[Deepak_bull]

“Ruko, Gajendra! Kya tumne suna?” maa ne phusphusaya, jaldi apna neela oopar-vastr theek karti.

Gajendra ne pedon ki taraf dekha phir use. “Kya suna? Koi chal raha hai? Shahida, yeh van hai. Log yahan ghumte hain.”

“Murkh mat bano! Agar koi humein dekhe to?” usne kaha, awaz dhyan dene layak vyakul hoti.

Usne kapde seedhe karne ki koshish ki idhar-udhar dekhti kahin khade hone ko bina dhyan khinche. “Khud dekho! Tumhari kamiz lagbhag barbaad hai. Main ise kaise samjhaun?”

Usne apni phati kamiz neeche dekhi aur hansa. “Tumne hi kiya. Ab mujh par dosh kyun?”

“Gajendra, yeh hasne ki baat nahi! Main gambhir hoon.”

“Main bhi. Kuch minat pehle tum khud se prasann dikhi jab main tumhara guda chhod raha tha.”

Maa ne use chirchi nazar di. “Kya ek baar theek chal sakte ho? Koi aa raha hai!”

Gajendra aakhir usse peeche hata aur kamiz seedhi karne ki koshish ki. Durabhagya se nuksaan saaf tha, aur woh bahut kam kar sakta tha.

Maa ne yeh dekha aur pal-bhar chidh se aankhein band keen. Usne neele oopar-vastr ke neeche kheencha, chhoti patloon theek keen, aur baal vyavasthit kiye. Main yeh sab badhte asvishwas se dekh raha tha.

Sirf pal pehle, woh aise chhod rahe the jaise poora van unka ho. Ab woh bechain do nirdosh logon jaisa dikhne ki koshish kar rahe the jo shaam ki sair ke dauran bas mil gaye hon.

Kadam tez hue, aur aakhir pedon ke beech ek purush aaya. Woh ek pahradari adhikari tha torach liye, jise chaltee zameen ki taraf kiya.

Uski vardi turant samjhati thi us ghante van mein kyun ghum raha tha. Lagta kshetra jaanch raha tha, shayad dekh raha koi niyat shivir-sthal se bahut door na ghum gaya ho.

Jab usne maa aur Gajendra dekhe, dheema pada aur torach unki taraf kiya.







“Shubh sandhya,” usne unhe namaste kiya.

Maa ne lagbhag turant jawab diya. “Shubh sandhya, adhikari.”

Gajendra ne sahaj sir hilaaya. “Sandhya.”

Adhikari ne dono ko dekha, phir pal-bhar unke aas-paas jaancha. Uska dhyan aakhir Gajendra ki nuksaan-wali kamiz par lauta. “Kya tum log yahan shivir mein ho?”

“Haan, adhikari,” maa ne kaha, swabhavik muskaan banane ki koshish karti. “Hum parivaar ke saath picnic aaye. Wahan shivir-sthal par ruke hain.”

Adhikari ne us disha dekhi jise usne ishara kiya. “Tumhara parivaar? Baaki kahan hain?”

“Woh so rahe hain,” Gajendra ne kaha maa se pehle. “Hum bas thodi sair karne nikle.”

Maa pal-bhar ke liye uski taraf mudi. Main bata sakta tha woh khaas khush nahi thi usne itni jaldi uttar diya, par chehra banaye rakha.

“Is ghante?” adhikari ne poocha.

Maa ne chhoti hansi di. “Humein andaza nahi hua kitni der ho gayi. Bas shaam ki hawa ka anand le rahe the, adhikari. Yahan kaafi shant hai.”

Adhikari ne dheere sir hilaaya, chahe aankhein unke beech hilti rahi. “Samajh gaya. Par raat ko van mein bahut door ghumne se savdhan rehna chahiye. Kuch hisson khaas surakshit nahi, aur hum nahi chahte atithi bhatak jayein.”

“Zaroor, adhikari. Hum samajhte hain,” maa ne kaha.

Phir usne phir Gajendra ko dekha. “Aur tumhari kamiz ko kya hua?”

Ek pal, dono mein se kisi ne uttar nahi diya. Main jahan dekh raha tha lagbhag hans pada.

Gajendra ne apni kamiz neeche dekhi jaise abhi yaad aaya woh phati hai. Maa, alag, man mein aisi vyakhya dhoondhti lagi jo unki sthiti aur shak-bhari na banaye.






“Oh, yeh?” Gajendra ne kaha, sahaj nuksaan-wale kapde ko chhute. “Chalte hue ek shaakha par atak gayi.”

“Shaakha?” adhikari ne dohraya.

“Haan. Yahan itni shaakhayen hain.”

Maa ne jaldi vyakhya mein shamil hui. “Sahi, adhikari. Har jagah jhadiyan hain. Hum kuch se bachne ki koshish kar rahe the, aur durabhagya se uski kamiz atak gayi.”

Adhikari ne phir kamiz dekhi. “Tumhe kaafi pareshan shaakha mili hogi.”

Mujhe munh dhakna pada. Gajendra ne us tippani par sach mein muskuraya, par maa ne turant use chetavani-nazar di. Saaf chahti thi woh baatein aur bura karna band kare.

Adhikari ne torach zameen ki taraf kiya. “Asal mein, main is hissa se isliye chal raha tha kyunki laga kisi ko ajeeb shor karte suna. Lagta stree pukar rahi ya karah rahi.

Main yakeen karna chahta tha sab theek hai.”

Maa ka chehra lagbhag anubhav-heen badla. Usne jaldi sambhala, par dekha uski ungliyan oopar-vastr ke kapde ke aas-paas kasi. Main theek se jaanta tha adhikari kis baat ki baat kar raha tha.

Pehle meri maa cheekh rahi thi aur Gajendra ka naam karah rahi thi jab Gajendra uska mota nitamb chhod raha tha.

Main unhe dekh raha tha, aur un awazon ke srot ka koi rahasya nahi tha. Maa, alag, zidd dikhti thi adhikari sach kabhi na paaye.

“Oh, sach?” usne poocha, chakit dikhati. “Humein kuch ajeeb nahi suna.”






Gajendra ne sir hilaaya. “Shayad koi jantu, adhikari. Yahan bahut hain.”

Adhikari ne use dekha. “Shayad. Par lagbhag manushya jaisa suna.”

Maa ne ghabraayi chhoti hansi di. “Jaante ho van mein awazen kaise chalti hain. Kabhi hawa bhi ajeeb shor karti hai. Hum bas baat kar rahe the, shayad aapne hamari awazen sunin.”

“Baat?” adhikari ne poocha, unke beech dekhta.

“Haan,” maa ne kaha. “Hum picnic ki baat kar rahe the aur faisla kar rahe the kab shivir-sthal lautna hai.”

Gajendra ne joda, “Hum mausam ki bhi baat kar rahe the. Kaafi thanda ho raha hai.”

Main lagbhag phir hansa. Mausam! Jo vyakhya de sakta tha, usne mausam chuna. Maa ne use us chehre se dekha jo lagbhag binti kar raha tha chup rahe.

Adhikari poori tarah manne wala nahi dikha. “Theek, ummeed hai bas yahi tha. Bas yakeen karo apne shivir-sthal laut jao. Atithiyon ko andhere ke baad yahan bahut der nahi ghumna chahiye.”

“Zaroor, adhikari,” maa ne kaha. “Humein batane ke liye dhanyavad.”

“Aur tum,” usne kaha, Gajendra ki taraf mudte, “us kamiz ke saath zyada savdhan rehna. Un shaakhaon par khud ko ghayal nahi karna chahoge.”

“Zaroor, adhikari,” Gajendra ne seedhe chehre se kaha.

Adhikari aakhir muda aur door chalna shuru kiya. Kai kadam liye usse pehle kandhe se peeche dekha. Uski torach ne phir dono ko pal-bhar chamkaya.

Maa ne turant ek aur vinamra muskaan di, jab Gajendra bas uske bagal haath bagalon mein khada raha.

Adhikari ne unhe ek pal aur adhyayan kiya lagta, saaf abhi unki vyakhyaon se anamanit, par aakhir van ke raste par jaari raha.

Main dekhta raha jab tak uski roshni pedon ke beeche gayab na hui.

Jaise hi woh gaya, maa ne lambi saans chhodi. Gajendra ne bhi, chahe woh darr se zyada vinodit laga.

“Oh, bhagwan!” maa ne phusphusaya. “Yeh kareeb tha.”

Gajendra hansa. “Tumhara chehra dekhna chahiye tha jab usne shor ka zikr kiya.”

“Kripya shuru mat karo!”

“Tum bahut achha kaam kar rahi thi jaise kuch hua hi na ho.”

Maa uski taraf mudi. “Aur tum meri madad mein bahut bura kaam kar rahe the. Mausam ka zikr kyun karna pada?”

“Mausam mein kya galat? Thanda hai.”

“Gajendra!”

Woh phir hansa, saaf anand lete hue woh kitni chirchi ho rahi thi. “Theek, theek. Aise mat dekho. Hum ise paar kar gaye, na?”

“Sirf lagbhag! Samajhte ho kya hoga agar koi humein pehchane? Mera pati sirf chhoti doori par so raha hai. Hum parivaar ke roop mein yahan aaye, Gajendra. Aur tumne minut pehle mera guda chhoda.”

Usne kandha hilaaya. “Aur tumhara pati so raha hai. Pareshani kya?”

Maa ghoori. “Tumhe sach mein koi lajja nahi, hai?”

“Jab tumhare saath hoon to nahi.”

“Yeh ghamand ki baat nahi.”

“Shayad jo kahna chahiye woh yeh hai tumhe mera ling apne sakht gude mein pasand hai.”

Maa ne sir hilaaya, chahe chehre par pal-bhar halki muskaan aayi.

“Tum asambhav ho. Humein ab yeh band karna hai. Main matlab. Hum shivir-sthal se gayab nahi rehte. Rizwan jag sakta hai aur sochne lage main kahan gayi.”

Gajendra thoda kareeb aaya. “Rizwan soya hai. Tumne khud kaha.”

“Aur kaise jaante ho woh nahi jagega?”

“Kyunki tumne kaha woh yatra ke baad thaka tha. Bechare purush ko sone do jab main uski moti-nitamb wali patni chhodun.”

“Gajendra, tum madad nahi kar rahe.”

Woh shararti muskuraya. “Main ek aur kathor chudai dekar madad kar sakta hoon.”

Maa ne turant haath uthaya aur uski baazu par halka thappar maara. “Theek chalo!”

“Yeh anavashyak tha.”

“Achha. Shayad yaad rakhoge.”

Woh hansa aur phir uske kareeb aane ki koshish ki. Maa pehle peeche hati, shivir-sthal ki disha dekhti, par aakhir wapas mudi aur use chhota chumma diya.

Jab peeche hati, usne uske gaal ko khel-bhav se thapthapaya.

“Bas itna. Lalchi mat bano.”

“Der ho chuki,” usne kaha. “Tumhare maamle mein main pehle se lalchi hoon.”

“Tum nirlajj ho.”

“Aur tumhe yeh mere baare mein pasand hai.”

Maa ne use chirchi nazar di. “Kabhi sochti hoon main tumse baat kyun karti hoon.”

“Kyunki tumhe meri yaad aayi.”

“Apni prashansa mat karo.”

Woh hansa, aur usne sir hilaaya usse pehle aakhir zid ki woh laut jayein. Poora badlav hairan karne wala tha. Unke baat karne ka tarika itna sahaj tha, lagbhag jaise yeh mamuli shaam ki sair ho na ki pati ke peeche gupt mulakat.

Gajendra Rizwan ke baare mein poori tarah beparwah laga, aur maa hi thi jo baar-baar yaad dilati rahi savdhan rehna hai.

Aakhir, maa shivir-sthal ki taraf chalna shuru ki. Uske peeche jaane se pehle, Gajendra ne idhar-udhar dekha yakeen karne ko pahradari adhikari sach mein gayab ho gaya.

Woh thodi doori alag-alag chale, lagta saath pahunchne se bachne aur anavashyak dhyan na khinchne ki koshish. Maine mauke ka fayda uthaya aur dheeme apne tambu ki taraf jaldi bada.

Mera dil abhi ajeeb tez dhadak raha tha. Main andar khisaka, aise vyavasthit kiya jaise so raha hoon, aur poori tarah sthir rehne ki koshish ki. Kuch pal baad, kareeb aate kadam sune.

Tambu ke halki daar se, maine dekha maa ki aakriti savdhani se sone-kshetra ki taraf hilti. Usne mera tambu dekha aur main aisa raha jaise so raha hoon.

Woh pal-bhar ruki aur baad mein pita ke tambu ki taraf dekhi.






Main sthir raha, aankhein aadhi-band rakhe. Jab santusht hui maine kuch notice nahi kiya, woh doosre tambuon ki taraf jaari rahi.

Gajendra kareeb kahin tha, dheeme baat karta. Main sab nahi samajh saka kyunki awazen neechi thin aur aas-paas ke keet sunna kathin karte the.

Phir bhi, kabhi-kabhi shabd pakde aur samjha woh abhi maa ko thoda aur samay saath bitane ke liye manane ki koshish kar raha tha.

“Bas ek aur,” maine suna usne kaha.

Maa ne dabii awaz mein uttar diya. “Gajendra, aaj raat kaafi nahi hua? Tumne tees minat pehle mera guda chhoda aur wahan dard mehsoos ho raha hai.”

“Kaafi? Mujhe nahi lagta yeh sambhav hai.”

“Ab tum pareshani ban rahe ho. Humein wapas jana hai.”

“Ghutnon par jao, Shahida. Is bade ling ko nigalo, main sone se pehle ek aur girna chahta hoon. Bas yahi maang raha hoon.”

Maine maa ko narmi se hanste suna. “Tum pehle hi kaha. Nikalne se pehle kaha, aur yahan aane ke baad phir kaha. Kitni baar aur poochhoge?”

“Jab tak tum mana karna band na karo.”

“Tumhara ling itna bada hai uske liye jo itni chhoti cheezen maangta rehta hai, tum mera chhota munh barbaad kar doge, tum mera guda pehle hi barbaad kar chuke ho,” usne chheda.

Gajendra hansa. “Yeh ajeeb shikayat hai. Pehle pareshani nahi dikhi jab mera ling tumhare peeche chhed mein ghada.”

“Awaz neeche rakho! Koi sun le.”

“Phir kareeb aao aur dheeme kaho.”

Maine ek aur shant choosna aur sarrak suna, phir uske bade ling par gala-ghutne ki saaf awaz.

Main apne tambu ke andar se unhe nahi dekh saka, aur jaan-bujhkar daar ki taraf nahi badha. Kuch pal baad, maa ne phir baat ki.

“Ab yeh kaafi hai. Main wapas ja rahi hoon, aur tum apne tambu jao. Turant peeche mat aana.”

“Ab tum mujhe hukum de rahi ho?”

“Haan, main de rahi hoon. Aur agar nahi sunoge, to main tumhe yahan poori raat khada chhod dungi.”

“Tum kathor ho, Shahida.”

“Shubh raatri, Gajendra.”

“Shubh raatri? Bas yahi milta hai?”

“Kya tum chahte ho main pahradari adhikari ko wapas bulaun?”

Woh dheeme hansa. “Theek. Jao usse pehle main faisla badalun.”

Main maa ke door chalte kadam sun sakta tha. Woh phir shivir-sthal ke kareeb ruki, aur maine kalpana ki usne pita ke tambu ko ek baar aur jaancha. Apne tambu ke kapde se, main uski aakriti Rizwan ke sone-kshetra ki taraf mudti bana saka.

Woh kai pal wahi rahi usse pehle dheeme saans chhodi.

Tab hi woh us tambu mein ghusi jo pita ke saath baantti thi.

Main sone ka natak jaari rakha, par man daud raha tha. Main hamesha maa ko '., shalinta wali aur apne vyavhar ke baare mein savdhan maanta tha.



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Main use prarthana, parivaar ki zimmedariyon aur us ijjat se jodta tha jo mujhe yakeen dilati woh apne vivah ko aisi sthiti mein kabhi man se nahi daalegi. Phir bhi maine abhi kuch dekha jo us chhavi ka poora virodh karta tha.

Jo sabse zyada sataya woh sirf yeh nahi tha ki woh doosre purush ke saath thi. Yeh ki usne mulakat ke baad kitni asani se mamuli par laut gayi.

Usne pahradari adhikari se vinay se baat ki, vyakhya gadhii, pakde jaane ki chinta ki aur phir sahaj usi tambu mein laut gayi jahan uska ashankit pati so raha tha.

Tambu ke andar, maa dheeme hili. Main suna palang ke naram sarsarahat jaise woh pita ke bagal baithi.

Mera pita Rizwan jaga nahi laga. Woh shaanti se so raha tha, poori tarah anjaan uski patni kahan thi ya shaam ke dauran kya kar rahi thi.

Maa ne use kuch der dekha laga. Main bas uski shant hilaav bana saka jaise usne komal theek kiya aur maathe se kuch baal hataye.

Yeh ajeeb parichit ishara tha, jo dekhbhal wali patni bina zyada soch ke kare. Phir bhi, pehle jo hua jaante hue, ishare ko samajhna kathin laga.

Kya woh dosh mehsoos kar rahi thi? Kya bas mamuli chal rahi thi? Ya do alag roopon ko banaye rakhne mein itni suvidha ho gayi thi ki virodh ko khaas satane wala nahi maanti?

Main nahi bata saka.

Usne mere pita ke baal ek baar aur narmi se sarkaaye aur uske kareeb baithi. Ek pal, socha shayad kuch sneha-bhari phusphusaye, shayad kshama jo woh kabhi nahi sunega. Ulte, maine shant badbadaahat pakdi.

“Bechara Rizwan. Use sach mein andaza nahi.”

Ek chhoti viram.

Phir, lagbhag vinodit awaz mein, usne joda, “Aur Gajendra itna pareshan purush hai. Woh kab rukna jaanta nahi.”

Main yakeen nahi kar saka jo sun raha tha.

Sab kuch hone ke baad bhi, woh Gajendra ke vyavhar se zyada vinodit lagi pati se vishwasghat ke pachtawe se. Usne pita par komal theek kiya, bagal palati aur aakhir aankhein band keen.

Minaton mein, shivir-sthal khamoshi par laut aaya. Pita shaanti se sota raha, maa uske bagal leti, aur kareeb kahin Gajendra shayad apne tambu mein baith raha tha. Sab mamuli par laut aaye dikhe.

Par phir maine kadam sune aur woh phir Gajendra tha maa aur pita ke tambu ki taraf badhta. Woh kya karna chahta tha?