[Joker44]

Srivalli ki aankhein subah ke roshni se khuli, dheere, jaise koi neend se nahi, kisi lambi raat se wapas aa rahi ho. Palang par Pushpa ji ab bhi soye the, unka haath uski kamar par pada hua, garam aur bhari, bilkul waisa jaise farmhouse se laute waqt pada tha. Bahar aangan mein ek kauwa bola, phir maa ji ke bartan ki halki si awaaz aayi. Haveli jag rahi thi, aur uske jism par ab bhi woh raat thi jiske bare mein is ghar ko kuch nahi pata tha.

Usne chadar ke neeche apni raanen milayi. Beech mein ab bhi ek geeli, thaki si yaad thi, kamar mein ek dard tha jo chalne par yaad aa jaata, aur gale mein mangalsutra usi cotton nighty ke andar pada tha. *Kal raat main unki palang par thi, aur ab main unke bagal mein hoon. Dono sach hain, aur dono ko ek saath le kar uthna hoga.* Usne Pushpa ji ke haath ko dheere hataya, itna ki unki neend na toote, aur uth kar bathroom chali gayi.

Sheeshe mein uski aankhein ab bhi thodi laal thi, honth ki sooj ab kam thi, lekin gardan par jo halki daant ke nishaan the, unko usne choodi ke kinare aur pallu ke hisaab se chhupane ka iraada kar liya. Usne muh dhoya, maang mein naya sindoor bhara, aur almari se ek off-white mulmul ki saree nikali, patli silai, pallu par chhota zari ka kaam, neeche halki peach blouse, sleeves kohni tak. Yeh ghar wali rani ki saree thi, farmhouse wali maroon nahi. Petticoat, hooks, pleats, pallu seene par, chhote gold tops, do patli choodiyan, aur mangalsutra ko blouse ke U ke upar theek kiya. Payal aaj nahi pehni, taaki raat ki yaad pairon mein na bajey.

Jab woh kitchen se chai ka tray le kar verandah aayi, Pushpa ji pehle se baith chuke the, beedi sulgayi hui, kal ki timber ki copy khuli hui. Unhone usko dekha aur muskuraye, wahi seedhi, garam muskaan jisme jail ke baad ka sukoon tha.

“Rani, itni jaldi saj-dhaj kar aayi tu? Raat ko interview lamba ho gaya tha, main soch raha tha tu late uthogi,” unhone kaha, tray se cup uthate hue.

Srivalli ne unke saamne chai rakhi, pallu ko ek baar aur kas kar, aur unke kandhe ke peeche kursi par baith gayi. Awaaz usne ghar wali rakhi, naram, khushi bhari, jaise koi acchi khabar le kar aayi ho. “Pushpa ji, main aapko ek baat batana chahti thi. Kal raat wala interview… theek raha. Party ticket dene wali hai. Rudra uncle ne kaha hai papers jaldi aayenge, ek-do din mein. Main MLA ki ticket ke liye khadi ho sakti hoon.”

Pushpa ji ka haath cup par ruk gaya. Unhone usko is tarah dekha jaise koi apni rani ko pehli baar stage par khada hota hua dekh raha ho. Phir woh hans pade, bhari, khush, aur unki aankhon mein woh ghamand tha jo jungle se uth kar sheher jeetne wale mard ka hota hai. “Ticket? Sach? Rani, tu ne yeh kaam itni jaldi nikaal liya? Main soch raha tha mahine lagenge. Rudra uncle ne haan keh di? Jolly ne madad ki na?”

“Haan,” usne kaha, aur yeh haan uske muh se itni asani se nikal gayi ki andar ek chhoti si chubhan hui. “Unhone kaha party mein naam chalega. Aapne jo fund diya tha, uska bhi wazan hai. Main sochti hoon aapko pehle batana chahiye tha, lekin kal raat tak baat pakki nahi thi.”

Unhone uska haath pakad liya, apni badi, kaathi hui hatheli mein. “Rani, tu meri sherni hai. Main pehle din se kehta tha, tu queen ban sakti hai. Ab tu stage par khadi hogi, log tera naam lenge, aur hamara kaam bhi cover mein rahega. Jolly ko keh dena, jo papers hon, jaldi le aaye. Woh ladka sach mein kaam aata hai. Kal tu thak kar aayi thi, main jaagta raha tha thodi der, socha interview lamba chal pada.”

Srivalli ne unki aankhon mein dekha, aur muskurayi, lekin us muskaan ke peeche jo baat thi, woh unko nahi dikhi. *Aap jaagte rahe, aur main unki kothi mein khadi thi. Yeh proud aapka hai, yeh ticket meri hai, aur in dono ke beech jo raat hai, usko main aapke haath mein nahi rakhungi.* “Aap tension mat lijiye. Jo bhi formalities hain, main sambhal lungi. Aap apna site dekhiye, timber ka kaam rukiye mat. Politics main dekh lungi.”

Maa ji kitchen se nikal kar aayi, haath mein aata laga hua, aur khabar sunte hi dono haath jod liye. “Bhagwan kare beti, tu jeet jaaye. Hamari bahu stage par khadi hogi, yeh soch kar hi dil bhara sa lagta hai. Aaj mandir ja, prasad le aa, acha din hai.”

“Haan maa ji, shaam tak dekhungi,” Srivalli ne kaha, pallu theek karte hue. Tab Kaveri aangan se nikal kar unke paas aayi, college bag kandhe par, simple light-blue salwar-kameez mein, baal ek sadharan si ponytail mein. Usne Pushpa ji ko pranam kiya, maa ji ke haath se tiffin liya, aur Srivalli ki taraf thoda sa ruk kar dekha.

“Mami, main chalti hoon. Aaj practicals hain, shaam ko late ho sakti hoon,” usne kaha, awaaz mein wahi roz wali jaldi thi, koi khaas baat nahi.

Srivalli ne uske maathe par ek baar haath phera, jaise ghar ki badi karti hai, aur muskurayi. “Haan beta, sambhal kar jaana, khana time par kha lena. Late ho to phone kar dena.” Kaveri ne sir hilaaya aur gate ki taraf chali gayi. Srivalli ne uski peeth dekhi, ek pal ke liye ek buddhi si chinta si uthi, jaise is ghar ki har aurat ke peeche koi apni kahani ho, phir usne nazar hata li. Aaj uska apna hisaab tha, aur us hisaab mein Kaveri ko kheenchna uske kaam ka nahi tha.

Pushpa ji uth khade hue, beedi bujhai, aur uske maathe par ek halka sa kiss chhodha. “Main site par hoon, rani. Agar Jolly papers le kar aaye, to usko andar bithana, chai dena, jo kaagaz hon unko tu khud dekh lena. Main teri politics mein ungli nahi karunga, tu meri rani hai, tu jaanti hai kya karna hai.”

“Haan, Pushpa ji. Aap jaaiye,” usne kaha, aur unki jeep jab aangan se nikal gayi, tab usne saans bhari, lamba, jaise koi pehla pardah gir chuka ho.

Dopahar se pehle hi Jolly ka message aa gaya. Phone ke screen par uska naam dekh kar Srivalli ke honth ek pal ke liye kas gaye, phir usne chat khola.

Jolly: Papers ready hain, bhabhi ji. Baap ji ne subah sign kar diye. Main bungalow par hoon, tu aa ja. Formalities yahi nikalni hain, aur ek-do baatein bhi. Pushpa ko keh dena party office ke kaagaz hain.

Srivalli ne verandah ki kursi par baithi hui thodi der screen dekha. *Yeh papers meri ticket hain, aur yeh bulawa unki raat ka bhi ho sakta hai. Main jaaungi, kyunki kaagaz mere bina nahi nikalenge, lekin aaj main unke khel ki gudiya ban kar nahi jaaungi. Aaj main apni shart le kar jaaungi.* Usne type kiya, chhota, saaf.

Srivalli: Main aa rahi hoon. Papers pehle. Baaki baat wahan.

Usne off-white saree nahi utari. Pallu ko dobara kas kar lapeta, purse mein tikli, phone, aur ek chhoti si file rakh li jisme Pushpa ji ke campaign wale hisaab ke notes the, aur maa ji se kaha ki party office ke kaagaz nikalne hain, jaldi aa jaayegi. Maa ji ne prasad ki ek dibi bhi haath mein dene ki koshish ki, lekin Srivalli ne muskurakar rok diya. “Wapas aate waqt mandir ho aaungi, maa ji. Abhi late ho jaaungi.”

Gaadi bungalow ke raste par le jaate hue uske dono haath steering par the, choodiyan kabhi-kabhi ek doosri se takra jaati. Off-white pallu uske kandhe par thoda sa hil raha tha, aur blouse ke neeche mangalsutra har saans ke saath uth-gir raha tha. Kal raat ki jungle wali sadak se yeh rasta alag tha, lekin andar wahi garmi thi, wahi sawal tha. Sheher ke beech se nikalte hue usne ek baar apna chehra sheeshe mein dekha: sindoor saaf, bindi theek, rani wali soorat, jaise koi asal mein party office jaa rahi ho. *Yeh soorat ghar ke liye hai, aur jo soorat main bungalow par le kar jaa rahi hoon, usko bhi main khud chun rahi hoon.* *Jolly woh ladka hai jisne meri pehli raat video mein band ki thi, jisne mujhe Dave ke saamne khada kiya tha, aur jo ab meri ticket ka pehla darwaza bhi hai. Main usse nafrat bhi karti hoon, aur aaj uske bagair yeh papers bhi nahi nikalenge. Yeh dushmani aur yeh zaroorat, dono ko main ek saath le kar baithungi.*

Bungalow ke verandah par Jolly khada tha, white shirt, sleeves folded, gold watch, muh par wohi muskaan jo ghar mein “chhota bhai” banati thi aur andar malik. Usne gaadi ke darwaze ke paas aa kar haath badhaya, lekin Srivalli ne khud darwaza khola aur utri, pallu ko hawa se bachate hue.

“Bhabhi ji, aaj to rani kam, leader zyada lag rahi ho,” unhone kaha, aankhon se uski off-white saree, pallu, mangalsutra, sab ko ek baar taolte hue. “Kal raat baap ji ke yahan se seedha ghar chali gayi tu. Unhone phone par itna hi kaha ki papers nikal do, rani ne apni keemat chuka di. Main soch raha tha tu mujhe pehle batayegi.”

Srivalli ne unki aankhon mein dekha, awaaz shaant rakhi, lekin andar jo zor tha, woh chhupaya nahi. “Rudra uncle se meri baat thi, aapke through nahi. Papers kahan hain, Jolly? Main unko dekhna chahti hoon, phir jo baat karni hai, karungi. Aaj main yahan isliye hoon ki ticket meri file mein likhi jaaye, sirf aapki yaad mein nahi.”

Jolly ki muskaan thodi si tight hui, phir woh hans pade, jaise taarif kar rahe hon. “Toh rani ab apni file khud padhna chahti hai. Chalo andar. Baap ji ne form bhej diye hain, naam, constituency, proposer, sab. Tu sign kar, main party office bhej dunga. Lekin itna toh maan, bhabhi, yeh raasta maine hi khola tha. Kal tu meri wajah se unke farmhouse gayi, aaj tu meri wajah se yahan hai.”

Andar bungalow ki thandi hawa thi, badi khidkiyan, teak ki mez, us par file, do cups, aur whiskey ka tray jo dopahar mein bhi nikal aaya tha. Srivalli ne pallu sambhalte hue mez ke ek kinare baith gayi. Jolly ne file khol kar uske saamne sarka di. Upar uska naam tha, neeche constituency ka naam, aur ek khali line jahan uske dastkhat chahiye the. Usne har page dheere padha, jaise koi apni keemat ka hisaab padh raha ho, phir pen uthaya.

“Sign se pehle meri baatein sun lijiye,” usne kaha, pen ko page ke upar rokte hue. “Yeh ticket meri hai, yeh meri mehnat hai, aur meri raat ki bhi. Pushpa ji ko is khel ka chehra nahi dikhna chahiye, yeh baat main Rudra uncle ko keh chuki hoon, aapko bhi keh rahi hoon. Doosri baat, party ke un logon ka dinner, jo unhone kaha tha, uske naam, din, aur meri shart pehle meri mez par aani chahiye. Teesri, aap mujhe apni purani video se nahi chalaoge. Woh zamana khatam ho chuka. Agar aapko meri saath khelna hai, toh meri marzi se khelna hoga, dhamki se nahi.”

Jolly uske saamne kursi kheench kar baith gaya, shirt ke button ke peeche ek gehri saans li, aur thodi der usko dekhta raha. “Dhamki, bhabhi? Main to yahi soch raha tha tu aaj meri taraf isliye aayi hai kyunki tu jaanti hai main tere bagair bhi yeh file aage bhej sakta hoon, aur rok bhi sakta hoon. Baap ji khush hain, lekin main unka beta hoon. Tu meri baat itni sakht karke bol rahi hai, jaise kal raat tu unke saath thi, meri nahi.”

Srivalli ne pen nahi rakha, lekin nazar nahi hatayi. “Kal raat main unke saath thi, yeh sach hai, aur aaj main yahan hoon, yeh bhi sach hai. Main aapki dushman nahi banne aayi, Jolly. Main aapke saath khelna chahti hoon, lekin ab main wahi aurat nahi hoon jo jungle ki gaadi mein royi thi. Aap meri ticket ke raaste ho, main aapki party ki rani ban sakti hoon, aur yeh hisaab dono ke kaam ka hai. Video ki baat aapne uthayi, to main saaf keh doon, woh video ab meri kursi ke saamne chhoti pad jaayegi, aur aapko bhi nuksaan karegi. Isliye use daba ke rakhie, aur meri baat sunie.”

Kuch pal kamre mein fan ki awaaz ke alawa kuch nahi tha. Phir Jolly hans pada, is baar asal maza liye hue. “Baap ji ne kaha tha tu badal gayi hai. Ab yakin aaya. Theek hai, rani, teri shartein meri mez par hain. Dinner teen din baad hai, bungalow nahi, sheher ke us paar ek private farmhouse, jo party ke andar wale log use karte hain. Wahan teen log honge. Minister Venkat Rao, industries aur port unke paas hain. MLA Gopal Reddy, purane hain, ticket committee ke. Aur Prakash Naidu, port commissioner, jin ke bagair bandargaah ki koi file nahi hilti. Baap ji bhi aa sakte hain, shayad nahi, unka mood rahe to. Un teenon ko tu dikhegi, unse baat karegi, aur jo dena hoga, soch kar degi, jaise tu kehti hai. Main bhi wahan hoonga.”

Srivalli ki ungliyan pen par kas gayi, lekin usne chehra nahi bigada. Teen naam, teen kursi ke peeche ke haath, aur ek raat jo farmhouse se alag hogi. *Yeh wo circle hai jiski baat unhone subah ki thi. Main inke saamne jaaungi, lekin aaj nahi. Aaj meri file hai, aur jo aaj dena hai, woh in papers ke baad soch kar dungi.* “Teen din, theek hai. Unke bare mein jo mujhe jaanna chahiye, aap kal tak bhej dena. Ab yeh sign meri taraf se hai.”

Usne apna naam likha, dheere, saaf, jaise koi kasam likh rahi ho. Jolly ne file band ki, ek photo li, aur phone par kisi office ko bhej diya. Phir usne mez ke us paar se uska haath pakadne ki koshish ki. Srivalli ne haath nahi diya, pehle, phir soch kar rakha, kyunki aaj ki baat yahin khatam karna bhi ek kaam chhodna hota.

“Ab meri baat,” Jolly ne kaha, awaaz dheemi karke, palang wali nahi, sauda wali. “Papers nikal gaye, rani. Main bhi is khel ka hissa hoon, aur main bhi apni keemat rakhta hoon. Aaj raat tu meri bungalow par rah. Baap ji ke baad meri baari bhi toh hai. Tu maan rahi hai na ki tu meri taraf se bhi kuch dena chahti hai, dhamki se nahi, apni marzi se?”

Srivalli ne unka haath apni hatheli mein mehsoos kiya, off-white pallu ke neeche mangalsutra ki thandi ladi, aur andar jo lag raha tha, usko jhoot nahi bola. Ek taraf ghin si thi, purani, unki video ki, unki muskaan ki. Doosri taraf ek saaf hisaab tha: yeh aadmi ab bhi raasta hai, aur raasta band karna abhi himaqat hoti. Teesri taraf, jo woh khud se chhupati, ek ajeeb si garmi thi, jo farmhouse ke baad uske jism mein baithi thi, jo kehti thi ki power kabhi saaf nahi aati. “Haan,” usne kaha, awaaz halki lekin tuti nahi. “Aaj main aapke saath rukungi, apni marzi se. Lekin aap mujhe apni purani cheez samajh kar nahi chalne. Aaj jo hoga, woh isliye hoga ki main de rahi hoon, aap chheen nahi rahe. Shaam ko main ghar jaaungi, Pushpa ji ke bagal mein soungi, aur unko yahi kahungi ki papers nikal gaye. Itna hisaab rakhie.”

“Hisaab rakh lunga, bhabhi,” Jolly ne kaha, uthte hue, uske kareeb aa kar, lekin pehla haath usne uske pallu par nahi, uski aankhon par rakha, dekhne ke liye. “Pehle khana, thoda saans, phir andar. Main jaldi nahi karunga aaj, tu khud bolti rahiye. Jo tu nahi chahegi, woh main nahi karunga. Yeh meri taraf se teri shart ka jawab hai.”