pahachaanaa? shaanti ne poochhaa.
shaanti saaf dekh paa rahee thee ki shabbo der tak us muskaraate chehare se milatee-julatee koee shakal apanee smritiyon kee gatharee men tatolatee rahee. kuchh bahut bhaaree pal gujre. shabbo ke lie samay jaise lithadne lagaa. vo cheharaa kisee khushanumaa javaab ke intajaar men musakaraataa hee rahaa. har ek gujrate pal ke saath shabbo ke chehare par ek aparaadhabodh saa ubharataa aa rahaa thaa. n pahachaananaa saraasar badatameejee aur beadabee hai. apanee sharm men shabbo ne chehare par ek jhoothee muskaraahat odh lee.. aur tukke fenkane lagee..
skool men the n..?
'the to.. par naam yaad naheen aa rahaa n?
'tchch..!! ..sachamuch yaad naheen aa rahaa..!'
'main jaanatee thee.. too bhool jaaegee mujhe..!' anajaan chehare par thodee udaasee fail gaee.
isake pahale ki udaasee aur pair failaaye shaanti ne maamale ko apanee giraft men le liyaa.
'suman hai re shabbo!' shaanti ne shabbo ko yaad dilaane kee koshish kee..'yaad naheen hai tenth see..ham teenon saath the..mere bagal ke ghar men rahatee thee.. kitanee baar saath chaat khaaee hai hamane.. kitanee embeej boro kee thee usase.. sab bhool gaee?'
'aur deedee kee shaadee men jeejaa jee ke joote chhipaane kee leedaraship bhee toone hee kee thee..' suman ne yaad dilaayaa.
'aur fir 'mere haathon men nau-nau choodiyaan' par naachakar sabake hosh bhee udaa die the', shaanti ne jodaa.
itanaa bataane ke baad bhee shabbo ke jehan men koee kulabulaahat naheen huee. usake chehare se aisaa lag rahaa thaa ki jaise kisee aur ke baare men charchaa ho rahee ho yaa fir usake kisee aise poorvajanm kee baaten jinakee use koee yaad naheen hai. magar ye saare bhaav dabaa dene kee pooree koshish kee jhalak bhee usake chehare se halkee-halkee jaahir ho hee jaa rahee thee.
'ab aayaa yaad?, shaanti ne usakaa haath pakad kar jhakajhoraa.
'h..haan..' shabbo apane jhooth par jaaree rahee, 'yaad hai.. yaad hai.. par aajakal n jaane meree yaadadaasht ko kyaa ho gayaa hai.. aajakal to kuchh bhee bhool jaatee hoon.. doodhavaale aur vaachamain kaa naam to sabhee bhoolate honge par main to heero-heeroin kaa naam bhee bhoolane lagee hoon.. mariyam nakal karatee hai meree- are vo kaun see film thee.. jisamen vo gaanaa thaa.. are vo jo haseen saa heero hai us kee to film thee.. are vahee jo apanee julfen adaa se jhatakataa rahataa hai..'
'achchhaa.. ye haal ho gayaa tumhaaraa!?' suman ne hamadardee se poochhaa?
shaanti jaanatee thee ki shabbo apanee jhenp mitaane ke lie bahut kuchh badhaa-chadhaakar bataa rahee thee. par shabbo jhooth bhee naheen bol rahee thee. shaanti aur shabbo bachapan kee dost hain. skool se ek doosare ke saath hain. skool- kaalej kee tamaam baaten aur kisse jo shaanti ko chamakeele ujaale kee spashtataa ke saath yaad hain, shabbo ke jehan se paramaanentalee dileet ho chuke hain. bechaaree shabbo! aisee smriti hai usakee ki baar-baar doston ke beech sharmindaa honaa padtaa hai use. suman ke saamane vaalee yah haalat pahalee baar naheen huee hai. jab bhee kabhee puraane dost milate hain to aisee hee haalat baar-baar paidaa hotee hai. jo asahajataa suman ko bhool jaane se shabbo men janamee thee - shabbo ko use bhee bhoolate der naheen lagee. do-chaar baaton ke baad shabbo apane rng men vaapas laut aaee. shaanti ko shabbo ke is gun par badee hairaanee hotee aur kabhee-kabhee rashk bhee hotaa! shaanti kabhee kuchh naheen bhoolatee. use sab kuchh sab samay yaad rahataa hai.
suman chalee gaee, shabbo bhee. khaanaa-peenaa karake, sabakuchh samet kar shaanti so gaee. der raat achaanak usakee neend khul gaee. ajeeb ehasaas thaa ek taraf galaa kuchh saa sookh rahaa thaa aur vaheen pair gal se rahe the. galaa tar karane ke lie rajaaee se nikalane kaa yakaayak man naheen kiyaa shaanti kaa. chupachaap vaheen padee rahee. poore aalam men sannaataa thaa. bas bagl men ajay kee saans kee aavaaj aur ek kuttaa kaheen door bhaunk rahaa thaa lagaataar. aur kaheen koee aur aavaaj naheen thee. bas ek niyamit antaraal ke baad us kutte kee bhaunkane kee aavaaj aatee jaa rahee thee- bhaun-bhaun.. bhaun-bhaun.. bhaun-bhaun.
shaanti ne chaahaa fir so jaae par ek baat jo vo kabhee bhoolee naheen, usake jehan men ghoomatee jaa rahee thee- garmee thee.. chhuttiyaan theen.. dopahar thee.. maan ko halakaa saa bukhaar thaa. chipachipaate lambe ubaaoo dinon ke bahut intajaar ke baad baadal ghumade aur fir gadgadaakar meh barasane lagaa. nanhee shaanti utsaah se jhoom uthee aur cheekhee- maan dekho baarish ho rahee hai! maan ne karaah kar use baraj diyaa- achchhaa hai par too baahar mat jaanaa! shaanti ke saare utsaah par paanee fir gayaa- kyon maan? maan ko bolane men kasht ho rahaa thaa. vo kahanaa chaahatee thee ki pahalee baarish men bheegane se tvachaa ke rog ho sakate hain, par naheen kahaa. bas daantakar chup karaa diyaa. shaanti chup to ho gaee par maanee naheen. haule se daravaajaa kholakar baarish men der tak nahaatee rahee. aur jab badan men shiaran hone lagee to usee tarah haule ghar men daakhil huee. dekhaa maan kahaan hai- maan vaheen apane bistar par letee huee thee. nanhee shaanti baatharoom men jaakar kapade badalane lagee. do minat baad kisee ke rapatakar girane kaa shabd huaa. jab shaanti baahar aaee to dekhaa ki maan apane kamare ke baahar frsh par giree padee hai. jahaan shaanti ne rukakar maan ko chupake se dekhaa thaa, vaheen par shaanti ke badan se girakar jamaa hue paanee par maan fisal gaee thee. aur tab se aksar shaanti kee smriti men raat-biraat fisalatee rahatee hai.
aisee hee kitanee dukh, kshobh, pashchaataap aur apamaan kee baaten hain jo use raaton men sone naheen deteen. aise hee der raat men koodakar usakee neend kee raah avaruddh kar detee hain. shaanti ne bahut chaahaa ki fir so jaae par maan ke chehare kaa vo kasht aur avasaad usakee aatmaa men aur bichhaune men kaante kee tarah gadtaa rahaa. kuttaa abhee bhee bhaunk rahaa thaa, usee niyamitataa se- bhaun-bhaun.. bhaun-bhaun.. bhaun-bhaun. n jaane vo koee baat bhool gayaa thaa yaa use koee baat yaad aa rahee thee.
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(15 janavaree ko dainik bhaaskar men chhapee)
