[Mehtab_]

Vivek maa ko bahut zor se chhodta raha, ab woh uske saath khadi bhi thi jab uske chhodne ke aakhiri minat the. 


Maa us pal jaam gayi jab usne sidi se pita ka apna naam bulana suna. Uski aankhein phailin, aur usne turant Chacha Vivek ki taraf mudi, jo abhi use itna zor se chhod raha tha. 







“Oh, bhagwan! Vivek, woh jag gaya!” usne teekhi phusphusahat se kaha, ek haath seene par dabate hue saans niyantran karne ki koshish karti. 

Uske baal bikhre the, unke chummon se uska honth-rang lepan, aur maathe aur gardan par paseene ki patli parat chamakti. 

“Bura, bura, bura! Ab main use kya kahun?” usne maanga, satae dwar ki taraf vyakul nazar se dekhti. 

Chacha Vivek ne sirf sir ke peeche takiye theek kiya aur gaddhe par taangein failayi jaise kuch ajeeb hua hi na ho. “Phir jaakar apne pati ko jawab do,” usne dheeme kaha, chehra atyant shaant. 

Uski poori beparwahi ne maa ko aur chirchaya, khaaskar jab galeyare se ek aur door ki pukar ghunji. Pita abhi maa dhoondh rahe the. 








“Tum gambhir ho? Tum wahan raja ki tarah lete ho jab main aise dikhkar pati ke saamne jaane wali hoon!” usne phunkara, chehre ki taraf ishara karti. 

Chacha Vivek ne dheere uski dhaat jaanchi phir kaha, “Baal thode bikhre hain, aur honth-rang theek karna hai. Uske alawa tum bilkul theek dikhti ho.” 

“Bilkul theek? Tum bilkul murkh!” maa ne phusphusaya, palang ke bagal se rumaal uthakar munh ke kone uttejit tarah ponchti. Lagta tha usne pehle Vivek ka veerya nigal liya tha. 

Chacha Vivek ne halki, vishwas-bhari muskaan se dekha, saaf anand lete hue ki sthiti ko kaise alag sambhal rahe hain. 

“Savdhan. Agar aisi ghabrahat jaari rakhi to pehle se zyada ghabraayi dikhogi,” usne kaha. Maa ne gusse se use dekha phir darpan ke kareeb gayi aur kaanpti ungliyon se baal jaldi chikne kiye. 

“Bas chup raho aur yahin raho, Vivek. Mat hilna, shor mat karna, aur Bhagwan ke liye yeh bura dwar mat kholna!” usne kaha usse pehle galeyare mein khisak gayi aur peeche se dwar savdhani se band kiya, Chacha Vivek andar chhodkar. 

Kai pal ke liye maa atithi-kaksh ke bahar khadi rahi, khud ko sambhalne ki koshish karti jab pita ke kadam tez ho rahe the. Usne hatheliyan gaalon par dabayin, maathe se paseena poncha, aur chehre ke aas-paas khule baal theek kiye. 








“Kahan ho, priye?” pita ne phir bulaya, ab sidi ke neeche kahin. “Aa rahi hoon, Ranveer! Aa rahi hoon!” usne jawab diya, gala kasti ghabrahat ke bawajood awaz ko mamuli sur mein dhakelti. 

Usne band atithi-kaksh ke dwar ko ek aakhiri nazar di phir sidi ki taraf chali, bechain ummeed se ki pita sirf oopar laut jayein bina zyada prashn kiye. 

Pita aakhiri sidi-kadam ke kareeb khade the jab maa galeyare se nikli, neendwali aankhon se idhar-udhar dekhti. “Arre, yahan to ho!” usne kaha, chirchiraahat se zyada rahat se. 

“Kahan thin? Main jaga to palang ka tumhara hissa khali paya, phir naam bulata raha bina uttar ke.” Maa ne kaan ke peeche khula baal sarkaaya aur kaha, 

“Oh, Ranveer, main bas thodi der neeche aayi thi. Neend theek nahi aayi, socha pani le aaun.” Pita ne maathe mala aur pal-bhar uska chehra jaancha. 

“Par bulane par jawab kyun nahi diya, priye? Main sidi se neeche tak tumhara naam cheekh raha tha.” 








Maa ne nigala aur beparwah dikhne ki koshish ki, chahe dil abhi tez dhadak raha tha. “Main atithi-ke kareeb thi—” usne shuru kiya, vaakya poora karne se pehle achanak ruk gayi. 

“Matlab, main atithi-kaksh ke aage se rasoi ki taraf chal rahi thi, aur pehle nahi suna. Jab main galeyare ke aur neeche thi tab tum bula rahe hoge.” 

Pita ne dheere sir hilaaya, lagta santusht, chahe abhi halki utsukta se use dekhte rahe. 

“Theek, par tumhe kya hua? Ajeeb thaki dikhti ho, priye. Chehra paseene se bhara, aur baal aise jaise ghanton palang par uchalti rahi ho.” 

Uski ungliyan turant baalon ki taraf gayin, aur andar ek aur ghabrahat ki lahar uthi. “Oh, yeh?” maa ne kaha, sahaj sunane ki koshish karti. 

“Aaj raat neeche bahut garam hai, Ranveer. Asahaj mehsoos ho raha tha, aur ghumkar shayad aur bura kar liya.” Pita ne kareeb pankhe ki taraf dekha aur kaha, 

“Phir pankha kyun nahi chalaya, priye? Jaanti ho ghar ghutan wala ho to kitni asahaj hoti ho.” Maa ne jaldi sir hilaaya gardan se ek aur paseene ki boond ponchti. 

“Haan, jaanti hoon. Sirf pani chahiye tha phir seedha oopar lautne ka irada tha.” 

Pita kareeb aaye aur narmi se maathe chhua, jaanchne ko beemar to nahi. “Pukka theek ho? Kaafi paseena aa raha hai, aur gaal garam hain,” usne dekha, chinta poori imandaar. 








“Main theek hoon, Ranveer,” maa ne jaldi vishwas dilaya, uska haath neeche karke ungliyon ke beech thaama. “Kuch gambhir nahi. Bas asahaj mehsoos ho raha tha, itna hi.” 

Phir uska dhyan munh ki taraf gaya, jahan honth-rang ka halka nishan mamuli rekha se bahar lepan tha. 

“Aur honth-rang ko kya hua? Neeche aane se pehle sajavat hatane ki koshish kar rahi thi?” usne nirdosh poocha. 

Maa ka pet kasa, par usne lagbhag sthir chehra banaye rakha. “Haan! Bilkul,” usne shayad thoda jaldi kaha, phir awaz naram ki. 

“Pehle chehra ponch rahi thi, aur shayad theek se saaf nahi kiya. Imandaari se, Ranveer, tum aise jaanch rahe ho jaise main kisi lambi yatra se lautii hoon.” 

Pita ne sneha se sir hilaaya, “Main nahi jaanch raha, priye. Bas jaga to patni gayab, aur ab yahan thaki khadi hai.” 

Uske naram uttar ne maa ko dhokhe ka aur bhaan karaya, par usne chehra sambhal rakha aur haath dabakar vishwas dilaya. 

Pita bolte, maa ki aankhein uske kandhe se galeyare ki taraf gayin jo atithi-kaksh tak jata tha. Woh abhi tasveer bana sakti thi Chacha Vivek palang par aaram se, shayad wahi chirchiraane wali atma-vishwas wali chehra liye. 

“Priye, sun rahi ho?” pita ne poocha, uska dhyan achanak wapas laate. “Hain? Haan, zaroor, Ranveer,” usne kaha, jaldi palak jhapkate. 

“Tum oopar jaane ki baat kar rahe the, na?” Usne uljhi par naram nazar di. “Main poochh raha tha kya tumne sach mein pani piya, kyunki lagta hai jo neeche aane aayi woh bhool gayi.” 

Aankh ke kone se maine dekha Chacha Vivek atithi-kaksh se jhaank raha tha. Woh harami muskara raha tha jab sun raha tha maa pita se jhoot kaise theek kar rahi hai. Chacha Vivek kitna chaalak tha. 








“Oh, bura,” maa ne saans ke neeche badbadaaya, turant jaan gayi bina pyale ke lautii. “Kya kaha, priye?” pita ne poocha, thoda kareeb jhukte kyunki theek nahi suna. 

“Kuch nahi, kuch nahi,” usne kaha, maathe se baal phir hataati. “Bas soch rahi thi kitna murkh hai ki itna neeche aayi aur piya hi nahi. Phir tumhari pukar suni, aur sab dimaag se nikal gaya.” 

Pita ne hamdardi se muskuraya, “Aadhi neend mein aisa hota hai, priye. Mujhe jaga dena chahiye tha aur pani laane ko kehna chahiye tha.” 

Maa ne pal-bhar phir atithi-kaksh ki taraf dekha, sochti Chacha Vivek bilkul wahi raha jahan chhoda tha. Pita ne uska sir ghumnna dekha aur dheemi roshni wale galeyare neeche uski nazar ka peecha kiya. 

“Neeche kuch chhoda?” usne poocha, koi khaas chinta ke bina. “Nahi, nahi, priye,” maa ne jaldi kaha. “Bas dekh rahi thi galeyare ka deepak jala chhoda ya nahi. Bijli anavashyak barbaad nahi karni chahiye, na?” 

Pita ne chamakte galeyare ki taraf dekha aur sir hilaaya. “Sahi kehti ho, par ab chinta mat karo. Oopar jaane se pehle bujha sakta hoon.” 

“Nahi!” maa ne chillaaya, irade se tez, uttar ki achanakta par turant pachtati. Pita ruke aur hairani se dekhe, shak nahi, sirf sochte itni tez pratikriya kyun. 

“Matlab, tumhe wahan tak wapas chalna zaroorat nahi, Ranveer,” usne samjhaya, chehra sambhalte. “Tum pehle se neend mein ho, aur main khud thaki. Deepak subah tak jalne do, bas is baar.” 

Pita ne pal-bhar socha phir kandha hilaaya. “Theek, priye, agar zid hai. Chalo phir. Ghar mein ghumne ke liye bahut der ho chuki.” 

Rahat maa par baha jab usne narmi se baazu pita ke baazu se ghusaya aur sidi ki taraf le chali. “Chalo, Ranveer. Tumhe neend chahiye, aur mujhe bhi,” usne narmi se kaha, yakeen karti ki woh galeyare se door chalte rahein. 








Pita ne uske haath par haath rakha, “Aaj raat tum kahan gayab hui sochta raha, priye. Agli baar kam-se-kam neeche jaane se pehle bata dena.” 

Maa ne aagya se sir hilaaya, sneha-bhara chehra savdhani se banaye. “Zaroor, Ranveer. Aise gayab nahi houngi,” usne wada kiya, chahe shabd woh matlab lete the jo woh kalpana nahi kar sakte the. 

Agli subah, main pichhli raat ki har baat soch raha tha. 

Sach chakit tha maa ne pita se kitni manne layak jhoot bola, seedha aankhon mein dekhte bina hichkichahat ke vyakhya gadhate. 

Pita hamesha poora vishwas karte the, maante the unhone wafadar, ijjatdar stree se vivah kiya jo kabhi vishwasghat nahi karegi. Ajeeb tarah, rahat thi unhe kuch nahi mila, chahe unke itne komal vyavhar se asahaj hua. 

Sabse zyada sataya yeh samajhna ki maa jab chahe Chacha Vivek se apna nisedh sambandh khatam kar sakti thi, phir bhi kuch use wapas kheenchta raha. 

Us subah baad, maine dekha maa shayankaksh ki khidki ke kareeb akeli baithi, doorbhash par dheeme baat karti. Chehra ajeeb gambhir, aur turant pehchana Chacha Vivek ki awaz vaani-yantra se dheemi aati. 

“Dhyan se suno, Vivek. Pichhli raat us atithi-kaksh mein jo hua bilkul galat tha,” usne mazbooti se phusphusaya. “Main vivahit stree hoon, Bhagwan ke liye! Pati oopar so rahe the jab hum gandi cheezen kar rahe the. Ise sochkar bilkul ashuddh mehsoos hoti hoon, aur tumne lagbhag pakadwa hi diya!” 

Chacha Vivek atyant beparwah sune. “Kehti ho sab kitna bura tha, par shikayat nahi thi jab mera ling tumhari sakht vivahit yoni mein gehra tha,” usne chhedte kaha. 

Maa ne turant virodh kiya, “Mere shabd mat mardao, Vivek! Tum theek se jaante ho matlab.” Woh pal-bhar chup raha phir poocha, “Imandaari se kaho. Kya tumhe pasand aaya main veshya ki tarah chhodun?” 

Maa ne aankhein giraayin, honth dabaaye, aur aakhir anichha se muskaan aane di. “Haan, Vivek,” usne narmi se maana. “Pasand aaya, par isse jo kar rahe hain sahi nahi ho jata.” 








“Dilchasp,” Chacha Vivek ne kaha, awaz mein saaf vinod. “Aur main soch raha tha tum itni wafadar, nirdosh patni ho jo doosre purush se sasti veshya ki tarah chhode jaane ka soch bhi nahi.” 

Maa ke gaal laal hue jab uttar dhoondhne lagi. “Vivek, kripya aisi baat band karo,” usne badbadaaya, chahe chehre par lajjit muskaan fail rahi thi. 

“Main savdhani se gambhir hoon. Agar phir us sthiti mein daalo to tumse milna band kar dungi.” Chacha Vivek ne sirf kaha, “Zaroor, Mahila. Jo kaho.” 

Main maa ke kareeb aaya jab woh abhi doorbhash thaame thi, jisse woh turant seedhi hui. “Maa, kis se baat kar rahi ho?” maine nirdosh poocha, dekhte kitni jaldi chehra badla. 

“Oh, bas ek purana mitra kuch parivaar ki baat poochh raha hai,” usne kaha, asani se mamuli matra-awaz apnati. “Kuch khaas nahi, priye. Nashta kiya?” 

Maine muskurakar kaha kiya, har shabd maante hue. Phir se hairan hua maa kitni swabhavik jhoot bol sakti hai, khaaskar jab sochti koi uska bhed nahi jaanta. 

Aane wale dinon mein dekha maa aur Chacha Vivek ek-doosre se badhti suvidha mein aa rahe hain. Unki baatein lambi, sandesh zyada, aur maa ajeeb dhyan deti jab doorbhash kaanpta. 

Kabhi ghar ke kaam mein doobi hoti, sirf patal par uska naam dekhkar jo kar rahi chhod deti. Samajhne laga aakarshan sirf sneha nahi. 

Chacha Vivek uttejna, dhyan, prashansa, aur guptata ka khatarnak romanch deta, jab maa un anubhavon se jo mehsoos karti usse badhti chipak dikhti. 

Ek dopahar, Chacha Vivek ne maa ke shareer ki kuch tasveeren maangi. Pehle usne poocha, “Achanak meri yoni aur nitamb ki tasveeren kyun chahiye? Unhe kai baar dekh chuke ho.” 

Usne kaha, “Kyunki tumhari sundar yoni dekhna pasand hai aur use chhodna bhi.” Maa ne chirchi dikhaya, use murkh kaha aur prashansa band karne ko kaha. 

Phir bhi dekha usne us raat kai tasveeren lene se pehle baal kitni savdhani se theek kiye, yoni aur nitamb ki. Usne pehle yoni ki ek tasveer li aur Chacha Vivek ko bheji. 

Usne har ek ko gambhirta se jaancha usse pehle jo sabse pasand us tasveer bheji. 




Par ek ghatna hui jisse mujhe bahut vinod aaya. Uske liye jude raho jaanne ko kya tha....