#
‘Mai kal chali jaungi’
‘jane wale ko kaun rok saka hai.’ Ajay ne ek aur cigarette
jala li.
Aayushi ke chehare se saaf jhalak raha tha ki use Ajay ka ye
bartaav raas nahi aya.
Usne usey thappad jad diya.
Ajay ko thappad se utni takleef nahi hui jitni ki apni
cigarette ke gir jane se. Usne gaal sehlate hue zameen ke hawale hui cigreete
ki ore hath badhaya. Hairani ki baat ye thi ki Ajay abhi bhi muskura raha tha.
‘Mai kal chali jaungi. Aur fir sab khatam ho jayega.’ Issey
pehale ki ajay cigarette utha pata Aayushi ne cigarette masal di..
Ajay ki muskurahat afsos me tabdeel ho gayi. Usne jo thandi
aah bhari beshaq wo cigarette ke dardnak hashr ke liye thi.
‘iss bechari ki kya galti thi.’ Ajay ne mitti ke gale lagi
tuti-futi cigrete ki ore ishara karte hue kaha.
‘Meri kya galti thi Ajay? Maine kabhi nahi chaha mai pyar
karu. Tum khud laye mujhe apni zindagi mein. Kyun? Kyun kiya aisa mere sath?’
Aayushi ko pta tha ki Ajay ko pighlana uske bas ki baat nahi
hai, varna ye kaam uske aansu kabka kar chuke hote. Pathhardil tha Ajay. Lekin
wo pyar kar baithi thi iss patthar se. 3 saalon ki dosti kab pyar mein badal
gayi use pta bhi nahi chala. College ki mauj-masti, shararatein jane kab bemani
lagne lage usey kaano-kaan khabar nahi hui. Jaane kab Ajay ne har dost,har
rishte, har khushi ki shaql le li aur fir ek din usey ekdum akela bhi kar diya.
Ektarfa pyar behadd jaanleva hota hai, aaj jaan ja rahi thi toh ehsas hua
Aayushi ko.
‘Maine kabhi nahi kaha mujhse pyar karo. ’ kehate hue Ajay
ne ek aur cigarette jala li.
‘kaash ye bhi keh dete ki pyar mat karo.’ Aayushi ka gala
bhar aya tha.
Fir se koi jawab nahi diya Ajay ne. Humesha ki tarah Aayushi
ke sawalon se kinara karna chahata tha wo, Aayushi ko iski aadat thi. Chupchap
apna bag uthaya usne, uthkar jana chahati thi wo.
‘Apne hisse ka pyar kar chuka hun mai.’ Kuchh kadam hi dur
gai thi Aayushi jab Ajay ke ye lafz uske kaano mein pade.
‘itni samjhdar toh tum bhi ho ki aise insan se pyar na karo
jo kisi aur ka ho.’
Itni der se jo aansu Aayushi ki aankhon me simtey the , ek
ke baad ek gaalon par failne lage.
‘kaun hai wo?’ bag bahut bhari tha shayad, ya yunhi jhuk
gaye the Aayushi ke nazuk kandhe.
‘Maaf kar do mujhe.’ Ajay ne ek baar bhi hath nahi badhaya usey
sahara dene ke liye.
‘Jawab do. Kaun hai wo?’ Usey abhi bhi ummeed thi ki shayad
Ajay keh de ki ye sab jhuth hai. Humesha ki tarah aaj bhi wo koi mazak kar raha
ho uske sath. Lekin nahi! Aaj Aayushi ki kismat me dil tutna likha tha.
‘Anamika!’ Ajay ne cigarette bujha di aur koshish ki
muskurane ki. Lekin Aayushi ko laga jaise wo hans raha ho uss par. Mazak udha
raha ho ki kya paagal ladki hai, dosti ko pyar samjh baithi.
Theek kehti thi Rachna aur shikha, bahut matlabi tha Ajay .
Jab tak zarurat ho tab tak ki dosti hai uski. Ajay ke dost tak bhi keh chuke the
usey Ajay ka khayal chhodne ke liye. Lekin wo hi nasamjh thi jo uske liye sab
se lad padi thi. Kitni hi baar zaleel ho chuki thi wo uske hathon. Uski
batmeeziyan naa jane kitni baar maaf kar chuki thi. Lekin aaj shayad maaf kar
pana uske bas ki baat nahi thi. Yun toh bahut kuchh kehna tha alvida se pehale.
Magar kaha use jata hai jise bichhhadne ka gam ho.
#
Aayushi lagbhag 4 saal baad iss shehar wapis laut rahi thi. Samne ek chunauti thi kuchh kadwi yaadon ka
samna karne ki. Ajay toh kya kisi jaan-pehchan wale tak se nahi milna chahti
thi wo. Lekin use ehsas tha ki samna toh jarur hoga Ajay se, kyunki shidaat se
chahi gayi cheez mile na mile, naa chahi gayi zarur milti hai.
Din bhar hotel me hi baithi rahi. Darr tha wahi, jo kadam
aage karne se rok raha tha,ki kisi gali-raste me koi purani yaad na takra jaye.
Shaam gehrane lagi, suraj aasmaan chhodkar jaane laga. Bas ek yahi mauka tha
jab wo khud ko rok nahi paai. Use pta tha shehar ke kis kone se dhalta suraj
sabse behtareen dikhta hai. Ek baar jab kadam badhe toh fir khinchi chali gayi
uss ore.
Thak!Thak!Thak!
Darwaza khula. Samne thi Rachna.
Rachna ki khushi ka thikana nahi raha. Apni azeez dost ko
achanak apne ghar paakar.
Dono chhat par baithkar purane kisse yaad kar rahe the.Aur
baat-baat par dono isi nateeje par pahunchte ki sab kuchh badal gaya lekin aaj
bhi suraj yahan se utna hi khubsurat dhalta hai jitna ki unn dino dhalta tha.
‘akeli aayi hai naveen bhi’ Rachna ne Aayushi ki se sawal
kiya
‘unhi ke sath toh
aayi hun. Shehar ki Heritege sites ka survey karna tha unhe. 2 hafton ka tour
tha toh mujhe bhi sath le aaye. Mera mann nahi tha, bilkul bhi nahi. Lekin dil
nahi dukhana chahti thi unka.’
Rachna ko bura laga jab Aayushi ne kaha ‘mera mann nahi
tha,bilkul bhi nahi’, joki Aayushi ne bhaanp liya.
Baat sambhaalte hue wo boli ,‘lekin mai keh sakti hun ki
mujhse bada bewkoof koi nahi hota agar aaj shaam ka sunset miss kar deti toh.’
Badale mein Aayushi ko mili ek muskurahat.
‘uncle aunty kaise hain? Maayke wale uncle aunty.’ Rachna ko
yaad aya ab do taraf maa-baap hain Aayushi ke.
‘Mere bare me puchhte hain ki nahi? uncle ne toh tere aur
Naveen ki shaadi me khud mantra pade honge! Kyu hai na! Mujhe yaad hai jab unse
aakhiri baar baat hui thi. Unhone mujhe teri shaadi me bulaya tha. Maine
saaf-saaf keh diya- Dekhiye pandit ji! Jab tak aapki beti nahi bulayegi mai
nahi aane wali. Lekin tune nahi bulaya.’
Udaasi fail gai uske chehare par.
Koi jawab nahi tha Aayushi ke paas. Sivaaye khamoshi ke. Halanki
Rachna naraz thi iss baat par ki usne use apni shaadi me nahi bulaya. Lekin
Rachna ko samjhte der nahi lagi ki wo ek aisi shaadi thi jisme Aayushi khud bhi
nahi jana chahti thi.
‘Naveen ko bhi le aati. Aise nazare se use mehroom rakhna
sahi faisla nahi hai.’ khamoshi ko todne ki pehal Rachna ne ki.
Ajeeb haalaat the. Har wo baat jo mahaul ko thik karne ke
kiye kahi ja rahi thi, mahaul ko aur aur jyada gamgeen kiye de rahe the.
Bura lagne ki bari
iss baar Aayushi ki thi. Wo kaise uss jagah apne pti ko ko le aati jahan usne
ghanton Ajay ke sath saajha kiye the. Iss pal use laga usne galti kar di wapis
lautkar. Itna aasaan nahi hota yaadon se pichha chhudana. Ajay ke beintaha
khayal, sainkado yaadein usey kachotne lage. Ek hi pal me kitni kamzor ho gayi
thi wo.
‘Ajay kaisa hai?’
Rachna ko yakeen tha ki Aayushi ye sawal zarur puchhegi
lekin hairani iss baat thi ki itni der kyun laga di usne.
‘Theek hai.’
Aayushi ne nazar utha kar Rachna ki taraf dekha. Chehara
saaf bata raha tha ki sirf itna sa jawab kafi nahi tha, use toh jaise in 4
saalon ka bayaura chahiye tha.
‘ aur Anamika kaisi hai, shaadi ki uhone?’ apni sari
takleefein chhupa gayi wo.
‘tujhe toh pta hai uska. Kabhi yahan kabhi wahan.’
Rachna ki baat chubhi usey.Wo aaj bhi Ajay ke bare me kuch
nahi sun sakti thi.lekin sach hi toh tha.
#
Wapisi me Rohan(Rachna ka bhaai) Aayushi ko hotel tak Drop
karne gaya.
‘rasmalaai khayegi?’ raste me usne puchha.
Aayushi ne naa me sir hila diya.
‘aise nahi chalega munna, yaad hai college me kaise
chheen-chheen kar khati thi.’
College!!
Yaad aaya usey, kaise ek baar Ajay ne uski rasmalaai me dher
sara namak mila diya tha aur saza mein use hi puri rasmalaai khaani padi thi. Tab
Aayushi ne Ajay ki plate se rasmalaai khai thi.
Kya din the na wo! Jab pyar hua tha. Apni rasmalaai bhi
shayad use itni meethi na lagti jitni Ajay ki joothan lagi thi…….
Jhar-jhar uske aansu behne lage. 4 saal ho gaye lekin jaise
kuchh bhi naa badla ho. Aaj bhi wahin khadi thi wo.
‘kya hua?’ Rohan ne car rok di. Fatafat pani ki bottle
nikaal kar use di.
‘kya ho gaya? Itna emotional kar diya kya maine’ hanste hue
usne Aayushi ke sir par ek thapki di.
‘tu sahi kehta tha. Ajay kabhi nahi samjhega. Mai hi paagal
thi jo tujhse, Rachna se aur naa jane kis kis se ladh padi thi.’ Sailaab beh
rah raha tha. Aankhon se bhi aur lafzon se bhi.
‘Tera sabse acha dost tha na wo! Fir bhi tu meri wajah se
uske khilaaf tha. Aur mujhe toh shayad usne apna dost bhi nahi mana kabhi.’
Rohan ka chehara utar aaya. Waqt beetne me mashgool hai
lekin sath kisi ko nahi le ja raha. Wahin ke wahin the aaj bhi haalaat. Koi
kaise itni ehmiyat rakh sakta hai kisi ki zindagi me?
Jawab maalum tha Rohan ko.
‘Bura nahi tha wo! Usey pta tha ki tu ussey pyar karne lagi
hai. isliye usne tujhe apna dost maan-na chhod diya.’
Aayushi hairani se Rohan ki ore dekhne lagi kyunki arsey
baat usne kuchh aisa suna tha jo uske liye nya tha. Uski baatei zahir kar rahi
thi ki kuchh aur bhi hai jo abhi kaha jana baki tha.
‘uss din karwa-chauth tha. Tune vrat rakha tha- uske liye,
maine bataya use. Usne kaha- ye galat hai. Usey aisa nahi karna chahiye. Bahut
baad me samjha mai ki wo tujhe nahi khud ko galat ke raha tha.’
‘mai samjhi nahi.’
‘mai bhi nahi samjha tha. Lekin usne mujhe kaha tujhe
samjhaane ko. Isliye jaisa usne bataya maine waisa hi kaha tujhse.’
‘kya matlab?’ Aayushi ki samjh abhi bhi kai sare sawalo ke
ird-gird mandra rahi thi.
‘ Aur yaad hai tujhe? Teacher’s day ke function mein usne ek
joke me tujhe buffalo kaha tha. Kitna rude tha wo. Tere birthday ke din use
Neha ke sath Date par jana jyada zaruri laga tha.hun! ’ ek gehari saans li usne”ek feeki si hansi ke sath.
Aayushi but banker sun rahi thi use.
‘Wo sab hum nahi samjhe the. Bas bura banaate chale gaye
usey.kyunki yahi chahta tha wo.’
‘lekin kyu?’ aur paheliyan Aaushi ki samjh se baahar thi.
‘kyunki pyar karti thi tu usse………………. Aur wo tujhse.’
Yakeen krna mushkil ho jata hai ki kya sach hai kya jhuth.
Khaskar jab ek hi insaan contradict kare. Pehale jo kaha tha wo sach tha ya jo
ab Rohan keh raha tha wo sach hai. Samjhna mushkil tha lekin jab koi tut gya
ho, haar gya ho, usey bhale hi yakeen ho ki jise wo behadd chahta hai usey uski
zara bhi parwah nahi, aur issi beech koi,mazak me hi sahi, ye keh de ki ye pyar
ektarfa nahi, uss tarf bhi kuch hai toh ek sukun utr ata hai rooh me. Har khoi
ummed fir se jagmagaane lagti hai. lekin
Aayushi aaj jis modh par thi wahan khush kaise hua ja sakta tha, ummed kaise
paali ja sakti thi.
‘toh fir kyu aisa bartaav kiya usne mujhse? Kyu?’ Aayushi
bhul chuki thi ki wo shadishuda hai,koi bhi jawab ab maayne nahi rakhta uske
liye. Lekin badhawaasi itni thi ki sab kuch bhula baithi thi wo.
‘ye uska tareeka tha tujhe bataane ka ki tum kabhi sath nahi
ho sakte.’
Sawal dohrate-dohrate tang aa chuki thi wo lekin koi aisa
jawab use nahi mil paa raha tha jo sara dhundhlapann saaf kar de.
‘tu apne maa-baap ki eklauti aaulad hai. Unke khilaaf kabhi
nahi jati. Nahi! shayad chali jati! Isliye Ajay ne wo naubat hi nahi aane di.’
‘kyaa? Lekin…. Usne kaise har faisla le liya? Maa-baap kahan
se le aya wo? Mujhse baat tak nahi ki aur sab kuchh khud hi tay kar liya!! Kya
hai ye sab?’
‘Pyar jaat-paat nahi dekhta Aayushi lekin samaaj dekhta hai.’
‘kya??? Jaat-paat….. Matlab….. Ajay……………’
‘Haan! Tujhe doraahe mein nahi daalna chahta tha wo. Isliye use
pehale hi rasta puri tarah band kar diya. ’
Aankhein band kar li Aayushi ne. Kuchh baki nahi reh gya tha
kehne sunne ke liye.
#
‘Anamika!’ Ajay ka wo aakhiri lafz uske kaano mein goonj
raha tha.
Matlb aaj samjh aya usey.
Anamika- jiska koi naam nahi hota.
Ajay kin haalaaton se guzra hoga, soch soch kar sir fatt
raha tha uska. Itni imaandaari Aayushi me bhi thi ye maanne ki,ki aaj samaaj
bhale hi jitna bhi dawa thok le khud ko sabhya kehne ka lekin aaj bhi unhi
zehareeli parmparaon, aur sadhi hui soch ko seene se chipkaaye baithe hain hum.
Jinke khilaaf khade hona isliye mushkil nahi kyunki pure samaaj se aapko paar
pana hai, balki isiliye mushkil hai kyunki uss samaaj ki aguaai(lead) aapke
apne karte hain.
Kuchh der baad mehsus kiya usne,uska dimag sunn padta ja
raha tha.
Rohan ke bas mein kuchh nahi tha, sivaaye use rasmalaai me
dher sara namak milaate dekhne ke.
