Tiranga lehra raha tha. Rashtriya-gaan
ko suro me dhaalne ki koshish ki ja rahi thi. Gaan khatm hua. Sab apni apni
jagah baith gaye. Principal sir ka bhaashan shuru hua. Lekin ant kahin nazar
nahi aa raha tha. Bachche baithe baithe oongh rahe the,kuch ek teacher bhi. Dheeraj
ki aankh khuli.
“Hume apna mulyankan karne ki
awashayakta hai” maalum padta tha ki aaj sirf principal sir ki hi azadi ka din
tha.
Dheeraj ne idhar-udhar dekha ki kahin
kisi ne jhapki lete dekh toh nahi liya. Anmol sir ko brabar apni hi ore dekhta paya.
Dheeraj ne nazrein chura li. Fir chor nazron se dobara confirm karne ke liye unki
taraf dekha. Haan wo use hi dekh rahe the. Unhone dheeraj ko wahin se khade
uthne ka ishara kiya. Dheeraj darr gya. Chehare ke 12 bajj gaye. Usse khada
nahi hua gya. Agle hi pal usne dekha ki Anmol sir uski tarf bade aa rahe hain.
Usne principal sir ke bhaashan ko sunne ki koshish ki. Sunaai de raha tha magar
samjh kuch nahi aaya. Anmol sir kareeb pahunch gaye. Iss baar ke ishare se
dheeraj ko majburan uthna hi pada. School ke sabse khatrnak teacher mane jate
the Anmol sir. Bachcho ne unka naam haiwan rakha tha. Dheeraj ko zara si bhi reham ki ummeed nahi
thi. Lekin ek teacher ko pta hota hai ki kabki kasar kab nikaalni hai.
“Jakar paani pi le” apni chir-parichit
khushk awaz me unhone kaha.
Dheeraj raffu-chakkar. Nind toh
waise bhi bhaag chuki thi. Khanapurti bhar ke liye chehare pr chheente mare.
Paani piya. Jee bhar kr angdaaiyan-ubaasiyan li. Wapis apni jagah pr jana tha. Tabhi
uski nazar zameen pr pade ek jhumke pr padi. kareeb jakr dekha. Jhumka Behadd khubsurat
tha. Use tab tak sone ki pehchan nahi
thi lekin use dekhte hi maalum padta tha ki ye sona hi hai. Gol taar pr tiki ek
latkan, jis pr sone ki hi kuchh nazuk pattiyan jadi hui thi. Aise maalum padta
tha jaise kisi jami hui barf ki nok se kuch boondein tapak rahi ho. Usne jhumka
uthaya aur uss pr hath ferne laga. Sone ki chamak uski aankhon me ghar kar
gayi. Use jhumka itna sundar laga ki ise lautaane ka khayal badsurat lagne laga
tha. Usne jhumke ko jeb me daalne se pehale idhar-udhar dekha. Khuda ko toh
khair kya shaamil karna lekin kisi insan ne use aisa karte nahi dekha tha.
Jitni jaldi ho sake wo apni jagah pr aakar baith gaya. Usne Anmol sir ko dekha
jo ki uski taraf hi nazar dale the. Nahi! Unhone nahi dekha! Dheeraj ne khud se
kaha.Uske baad jitni baar bhi wo Anmol sir ki taraf muda use laga ki wo usi ki
taraf nazar gadaaye hue hain. Darr ka ehsas dheere dheere ubharne laga.Shareer
shayad kaamp raha tha. Fir use laga jaise ye uska wahem ho, halchal toh mann ke
andar thi. Usne aankhein band kar li. Mann ki uthal-puthal tasveerein aankhon ke samne ubharne lagi. Laga
jaise baahar sare use hi dekh rahe ho.
Laga jaise Kisi shuturmurg ki tarah wo apna sir reath me gadaye baitha ho aur
chhupne ki bharsak magar bekar koshish kr raha ho. Ekaa-ek usne aankhein khol
di. Idhar-udhar dekha.kisi ki bhi nazar uss pr nahi thi. Aur jiski nazar thi wo
bhi shayad isiliye kyunki wo khud unki taraf dekh raha tha. Usne jeb ke baahar
se hi tatol kar dekha. Jhumka abhi bhi andar maujood tha. Iss baar ubharne wali
tasveer Jhumke ki thi. Bas fir kya tha? Pakka irada kar liya ki ab chahe jo ho
jaye ye jhumka uske sath hi jayega.
Irada toh kar liya lekin ek ek pal
kaatna mushkil ho gya tha. Iss firaaq me tha ki kab school function khatam ho
kab jaan chhoote. Dheeraj ko pta tha ki jo wo karne ja rha hai wo sarasar galat
hai, paap hai lekin ye paap uss keemat ke badle use manzur tha jo iss jhumke ke
badle milti.
Dheeraj ghar pahuncha. Jhumka abhi
bhi jeb me hi tha. Kamre ko andar se band karke darwaze ke sath hi peeth tika
kar khada ho gya. Jeb me hath daal ke pure ehtiyat se jhumka baahar nikaala.
Kitna khubsurat tha wo jhumka.
“kya keemat hogi iski?” shaam ko
mandir ke piche wale maidan me baith kar usne apne doston se pucha.
Raju aur Hemant Dheeraj ke pakke
dost the. Teeno school me bhi sath padte the.
Ek nazar jhumke ko dekh kar wo dono Dheeraj ko ghurne lage.
“ kiska hai?” Raju ne shak bhari
nazron se dekh kar swal kiya.
“school me. Nalke ke paas pada tha.
Mujhe nahi pta kiska hai.” Dheeraj ne
jhumke ko chhanchhnate hue kaha.
“
toh sath kyu le aya?” Hemant ke lehze me laanat thi.
Dheeraj chid gya.
“ lawaris padi thi. Maine socha
isko bech ke hum scooter chala sakte hain. Socho kitna petrol ayega. 2-3 mahino
tak mauj hi mauj..” Dheeraj ko pta tha ki chot kahan karni hai.
Paas me hi retired postmaster ka
ghar tha. Unka khatara scooter yunhi pada rehta tha. Retirement ke baad Uncle
ka yahan wahan jana bhi kam hota tha. Teeno unki scooter kabhi maangkar toh
kabhi chupke se le jate. Aur der raat tak idhar udhar scooter daudaate
rehte.Lekin dikkat ye thi ki petrol khareedne ke paiso ka rona humesha shauk pr
bhaari pad jata tha.
Dheeraj ki daleelein lubhavani thi.
Aur akhirkar Raju aur Hemant ki jubaan par bhi fayde ki sunehari resho ne
lagaam baandh di. Unki nazar me ye dheeraj ke khaate ka paap tha.
Halanki dheeraj ka irada loha bann
chuka tha. Lekin aag ki koi tapish thi jo us lohe me brabar sendh daal rahi
thi.
Shaam dhalne ke sath sath na jane
kyun hausla bhi dhalne lga. Aaj sab kuch waisa nahi lag rha tha jaisa roz use
mehsus hota tha. Nadi ke kinare ne aaj nahi lubhaya. Logon se waise nahi mila
jaise roz mulakat hoti thi. Deewar-ghadi ko isse jyada pehale kabhi nahi ghura
tha. Maa se nazar nahi milaai gai, raat ko papa se baatein bhi nahi ki. Agar
inhe pta chal gya toh? Rooh kaamp uthi thi uski.
Raat bhar neend gaayab rahi. Aankein dukhne
lagi, sir chakrane laga, magar neend ne toh jaise aankhon se bagawat hi kar li
thi. Pakde jane ka Darr, scooter ka
laalach, mauj ke liye apni nazar me gir jane kaafsos. Na jane kitni tarah ke
khayalon se do-char hona pda. Antarmann se guttham- guttha hote hote uski subeh
ho gai.
School nahi ja paya Dheeraj. Maa se
kaha ki pet me dard hai. Fir ek baar ghar ki dehleez bhi laanghi bazaar jane ke
liye magar 10 kadam se jyada durr nahi ja paya. Kal wo khud ko chor nahi maan
raha tha lekin aaj khaufzada tha.Shaam ko Raju aur Hemant mile. Baaton baaton
me unhone jhumke ko bech kar milne wale paiso ko hath bhi lgaane se inkaar kar
diya. Aur toh aur aaj Dheeraj ki daleelein bhi kaam nahi aayi. Pta nahi wo dono
pakka irada karke aaye the ya aaj dheeraj ke hausle past the. Usne jyada
koshish bhi nahi ki. Ya yun kahein ki kar nahi paya.
Fir wahi raat ka silsila. Maa ko
yakeen aa gya tha ki dheeraj ki tabiyat sachmuch bahut kahrab hai. Dheeraj chupchap
aansu bahata raha. Aaj toh maa ko gale bhi nahi laga sakta tha. Chor kehlana
nahi chahta tha lekin pta tha ki ye chori hai.
Agle din maa ne school jane se
roka. Lekin Dheeraj chala aya. Ghar par kisi ko kuchh bhi batane ki himmat nahi
hui. Aaj apne sabse pakke doston pr bhi bharosa nahi ho pa raha tha.Raju aur
Hemant ko iss jhumke ke bare me pta hai, kahin unhone kisi ko bataya toh nahi
hoga! Ye sawal baar baar dimag ke kono se takra kar use aur jyada pagal kiye ja
raha tha.
School pahuncha toh praan sookh
gye. Aabha Mam ke jhumke ki gumshudi ka notice laga tha. Aaj nahi, pichhale kal
ka. Dheeraj ko samjhate der nahi lagi, Raju aur Hemant ke pichhe hatne ki
wajah. Wo sawal jo unki dosti ke bharose ka imtihan maang raha tha, jawab pane
laga tha. Notice Board ke samne jyada
der khada nahi raha gya usse. Haalaat ye the ki seedhi aankh notice board ko
bhi nahi dekh pa raha tha. Jab tak wo parchi wahan lagi thi, yun lagta tha mano
har koi bas chor-chor chilla raha ho. Do din ho chuke the. Kaise jata wo Aabha
Mam ke paas. Kya kehta? Agar mila toh kahan hai jhumka? Ghar pr kaise pahuncha? Kal toh ek aur din
jud jayega. Raju ya Hemant me se kisi ne
kahin kuch bol diya toh? Kya pta ab tak bol bhi diya ho. Waise wo inn pesh aane
wale haalaaton se anzaan nahi tha. Lekin use inki bhyaahwata ka andaza nahi
tha. Anmol sir ki pitaai ke khayal bhar se uske
paseene chhootne lage.Ab sab kuchh yaad aane laga tha. Aabha mam use kitna
pasand karti hain. Wo khud bhi Aabha mam ko bahut manta tha.Kitni badi galti ho
gai usse. Uska halak sookhne laga tha . Aaj school se tabiyat ka bahaana bnakar
ghar laut aya. Khana peena choot gya. Agle teen din school nahi ja paya.
Subeh utha toh kya dekha ki Aabha
mam aye hain. Dheeraj ki roolaai futne wali thi. Bas intzar me tha ki kab Aabha
Mam shikayat karein aur wo chupchap apni partein udhadta hua dekhta rahe. Koi
safai nahi, koi wajah-rasta nahi khud ko begunaah saabit karne ke liye. lekin
Mam ne kuch nahi kaha. Bas haal-chaal pucha aur chali gai. Unhe kuch nahi pta
tha. ‘Chor ki daadhi me tinka’, ye
kahawat dheeraj ne uss umar me charitarth hote dekhi jab chehare pr jawani ki
komplein bhi nahi footi thi. Isse pehale bhi Aabha Mam ayein hain jab kabhi
Dheeraj bimar pada hai. Lekin pehale ki tarah aaj usne acha bilkul bhi mehsus
nahi kia.
Ek hafta ho chala tha. Issi beech Raju
aur Hemant bhi ghar aye the. Dono ne yakeen dilaya ki wo kisi se kuchh nahi
kahenge. Iss ek hafte me jab koi halchal nahi hui toh Dheeraj ka yakeen bhi apne
doston pr lautne laga.
Dheeraj ne school jana shuru kar
diya. Koi halchal nahi. Logon ke liye baat aayi aur gayi ho gai. Lekin Dheeraj
ko waqt laga apni zindagi ko wapis patri pr lane me.
Dushehre ke din the. School ke
aangan me Ramleela ka manchan ho raha tha. Kaikayi kop-bhawan me ja baithi thi.
Raja Dashrath apne pyare Raam ke liye gidgida rahe the. Har saal Dheeraj ko
Kaikayi ki iss harkat pr bahut gussa ata tha lekin iss baar wo usse nafrat nahi
kar paya. Uske liye kaikayi ka ye gunah bardashat
se baahar tha lekin aaj wo use maaf kar raha tha. Jaise koi sathi dhundh raha ho ki koi use bhi
maaf karne wala ho. Lekin wo gunah jo kabhi samne aya hi nahi kaise maaf kiya ja sakta tha. Uski toh sirf
saza hi hoti hai. Aur uss saza ka naam hai – APRAADH BODH. Ye saza Dheeraj ko
todhe ja rahi thi.Taadka,Meghnaad, Ravan sabh ek ek karke mare. Aaj Dheeraj ko
inse sahanubhuti thi. Itne mahaan yug me paida hokar bhi inke karam inhe le
doobe. Dheeraj inme khud ko dekhne laga tha. Tabhi jaise uski chetna lauti. Use
laga ki agar yunhi chalta raha toh wo apne andar ke ek behtar insaan ko kho
dega. Wo iss kataar me shaamil nahi hona chahta tha. Ghar pahunch kar usne
sabse pehale Jhumke ko pichhale saal ki kitaabon ke dher se baahar
nikaala(yahan usne jhumka chhupa rakha tha). Raat bhar apni antaraatma ki
pairwi khud se ki.
Chhuttiyan thi ,Aabha Mam apne ghar
par hi milti. Isliye subeh hote hi Dheeraj unke ghar ke liye rawana ho gya.
Ghar jyada dur nahi tha. Raste me ek pul padta tha. Bas uss ek pul ko paar karne
me use aadha ghanta lag gya. Use khudko Aabha Mam ke swalon ke liye taiyar
karna tha. Idhar se udhar, udhar se idhar chehalkadami hoti rahi lekin samajh
nahi paya ki kya kahe wo mam se. Aur isse pehale ki uske iraade hawa ho jayein
usne pul paar karna hi theek samjha.
Doorbell bajaai. Jisne darwaza
khola Dheeraj use nahi pehchanta tha. Dheeraj ne Aabha Mam ke bare me puchha.
Mam kitchen me kuchh kaam kar rahi thi isiliye Dheeraj ko bhi wahin bula liya. Mam
ne aane ka kaaran pucha lekin Dheeraj talmatol hi karta raha. Idhar udhar ki
baatein bahut ki usne lekin asal baat tak aate aate use muddat lag gai.
Kishmish ka aakhiri dana bhi khatam ho gya lekin wo pehala lafz ab tak nahi
nikla jinke chalte wo yahan tak pahuncha tha. Mam ne use aur kishmish diye khane ko.
Unhe pata tha Dheeraj ko kishmish bahut pasand hain. Irada toh kar liya tha
lekin Mam ka ye apnapann khona nahi chahta tha Dheeraj. Use khud se ghinn aane
lagi thi. Ek hath jeb me hi pada tha. Aur uss hath me band ek amanat.
Dheeraj ne saans rok kar hath jeb
se baahar nikaala. Band mutthi khuli toh ek jhumka tha. Mam ne Jhumka hath me
liya aur fir Dheeraj ko hairani se dekha .
“ Chaaras!! ” itni kahani pad kar
Dheeraj jab meri taraf mudha toh sirf itna hi keh paya. Mujhe andaza ho gya tha
ki Dheeraj kahan pahuncha hai.
“
Uss din Mam ko Jhumka wapis nahi kar paya tha main.” Dheeraj ne mujhe
yaad dilate hue kaha.
“ yaad hai mujhe. Lekin mai soch
raha tha…..”
“ soch magar ye mat soch. Itne saal
baad bhi agar mai apni galti nahi maan saka toh toh kya fark reh jayega aaj me
aur tab me. ” Dheeraj ne meri baat beech me kaat te hue kaha.
“uss din mai chupchap wapis aa gya
tha Mam ke ghar se. Aaj agar ye baat yaad bhi aati hai toh mujhe muh chhupaane
ki jagah nahi milti. Sochta hu agar uss din wo jhumka wapis kar diya hota toh
aaj jarur ek behtar insaan hota. Chaaras agar Aabha Mam se tu mila hota toh shayad
mere Apradh-bodh ki gehraai ko samjh pata.” Dheeraj itna keh kar ruka. Mujhe
samjh nahi aya kya kahu toh maine sir hila diya.
“ Pul pr wapisi me ek ghanta lgaya maine. Nadi
me patthar fenkte fenkte jab preshan ho gya toh uthakar jhumka bhi paani me de
maara. Aur uske baad chah kar bhi Mam ke paas wapis nahi laut sakta tha. ” Dheeraj
ki aankhein garaj rahi thi.
“ Mai samajh sakta hun. Tu fikar
naa kar ye meri kahani nahi hai, teri zindagi hai. Jaise tu chahega waise hi
likhi jayegi.” Maine uski peeth thapthapa kar kaha.
“
Hmmmmm!”
Ek lambi khamoshi humare darmiyaan
chha gai. Uski aankhon me shayad purani tasveerin chal rahi thi.
“Mujhe kabhi kabhi lagta tha ki
unhe sab kuchh pta hai. Bas mujhe mauka de rahin thi ki mai samne aaun. Kubul
karu apni galti. Wo mujhe zaleel nahi karna chahti thi. Isliye intazar kar
rahin thi mere sach bolne ka. Kya wo mujhe maaf kar paai hongi?” Dheeraj ka ye sawal
mujhse jyada apne aap se tha.
“ Tu ab unse maafi kyu nahi maang
leta? Kuchh toh dil halka hoga.” Maine sawal bhi kiya aur salaah bhi di.
Deewar ke kone se Dheeraj ki nazar
hatne ka naam nahi le rahi thi. Itna khamosh use maine pehale kabhi nahi dekha
tha.
“ wo ab iss duniya me nahi hain.
Pichhale mahine accident hua unka aur….” Dheeraj ki awaz dabti chali gai.
Kamre me Sannata aur gehra ho
gya.
“ Tune…bataya….nahi… mujhe…pehale…”
meri awaz haklati chali gai.
Zindagi ke kitne hi mauko pr hum
lachar ho jate hain. Koi aisa modh bhi aata hai jiske aage koi rasta nahi hota.
Jab mai itna lachar mehsus kar raha tha toh Dheeraj ki takleef ka andaza toh sehaz
hi lag sakta hai. Apradh-bodh ki jis gehraai
ki baat Dheeraj kar raha tha, wo ab jakar mujhe mili thi. Mai toh sirf ek
kahani samjh kar use badal raha tha lekin ab jakar mujhe ehsas hua ki apradh toh mujhse ho chala tha. ye
mehaz ek kahani nahi thi, balki ek aisa dastavez thi jisne mujhe zindagi ka
aaina dikha diya. Kabhi kabhaar hum sachmuch bahut lachar ho jate hain.
Kafi der tak hum yunhi baithe rahe.
Dheeraj apne aap me hi kahin gum tha. Mai tab tak kahani ke aakhiri panne ke na
jane kitne tukde kar chuka tha.
Fir chuppi todhte hue Dheeraj ne hi kaha “chal
tujhe kishmish wale samose khilaata hun.”
Kehne ke sath hi wo kamre se baahar
nikal gya. Bina mere jawab ka intzar kiye. Use jane ki jaldi bilkul nahi thi.
Bas aankhon me aansuon ko aur thodi der thaamna mushkil ho gya tha.