liye apne bheetar kisi pahaad se lad rahi thi.
"Rajesh..."
Chand palon ke sannate ke baad jab uska naam mere kaanon mein pada, to uske swar mein aansuon ki ek bhaari, nam ghighiyaahat saaf ghuli hui thi.
Mere rongte khade ho gaye. "Kavya! Darao mat mujhe, kya baat hai? Tum ro kyun rahi ho? Please batao na, kya hua hai?"
"Kuch nahi hua, Rajesh... sach mein kuch nahi hua," Kavya ne naak suDakte hue, aansuon ko dabaane ki koshish mein kaha, uski awaaz bhaari aur kaanpti hui thi, "Bas... bas mujhe aaj aapki bahut zyada yaad aa rahi hai. Mann bahut bhaari ho raha hai. Aap jaldi se apni meetings khatam karke wapas aa jaiye na... mera yahan bilkul mann nahi lag raha. Main sach mein aapko bahut miss kar rahi hoon."
Uske us rote hue, bachchon jaise laad ne ek pal ke liye mere seene ko cheer kar rakh diya. Mujhe samajh nahi aa raha tha ki saikdon kilometer door flat 903 mein aisa kya ho gaya tha jisne meri itni suljhi hui, sanskari patni ko is kadar bikher diya tha.
"Paagal ladki... main koi hamesha ke liye thodi chala gaya hoon," maine use dilaasa dete hue behad narmi se kaha, "Bas kal ka din aur hai, parson dopahar tak main tumhare paas hounga. Tumhare liye Hyderabad se achhi si saadi aur pearl earrings laaunga, theek hai? Ab rona band karo."
Kavya ne ek lambi, kaanpti hui saans kheenchi.
"Rajesh... apna khyaal rakhiyega. Time par dawa le lijiye ga," usne ek ajeeb se, bahut gambhir aur aupcharik lehje mein kaha, maano vah mujhse koi aakhri baat keh rahi ho, "Aur... phone rakhne se pehle, kya aap mujhe ek baar phone par kiss kar sakte hain?"
Uska yeh kehna mere liye ekdum apratyashit tha. Kavya kabhi itni filmi ya bebaak nahi banti thi, khaaskar phone par.
Maine muskuraate hue phone ke receiver par ek lamba, gehra kiss kiya, "Ummah... khush? Ab so jao aaram se."
"I love you, Rajesh..." Kavya ne lagbhag fusfusate hue kaha.
Aur isse pehle ki main kuch aur keh paata, usne phone kaat diya.
Toot... toot... toot...
Screen kaali ho gayi.
Main Hyderabad ke us hotel ke bistar par phone haath mein liye but bana baitha reh gaya. Mere dimaag mein sawaalon ka ek bhayanak bavandar uth khada hua tha.
Kavya itni emotional kyun thi? Uski zubaan ladkhada kyun rahi thi? Vah phone par bachchon ki tarah ro kyun rahi thi?
Aur tabhi... mere dimaag mein bijli kaundhi.
Kal raat jab main Hyderabad pahuncha tha, to safar ki thakaan ki wajah se maine laptop par ghar ka surveillance system check nahi kiya tha. Aur aaj din bhar main classroom mein phansa raha. Yani pichhle chaubis ghanton mein flat 903 ke us band daayre mein kya ghata, mujhe iska koi ilm nahi tha!
Kya kal raat... ya aaj shaam ko... Kavya aur Tauji ke beech kuch aisa hua tha jisne Kavya ke hosh uda diye the?
Maine ek second bhi nahi ganwaya. Maine apne bag se vah encrypted dongle nikala, use laptop ke USB port mein thonka aur flat 903 ke local WiFi router ka live aur recorded console khol liya.
Maine time stamp ko kal shaam saat baje par set kiya jab mere Hyderabad aane ke baad Kavya pehli raat boutique se ghar laut i thi.
Screen par video load hua.
Kal shaam ke karib saat baj rahe the.
Khidki ke sheeshon par tez baarish ki boondein tada tad baras rahi thin. Poore shehar par kaale mansooni baadalon ne pehra bitha rakha tha aur society ke aas paas ki streetlights dhundhle paani mein tair rahi thin. Balcony se thandi, nam hawa ke jhonke living room ke parde uda rahe the.
Kavya living room mein nazar aayi. Usne halke hare rang ki sooti anarkali kurti pehan rakhi thi, jiske kinaare baarish ke paani se thode seele hue the. Uske chehre par ek ajeeb sa khaalipan aur bujha hua bhaav tha. Shaayad mere ghar mein na hone ka sannata use andar se kaat raha tha.
Vah kuch der sofe par khaali baithi rahi, phir uthkar seedhe Tauji ke kamre ki taraf gayi.
"Tauji... aaj raat ke khaane mein kya banaun?" Kavya ne chaukhat par khade hokar badi shaalinta se poochha.
Kamre se Tauji ki shaant, bhaari awaaz aayi, "Are bahu, itni baarish mein kyun chulha jalayegi? Kal ki daal aur sookhi sabzi bachi hai, wahi garam kar le. Hum gaon ke log hain, baasi roti bhi bade chaav se kha lete hain."
"Tauji, aap bhi na..." Kavya ke chehre par ek halki si, shikayat bhari muskaan ubhri, "Gaon ki baat alag thi, ab aap hamare saath rehte hain. Itni thand mein baasi khaana khaayenge to haddiyon mein dard badh jayega. Maine neeche se taaza mutton ka gosht aur nalli mangwa kar rakhi hai... aapke liye badhiya dheemi aanch par paki rogandaar nalli nihari aur garma garam phulke banaati hoon."
Vah mudi aur seedhe kitchen mein chali gayi.
Agle ek ghante tak screen par cooker ki dheemi seetiyon, khade masalon ke tadakne aur tave par phulkon ke sikne ki aawaazen goonjti rahin. Ghar mein taaze desi ghee, javitri, daalchini aur dheemi aanch par pakti nalli nihari ki sondhi, rogandaar teekhi mehak tair rahi hogi, iska ahsaas video dekhkar bhi ho raha tha.
Raat ke karib paune nau baje, Kavya ne dining table par khaana lagaya.
Tauji apne kamre se bahar nikle. Ve safed sooti baniyan aur ghutnon tak chadhi hui lungi mein the. Unki chaudhi, roendaar chhaati aur mazboot kandhe us kam roshni mein kisi dehaati stambh ki tarah lag rahe the. Ve table ke ek sire par baith gaye.
Lekin baithte hi... Tauji ne apne kurte ki jeb se kuch nikala.
Screen par jo cheez chamki, use dekhkar Hyderabad ke hotel mein baithe mere hosh ud gaye!
Vah bhaari, cut glass wali crystal ki ek imported French Brandy ki bottle thi wahi mehngi, exclusive bottle jo maine pichhle mahine apne janmdin ki party wali raat Tauji ko chori chhipe tohfe mein di thi!
Kavya ko us waqt is bottle ke baare mein bilkul pata nahi chala tha. Maine hi Tauji ke haath mein yeh premium brandy thamai thi, yeh kehkar ki 'Tauji, yeh gaon ki kachchi sharaab jaisi nahi hai, yeh France ki sabse umda brandy hai... kabhi raat ko jab badan toote ya mausam thanda ho, to do ghoont le liya kijiye, saari thakaan ud jayegi.'
Aur aaj... is thandi, toofani raat mein, jab main shehar se saikdon mile door tha, Tauji ne vah bottle dining table par rakh di thi.
Mere seene mein ek bhayanak, vikrit romaanch daud gaya.
Maine khud... haan, maine khud apne haathon se yeh baarood is ghar mein boya tha!
Tauji ne bottle ki seal todi. Cork khulte hi sharaab ki ek tez, teekhi aur angooron se paki sondhi mehak us table par phail gayi hogi. Tauji ne apne bhaari kaanch ke glass mein do ungli brandy udaali.
Kavya ne jab donge se katori mein garma garam, rogandaar nalli nihari aur gosht ki rasili boti paroste hue us sunahri bottle ko dekha, to uske haath wahin hawa mein jam gaye.
Uski kajrari aankhen phati ki phati reh gayin.
Shaadi ke paanch saalon mein Kavya ne kabhi mere alawa kisi doosre mard ke saamne sharaab ka ghoont nahi chhua tha. Parties mein bhi jab vah ek aadh baar wine leti thi, to main hamesha uske bagal mein baitha hota tha. Lekin aaj... ghar mein uska pati maujood nahi tha. Ghar mein sirf vah aur uska chhappan saal ka sasur samaan Tauji the.
Ek sanskari, khaandaani bahu ke liye apne sasur ke saamne baithna hi maryaada ka kaam tha... phir unke saath sharaab peena?
Kavya ke chehre ka rang ud gaya. Vah do kadam peeche hat gayi.
"Tauji... yeh... yeh kya hai?" Kavya ne haklaate hue poochha, uski nazrein us sunahri sheeshi par tiki thin.
"Brandy hai, bahu," Tauji ne apni moonchon par haath pherte hue nihayat hi sahaj, shaant lehje mein kaha, "Rajesh ne apne janmdin par mujhe di thi. Shehar ki koi bahut badhiya cheez hai."
Tauji ne table par rakha doosra khaali kaanch ka glass uthaya.
Aur phir, bina kisi jhijhak ke, unhone us doosre glass mein bhi ek dhakkan brandy udaal di.
"Le bahu, tu bhi thoda sa le le," Tauji ne vah glass Kavya ki plate ke paas sarkate hue kaha, "Aaj bahar mausam bahut bairi ho raha hai. Haddiyan kaanp rahi hain. Thoda sa halak se utarega, to badan mein jaan aa jayegi."
Kavya ke chehre par ek saath kayi rang badal gaye. Ghabraahat, maryaada, hichkichahat aur ek gehra, anjaana sankoch.
"Nahi... nahi Tauji!" Kavya ne dono haath peeche baandhte hue tezi se sir hilaya, uska gora chehra sharm se laal pad gaya tha, "Main... main kaise pi sakti hoon? Rajesh ghar par nahi hain... aur aapke saamne... nahi Tauji, yeh bilkul achha nahi lagta. Log kya kahenge? Ghar parivaar ki koi maryaada hoti hai."
Tauji ne apni gehri, anubhavi aankhen uthain aur seedhe Kavya ke chehre ko dekha.
Un aankhon mein koi hawas ya dhoortta nahi thi; unme ek purane, samajhdaar bujurg ki vah pakki, aatmiya garmaahat thi jo kisi bhi insaan ka raksha kavach pighla de.
"Bahu," Tauji ki bhaari, khuradri awaaz us kamre mein tair gayi, "Tu mujhe kya samajhti hai? Koi gaon ka anpadh, jaahil boodha jo apni bahu ko ghunghat aur bandishon mein kaid karke rakhe?"
Kavya ne chaunkar Tauji ko dekha.
"Mujhe pata hai tu bade khaandaan ki, shehar ki padhi likhi aur samajhdaar chhori hai," Tauji ne bahut aadar aur apnayat se kaha, "Tune apni duniya dekhi hai, apna kaam kaaj sambhaala hai. Main teri us samajhdaari ki kadr karta hoon, bahu. Main koi dakiyanoosi nahi hoon jo yeh soche ki aurat agar do ghoont dawa samajhkar pi le to uska dharam bhrasht ho jayega."
Tauji ne glass ko thoda aur aage badhaya.
"Aur phir... main kabhi akele nahi peeta," Tauji ne ek gehri saans lete hue kaha, unke swar mein ek ajeeb sa akelapan ghul gaya, "Tu din bhar boutique mein aur raat ko is chulhe ke aage khatti hai. Aaj mausam itna thanda hai, paani thamne ka naam nahi le raha. Yeh koi nasha nahi hai, bahu... dawa hai. Mere saath baith, do ghoont le... koi gair mard thodi hoon tera? Rajesh ka Tau hoon, tere baap ke baraabar hoon. Apni aulaad ke saath baithkar do baatein kar loonga, to kya paap lag jayega?"
Tere baap ke baraabar hoon...
Tauji ke un shabdon ne Kavya ke us aakhri sankoch ki deewar ko bhi bheetar se khokhla kar diya.
Screen par main Kavya ke chehre ke har ek bhaav ko dekh raha tha.
Tauji ka yeh khula, pragatisheel aur samman bhara roop Kavya ne pehle kabhi nahi dekha tha. Usne hamesha yahi socha tha ki gaon ke purane bujurg aurton ke maamle mein bahut sakht aur sankirn hote hain. Lekin Tauji ne jis badappan se uski aadhunikta ko sweekar kiya tha, usne Kavya ke dil mein unke prati aadar ko das guna badha diya tha.
Aur usse bhi badhkar... Kavya ke apne bheetar chhipi vah gupt jigyaasa.
Kavya ne apne boutique ke high class clients se aur videshi magazines mein hamesha French brandy aur cognac ki taarifein suni thin. Vah hamesha se yeh jaanna chahti thi ki is sunahri sharaab ka swaad kaisa hota hai. Lekin ghar mein, mere saamne, usne kabhi yeh ichchha jaahir nahi ki thi.
Aur aaj... yeh thanda, soona mausam, Hyderabad mein baitha uska beemar pati, aur saamne baitha yeh faulaadi bujurg jo use apni baraabari par bithakar peene ka nyota de raha tha.
Kavya ke honth sookh gaye. Usne apni jeebh se apne nichle honth ko tar kiya.
"Tauji... bas bahut thoda sa," Kavya ne kaanpti ungliyon se us bhaari kaanch ke glass ko chhua, "Mujhe iski aadat nahi hai... kabhi chakkar aa gaye to?"
"Are, jab tak yeh Tau baitha hai, tujhe chakkar kaise aa sakte hain?" Tauji ki moonchon ke neeche ek chaudhi, aashvast karne wali dehaati muskaan khil gayi. Unhone jag se thoda sa gun guna paani Kavya ke glass mein mila diya, "Le, ab kadwi nahi lagegi."
Kavya apni kursi kheenchkar table ke kinaare baith gayi.
Usne dono haathon se glass ko thaama. Uski chudiyan aapas mein takraakar khanakin. Usne glass ko apni naak ke paas laaya. Brandy ki vah meethi, teekhi aur phaldaar khushbu seedhe uske dimaag mein chadh gayi.
Usne dheere se apni palkein jhukain aur ek chhota sa ghoont apne munh mein liya.
Agle hi pal
"Khoon... khoon... ufff!"
Kavya ke halak mein jaise kisi ne garam angaara rakh diya ho. Brandy ki 40% proof ki us teekhi sharaab ne uske naazuk gale ko jhulsa diya. Kavya ki aankhen phati ki phati reh gayin, uske gaalon par ekdum se khoon utar aaya aur vah khaansne lagi. Usne jaldi se apna pallu munh par rakh liya.
Tauji fauran apni jagah se aadhe khade ho gaye, unke chehre par ghabraahat aur fikr tair gayi, "Are bahu! Paani pi, paani pi jaldi... maine kaha tha na, tez hai yeh. Chhod de, mat pi agar takleef ho rahi hai to!"
"Na... nahi Tauji," Kavya ne apni geele palkein uthakar ek muskaan ke saath kaha, uski aankhon mein khaansi ki wajah se paani chhalak aaya tha, "Main... main theek hoon. Bas achanak se bahut tez lagi... lekin ab... ab andar bahut achhi garmaahat lag rahi hai."
Us ek ghoont ne Kavya ke andar jaise koi band darwaza khol diya tha.
Brandy ki tez, sulagti hui garmi uske gale se utarkar seedhe uski chhaati aur phir nabhi se neeche uski dono jaanghon ke beech ki gehraai tak phail gayi. Uski bhaari chuchiyon ke naazuk nipple thand aur sharaab ke surur se akadkar uski kurti ke maheen kapde par ubhar aaye. Uske kaanon ki lau laal ho chuki thi aur uske gore chehre par ek aisa nasheela, kaamuk aur gulabi noor chha gaya tha jisne uski khoobsurti ko kisi madmast apsara jaisa bana diya tha.
"Tu bhi na, bahu..." Tauji hans pade. Unki us bhaari, goonjdaar hansi ne kamre ke saare tanaav ko ek second mein baha diya, "Dheere dheere chuski lekar peete hain ise. Gaon mein jab akhade se lautte the aur pasli mein chot lagti thi, tab hamare ustaad aisi hi khuraak dete the."
Tauji ne apna glass uthaya aur ek bada ghoont halak ke neeche utaar liya.
Kavya ne bhi ab sankoch chhod diya tha. Usne doosra chhota ghoont liya. Is baar jalan kam thi, aur brandy ka vah makhmalI, nasheela asar seedhe uski reedh ki haddi mein utarta mehsoos hua.
Uski reedh dheeli pad gayi. Uske kandhe jo ab tak tanaav se akde hue the, dheere dheere sahaj ho gaye.
"Tauji... sach mein khaana bahut thanda ho raha hai, aap khaiye na," Kavya ne apne dono haathon se thaali aage sarkate hue kaha. Uski awaaz mein ab vah purani formality nahi thi; usme ek gharelu, narm apnapan tha.
Khaana shuru hua. Lekin khaane se zyada, us table par baaton ka daur shuru ho gaya.
Sharaab ka nasha jab dheere dheere chadhne laga, to tees saal ki vah gehri khaamoshi pighalne lagi.
"Bahu," Tauji ne nihari ki ek narm boti ko phulke ke tukde mein lapetkar chabate hue bahut sanjeedgi se kaha, unki awaaz mein purani yaadon ka bhaaripan tha, "Main tujhe bahut dinon se ek baat kehna chahta tha. Rajesh jab anaath hua tha na... to maine apni jawani, apne byaah shaadi ka khayal, apni pahalwani aur gaon ka jo thoda bahut apna tinka tha, sab chhod chhaadkar uske naam kar diya. Maine kabhi khud ghar basaane ki sochi hi nahi, sirf is aas mein ki mera yeh anaath bachcha kisi tarah apne pairon par khada ho jaye. Mujhe lagta tha ki shehar jaakar vah koi bahut bada babu banega, bahut sukh payega. Lekin jab main yahan aaya... aur maine dekha ki use tere jaisi devi jaisi gharwali mili hai..."
Tauji ke gale mein ek ghoont atak gaya. Unki aankhen geeli ho gayin.
"Tu bahut bade ghar ki chhori hai, bahu. Tu chahti to kisi bade afsar ya karodpati se byaah kar sakti thi. Lekin tune is ghar ko chuna... Rajesh ke is kamzor shareer ko sambhaala, din raat uski seva ki. Is ghar ko jo tune apna khoon paseena dekar swarg banaya hai na... hamare khaandaan ka sabse bada bujurg hone ke naate, main tera yeh ehsaan kabhi nahi utaar sakta."
Ehsaan...
Tauji ke un sachche, dil se nikle shabdon ne Kavya ke dil par aisa asar kiya ki uski aankhon se do mote, khaare aansu tapak kar uski anarkali kurti par gir pade.
Ek aurat apni poori zindagi sirf is ek baat ke liye tarasti hai ki uske tyaag aur uski mehnat ki koi kadr kare. Rajesh ne hamesha use ek khoobsurat khilaune ki tarah, ya apni kamzoriyon ko dhakne wale ek parde ki tarah istemaal kiya tha. Lekin is boodhe, faulaadi sasur ne aaj bhari mehfil mein uske wajood ko devi ka darja de diya tha.
Kavya ka dil bhar aaya. Usne apni kaanpti ungliyon se Tauji ki taraf haath badhaya, lekin maryaada ke chalte beech mein hi rok liya.
"Aap... aap aisa kyun keh rahe hain, Tauji?" Kavya ne rundhe hue gale se kaha, uske honth kaanp rahe the, "Rajesh bahut achhe hain... unhone mujhe bahut pyaar diya hai. Aur aap... aapne to mujhe kabhi bahu samjha hi nahi, apni sagi beti se zyada maan diya hai. Is ghar mein mujhe kis baat ki kami hai? Ek achha pati hai, aap jaisa pita samaan chhatrachhaya hai, pyaari si beti hai... mujhe aur kya chahiye uparwale se?"
Usne apna glass uthaya aur Tauji ke glass se halke se takra diya.
Khan...
Kaanch ke takrane ki vah dheemi si awaaz us band flat mein ek naye rishte ki gawah ban gayi.
Kavya ne ek aur bada ghoont bhar liya.
Ab tak dono ke glass khaali ho chuke the. Tauji ne bina poochhe Kavya ke glass mein aadha peg aur udaal diya. Kavya ne is baar koi manaahi nahi ki. Uske chehre par brandy ka gehra, laal nasha chadh chuka tha. Uski aankhen bhaari ho rahi thin, uski palkein ruk ruk kar gir rahi thin, aur uski zubaan thodi si lathpath hone lagi thi.
"Bahu..." Tauji ne apni moonchon ko sehlaate hue, bahut dabi hui, bhediya nazron se Kavya ko dekha, "Main kayi dinon se dekh raha hoon... tu andar hi andar bahut gumsum rehti hai. Koi baat hai kya jo tujhe andar se kha rahi hai?"
Tauji ka yeh poochhna tha ki Kavya ke haath mein pakda glass table par zor se khadak gaya.
Uska poora badan ek jhatke mein patthar ki tarah akad gaya.
Gumsum...
Kavya ka chehra ek pal mein safed pada aur agle hi pal khoon ki tarah surkh ho gaya. Uske dimaag mein us raat ki khaat, Tauji ka vah nang dhadang, faulaadi aur saanwla mardaana aujaar, aur apni kaanpti ungliyon mein mehsoos hui vah sulagti hui aag ek second mein kaundh gayi. Us bhaari aujaar ki nas nas aur uska dahakta hua tanaav yaad aate hi Kavya ke pet ke nichle hisse mein ek teekhi, bheegi marod uthi aur uski dono jaanghon ke beech ki garmi achanak risne lagi! Use laga jaise Tauji ko sab pata hai... jaise ve seedhe uske usi dabe hue paap ki baat kar rahe hain!
Kavya ki saansen ukhad gayin. Usne apne chehre par bikherti laton ko kaanpte haathon se peeche sameta, uski nazrein table ki lakdi mein dhans gayin.
"Na... nahi to, Tauji! Aap... aap bhi kya ajeeb baatein soch rahe hain?" Kavya ne buri tarah jhepte hue, apni ghabraahat ko chhipane ke liye ek nakli hansi hanste hue kaha, "Mujhe kya pareshani hogi bhala? Main to bilkul theek hoon... aap faaltu mein waham paal rahe hain."
Tauji ne uski us hadbadaahat ko kuch aur hi samajh liya. Unhe laga ki shaayad ghar mein paison ki ya Rajesh ki naukri ki koi dikkat hai.
"Dekh bahu, sankoch mat kar," Tauji ne apni chaudhi chhaati par haath rakhte hue behad imaandaari se kaha, "Agar Rajesh ko ya tujhe kabhi koi rupaye paise ki tangi ho, to mujhe bejhijhak bata dena. Pushtaini zameen to un laalchi rishtedaaron ke adaalti mukadmon mein phansi padi hai, par daakkhane mein jo meri zindagi bhar ki thodi bahut bachat, Kisan Vikas Patra aur akhade ke dinon ki jama FD padi hai, vah sab tumhari hi to hai. Maine vo sab apne saath shmashaan to le nahi jaana. Main ab boodha ho chuka hoon, is shareer ka kya bharosa? Tu aur Rajesh sukhi rahoge to meri aatma ko shaanti milegi."
Tauji ke is bholepan aur nishchhal pyaar ne Kavya ke andar chal rahe us toofan ko poori tarah hila kar rakh diya.
Vah andar hi andar apni hawas aur apni kamzori se lad rahi thi, aur yeh mard apni zindagi bhar ki kamaai uske kadmon mein rakhne ko taiyaar baitha tha!
Kavya ka nasha aur uske jazbaat aapas mein takra gaye. Vah apni kursi par thoda aage jhuki, jisse uski kurti ka gala halka sa khula aur uski gori, gehri cleavage aur stanon ka bhaari ubhaar ek pal ke liye Tauji ki chaudhi nazron ke saamne aa gaya. Uske chehre par sharaab ki khumaari, laad aur ek bahut hi meethi, nasheeli manuhar chha gayi. Usne ek bahut hi pyaara sa, bachchon jaisa munh banaya aur apni gardan ko halka sa jhatka dete hue, bilkul ek laadli beti ki tarah Tauji ko daantne ke andaaz mein kaha:
"Tauji! Agar aapne dobara aisi paraayi aur marne jeene wali baatein kin na... to main aapse kabhi baat nahi karungi! Samajh gaye aap?"
Uska vah lehja...

Vah awaaz itni rasbhari, itni adhikaar bhari aur itni maadak thi ki saamne baithe us chhappan saal ke boodhe pahalwan ke haath mein pakda glass wahin ka wahin tham gaya.
Tauji ki aankhen chaudhi ho gayin. Ve poori zindagi kunware rahe the, kabhi apna ghar sansaar nahi basaya tha, aur unhone apni poori zindagi mein kisi aurat ko apne saamne itne haq se, itne laad se bolte nahi dekha tha. Kavya ka vah masoom gussa, uske gulabi honthon ka machalna, uski jhuki hui gardan ka gorapan aur aage jhuke stanon ki vah madhosh jhalak... us ek second ke liye us dehaati mard ke hosh faakhta kar gaye.
Aur theek usi second, Kavya ko bhi ahsaas hua ki usne sharaab ke nashe mein apni maryaada se bahar jaakar kitni badi gustaakhi kar di thi. Ek bahu apne sasur se is tarah 'laad' aur 'nakhre' se baat nahi kar sakti thi!
Kavya ka poora chehra, uske kaan aur uski gori gardan ekdum se sindoori ho gaya.
Vah sharm se gad gayi. Usne jaldi se apni nazrein neeche jhuka lin.
Table par ek aisa sannata chha gaya jisme dono ki tez hoti saanson ki awaaz saaf sunai de rahi thi. Hawa mein jaise koi high voltage taar toot kar gir gaya ho.
Chand palon ki us jaanleva chuppi ko Kavya ne hi todi. Usne apni kaanpti ungliyon se apna glass uthaya aur ek jhoothi, sharmili muskaan ke saath kaha:
"Chhodiye na Tauji... chaliye, aaj thoda aur peete hain. Bahar bahut thand hai."
Aur phir... dono ne apne glass dobara bhar liye.
Raat ke sava das baje tak, vah poori dining table dono ke khaali glasson, thandi hoti nihari ki plates aur sharaab ki us madhosh mehak se bhar chuki thi. Kavya ka nasha ab apne charam par tha. Jab vah table sametne ke liye khadi hui, to uske pair halke se ladkhadaaye. Tauji ne uthkar sahaara dene ke liye haath badhaya, lekin Kavya ne counter ka sahaara lekar khud ko sambhaal liya.
Kavya ladkhadaate kadmon se apne bedroom ki taraf badhi aur bistar par jaakar let gayi.
Screen par time stamp ab kal raat ke gyaarah bajkar bees minute dikha raha tha.
Hyderabad ke us hotel ke kamre mein baitha main apni kaanpti hatheliyon ko dekh raha tha. Mere maathe se paseena bahkar meri aankhon mein ja raha tha.
Ab mujhe samajh aa raha tha ki aaj shaam jab Kavya ne mujhe phone kiya, to uski awaaz mein vah dard aur ladkhadahat kyun thi. Lekin sirf kal raat do ghoont sharaab pi lene se koi aurat aaj din bhar phone na karne aur shaam ko bachchon ki tarah rone nahi lagegi...
Iska matlab saaf tha ki kal raat us flat mein kuch aisa hua tha jisne Kavya ko andar tak hilakar rakh diya tha!
Aur vah toofan abhi recording mein aage aane wala tha...
Maine video ko roka nahi, balki kal raat ke sannate ki us recording ko aage chalne diya.