[Joker44]

Jeet us din aayi jab garmi tez thi aur loudspeaker phir se kharab ho raha tha, phir kisi ne tar theek kiya, aur awaaz wapas aa gayi, kati hui, tez. Counting centre ke bahar bheed thi, flags, posters, paani ke cub, aur mitti uth rahi thi jaise pehli rally wale ground par uthati thi. Pushpa ji kali shirt mein khade the, beedi honth par nahi, haath peeche, aankhon mein woh junoon jo ab goli ka nahi, number ka tha. Maa ji ne aanchal se aankh ponchhi, peeche khadi, aur Jolly kinare par party ke logon ke saath tha, phone par, muskaan camera ke liye taiyar. Srivalli ek saadi simple cream-and-gold cotton silk mein thi, pallu tight, mangalsutra bahar, sindoor saaf, chhote jhumke, cream blouse, sleeves kohni tak, stage wali rani, kothi wali nahi, jaise pehli speech wali subah, is farq ke saath ki aaj uske honth itne kaanpte nahi the, aankhein saaf thi, aur pallu usne khud teen baar theek kiya tha, sheeshe ke saamne, jaise mohar lagati ho, na zyada, na kam, sirf itna jitna counting centre ke saamne chahiye, ghar ke saamne nahi, kothi ke saamne nahi, janata ke saamne seedhi, bina kaanpe, bina jhuke, apni file aur apni muskaan le kar, dono saath, bilkul theek.

Subah haveli se nikalte hue maa ji ne uske maathe par tilak lagaya tha, “Ja, beti, muh dekh ke baithna, naam aaye to jhukna, na aaye to bhi jhukna mat.” Pushpa ji ne gaadi ke darwaze par kaha tha, “Rani, number aaye ya der se aaye, tu meri rani hai, tu meri sherni hai. Main tere peeche hoon.” Usne unka haath pakada, “Aap mere peeche rahiye, aage meri awaaz hogi, aaj bhi.” *Aaj meri awaaz number ke peeche hai, un raaton ke peeche hai, un files ke peeche hai, aur aapko un teeno mein se ek bhi nahi dikha. Aaj muskurana hai.*

Counting ke andar parda tha, bahar intezaar. Dhoop tez thi, ek shamiana, benches, paani ke cub girte, aur loudspeaker kabhi naam leta, kabhi chup ho jaata. Pehla round, doosra, naam kabhi aage, kabhi peeche, margin chhota, phir bada, aur har baar bheed ki saans rukti. Srivalli khadi rahi, pallu kas, paani nahi piya, sirf ek baar Pushpa ji ki taraf dekha, unhon ne sir hilaaya, jaise kaho, tu kaampegi nahi. Ek aurat aage aa kar uska haath pakad kar boli, “Beti, tera naam aa raha hai, tu jhuk mat,” aur usne muskurakar kaha, “Nahi jhukungi, maa, aapka aashirwad hai.” Maa ji peeche se dekh rahi thi, aanchal munh par, aur Pushpa ji ne us aurat ko sir se salam kiya.

Beech mein Jolly ne chai dilayi, usne ek ghoont liya, zyada nahi, kyunki pet tight tha, intezaar ka. “Bhabhi, teesre round ke baad pakka dikh raha hai, baap ji ko message gaya, cabinet wali baat ab kareeb hai, tu seedhi rahiye,” unhone kaan ke kareeb kaha. Usne sirf itna kaha, pallu theek karte hue, “Aaj pehle jeet, cabinet kal. Aap kinare rahiye, aaj meri awaaz meri hai, aapki report baad mein.” Unhone sir hilaaya, muskuraye, peeche hat gaye. Doosra round jab tight aaya, Pushpa ji ne uska haath ek pal pakada, “Darr mat, rani, number aa raha hai.” “Darr nahi, Pushpa ji,” usne kaha, “intezaar hai.” *Intezaar hai, aur us intezaar ke peeche woh raatein hain, woh files hain, woh goli hai, jo is shamiana ke neeche koi nahi dekhta.*

Jab uska naam doosri baar, teesri baar, margin ke saath pada, saaf, tez, loudspeaker ne dohraaya, “Srivalli Pushpa Raj,” to bheed ne taali bajayi, kuch logon ne “Pushpa Raj zindabad” kaha, kuch ne uska naam, aur Pushpa ji ne usko uth kar baahon mein liya, uski cream zari unki shirt se lagi, unki awaaz uske kaan mein giri, garam, bhari, “Meri rani, meri MLA, meri sherni. Tu jeet gayi. Main proud hoon, rani, main tere peeche tha, tu aage nikal gayi.”

Usne unke seene se sir uthaya, muskurayi, aankhon mein paani, lekin giri nahi, pallu theek kiya, aur mic ke kareeb jaa kar sirf itna kaha, seedha, naram, garmi mein bhi saaf, “Yeh jeet meri nahi, aapki hai, is sheher ki hai, aur jo kaam maine kaha tha, woh ab shuru hoga. Mandi, paani, port, ghar, meri file aapki file rahegi. Shukriya.” Taaliyan tez hui, cameras chamke, maa ji ne aanchal se muh daba liya, aur andar uska dil keh raha tha, *Yeh jeet meri bhi hai, un raaton ki bhi hai, un files ki bhi, un goliyon ki bhi, aur aapko in teeno mein se ek bhi nahi dikha. Aaj muskurana hai, kal cabinet ki zabaan nikalni hai. Ticket se shuru hua tha, aaj naam pada, aur meri haan ab meri kursi par baithi hai.*

Raste par haveli wapas, bheed peeche, gaadi mein Pushpa ji ne uska haath pakada, “Aaj ghar mein meetha, kal teri duniya. Tu so jaana shaam ko, thak gayi hogi.” Raste par bheed kabhi-kabhi unki jeep ke peeche taali bajati rahi, flags, bachche, aur Srivalli ne khidki se haath uthaya, pallu theek, muskaan bahar, hisaab andar. Pushpa ji ne kaha, “Dekh, rani, yeh teri bheed hai, meri nahi, aaj yeh saaf dikh raha hai.” Usne unka haath pakada, “Yeh bheed hamari hai, Pushpa ji, aapki goli ke bagair main yahan nahi pahunchti, meri file ke bagair yeh taali nahi bajti, dono ka hisaab ek.” Unhone sir hilaaya, khidki se bahar dekha, “Tu bolti hai to theek, lekin aaj tu jeeti, yeh main nahi chhupata.” Usne kaha, “Thak gayi hoon, lekin khush hoon, Pushpa ji. Aap meri peeth par rahiye, yeh ab bhi meri baat hai.” Haveli par maa ji ne laddu diye, aangan mein do-teen log the, Raka, Munna, kesari ke bagair bhi muskaan, aur Pushpa ji ne beedi jalai, pehli baar us din, jaise ab saans khuli ho. “Rani, aaj tu kha, tu baith, kal tak yeh ghar tere naam se goonjega,” unhone kaha. Usne laddu toda, unke munh mein ek tukda diya, jaise ghar ki patni, “Aap khao, Pushpa ji, yeh jeet aapki bhi hai.” Unhone hans kar kaha, “Meri goli, teri awaaz, dono jeete.”

Kaveri college se aa kar darwaze par ruki, bag kandhe par, “Mami, aap jeet gayi, sheher mein awaaz hai, classmates bhi keh rahe the,” aur Srivalli ne uske maathe par haath phera, jaise ghar ki badi, “Haan, beta, jeet gayi, tu kha le, aaj ghar khush hai, zyada shor nahi, tu apna kaam dekhna.” Kaveri ne ek pal dekha, jaise kuch aur kehna chahti ho, phir andar chali gayi, aur Srivalli ne nazar hata li, apni thali, apne mard, apni jeet ki taraf, us jeet ke peeche ke hisaab ko daba kar. Shaam ko palang par unka haath uski kamar par aaya, cream saree utar kar, aur unhone kaha, “So ja, meri MLA.” Usne aankhein band ki, lekin socha, *Do din baad meri mez hai, aaj meri jeet hai, dono ko alag rakhna hai, dono ko sambhalna hai.*

Doosre din sheher mein mithai aur posters dono the, Jolly ne phone par kaha, “Bhabhi, kal shaam chhota dinner hai, andar wala, Venkat, Gopal, Naidu, cabinet ki baat nikalni hai, tu aa, meri backbone teri mez par hai.” Usne kaha, “Aungi, Jolly, meri shart meri hogi, aap kinare rahiye.” Pushpa ji ko usne itna hi bataaya ki party ka andar wala dinner hai, jeet ki khushi, cabinet ki baat. Unhone sir hilaaya, “Ja, rani, tu sambhal, main site dekhunga, ab Shekhar jail mein hai, meri nazar phir bhi rahegi.”

Do din baad party ka chhota sa dinner tha, andar wala, jeet wali khushi ke naam par, lekin Srivalli jaanti thi yeh khushi sirf mithai nahi. Venkat, Gopal, Prakash, aur Jolly, wahi private farmhouse, wahi peeli light, wahi dining hall ki yaad, aur ab ek naya lafz: cabinet. Subah se usne soch liya tha, kapda, pallu, shart, sab. Shaam ko sheeshe ke saamne khadi hui, almari kholi, cream wali jeet ki saree ek taraf, aur navy Kanjeevaram haath mein li, gold zari bhari, kapda thanda, bhaari, jaise kursi ka wazan. Blouse tight gold, U-cut, peeth par teen hooks, usne khud lagaye, pallu sahi kiya, sindoor saaf, mangalsutra bahar, jhumke, choodiyan, maang tika nahi, sirf rekha, attar halka. *Aaj main us mez par jeeti hui jaa rahi hoon, kaampti nahi. Jo dungi, soch kar dungi, aur jo maangungi, woh subah nikalna chahiye.* Woh aaj us deep navy Kanjeevaram mein gayi, gold zari, tight gold blouse, U-cut, peeth par teen hooks, jhumke, sindoor, mangalsutra, maang tika nahi, sirf saaf rekha, choodiyan, payal nahi, heels, jaise koi jeeti hui rani apni keemat par wapas baithi ho, dar kar nahi, hisaab le kar.

Pushpa ji darwaze par aaye, nazar navy zari par ruki, “Rani, aaj phir party ka dinner? Jeet ke do din baad? Main chalun?” “Aap nahi, Pushpa ji,” usne muskurakar kaha, wrap nahi, pallu seene par kasa, “andar wali baat hai, cabinet ki, formal, main sambhal lungi, late hua to phone kar dungi. Aap meri jeet par proud rahiye, baaki meri file.” Unhone maathe par kiss kiya, “Ja, tu jaanti hai tu kya kar rahi hai. Main yahin hoon.” *Aap kehte hain main jaanti hoon, aur aaj main sach mein jaanti hoon. Yeh mez meri hai, pehli dinner wali mez nahi.*

Farmhouse ki driveway peeli light mein thi, jaise pehli baar, lekin aaj uske kadam nahi kaanpte the. Guard ne salute kiya, kutta door bhowka, aur usne pallu seene par kas liya, navy zari hawa mein ek pal uthi, phir baithi. *Pehli baar main is driveway par kaampi thi, aaj main shart le kar chal rahi hoon. Yeh farq meri maang ke laal par hai, meri navy zari par hai.* Jolly darwaze par mile, muskuraye, backbone wale hisaab se, “Bhabhi, andar hain, tu seedhi rahiye, main kinare. Cabinet ki baat aaj nikal sakti hai, tu shart rakh, main saath hoon, malik nahi.” “Theek hai, Jolly,” usne kaha, pallu theek karte hue, “aaj meri mez hai, aapki nahi. Aap kinare rahiye, jab main bolo, tab aana. Baap ji ko itna keh dena ki meri jeet ke baad meri zabaan meri hai, unki mohar us zabaan ke saath honi chahiye, peeche se nahi.” Unhone sir hilaaya, “Keh dunga, bhabhi. Tu andar ja, main yahin hoon, malik nahi, backbone.” Usne unke paas se nikal kar hall mein kadam rakha, navy zari peeli light mein jal uthi, aur uske dil ki dhadkan tez thi, lekin kadam seedhe the.

Andar Venkat, Gopal, Prakash, wahi mez, sherbet, thodi whiskey, phool, peeli light, wahi dining hall jahan pehli baar uski emerald saree utari thi, aaj navy, aaj kursi ke baad. Unhone usko kursi di, namaste hua, thodi der khana bhi raha, do-teen sawal jeet ke, margin ke, sheher ke, jaise asal dinner ho, phir baat ghum kar us darwaze par aayi jiske liye yeh raat thi. Jab woh navy Kanjeevaram mein dakhil hui thi, teenon ki nazar pallu, zari, mangalsutra, phir aankhon par gayi thi, aur ab khane ke baad woh nazar wapas usi jagah thi. Venkat ne glass rakha, pehle kaha, uth kar, “Rani, tu jeet gayi, ab cabinet ki zubaan Rudra ji de chuke hain, meri bhi hai, committee Gopal ke phone par hil sakti hai. Ek hissa, industries ke under ek prabhari, ya mahila kalyan, jo bhi pehla kursi ka darwaza ho, nikal sakta hai. Hum khush hain. Tu bata, aaj raat tu sirf khana khane aayi, ya humari mez ki purani baat bhi nibhana chahti hai, apni marzi se? Aaj tu jeeti hui hai, main yeh baat samajh raha hoon, isliye poochh raha hoon, hukm nahi de raha.”

Srivalli ne sherbet rakha, teenon ko dekha, Jolly ko dekha jo kinare khade the, aur awaaz shaant rakhi, seedhi, jitni counting ke mic par thi. “Cabinet ki zubaan pehle pakki kijiye, aaj, meri file mein, naam ke saath, subah ke phone ke saath. Uske baad, haan, aaj raat main aapke saath hoon, apni marzi se, meri haan par, kisi dabav se nahi. Aaj main wahi aurat nahi jo pehli dinner par pehli baar kaampi thi. Aaj meri kursi hai, meri shart hai, aur jo dungi, soch kar dungi. Jo kahungi ruko, rukiye. Dheere kahungi to dheere kijiye. Mangalsutra rahega. Yeh meri mez hai, meri marzi.”

Gopal hans pade, is baar izzat ke kareeb, pet par haath, “Jeeti hui rani ki shart, manzoor. Mera phone kal subah, pehla naam teri file mein, mahila kalyan ya jo tu chahe, main hilata hoon. Pallu tu khud dheela kar, rani, aaj teri mez hai, meri nahi. Yeh baat mujhe pasand aayi.”

Prakash ne sir hilaaya, glass neeche, file jaisi awaaz, “Meri taraf se bhi haan, cabinet ki, aaj raat ki bhi, teri awaaz par. Jo kahogi, ruk jaaunga. Yeh meri baat hai, rani ji, pehli raat jaisi, aaj teri kursi ke saath.”

Venkat ne whiskey ka aakhri kash liya, muskuraye, “Toh mohar dono taraf, rani. Subah darwaza, aaj raat teri haan. Hum taiyar hain, tu jab kahe.”

Srivalli ne ek pal peeli light dekhi, sheesha, apni navy soorat, aur andar jo garmi thi, usko jhoot nahi bola. Sharm thi, himmat thi, hisaab tha. *Yeh jeet meri hai, yeh raat meri mohar hai, aur main chhupa nahi rahi. Pehli dinner par main kaampi thi, aaj main shart rakh rahi hoon. Pushpa ji, aap haveli mein honge, yeh mez aapko nahi dikhegi, sirf woh khabar dikhegi ki cabinet nikalne wali hai.* Usne khud pallu seene se khisakaya, navy zari jal uthi, gold blouse ki kali chamki, aur kaha, “Haan, ab. Hooks ek-ek karke, pehle Venkat ji, phir Gopal ji, phir Naidu ji. Sofa par, dheere, meri awaaz par.”