Raat ka kareeb 11 baj raha tha jab gaadi Adhikrit ke ghar ke bahar rukti hai.

Bada sa purana ghar. Darwaze par phoolon ki ladiyan lagi hui thi. Mohalle ki auratein already khadi thi nayi dulhan dekhne ke liye.

Gaadi ke andar baithi Anshi ke haath buri tarah thande pad chuke the.

Shaadi ke baad se hi woh ek baar bhi properly saans nahi le paayi thi.

Adhikrit uske bagal me baitha tha.

Chup.

Par uski nazar baar baar Anshi par hi jaa rahi thi.

Intense. Heavy.

Jaise woh uske darr ko feel kar raha ho.

Driver ne door khola.

“Bahu aa gayi!”

Auratein excitement me bolne lagi.

Anshi dheere se neeche utari.

Heavy lehenga sambhalte hue uske pair kaamp rahe the.

Aur tabhi…

Darwaze ke paas khadi Adhikrit ki maa ka chehra uspar padte hi sakht ho gaya.

Unhone aarti ki thali tak nahi uthayi.

Poora atmosphere awkward ho gaya.

Ek aunty dheere se boli—

“Arey bhabhi grihapravesh kariye na.”

Par Adhikrit ki maa ki aankhon me gussa bhar gaya.

“Mujhe nahi karwana us gungi ka grihapravesh.”

Poora aangan ek second me chup.

Anshi ka dil seedha neeche gir gaya.

Uske haath aur kaampne lage.

Kuch rishtedaar awkward hokar ek dusre ka chehra dekhne lage.

“Arey bhabi…” ek bua type aunty samjhane lagi, “ab shaadi ho gayi hai.”

“Shaadi ho gayi toh kya?” Adhikrit ki maa kadwe tone me boli, “maine pehle hi mana kiya tha.”

Unki nazar seedha Anshi par gayi.

“Na bol sakti hai… na kuch keh sakti hai…”

Ye words sunkar Anshi ki aankhen bhar aayi.

Woh turant nazar jhuka gayi.

“Hamare eklaute bete ke liye yahi mili thi?”

Aangan me khadi auratein dheere dheere fuspusaane lagi.

“Bas bhi kariye…” ek chacha ji bole, “ab ladki ghar aa gayi hai.”

Par unki maa ruk nahi rahi thi.

“Kal ko agar hamare Adhikrit ko koi pareshani hui yaa haame to ye to bol bhi nahi payegi?”

“Log kya kahenge hamare ghar ke baare me?”

Har line Anshi ko andar se tod rahi thi.

Uske pair wahi jam gaye.

Usne ek second ke liye Adhikrit ki taraf dekha.

Par woh…

Bas chupchaap khada use dekh raha tha.

Uski aankhon me irritation kam… kuch aur zyada tha.

Wahi dark stare.

Jaise rote hue Anshi ko dekhkar bhi uska focus uske aansuon se zyada uspar ho.

“Jiji…” ek rishtedaar aunty dheere se boli, “aisi baatein shubh waqt me nahi karte.”

“Shubh?” Adhikrit ki maa hans padi.

“Gungi bahu lekar aaye ho aur bol rahe ho shubh?”

Anshi ki saanse tez hone lagi.

Aankhon se aansu girne lage.

Par awaaz…

Aaj bhi nahi nikli.

Tabhi ek bade tau ji aage aaye.

“Joti.”

Unki awaaz thodi sakht thi.

Adhikrit ki maa chup hui.

“Ye nahi kahte.”

Poore aangan me silence.

Tau ji dheere se bole—

“Ek hi beta hai tumhara.”

“Ab uski shaadi ho gayi hai.”

“Ladki me kami hai toh kya hua? Ab iss ghar ki bahu hai.”

Unki maa ne muh pher liya.

Par chehre par nafrat ab bhi thi.

“Dil se kabhi accept nahi kar paungi main ise.”

Ye line Anshi ne clearly sun li.

Uska gala bhar gaya.

Tabhi tau ji ne aarti ki thali uthakar unke haath me di.

“Karo grihapravesh.”

Kuch second tak woh khadi rahi.

Phir majboori me thali uthayi.

Par unke chehre par ek forced expression tha.

Na pyar.

Na acceptance.

Sirf gussa.

Anshi dheere se kalash ke saamne khadi hui.

Uske pair kaamp rahe the.

“Pair andar maaro,” kisi aunty ne kaha.

Anshi ne dheere se kalash giraya.

Chawal zameen par bikhar gaye.

Aur us moment me…

Uski aankhon se bhi ek bada aansu gir gaya.

Ghar ke andar pehla kadam rakhte waqt hi usse mehsoos ho gaya tha—

Ye ghar uske liye kabhi apna nahi hoga.

Aur peeche khada Adhikrit…

Woh ab bhi use hi dekh raha tha.

Ek ajeeb possessive nazar se.

Grihapravesh ke baad Anshi ko seedha bade hall me bithaya gaya.

Heavy lehenga, gehne aur poore din ki thakan ke neeche uska badan toot raha tha. Maang ka sindoor halka sa fail gaya tha, aankhen ro rokar laal ho chuki thi.

Par ghar me kisi ko uski thakan nahi dikh rahi thi.

Sabko sirf ek cheez me interest tha—

Nayi bahu.

Hall me auratein gol ghera bana kar baithi thi. Koi mithai kha raha tha, koi jewellery dekh raha tha.

Aur beech me…

Anshi ghunghat me jhuki baithi thi.

Bilkul chup.

Jaise hamesha.

“Chalo muh dikhai karo bahu ki,” ek aunty excited hokar boli.

Kisi ne dheere se uska ghunghat uthaya.

Aur ek second ke liye sab chup ho gaye.

“Arey…”

“Kitni sundar hai.”

“Bilkul gudiya lag rahi hai.”

Anshi ne aur nazar jhuka li.

Usse bachpan se aadat thi.

Log pehle uski tareef karte the… phir sach jaanne ke baad unka tone badal jaata tha.

Aur wahi hua.

“Bas…” ek aunty ne dheere se muh bana kar kaha, “uparwale ne awaaz nahi di.”

Do teen auratein sympathy me sar hilane lagi.

“Kismat dekho.”

“Itni sundar ladki…”

Anshi ka gala bhar gaya.

Uski ungliyaan uske lehenga ko aur zor se pakadne lagi.

Tabhi Adhikrit ki maa waha aakar baith gayi.

Unke chehre par ab bhi wohi kadwahat thi.

“Khoobsurti se kya hota hai?” woh thande tone me boli, “ghar me bahu ki awaaz gunjni chahiye.”

Poora hall awkwardly chup ho gaya.

Anshi ne dheere se aankhen neeche kar li.

“Hamare Adhikrit ki kismat hi kharab thi,” woh aur boli, “warna rishton ki kami nahi thi.”

Har line seedha Anshi ke dil me lag rahi thi.

Koi aunty dheere se boli—

“Chhodo bhi joti, jo hona tha ho gaya.”

Par woh ruki nahi.

“Kal ko mehmaan aayenge toh kya karegi ye?”

“Isse zyada toh naukarani bol leti hai.”

Kuch auratein awkward hansi hasa di.

Anshi ki aankhon se aansu tapak pade.

Par usne turant pallu ke neeche chhupa liye.

Aadat thi.

Rona bhi chupkar hi aata tha usse.

“Arey bahu kuch likh kar toh dikhao,” ek aurat curiosity me boli.

“Naam likho apna.”

Anshi ke haath kaamp gaye.

Uski saas turant kadwe tone me boli—

“Poora ghar copy lekar ghoomega ab?”

Hall me halki si hasi gunji.

Anshi ko laga jaise woh kursi se uthkar bhaag jaaye.

Par woh bas chup baithi rahi.

Uski saanse heavy ho rahi thi.

Aur tabhi…

Usne mehsoos kiya koi use dekh raha hai.

Usne dheere se nazar uthayi.

Room ke kone me sofa par Adhikrit baitha tha....apne cousin aur dosto ke sath...

White kurta me.

Chup.

Aur uski aankhen seedha Anshi par tiki hui thi.

Wahi intense nazar.

Jaise room me chal rahi insult uske liye background noise ho.

Uska focus sirf Anshi ke aansuon, uske kaampte honton aur uski helplessness par tha.

Anshi ko us nazar se aur zyada ghabrahat hone lagi.

Usne turant nazar jhuka li.

Tabhi ek aunty dheere se Adhikrit ki maa se boli—

“Waise ek baat hai… ladki bahut shareef lagti hai.”

“Shareef?” unki maa kadwe tone me boli, “gungi ladki ko shareef hi hona padega.”

Poore hall me fir awkward silence.

Anshi ka dil toot raha tha.

Shaadi ke pehle din hi usse samajh aa gaya tha—

Iss ghar me uski khamoshi ko kabhi samjha nahi jayega.

Sirf uski kami banakar use yaad dilaya jayega

Hall me awkward silence abhi tak faili hui thi.

Anshi ghunghat ke neeche chupchaap baithi thi. Uski aankhen lagataar bhar rahi thi, par woh baar baar aansu rokne ki koshish kar rahi thi.

Par jitna woh khud ko sambhalti…

Utni hi koi nayi baat usse tod deti.

“Waise joti…” ek door ki chachi dheere se boli, “doctor ko dikhaya tha bachpan me?”

Adhikrit ki maa ne thandi hansi hasi.

“Pata nahi kya problem thi.”

Phir unki nazar seedha Anshi par gayi.

“Mujhe toh darr hai…”

Room me kuch auratein unki taraf dekhne lagi.

“Kahi kal ko bachcha bhi isi ki tarah na ho.”

Ye line sunkar Anshi ka poora badan jaise sunn pad gaya.

Uski saanse ek second ko atak gayin.

Hall me kuch auratein turant “arey arey” karne lagi.

“Shubh shubh bolo.”

Par Adhikrit ki maa rukne wali nahi thi.

“Galat kya bola maine?” woh kadwe tone me boli, “hamare ghar ka waaris hai Adhikrit.”

“Risk toh hai hi.”

Risk.

Jaise Anshi koi bimari ho.

Anshi ka gala itna bhar gaya ki usse laga ab sach me uski saans ruk jayegi.

Usne dheere se apna chehra aur neeche kar liya.

Aankhon se aansu seedha uske haathon par girne lage.

Uski maa yaad aa gayi.

Papa yaad aa gaye.

Agar woh bol paati…

Toh shayad aaj koi uske baare me aise baat nahi karta.

“Bas bhi karo joti,” ek tau ji ki wife boli, “ladki pehle hi dari hui hai.”

“Darr rahi hai toh main kya karu?” uski saas turant boli, “shaadi se pehle sach batate toh hum sochte bhi nahi.”

Anshi ki ungliyaan kaampne lagi.

Uske kaano me sirf ek hi word gunj raha tha—

“Risk.”

Jaise woh iss ghar ke liye koi apshagun ho.

Tabhi ek aunty dheere se boli—

“Waise Adhikrit ne kaise maan li shaadi?”

Uski saas irritate hokar boli—

“Pata nahi mere bete ko kya pasand aa gaya.”

Anshi ne ye line bhi sun li.

Uska dil aur zyada toot gaya.

Aur tabhi…

Room ke kone me baitha Adhikrit dheere se uthkar khada hua.

Poora hall automatically chup ho gaya.

Woh dheere dheere chal kar Anshi ke paas aaya.

Uski nazar seedha uspar thi.

Heavy. Intense.

Anshi ka dil ghabra gaya.

Woh automatically thoda peeche sark gayi.

Adhikrit ne ye notice kiya.

Aur uske honton par halki si ajeeb smile aayi.

Phir usne bina kisi emotion ke kaha—

“Bachcha kaisa hoga woh baad ki baat hai.”

Uski maa irritate hokar boli—

“Tumhe samajh nahi aa raha—”

“Maine shaadi ki hai isse.”

Seedha jawab.

Poora hall fir chup.

Par uski awaaz me pyaar nahi tha.

Woh bas haq jata raha tha.

Jaise keh raha ho—

Ye ladki meri choice hai.

Phir usne dheere se Anshi ki taraf dekha.

Uski aankhen aansuon se bhari hui thi. Kajal failne laga tha.

Aur Adhikrit…

Woh usse usi tarah dekh raha tha.

Jaise uska rona, uski majboori, uska darr…

Sab uske andar kuch dark sa satisfy kar raha ho.

Anshi ko us nazar se aur zyada ghabrahat hone lagi.

Usne turant aankhen jhuka li.

Poore ghar me shaadi ki thakan faili hui thi. Neeche hall me kuch rishtedaar ab bhi bistar laga rahe the, kitchen me bartan ki halki awaazein aa rahi thi.

Aur upar…

Adhikrit ka kamra sajaya gaya tha.

Bed par laal gulaab ke phool bikre hue the. Side table par doodh ka glass rakha tha.

Par uss kamre ki hawa me romance nahi tha.

Bas ajeeb si tension thi.

Anshi dheere dheere kamre ke andar aayi.

Heavy lehenga sambhalte hue uske pair kaamp rahe the. Muh dikhai me hui baatein ab bhi uske kaano me gunj rahi thi—

""Arre dulhan ji, kal subah der tak mat sona, warna saas ji pehle din hi class laga dengi."

"Ab to padhai-likhai sab khatam, ab sambhalo apne pati dev ko."

"Jaldi se humein khushkhabri sunana."

"Arre dekhna, aaj raat ke baad chehre ki sharm hi alag hogi."

Sab auratein  hans padti hai.

Anshi ne jhijhak kar nazrein jhuka li.

Bhabhi use dheere dheere bed tak le gayi aur phoolon se saje bistar par bitha diya.

"Bas, yahin baitho. Itna ghabrane ki zarurat nahi hai."

Anshi ke haath ab bhi kaamp rahe the.

Bhabhi ne uska ghoonghat thoda theek kiya aur muskura kar boli,

"Waise itni ghabrahat dekhkar lagta hai hamari dulhan rani zarurat se zada daar rahi  hai....

Bhabhi ne shararti muskaan ke saath kaha.

Anshi ne turant nazrein aur neeche kar li.

"Arre, itna ghabrane ki kya baat hai? Hum sab bhi isi raste se guzre hain."

Bahar khadi ek ladki hans padi.

"Sach bhabhi, inka chehra dekho. Lag raha hai abhi ro hi padengi."

Sab phir se muskura diye.

Anshi ne apni chunri ki kinari ko ungliyon me jakad liya.

Uski haalat dekhkar sabki hansi nikal gayi.

"Bas bas, aur mat chhedo bechari ko."

Bhabhi ne pyaar se uske kandhe par haath rakha.

"Anshi, ghabrana mat. Sab theek rahega."

Phir usne uska ghoonghat theek kiya aur darwaze ki taraf badh gayi.

Jaate jaate phir palat kar boli—

"Ab itna bhi mat darna ki darwaza khule aur tum behosh hi ho jao."

Kamre ke bahar se phir zor ki hansi sunai di.

Anshi sharm aur jhijhak se aur sikud gayi.

Agle hi pal bhabhi ne darwaza dheere se band kar diya.

Aur kamre me ek baar phir sannata chha gaya.

Kuch minute baad darwaza khula.

Adhikrit andar aaya.

Safed kurta halka sa khula hua tha. Chehre par thakan thi… par aankhen ab bhi wahi intense.

Usne dheere se darwaza band kiya.

Click.

Us chhoti si awaaz se bhi Anshi halka sa darr gayi. usne apne ghutne aur kas ke pakad liye...

Adhikrit ne ye notice kiya.

Woh kuch second tak chupchaap usse dekhta raha.

Phir dheere dheere uski taraf badha.

Anshi ka dil itna zor se dhadak raha tha ki usse lag raha tha awaaz bahar tak ja rahi hogi.

Adhikrit uske saamne aakar ruk gaya.

Uski nazar seedha Anshi ke chehre par thi