6 Months later ....

present time....

Sach kahun to apni yeh kahani kaise shuru karun, samajh nahi aa raha,

Kabhi nahi socha tha ki hamari us fairy tale ka end aisa hoga.

Socha tha, jaise har kahani mein rajkumari ko uska humsafar mil hi jaata hai... phir dono apni chhoti si duniya mein hamesha ke liye khush rehte hain.

Par, Anshi...

Aisa kuch bhi to nahi hua hamari kahani mein.

Bas reh gaya...

Ek khalipan.

Ek lamba intezaar.

Aur kuch adhure sapne.

Kabhi nahi chaha tha ki us jaisa koi meri zindagi mein aaye.

Jo sirf ek pal mein meri poori duniya badal de...

Aur phir usi duniya ko meri aankhon ke saamne bikharte hue chhod jaaye.

Use hamesha se pata tha...

Ki hum... hum dono din aur raat ki tarah hain.

Jo chahe jitna bhi kareeb aa jaayein...

Kabhi ek nahi ho sakte.

Phir bhi usne hamare beech ke dayron ko nahi maana.

...Ya phir...

Yaar, main har baat par use hi kyun dosh de raha hoon?

Jitna kasoor uska tha...

Shayad utna hi mera bhi tha.

Dayre to mujhe bhi pata the.

Phir maine un dayron mein rehna kyun nahi chaha?

Kyun uski aankhon mein apna kal dhoondhne laga?

Shayad...

Hamari mohabbat mein hum dono ka hi kasoor tha.

Ya...

Pata nahi.

Yeh badi-badi pyaar-mohabbat ki baatein mujhse kabhi hoti hi nahi.

Main bahut straight forward insaan hoon.

Tabhi to ek din keh diya tha...

"Apni purani zindagi aur mujhme se kisi ek ko chun lo."

Woh hamesha do raaston ke beech to nahi phans sakti thi na.

Ek na ek din use ek raasta chunna hi tha.

Aur usne chun bhi liya...

Apne pati ka saath.

Aur main...

Main bas wahin ka wahin thahar gaya.

Shayad pehli baar samajh aaya ki kisi se mohabbat karna aur use paa lena...

Dono alag baatein hoti hain.

Par ab maine bhi faisla kar liya hai.

Manzil tak pahunchne ke liye humsafar ki nahi...

Raaste ki zarurat hoti hai.

Aur meri manzil...

Usse door chale jaana thi.

Finally, apne mann ki saari bhadaas samet kar maine apna bag band karna shuru kiya.

Phir ek nazar apne hi tarah bikhre hue kamre par daali.

Har taraf meri bikhri hui grahasti pasri hui thi...

Wahi grahasti...

Jise humne kabhi saath milkar basane ka sapna dekha tha.

Khair...

Jo cheezein bikhar jaati hain...

Unhe ek din sametna hi padta hai.

Meri kitabein har taraf bikhri padi thi.

Waise bhi, is duniya mein agar kisi cheez se sabse zyada mohabbat ki hai...

To woh meri kitabein hi hain.

Socha...

Sabse pehle unhe hi pack kar leta hoon.

Main kitabein bag mein rakh hi raha tha ki mera haath ek upanyas par aakar thehar gaya.

"Gunahon Ka Devta..."

Mere honton par ek dard bhari muskaan aa gayi.

Us din bhi main yahi upanyas padh raha tha...

Jab maine use pehli baar dekha tha.

peeli aur halki gulabi kinari wali saari mein simti hui...

Jaise shor se bhari duniya mein koi khamosh ghazal chal kar mere saamne aa khadi hui ho.

Uske chehre par na koi shor tha, na banawat...

Bas ek ajeeb si saadgi thi.

Aur usi saadgi ne na jaane kyun meri nazar ko us par thehra diya.

Shayad us din mujhe pehli baar ehsaas hua tha...

Ki kuch log zindagi mein awaaz karke nahi aate.

Woh bas khamoshi se aate hain...

Aur phir poori zindagi me apni yaad chhod jaate hain.

Kaash... main bhi apni kahani suna paati, Vidyut.

Shayad tab tumhe samajh aata...

Ki khud se zyada kisi aur ko chahna kitna dard deta hai.

Kabhi nahi socha tha ki meri zindagi mein bhi koi aisa aayega...

Jo meri khamoshi ko bina mere bole samajh lega.

Jo meri aankhon mein chhupe har sawaal ka jawab dhoondh lega.

Aur phir...

Ek din meri zindagi se itni khamoshi se chala jaayega.

Tumhe hamesha laga ki maine tumhe chhod diya.

Par sach to yeh hai...

Maine kabhi tumhe chhoda hi nahi.

Bas apni kismat se haar gayi.

Har baar jab maine tumhari taraf ek kadam badhaya...

Zindagi ne mujhe do kadam peeche kheench liya.

Ek din tumne mujhse kaha tha...

"Apni purani zindagi aur mujhme se kisi ek ko chun lo."

Kaash itna aasaan hota.

Ek taraf tum the...

Jo mujhe ek insaan ki tarah dekhte the.

Jo meri khamoshi ko bhi sun lete the.

Aur doosri taraf woh rishta...

Jise nibhana meri majboori ban chuka tha.

Main har din toot rahi thi...

Par har roz muskurane ki koshish karti thi.

Tumhe laga hoga ki maine apne pati ko chun liya.

Par sach yeh hai...

Maine kisi ko nahi chuna.

Maine sirf apni majbooriyan chuni.

Aur un majbooriyon ne mujhse meri har khushi cheen li.

Aaj bhi jab aankhen band karti hoon...

Sabse pehle tumhara chehra hi nazar aata hai.

Phir yaad aata hai...

Kuch mohabbatein mukammal hone ke liye nahi hoti.

Bas zindagi bhar ek khamosh dard bankar saath chalti rehti hain.

Aur shayad...

Hamari mohabbat bhi unhi mein se ek thi.

Agar kabhi kisi aur zindagi mein phir mulaqat ho...

To main dua karungi ki is baar hamare beech koi dayre na hon.

Na koi majboori.

Na koi intezaar.

Bas...

Tum aur main.

6 months before .....

Subah ke kareeb das baje ka waqt tha.

Shuryavanshi haveli hamesha ki tarah naukaron ki awaazon aur bhaag-daud se gulzaar thi.

Aangan mein Tai ji tulsi ko jal chadha rahi thi. Rasoi mein nashta ban raha tha aur haveli ke naukar apne-apne kaam mein lage hue the.

Tabhi haveli ke bahar ek taxi aakar ruki.

Driver ne gaadi se samaan utarna shuru hi kiya tha ki gate par khade naukar ne khushi se andar awaaz lagayi,

"Tai ji! Vidyut bhaiya aa gaye!"

Yeh sunte hi Tai ji ke chehre par muskaan aa gayi.

"Arre... sach?"

Woh jaldi-jaldi haveli ke bahar ki taraf badhin.

Taxi ka darwaza khula.

Lagbhag 25 saal ka ek naujawan bahar utara.

Halki neeli shirt, kaali jeans, kandhe par laptop bag aur haath mein ek trolley bag tha.

Chehre par safar ki thakan thi, lekin aankhon mein apnapan aur sukoon saaf dikh raha tha.

Yeh tha...

Vidyut Rathor.

Adhikrit ki bua ka beta.

Jo Bangalore se lagbhag chhe saal baad apne Mama ,Mami aur cousin se milne aaya tha.

Tai ji uske paas pahunchte hi muskurakar bolin,

"Arey, Vidyut beta!"

Vidyut ne jhukkar unke pair chhuye.

kesi hai ,aap badi Mami.

"Ab bilkul theek hoon... tu aa gaya na."

Tai ji ne pyaar se uske sir par haath phera.

Bangalore ne to bilkul badal diya tujhe."

Vidyut halki si muskaan ke saath bola,

"Nahi, Mami ji... badla kuch nahi. Bas kaam thoda zyada ho gaya tha."

Tab tak haveli ke baaki log bhi bahar aa chuke the.

Vidyut ne sabke pair chhu kar aashirvaad liya.

Isi beech seedhiyon se utarta hua Adhikrit bhi bahar aa gaya.

Agle hi pal Adhikrit ne aage badhkar muskurate huye Vidyut ko gale laga liya.

"Finally, janab ko haveli ki yaad aa hi gayi."

"Bahut bade aadmi ban gaye ho, Bangalore wale."

Vidyut hans pada.

"Nahi bhai... bas kaam ne uljha rakha tha."

"Yaad to hamesha rehti thi, Mama ji ka phone ignore karna mushkil ho gaya tha."

Dono hans diye aur saath-saath haveli ke andar badh gaye.

Haveli ke andar hansi-mazaak ki awaazein goonj rahi thi.

Vidyut ke aane ki khushi mein har koi usse baatein karne mein laga hua tha.

Lekin rasoi ke ek kone mein...

Anshi chupchaap baithi sabzi kaat rahi thi.

Uski nazar sabzi par thi, lekin uska mann kahin aur hi bhatak raha tha.

Chehre par koi bhaav nahi tha.

Jaise muskuraana woh kab ka bhool chuki ho.

Uski kalaiyon par pade purane neele nishaan ab bhi poori tarah mite nahi the.

Tabhi Adhikrit ki maa, Joti, rasoi mein aayi.

Unhone ek nazar Anshi par daali aur teekhe lehje mein boli,

"Haath kyun rok diye? Jaldi kaam khatam kar."

Anshi ne bina kuch kahe dheere se sir jhuka liya aur phir se sabzi kaatne lagi.

Joti ne chulhe par chai ka bartan rakha.

Aur

Ek cup mein chai daalte hue boli,

"Vidyut safar se aaya hai."

"Yeh chai lekar uske kamre mein de aa."

Anshi ke haath ek pal ke liye thehar gaye.

Usne dheere se sir utha kar Joti ki taraf dekha.

Uski aankhon mein ek anjaana sa sankoch tha.

Joti ne uski khamoshi ko nazarandaaz kar diya.

ye aankhe phaad kar

"Kya dekh rahi hai? Maine jo kaha hai, woh kar."

Anshi ne chupchaap tray utha li.

Cup ke paas rakha chamach halka sa kaanp gaya.

Uske haath bhi kaanp rahe the.

Na jaane kyun...

Har naya chehra dekhkar ab use darr lagne laga tha.

Usne tray ko dono haathon se mazbooti se pakda aur dheere-dheere rasoi se bahar nikal padi.

Lambe baramde se guzarte hue uski nazar ek pal ke liye haveli ke aangan par padi.

Wahin kuch der pehle sab log hansi-khushi Vidyut ka swagat kar rahe the.

Aur woh...

Usi haveli mein hote hue bhi jaise kisi aur hi duniya ki qaidi ban chuki thi.

Kaampte kadmon ke saath woh seedhiyan chadhne lagi.

Har seedhi ke saath uske dil ki dhadkan aur tez hoti ja rahi thi.

Aakhir woh us kamre ke bahar aakar ruk gayi, jahan Vidyut thahra tha.

Usne ek gehri saans li...

Phir bahut dheere se darwaze par dastak di.

Thak... Thak...

Andar se ek shaant awaaz aayi,

"Aa jaiye."

Anshi ne dheere se darwaza khola.

Kamre mein ek ajeeb si khamoshi thi.

Khidki se aati dhoop kamre ke ek kone ko roshan kar rahi thi.

Palang ke sahare baitha Vidyut apne haathon mein ek upanyas liye hue tha.

"Gunahon Ka Devta."

Safar ki thakan ke baad shayad woh kuch sukoon ke pal us kitaab ke saath bita raha tha.

Darwaza khulne ki halki si awaaz par usne kitaab se nazar uthai.

Aur...

Uski nazar pehli baar Anshi par padi.

Ek pal ke liye woh bas use dekhta hi reh gaya.

Saadgi se pehni hui ek halki rang ki saari...

Bina kisi shringaar ka chehra...

Maang mein halka sa sindoor...

Aur aankhen...

Jaise bahut kuch kehna chahti hon, lekin saalon se khamoshi odhe baithi hon.

Anshi ne nazar utha kar bhi use nahi dekha.

Woh chupchaap andar aayi.

Uske dono haathon mein chai ki tray thi, jo halki si kaanp rahi thi.

Vidyut ne kitaab dheere se band kar di.

Uski nazar Anshi ke chehre par thehar gayi.

Na jaane kyun...

Us udaas chehre mein ek aisa dard tha, jo lafzon ke bina bhi mehsoos ho raha tha.

Anshi ne dheere se chai ka cup table par rakh diya.

Mudkar wapas jaane hi wali thi ki Vidyut ne shaant lehje mein kaha,

"Suniye..."

Anshi ke kadam wahin ruk gaye.

Usne dheere se palatkar uski taraf dekha.

Vidyut palang se uth khada hua.

Uske chehre par ek halki si muskaan thi.

"Ek minute..."

Anshi chupchaap khadi rahi.

Vidyut ne naram lehje mein poocha,

"Aap... Adhikrit bhaiya ki wife hain?"

Anshi ne dheere se sir hila diya.

"Hmm..."

Vidyut kuch pal use dekhta raha.

"Main Vidyut hoon."

"Hamari pehli baar mulaqat ho rahi hai."

"Mujhe pata hi nahi tha ki bhaiya ki shaadi ho chuki hai."

Anshi ne bas khamoshi se uski baat suni.

Usne na muskuraya...

Na koi jawab diya.

Vidyut ko laga shayad woh bahut kam bolne wali ladki hai.

Isliye usne muskurate hue baat aage badhayi,

"Waise, chai ke liye thank you."

Anshi ne bas halka sa sir jhuka diya.

Woh mudkar jaane lagi.

Vidyut kuch pal tak use jaate hue dekhta raha.

Darwaza dheere se band hua.

Kamre mein phir se khamoshi chha gayi.

Usne ek nazar table par rakhe chai ke cup par daali, phir anjaane mein uski nazar darwaze par tik gayi.

Uske honton se dheere se nikla,

"Hey Bhagwan..."

"Hamare khadus Adhikrit bhaiya hi mile the isse shaadi karne ke liye?"

Woh khud hi halki si hansi hansa, phir turant us hansi ki jagah ek soch ne le li.

"Yeh to bilkul phool si ladki ."

"...Aur bhaiya..."

Usne sir hila diya.

"Bilkul cactus."

"Sach mein... bahut nainsaafi hai."

Usne chai ka cup uthaya, lekin pehla

ghunt lene se pehle hi uske dimaag mein Anshi ka udaas chehra ghoom gaya.

"Na muskurahat..."

"Na ek lafz..."

"Na aankhon mein koi chamak."

Jaise woh sirf chal-phir rahi ho...

Jee nahi rahi ho.

Vidyut ne dheere se "Gunahon Ka Devta" uthai, lekin is baar uski nazar kitaab ke pannon par tik hi nahi pa rahi thi.

Uske zehan mein baar-baar wahi khamosh chehra aa raha tha.

Aur bina wajah uske dil mein ek ajeeb si bechaini ghar karne lagi.

Vidyut ne dheere se chai ka ek ghunt liya.

Phir uski nazar anjaane mein dobara darwaze ki taraf chali gayi.

Uske honton par ek halki si muskaan aa gayi.

"Yaar..."

"Yeh kitni pyaari hai."

Na chehre par koi banawat...

Na baaton mein dikhawa.

Bas ek ajeeb si saadgi.

Usne apna sir palang ke headboard se tikaya aur dheere se muskuraya.

"Waise..."

"Bhaiya ki choice itni achhi kab se ho gayi?"

Agale hi pal uski muskaan dheere-dheere feeki pad gayi.

"Lekin..."

"Uski aankhen..."

Un aankhon mein ek ajeeb sa dard tha.

Jaise bahut kuch seh chuki ho.

Jaise woh muskurana bhool gayi ho.

Vidyut ne gehri saans li.

"Kaash..."

"Main galat soch raha hoon."

"Shayad safar ki thakan ki wajah se mujhe zyada hi lag raha hai."

Usne phir se "Gunahon Ka Devta" kholi.

Lekin is baar bhi uski nazar alfaazon par tik na saki.

Har do-teen panktiyon ke baad uske zehan mein wahi chehra ubhar aata...

Simple si saari mein simti hui...

Aur woh khamosh aankhen...

Jo bina kuch kahe bhi bahut kuch keh gayi thi.

kuch der baad...

Vidyut ne achanak kitaab band kar di.

Usne apne hi maathe par halki si chapat maari.

"Pagal ho gaya hai kya, Vidyut?"

Woh khud hi dheere se hansa.

"Subah-subah kis baare mein soch raha hai?"

Usne ek gehri saans li aur khidki ke bahar dekhne laga.

"Shaadishuda hai woh."

"Adhikrit bhaiya ki patni hai."

"Bas, baat khatam."

Usne sir jhatka.

"Yeh baar-baar uske baare mein sochna band kar."

"Hadd mein reh."

Uske honton par halki si muskaan aayi.

"Hero banne ki zarurat nahi hai."

"Home wrecker wali harkatein mere bas ki bhi nahi hain... aur na hi main kabhi karunga."

Usne phir se "Gunahon Ka Devta" kholi.

"Tu yahan chhuttiyan manane aaya hai, kisi ki zindagi uljhane nahi."

Yeh kehkar usne apna poora dhyan kitaab ke pannon par laga diya.

Lekin dil ke kisi chhote se kone mein...

Anshi ki woh khamosh aankhen ab bhi ek ansuljhe sawaal ki tarah thahri hui thi.