Adultery Do Dil Ke Darmiyaan

[ranjanbaag]

Jo Roshni Ban Gayi Nalanda Society Ke Liye
—

Nalanda Society ka corridor roz subah shaant rehta hai.


Lekin aaj bhi, jab meri maa Saroj ka darwaza khulta hai, toh lagta hai jaise subah ki roshni andar se bahar aa gayi ho. Wo bina kuch kahe hi, poori society ka mood badal deti hai. Main, Rahul, apni chai ki cup lekar balcony mein khada hoon aur dekhta hoon—kaise wo apni geeli choti si towel se chehra pochhte hue kitchen ki taraf jati hai. Uski aankhon ke neeche thode se halke saaye hain. Raat bhar diary likhne ki aadat ab bhi nahi gayi.


"Maa, Ajay uncle ke liye phir se khichdi bana rahi ho?" Main puchta hoon, jaan-bujhkar.


Wo muskuraati hai, lekin aankhon mein ek thakan chhupi hai. "Haan beta, bechare akela hai. Sumitra aunty ke jaane ke baad se khaana bhi thik se nahi kha raha."


Maine dekha hai—Ajay uncle ka darwaza band rehta hai, unki khansi ki awaaz kabhi-kabhi corridor tak aati hai. Par aaj subah, jab main newspaper lene gaya tha, toh unhone mujhe rok liya. "Rahul beta... tumhari maa se kehna, aaj main khud bana lunga. Log baatein kar rahe hain."


Maa ko maine ye baat batayi toh uske haath ruk gaye. "Kaunsi baatein?"


"Pata nahi... lekin Shobha aunty ne kaha ki aap roz jaati hain."


Maa ne chammach thali par patak di. "Toh? Main unke liye khana bana kar bhej doon? Koi aur le jaaye?"


"Nahi maa... bas..." Main chup ho gaya. Uski aankhon mein ek aag si thi—shayad gusse ki, shayad darr ki.


Wo chupchap khichdi pakane lagi. Main jaanta hoon uske mann mein kya chal raha hai—log kya kahenge? 38 saal ki ek akeli maa, 60 saal ke recently widowed neighbor ke ghar jaati hai... society ke mooh mein yeh toh aag lagane ke liye kaafi hai.


Phir bhi, shaam ko wo khichdi ki plate lekar Ajay uncle ke darwaze par khadi thi.


Darwaza dheere se khula. Ajay uncle ka chehra udaas tha, lekin maa ko dekhkar thoda sa halka hua. "Saroj ji... maine kaha tha na, aap takleef na karein."


Maa ne hansne ki koshish ki. "Koi takleef nahi hai. Aapke liye thoda sa mirch kam rakha hai... doctor ne mana kiya tha na?"


Unhone plate li, lekin ek pal ke liye unki ungliyan maa ke haathon se takra gayi. Dono ne apne haath jhatak liye. Maa ne jaldi se pallu sahara, aur Ajay uncle ne aankhen jhuka li.


"Aaj... aap andar baith kar kha lijiye. Main thodi der baad plate le aungi," maa ne kaha.


Wo andar chale gaye. Maa ne mujhe balcony se dekh liya. Main jaldi se peeche hat gaya.


Raat ko jab maa so gayi, maine uski diary kholi.


"Aaj phir logon ki nazar mein sharam mehsoos hui. Kya main galat kar rahi hoon? Par jab wo khana khaate hain, unki aankhon mein ek shukriya hota hai... jaise main koi kami poori kar rahi hoon. Sumitra ji ka haath tha us plate par, ya mera? Pata nahi... lekin aaj unhone mera haath pakadne ki koshish ki thi. Main hatt gayi. Kyun? Kyunki main darr gayi? Ya kyunki... main chahti thi ki wo pakad lein?"


Maine diary band ki. Maa ke haathon mein woh khichdi thi... lekin uske dil mein kya tha?


Subah mujhe pata chala—maa ne Ajay uncle ke liye ek nayi si chai shuru ki hai. Elaichi wali. Wo kehti hai doctor ne suggest kiya hai.


Lekin maine dekha—wo khud bazaar se elaichi laayi thi.


Warning -  This is CUCKOLD-SON Story.