[Joker44]

Unhone pallu dheere utara, taupe kapda kandhe se khisaka, blouse ke hooks peeth par ek-ek, uski saans unke ungliyon ke neeche, choli khuli, petticoat, aur kapda pairon ke kareeb gir gaya. Srivalli mangalsutra, tops, sindoor, choodiyon ke saath khadi rahi, peeli light, aur Rudra ne usko dekha, lamba saans, haath uski kamar par, “Palang par aaun? Lu?” “Haan, dheere, lijiye,” usne kaha, “pehle litaiye, phir andar, inch se.”

Unhone usko palang par liya, razaai ek taraf, pair dheere khule, apna lund uski geeli chut par ragaya, top tikaya, “Lu, rani? Ab bhi haan?” “Haan, dheere, lijiye,” aur inch-inch andar aaye, uski siski, “Aaaahhh, haan, thoda ruk kar, phir aaiye, mat rukiye…” Unki aankhon par, dhakke gehre, control, kabhi ruk kar uske boobs muh mein, kali ladiyon ko ek taraf, kabhi uske lafz, bhaari awaaz, “Yeh kursi tu meri palang se nikaal rahi hai, rani, aur main de raha hoon, kyunki tu le sakti hai, kyunki teri mutthi mein meri awaaz hai, aur kyunki tu neeche nahi baithi.” Usne unko kheencha, taangein kamar par, “Haan, le rahi hoon, ahhh, apni marzi se, aapki meherbani se nahi. Gehra, tez nahi, haan, wahan…”

Jab dard tez hua, usne kaha, “Dheere,” aur unhone turant dheere kiya, “Theek hai?” “Theek, ab aaiye, mat nikaliye, haan.” Phir gehra, palang ki karak, uski siski, unki bhaari saans, peeli light dono par. *Main unki palang par hoon, apni kursi ke agle naam ke liye, apni haan se, aur kal unki zabaan nikalegi, cameras ke saamne. Pushpa ji, aap haveli mein honge, yeh raat aapko nahi dikhegi, sirf woh taali dikhegi jo kal bajegi. Sharm hai, himmat hai, dono saath hain.*

Unhone ek pal ruk kar uska chehra dekha, dhakke dheeme, andar, “Tu sochti reh rahi hai, rani, main dekh raha hoon. Aaj tu palang par bhi file le kar aayi hai.” Usne saans li, “File meri saath hai, uncle, lekin aaj meri haan bhi saath hai, dono ko alag nahi kar rahi, dono ko chhupa bhi nahi rahi. Aaiye, mat rukiye, dheere, haan, aise…” Unhone aage badhe, gehra, uski siski, kali ladiyan unki chhati se, aur unki awaaz bhaari, “Kal main tera naam loonga, aaj tu mera lund le rahi hai, yeh hisaab tu ne khud rakha, main nahi.” “Khud rakha,” usne kaha, “ahh, isliye meri hai, meri marzi, wahan, haan.”

Unhone usko upar bitha diya, “Tu chala, meri rani, aaj teri maang hai.” Usne sir hilaaya, “Haan, aise, dheere,” aur khud uth-baithi, unka lund andar, apni kamar se dhakke, haath unke kandhon par, aankhein khuli, “Ahhh, haan, yahan, mat uthie, main le rahi hoon, apni kursi, apni haan…” Jab dono kaanpe, usne kaha, “Andar, dijiye, meri haan,” aur unhone andar chhod diya, kaan ke kareeb, “Kal meri zabaan nikalegi. Tu jeet, meri rani, meri party ki agli kursi. Itna meri baat, teri mutthi, dono ka hisaab.”

Woh uske bagal mein leti rahi, saans bhaari, mangalsutra unki chhati se, aur usne kaha, awaaz thaki, saaf, “Kal, uncle, cameras ke saamne, agla chehra, meri naam, aapki barkat. Yeh pakki ho to main ghar jaaungi, aapki kothi ki roshni peeche chhod kar.” Unhone uske bagal mein haath rakh kar, pet par, dheeme kaha, “Paani le, rani, phir uth. Main tujhe nahi rokunga.” Usne paani liya, thanda, do ghoont, chadar seene par, aur unki aankhon mein dekha, “Kal, uncle, koi palat nahi, koi ‘sochunga’ nahi, zabaan nikalni chahiye.” “Nikalegi,” unhone kaha, uske baal se haath pherte hue, “tu kapde pehen, ja, apne mard ke bagal so. Kal subah hall mein mil, main bolunga, tu muskurana, zyada mat bolna, lafz mere nikalenge, teri file ki mohar lag jaayegi. Yeh meri umr ka ek faisla hai, main isko halka nahi loonga, tu bhi mat lena.” “Halka nahi loongi,” usne kaha, “main jeet kar loongi, chheen kar nahi.”

Kapde pehante hue usne taupe pallu khud kasa, hooks unhone peeth par lagaye, sindoor ungli se theek, aur sheeshe mein ek thaki, simple rani dekhi, minister wali soorat, dulhan nahi. Rudra darwaze tak aaye, “Ja, rani. Kal meri zabaan, teri kursi. Teri mutthi main maan gaya, yeh baat doosri baar pakki.” “Shukriya, uncle,” usne kaha, hisaab jaisa, jhukao nahi, aur nikal gayi, pallu god mein, raat thandi.

Gaadi mein usne Pushpa ji ko message kiya, “Nikal gayi, baat ho gayi, kal party mein ek bari khabar ho sakti hai, main aa rahi hoon.” Reply, “Theek, rani, main hoon.” Driver chup tha, raste par lights window par daudti, taupe pallu god mein, aur usne sheeshe mein sindoor check kiya, tops, aankhein thaki, lekin saaf. Ek chauraha aaya, posters, uska chehra, “minister” ka naya lafz kabhi-kabhi neeche likha, aur usne nazar nahi hatayi. *Kal unki zabaan nikalegi, meri file kaam aayegi, aur yeh sheher meri taraf dekhega. CM door nahi, aur jo keemat thi, woh meri chuni hui thi. Aaj raat meri haan thi, kal unki zabaan hogi, dono meri file mein band honge, is gaadi ke sheeshe ke peeche, aapki neend ke peeche, Pushpa ji.* Usne haath se pallu kasa, saans li, lambi, jaise koi paani se nikal kar kinare aaye, aur driver se kaha, “Haveli, seedha.”

Haveli par Pushpa ji verandah par jagte the, beedi ki aakhri kash, aur unhone poocha, nazar taupe saree par, “Uncle se baat kaisi rahi? Itni der, sab theek hai?” “Achhi rahi, Pushpa ji,” usne muskurakar kaha, unke kareeb jaa kar, “kal aap saath chaliye, party ke hall, ek khabar hai, meri peeth par, aapki rani ki. Aaj zyada nahi poochie, kal aap khud sunenge, proud feel karenge. Main thak gayi hoon.” Unhone uska haath pakada, maathe par kiss, “Main chalunga, tu jeet, main tere peeche. Chalo, khao, maa ne rakha hai, phir so ja.” Usne thodi roti khayi, maa ji ke saath do lafz, “Kal subah jaldi nikalna hai, maa ji.” “Nikal, beti, tilak laga ke jaungi.”

Palang par unka haath uski kamar par aaya, taupe saree utar kar, nighty, mangalsutra, aur usne unke bagal mein let kar aankhein ek pal khuli rakhi, pankha, unki saans, ceiling. *Kal meri taraf kursi uthne wali hai, aaj main aapke bagal mein hoon, dono sach, dono meri chhati mein. Uncle ki zabaan nikalegi, meri mutthi kaam aayegi, aur aap tali bajaoge, is farq ke saath ki aaj ki palang aapko nahi dikhi.* Unhone neend mein uska naam liya, “Rani,” aur usne unke haath ko apni kamar par dabaya, “Haan, Pushpa ji, so jaaiye, kal badi subah hai, aaj meri saans aapke bagal kaafi hai.” Unhone sirf uski kamar kas li, beedi ki khushboo ab halki, aur unki saans dheere seedhi hone lagi. Srivalli ne unki chhati par haath rakha, aankhein band ki, aur honth par koi badi muskaan nahi thi, sirf woh thaki, kadi si line, jo kal hall mein muskaan banne wali thi.

Subah haveli mein maa ji ne tilak lagaya, chandan, aanchal, “Aaj badi baat hai, beti, muh dekh ke ja, zyada mat bol, muskurana, ghar ka naam rakhna.” Pushpa ji saaf kurta mein the, joote, aankhon mein ek teesri baat, na goli, na beedi, sirf intezaar, “Rani, jo bhi ho, main tere bagal mein hoon. Uncle kya nikalenge, yeh tu jaanti hai, main nahi, lekin main chalunga.” Srivalli ne taupe saree wapas pehni, pallu tight, chhote jhumke, sindoor saaf, simple, jaise koi minister meeting jaaye, dulhan nahi, sheeshe mein apni soorat dekhi, maang ki rekha, mangalsutra, aur kaha, “Aap saath chaliye, Pushpa ji, aaj meri peeth par aapki nazar chahiye, meri file ke peeche nahi, mere bagal. Jo nikalega, woh meri peeth par hai, aapki rani ki, aap proud feel karenge.” Unhone uska haath pakada, “Bagal mein hoon, proud pehle se hoon, baaki hall mein dekhunga.” Gaadi nikal gayi, aangan peeche, maa ji darwaze par khadi, aur raste par sheher jaag raha tha, jaise koi khabar pehle se uth chuki ho. Pushpa ji khidki se bahar dekh rahe the, phir uski taraf, “Rani, tu kaamp to nahi rahi?” “Nahi, Pushpa ji,” usne kaha, pallu god mein, “awaaz meri nahi nikalni, unki nikalni hai, main sunungi, muskuraungi, aap mere bagal rahiye, itna kaafi hai.” Unhone uska haath pakada, garam, bhari, “Bagal mein hoon, tu seedhi rahiye, baaki main dekh loonga.” *Main seedhi rahungi, yeh maine har stage par kaha, har palang par kaha, aaj hall mein bhi kahungi, is farq ke saath ki aaj meri file meri zabaan se nahi, unki zabaan se bajegi, aur yeh bajna meri jeet hogi, aapki taali hogi, unki mohar hogi, teenon ek hall mein, ek pallu ke neeche, ek mangalsutra ke saath, ek sindoor ki saaf rekha ke saath, jo main nahi chhodungi, aaj bhi, kal bhi, kursi par bhi, is gaadi mein bhi, aapke haath ke neeche bhi, meri saaf maang mein bhi, bilkul theek hai.*

Subah party ke ek hall mein, flags, cameras, log, Rudra stage par, Venkat, Gopal kinare, Jolly peeche, Pushpa ji Srivalli ke bagal, kali shirt nahi, saaf kurta, aankhon mein proud, aur Srivalli taupe pallu theek, chhote jhumke, sindoor saaf, muskaan naram, andar dil tez. Rudra ne mic pakada aur kaha, seedha, bina ghumaye, “Yeh party apna agla chehra pehchanti hai. Srivalli Pushpa Raj, meri barkat, janata ki rani, is riyasat ka agla kadam. Jab time aayega, kursi unke naam ki taraf jaayegi. Yeh meri zabaan hai, party ki zabaan hai.”

Taaliyan uthin, cameras chamke, Pushpa ji khade ho kar tali baja rahe the, aankhon mein paani, aur Srivalli unke bagal mein, muskurahat naram, andar ek jeet itni badi ki uski saans ek pal ruki. Jolly ne door se sir hilaaya, Venkat ne glass nahi, taali, Gopal muskuraye, aur mic jab uske kareeb aaya to usne sirf itna kaha, “Shukriya, Rudra ji, shukriya party, shukriya janata. Main is bharose par khadi hoon, is kaam par khadi rahungi.” *Aapki zabaan nikal gayi, meri file kaam aa gayi, aur ab yeh sheher meri taraf dekh raha hai. CM door nahi, aur jo keemat thi, woh meri chuni hui thi. Pushpa ji, aap tali baja rahe ho, aur meri chhati mein woh raat bhi hai, yeh taali bhi, dono meri hain. Ticket se shuru hua tha, jeet aayi, darwaza khula, aur aaj naam uth gaya, cameras ke saamne, meri mutthi se, unki zabaan se. Main muskurati rahungi, zyada nahi boloongi, jaise unhone kaha, lekin andar main jaanti hoon yeh lafz sirf barkat nahi, meri file ki mohar hain.* Taaliyan jab dheemi padi, usne pallu theek kiya, Pushpa ji ki taraf ek pal dekha, unki nam aankhein, aur apni aankh nahi ponchhi, sirf muskurayi, naram, seedhi, rani jaisi, CM banne wali jaisi, pativrata jaisi, teenon ek saath, teenon uske pallu ke neeche.

Hall ke bahar bheed thi, log taali baja rahe the, kuch chilla rahe the, “Srivalli zindabad,” kuch “Pushpa Raj,” aur usne haath jod kar nazar ghumayi, pallu hawa se bachate hue, muskaan naram, sindoor saaf. Ek reporter ne mic badhaya, “Ma’am, aap kab kursi lenge?” Usne kaha, “Jab time aayega, party ka time, janata ka time, main kaam karti rahungi, date nahi bechungi.” Jolly ne peeche se rasta saaf kiya, “Bhabhi, gaadi, ab kaafi hai.” Rudra door se nazar mile, ek pal, sir hilaaya, jaise mohar lag gayi, aur woh nazar usne wapas di, bina jhuke.

Hall se nikalte hue Pushpa ji ne uska haath pakada, cameras ke thode peeche, “Meri rani, meri CM banne wali, main proud hoon, tu bol, main tere peeche hoon.” Usne unka haath kasa, “Aap mere peeche rahiye, Pushpa ji, aage meri awaaz hogi, aaj bhi, kal bhi. Yeh ghar mera hai, yeh kursi meri file hai, dono sambhalungi.”

Shaam ko haveli mein meetha tha, log the, phone bajte rahe, maa ji ne laddoo diye, Raka aur Munna aangan mein muskuraye, aur Jolly thodi der ke liye aaye, “Bhabhi, baap ji ne nibhaya, tu jeet gayi, main kinare raha, yeh meri khushi hai.” Usne kaha, “Shukriya, Jolly, aap backbone rahiye, kal bhi, aage bhi.” Unhone sir hilaaya, nikal gaye, malik nahi. Maa ji ne uske sar par haath phera, “Beti, aaj teri duniya badi hui, ghar ka diya jalata rakhna, muh nahi morna.” “Jalaati rahungi, maa ji, muh nahi morungi.” Jab log nikal gaye, Srivalli ne taupe saree utar kar nighty pehni, mangalsutra andar, palang par unke bagal let gayi. Pushpa ji ne kaha, “Meri rani, meri CM banne wali, so ja, kal teri duniya aur badi hogi, aaj meri bahon kaafi hain.” Usne unki chhati par haath rakha, aankhein ek pal khuli, ceiling, pankha, aur socha, *Aaj unki zabaan nikal gayi, meri mutthi kaam aa gayi, aur yeh palang wahi hai, wahi haath, wahi mangalsutra. Time aayega, kursi aayegi, lekin aaj raat main aapke bagal mein hoon, Pushpa ji, is jeet ke saath, us keemat ke saath jo aapko nahi dikhi.* Phone ke kinare ek message tha, Dave ka, short, “I hear a successor has a name now. The water is still quiet. Call if the throne needs a ship, not a sermon.” Usne screen dekhi, Pushpa ji ki saans kareeb, aur reply nahi kiya turant, sirf lock kiya, jaise kai baar kiya tha, soch kar, jaldi mein nahi. Prakash ka bhi aaya, “Mubarak, rani ji. File jaari rahegi.” Usne short shukriya bheja, phone neeche rakha. Neend der se aayi, lekin aayi, honth par ek thaki, kadi si line, jo ab kursi ke aur kareeb thi, jo ab hall ki taali ke baad bhi nahi miti, sirf naram padi. *Jahaaz shaant hai, zabaan nikal gayi, palang peeche chhoot gaya, aur meri haan ab meri kursi ke kareeb so rahi hai, aapke haath ke neeche, Pushpa ji, is farq ke saath ki aapko meri keemat ka poora chehra nahi dikha.*