1 Mahine Baad...
Poora ek mahina beet chuka tha।
Anshi apne maa-baap ke ghar thi।
...
Lekin is ek mahine mein Adhikrit ne Anshi se koi ek contact tak nahi kiya।
Na koi chitthi।
Na kisi ke haath koi khabar।
Na koi phone call
Anshi har subah uthte hi sabse pehle darwaze ki taraf dekhti।
Jab bhi gali mein cycle ki ghanti bajti...
Ya postman ki awaaz aati...
Uska dil ek pal ke liye zor se dhadak uthta।
Lekin har baar niraasha hi haath lagti।
Udhar Anshi ke pita bhi pehle jaise nahi rahe the।
Mohalle walon ke sawaalon se bachne ke liye unhone ghar se kam nikalna shuru kar diya tha।
Log poochte—
"Arre, beti sasural nahi gayi?"
"Kab bhej rahe ho use?"
Aur har baar unka dil aur bhaari ho jaata।
Shaam ko woh aksar ghar ke aangan mein chupchaap charpai par baithe rehte।
Na radio sunte।
Na kisi se baat karte।
Bas khaali nazron se saamne dekhte rehte।
Sunita yeh sab dekhti to uska dil aur toot jaata।
Ek taraf beti ka dard।
Doosri taraf pati ki toot ti hui himmat।
Aur beech mein woh khud...
Jo har raat chupchaap ro kar so jaati thi।
Anshi bhi pehle wali Anshi nahi rahi thi।
Usne aaina dekhna lagbhag chhod diya tha।
Shaadi ke laal choodiyan jo kabhi uske liye sapno jaisi thi...
Ab aksar uski kalaiyon mein bojh si lagti thi।
Har raat sone se pehle woh apni almari ke upar rakhi shaadi ki album ko dekhti।
Bahut der tak dekhti rehti।
Ek photo mein Adhikrit uske paas khada tha।
Chehre par halki si muskaan thi।
Anshi ka haath us photo par ruk jaata।
Uski aankhon mein aansu bhar aate।
Woh samajh nahi paa rahi thi ki...
Aakhir usne aisa kya kar diya tha?
Kis galti ki saza mil rahi hai use?
Ek mahina pehle isi waqt woh apni nayi zindagi ke sapne dekh rahi thi।
Aur aaj...
Woh apne hi maa-baap ke ghar mein mehmaan jaisi mehsoos karne lagi thi।
Tabhi kamre ka darwaza dheere se khula।
Sunita andar aayi।
Unhone dekha Anshi phir khidki ke paas baithi hai।
Sunita kuch pal use dekhti rahi।
Phir uske paas aakar baith gayi।
Anshi ne maa ko dekha।
Bas ek nazar।
Aur uski aankhon se phir aansu nikal aaye।
Sunita ne dheere se uska sar apni god mein rakh liya।
Anshi bachchon ki tarah maa se lipat gayi।
Sunita uske baalon mein haath pherte hue khud bhi ro padi।
Maa-beti dono kuch nahi bol sakti thi।
Ek bol nahi sakti thi...
Aur doosri ke paas kehne ke liye shabd nahi bache the।
Us chhote se kamre mein us raat sirf do cheezen thi—
Khamoshi...
Aur dard।
other side....
Poora ek mahina beet chuka tha।
Lekin ghar mein kisi ne bhi Anshi ka naam lena pasand nahi kiya।
Joti ko poora yakeen tha ki usne jo kiya, sahi kiya।
Rajveer bhi apne faisle par ade hue the।
Unke liye baat khatam ho chuki thi।
Na unhone Anshi ke baare mein poocha।
Na uske maa-baap ki khabar li।
Aur na hi use wapas lane ki koi baat ki।
Adhikrit bhi apne kaam mein laga rehta tha।
Subah showroom।
Shaam showroom।
Raat ko ghar।
Lekin jab bhi koi rishtedaar yaa mahalle ka insaan pooch baithta,
"Arre bahu kahan hai?"
To ghar ka mahaul ekdum bhaari ho jaata।
Joti turant baat badal deti।
Ya phir bas itna keh deti,
"Woh apne mayke mein hai."
Tai ji hi ek aisi thi jinke dil mein bechaini thi।
Unhe baar-baar Anshi ka rota hua chehra yaad aata।
Woh gungi ladki...
Jo ek mahine pehle unse bachchon ki tarah lipat kar royi thi।
Tai ji kabhi-kabhi sochtiं—
"Agar woh sach mein bekasoor hui to?"
Lekin ghar mein unki baat sunne wala koi nahi tha।
Joti aur Rajveer ke liye faisla ho chuka tha।
Aur Adhikrit...
Woh bhi apne maa-baap ke faisle ke sath khada tha...
Pichhle ek mahine mein usne ek baar bhi Anshi ko contact karne ki koshish nahi ki।
Na uske mayke phone kiya।
Na koi sandesh bheja।
Na hi yeh jaanne ki koshish ki ki woh kis haal mein hai।
Uske liye baat wahin khatam ho gayi thi।
Ya kam se kam woh khud ko yahi samjha raha tha।
Ek shaam...
Adhikrit showroom se ghar lauta।
Joti rasoi mein thi।
Rajveer aangan mein baithe the।
"Kal Tripathi ji aa rahe hain," Rajveer ne seedha kaha।
"Kisliye?" Adhikrit ne poocha।
"Naye rishte ki baat lekar."
Adhikrit kuch pal chup raha।
Lekin usne koi virodh nahi kiya।
Rajveer ne phir kaha,
"Jo ho gaya use bhool ja."
"Humein apne ghar ki izzat dekhni hai."
Adhikrit ne bas dheere se sir hila diya।
Jaise usne bhi apne dil par patthar rakh liya ho।
Ussi waqt...
Kai kilometer door...
Anshi apne kamre ki khidki ke paas baithi thi।
Uski kalaiyon mein ab bhi shaadi ki kuch choodiyan bachi hui thi।
Woh chupchaap bahar dekh rahi thi।
Usse kya pata tha...
Ki jis ghar ko woh har din yaad karti hai...
Wahin uske bina aage badhne ki baatein shuru ho chuki hain।
Aur jis aadmi ke ek sandesh ka woh ek mahine se intezaar kar rahi hai...
Usne uski khamoshi ko hi uski kismat maan liya hai।
Anshi ne dheere se apni aankhen band kar liं।
Ek aansu uske gaal par ludhak gaya।
Kuch hafto baad...
Poore ek mahine se zyada waqt beet chuka tha।
Anshi ne har din intezaar kiya tha।
Har subah।
Har shaam।
Har raat।
Lekin Adhikrit ki taraf se koi khabar nahi aayi।
Aakhir ek din...
Bahut himmat jod kar Anshi ne khud phone karne ka faisla kiya।
Us zamane mein har ghar mein phone nahi hota tha।
Mohalle ke ek PCO se use kisi tarah Adhikrit ke ghar ka number mil gaya।
Uske haath buri tarah kaanp rahe the।
PCO wale uncle ne number dial karke receiver uski taraf badha diya।
Anshi ne dheere se receiver pakad liya।
Uska dil itni zor se dhadak raha tha ki use apni saansein tak sunai de rahi thi।
Tring...
Tring...
Tring...
Har ghanti ke saath uski ghabrahat badhti ja rahi thi।
Usne aankhen band kar liं।
Dil hi dil mein bas ek hi prarthana kar rahi thi—
"Bhagwan... phone Adhikrit hi uthaye..."
Tring...
Tring...
Phir achanak...
Dusri taraf se receiver uthaya gaya।
Anshi ki saansein ek pal ke liye tham gayin।
Usne receiver ko aur kas kar pakad liya।
Lekin agle hi pal...
Dusri taraf se ek aurat ki awaaz aayi।
"Hello?"
Anshi ka dil doob gaya।
Woh Adhikrit nahi tha।
Woh Joti thi।
Anshi ki aankhon mein turant aansu bhar aaye।
Joti ki awaaz sunte hi uska hausla toot gaya।
Usne bina kuch soche receiver rakh diya।
Uske haath kaanp rahe the।
Dil itni zor se dhadak raha tha ki jaise seene se bahar aa jayega।
PCO ke kone mein khadi Anshi ne apni aankhen band kar liं।
Uski palkon se aansu tapak kar zameen par girne lage।
Poora ek mahina usne intezaar kiya tha।
Aur jab himmat karke khud phone kiya...
To saamne Joti thi।
Adhikrit nahi...
Use Adhikrit se baat karni thi
Sirf Adhikrit se।
uski awaaz suni thi।
Usne kaampte haathon se phir number milaya।
Har button dabate waqt uski ungliyan kaanp rahi thi।
Tring...
Tring...
Tring...
Anshi ne receiver ko dono haathon se pakad liya।
Uska dil phir prarthana karne laga।
"Bas ek baar..."
"Bas ek baar phone Adhikrit utha le..."
Tring...
Phir achanak receiver uth gaya।
Anshi ki saansein ruk gayin।
Kuch pal tak doosri taraf se khamoshi thi।
Aur phir...
Ek mardana awaaz sunai di।
"Hello?"
Anshi ka poora badan jaise sunn pad gaya।
Woh awaaz woh hazaaron awaazon mein pehchaan sakti thi।
Adhikrit।
Uski aankhon se aansu beh nikle।
Receiver pakde-pakde uske haath aur zor se kaanpne lage।
"Hello?"
Adhikrit ne phir kaha।
"Kaun hai?"
Anshi kuch bol nahi sakti thi।
Uske gale mein awaaz thi hi nahi।
Bas tootti hui saansein thi।
"Hello?"
Adhikrit ne teesri baar kaha।
"Kaun hai?"
Dusri taraf sirf tootti hui saansein sunai de rahi thi।
Adhikrit ki awaaz mein chidchidaahat aa gayi।
"Agar muh me zuban nahi hai.. to phone kyu karte ho?"
PCO ke kone mein khadi Anshi ka dil zor se kaanp utha।
Uski ungliyan receiver par aur kas gayin।
Aankhon se aansu lagataar beh rahe the।
Usne poori taqat jod kar kuch kehne ki koshish ki।
Uske honton se ek dabi hui, tuti-phuti si awaaz nikli।
Woh awaaz kisi aur ke liye samajhna mushkil tha...
Lekin Adhikrit ek pal mein pehchaan gaya।
Kamre mein kuch second ki khamoshi chha gayi।
Phir uski awaaz aayi।
"...Tu hai?"
Anshi ki saansein aur tez ho gayin।
Usne receiver ko apne seene se laga liya।
Jaise sirf us ek pehchaan ne uske andar bachi hui umeed ko jaga diya ho।
Lekin agle hi pal...
Adhikrit ki awaaz sakht ho gayi।
"Teri himmat kaise hui mujhe phone karne ki?"
Anshi ki palken jhuk gayin।
Uska dil doob gaya।
"Tujhe samajh nahi aaya tha us din?"
Har lafz uske dil par bojh ki tarah gir raha tha।
Anshi ne phir kuch bolne ki koshish ki।
Lekin uski gungi awaaz sirf toot kar reh gayi।
"Bas!"
Adhikrit ne beech mein hi rok diya।
"Mujhe koi safai nahi sunni."
PCO mein khadi Anshi ki taangein kaanpne lagiं।
Ek mahine se jis awaaz ko sunne ke liye woh taras rahi thi...
Aaj wahi awaaz uske dil ko aur chot pahucha rahi thi।
Adhikrit ne thande lehze mein kaha,
"Jo hona tha ho gaya."
Anshi ki aankhon se aansu girkar receiver par tapak pade।
Usne kaampte hue haath se apna muh daba liya।
Taaki uski siskiyan bahar na nikal jaayen।
Dusri taraf kuch pal ki khamoshi rahi।
Phir Adhikrit ki awaaz aayi,
"Aur dobara phone mat karna."samjhi tu
Yeh sunkar Anshi ka chehra bilkul safed pad gaya।
Uski saari himmat jaise ek pal mein toot gayi।
Woh kuch keh bhi nahi paayi।
Aur usse pehle ki woh apne aansu sambhal paati...
Dusri taraf se line kat gayi।
Click.
Receiver mein ab sirf khamoshi thi।
Anshi kuch pal waise hi khadi rahi।
Jaise usse yakeen hi na ho raha ho ki baat khatam ho chuki hai।
Phir dheere se usne receiver rakh diya।
PCO ke bahar log aate-jaate rahe।
Duniya apni raftaar se chalti rahi।
Lekin us pal Anshi ko aisa laga jaise uske andar ki aakhri umeed bhi chupchaap toot kar bikhar gayi ho।
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