Dopahar ke kareeb 1 baje.

Kamre me halki si garmi bhari hui thi।

Purana pankha dheere dheere ghoom raha tha.

Anshi chupchaap charpai par baithi thi।

Light orange colour ki saari me woh aur bhi zyada masoom lag rahi thi।

Patle haathon me chudiyaan halki si khanak rahi thi।

Aankhon me darr saaf dikh raha tha।

Uski maa uske peeche khadi uske baal theek kar rahi thi।

“Anshi…”

Unhone pyar se uska chehra apni taraf kiya।

“Jyada ghabrana mat beta…”

Anshi ne dheere se aankhein utha kar maa ko dekha… phir halka sa sir hila diya।

Maa ne zabardasti muskaan laayi।

“Seedha baith beta… saari kharab ho jayegi।”

Anshi ki maa uske kandhe par saari ka pallu theek karte hue boli।

Tabhi bahar se uske papa ki awaaz aayi—

“Sunita! Ladke wale aa gaye!”

Anshi ekdum se sikhad gayi।

Uski maa ne uska chehra dekha।

Darr saaf dikh raha tha।

Arey darr mat…”

par unki apni awaaz me bhi tension thi

Par woh kya bolti?

Unhone bas uske gaal ko halka sa chhua aur bahar chali gayi।

Bahar se logon ki awaazein aa rahi thi।

“Namaste namaste…”

“Arre raste me dikkat toh nahi hui?”

Baithak me Adhikrit apni maa Joti aur papa ke saath andar aaya। Saath me Shakuntala aunty bhi thi।

Adhikrit ne ghar me ghuste hi ek nazar idhar-udhar daali।

Seedha-saadha ghar।

Joti ke chehre par tabhi se halka sa nakhra aa gaya tha।

“Bahut garmi hai yahan,” woh baithte hi boli।

Anshi ki maa jhijakte hue muskura di।

“Ji… ।”

Uske papa Rajveer ghar ko aankhon se naap rahe the।

“Kafi purana makan hai,” woh dheere se bole, lekin itna dheere bhi nahi ki sunai na de।

Anshi ke papa bas zabardasti muskura diye।

“Madhyam haal hai ji…”

Uske papa ki ghabrayi hui awaaz poore ghar me goonj gayi।

Arre Adhikrit beta idhar baitho…”

Woh dheere se khidki ke paas gayi aur parde ka kona pakda… aur bahut halkasa jhaank kar bahar dekha।

Aur pehli baar Adhikrit ko dekha।

Safed shirt me,।Shirt ke sleeves elbow tak rolled up thi, haanth par venis clearly visible thi ...

Adhikrit pair failakar sofa par baitha hua tha.

Uski body language hi dominating lag rahi thi.

Jaise aadat ho sabko control me rakhne ki.

Woh bina interest ke room dekh raha tha

Baaki sab logon ke beech bhi woh alag lag raha tha।

Broad shoulders।Chehre par halki si daadhi ki shadow thi, jo uske jawline ko aur hard bana rahi thi। Calm chehra। Aur

Bahut heavy aankhen।

Jaise woh chup rehkar bhi saamne wale ko uncomfortable kar de।

Par tabhi…

Adhikrit ki nazar seedha us khidki ki taraf gayi।

Anshi ka dil zor se uchhal pada।

Usne turant parda chhod diya aur peeche hat gayi।

Anshi ki saanse ek second ko atak gayin।

Uski peeth deewar se takra gayi।

Haath thande pad chuke the।

Bahar shayad kisi ne kuch pucha tha… par Adhikrit ki nazar kuch pal wahi ruki rahi।

Jaise usne parde ke peeche kisi ko mehsoos kar liya ho।

bahar se awaaz aayi...

“Anshi… chai lekar aao beta.”

Anshi ne jaldi se apni saanse normal karne ki koshish ki।

Par uske haath ab bhi kaamp rahe the।

Aur phir…

Anshi baithak me aayi.

haanth me chai ki tray

Uski nazar jhuki hui thi.

Anshi ka dil ekdum zor-zor se dhadakne laga daar aur tension se।

Par jaise hi Adhikrit ki aankhen uspar padi…

Woh seedha use dekhne laga.

Bina palak jhapkaye.

Us nazar me softness nahi thi.

Woh nazar uncomfortable thi.

Anshi ne ek nazar uthakar dekha phir

turant nazrein jhuka li.

Anshi ko pehli baar kisi ki nazar se itna darr laga.

Room me awkward silence thi.

“Beta sabko chai   do,” uski maa ne dheere se kaha.

Anshi chupchaap tray uthai

Uske haath nervousness me kaamp rahe the.

Jab woh Adhikrit ke saamne aayi toh usne cup lene ke bajaye pehle uska chehra dekha.

Bahut der tak.

Uski aankhen ajeeb tarah se Anshi par tik gayi thi.

Anshi ka gala sookhne laga.

“Bese Naam kya bataya ?” Adhikrit  ne pucha.

Anshi ka haath wahi ruk gaya.

Room me ek second ki chupchaap tension fail gayi.

Uski maa jaldi se boli—

“Woh……”

Adhikrit ki maa ka chehra suspicious ho gaya.

Bolo ...tumhara naam kya hai

Shakuntala aunty ne dheere se kaha—

“Ladki bachpan se bol nahi paati…”

Bas.

Jaise poora mahaul hi badal gaya.

“Kya matlab?” Adhikrit ki maa almost uchhal padi.

“Matlab gungi hai?” uske papa ka tone sakht ho gaya.

Anshi ka chehra safed pad gaya.

Usne turant nazar neeche kar li.

Uski maa almost haath jodte hue boli—

“Par bahut samajhdar hai ji… ghar ke saare kaam—”

“Hume ye baat pehle kyun nahi batayi?” Adhikrit ki maa gusse me boli.

Unki awaaz itni tez thi ki Anshi visibly kaamp gayi.

“Shakuntala ji ye mazaak hai kya?” woh aur boli, “hamare Adhikrit ke liye gungi ladki?”

Ye word seedha Anshi ke dil me utar gaya.

Gungi.

Jaise woh ladki nahi… koi kami ho.

Uske papa ki awaaz toot gayi—

““Dekhiye…”

Anshi ke papa ki awaaz halki si kaamp rahi thi, “hamari beti me kami zaroor hai… par dil ki bahut acchi hai.”

Adhikrit ki maa ka chehra ab bhi gusse se bhara hua tha.

“Acchi hogi apne ghar me,” woh kadwe lehje me boli, “par hamare bete ki zindagi koi mazaak nahi hai.”

Anshi ka gala bhar aaya.

“Haame nahi karna hai ye Rishta

Adhikrit ki maa ne seedha bol diya.

“Ye gungi mere Adhikrit ke liye kabhi nahi.”

Room me sannata chha gaya.

Anshi ki aankhon me aansu bhar aaye.

Woh bas chupchaap khadi rahi.

Uske papa ki beizzati ho rahi thi… maa ro rahi thi… par woh kuch keh nahi pa rahi thi.

Aur us sabke beech…

Adhikrit ab bhi use hi dekh raha tha.

Uski aankhon me ajeeb si dark intensity thi.

Jaise room me chal rahi baatein uske liye matter hi nahi karti.

Uski nazar baar baar Anshi ke chehre, uske kaampte haathon aur jhuki palkon par jaa rahi thi.

Phir achanak—

“Mujhe ladki pasand hai.”

Pure room me silence.

Sabne shock me Adhikrit ki taraf dekha.

“Tum pagal ho gaye ho?” uski maa almost chilayi.

Par Adhikrit ki nazar ab bhi Anshi par thi.

“Maine kaha na mujhe pasand hai.”

Uski awaaz shaant thi.

Par us shaanti me ajeeb sa haq tha.

Jaise decision already ho chuka ho.

Anshi ne dheere se aankhen uthayi.

Aur pehli baar directly uski nazar Adhikrit se mili.

Us nazar me pyaar nahi tha.

Kuch aur tha.

Kuch aisa… jisne Anshi ke andar ajeeb sa darr bhar diya.

“Par beta—” uski maa gusse me boli.

“Shaant ladki hai.” Adhikrit ne dheere se kaha.

“Ghar sambhal legi.”aur apki aur papa ki Seba bhi karegi ...aur kya chahiye mujhe...

Uske words normal the…

Par jis tarah woh Anshi ko dekh raha tha, usse uski maa tak uncomfortable ho gayi.

aur Maa sayad apne aaj ke zamane ki ladkiya dekhi nahi.. kesi hoti hai..

Aur

“Mujhe ladki pasand hai।”

Poora kamra chup tha।

Joti ne hairani se use dekha।

“Kya bol raha hai tu Adhikrit?”

“Maine kaha mujhe ladki pasand hai।”

Uski awaaz bilkul seedhi thi।

Anshi ki saansein tez ho gayi।

Joti ka chehra sakht ho gaya।

“Adhikrit, dimag kharab ho gaya hai tera?”

“Shaadi mujhe karni hai maa।”

“Par ye—”

“Maine bol diya na। Mujhe yehi ladki pasand hai।”

Kamre me ajeeb sa tanav fail gaya।

Anshi ke maa-baap ki aankhon me umeed aa gayi…

Par Joti ke chehre par nafrat aur badh gayi।

Unhone Anshi ko upar se neeche tak dekha।

Jaise usne unse kuch cheen liya ho।

Baad me baat dahej tak pahunchi।

Seedhe muh kisi ne zyada kuch nahi kaha…

Par ishare saaf the।

“Hamare Adhikrit ki apni pehchaan hai…”

“Log line lagate hain rishton ki…”

“Shaadi dhang se honi chahiye…”

Anshi ke papa bas chupchaap haan me sir hilate rahe।

Unke chehre par majboori saaf thi।

Aur us sabke beech…

Anshi ek kone me baithi thi।

Chup।

Bilkul chup।

Uski zindagi ka faisla ho raha tha…

Aur woh ek shabd bhi nahi bol sakti thi।

Adhikrit ke papa kaafi der tak chup baithe rahe.

Phir dheere se bole—

“Waise aap dene ka kya soch rahe the?”

Ye line sunkar Anshi ke papa ka chehra utar gaya.

Woh samajh gaye the…

Ab baat seedha सौदे par aa chuki hai.

“Ji… matlab?” unhone dheere se pucha.

Adhikrit ke papa sofa par seedhe hokar baithe.

“Hamara beta achha kamata hai. naami business hai. Allahabad me naam hai.”

“Normal ladki ke liye toh line lag jaati.”

“Ji…” Anshi ke papa ne nazar jhuka li.

“Ab aap khud samajhdar hain.” unhone meaningfully kaha, “ladki ki condition bhi hai.”

Condition.

Jaise Anshi koi insaan nahi… defect ho.

phir bhaari awaaz me bole—

“Jo hamari aukaat hogi… hum denge.”

“Kitna?” Adhikrit ke papa ne seedha pucha.

Room me hawa tak heavy lagne lagi.

Anshi ke papa ki salary zyada nahi thi. Puri zindagi ki savings bas iss ek shaadi ke liye jodi thi.

Par unhe pata tha—

Gungi beti ka rishta dobara milna mushkil hai.

Bahut mushkil.

“Paanch lakh…” woh mushkil se bole, “aur jewellery.”

Adhikrit ki maa ke chehre par dissatisfaction aa gaya.

“Bas?”

Ye word seedha dil cheer gaya.

Anshi ki maa ro padi.

“Behen ji hum middle class log hain…”

“Puri zindagi ki jama poonji hai ye.”

“Hamare Adhikrit ke layak toh nahi hai.” uski maa ne almost insult karte hue kaha.

Anshi ke papa ki aankhen bhar aayi.

Ek baap…

Jo apni beti ke liye haath jodkar baitha tha.

“Car bhi de denge,” unhone jaldi se kaha, “thoda waqt dijiye bas.”

Anshi ne shock me papa ki taraf dekha.

Unke paas already loan tha.

Woh car afford nahi kar sakte the.

Par phir bhi…

Woh jhuk rahe the.

Sirf uske liye.

Uski maa almost toot chuki thi.

“Hum bas apni beti ka ghar basana chahte hain…” woh rote hue boli, “uske baad chahe hum kuch bhi bech dein.”

Room me kuch second chupchaap silence raha.

Aur us silence me…

Adhikrit bas Anshi ko dekh raha tha.

Uski aankhon me ajeeb sa dark hunger tha.

Jaise saamne baithi ladki ki majboori usse aur zyada appealing lag rahi ho.

Anshi ka dil ghabra raha tha.

Usse lag raha tha jaise woh kisi galat jagah phas rahi hai.

Par uske papa…

Woh ab bhi jhuke hue tone me bole ja rahe the—

“Flat ke liye bhi thodi help kar denge…”

“Furniture poora naya denge…”

“Shaadi achhe se karenge…”

Har line ke saath unki awaaz aur chhoti hoti ja rahi thi.

Ek baap apni beti ki khamoshi ka daam chuka raha tha.

Aur saamne baithe log…

Us majboori ki keemat laga rahe the.