Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Rama ki Kahani

Raat ka rang bahat gehra ho gaya tha. Uske kaanon tak awaz pohachkar fir lot gayi. Kahmoshi ki chadar usne kuch kaskar apne par lapet li thi. Inn parbaton ke beech woh khud ko yun hi kai baar kho diya karti thi. "Aari karamjali sunn na rahi. Chinghad chinghad ke gala fatne aaya mera. Yahan mui bethi taare taak rahi hai," amma hafte hue usse boli. Amma bada chid jaya karti thi usse yun betha dekhkar. Uski nazaron main itna sukoon dekhkar jee jal jata tha unka. Itni takllefon ka dhua jo unki aankhon main din raat pani bhar diya karta tha, Rama ko kabhi uss aag ki lapte chuti na thi. Jane kahan se usne itni saari muskurahaton ka pitara apne andar sama rakha tha. Kisi se churate na banta. Uski iss badhawasi ko dekhkar kai peer fakir bhi bulaye. Babaon se kai taviz banwaye. Ki kahin kisi bhoot pret ka saaya toh nahi ladoo par. Magar kissi ka koi asar hi nahi hota nigodi par. Din bhar daat khakar fir inn pahadon ke beech aakar beth jati. Jaise inse inki khamoshi udhar lekar khud main bhar leti ho.

Rama ne mud kar amma ki oor dekha aur muskurayi. "Aab bethi bethi muskurati hi rahegi ya ghar chalegi. Khana parosane ke liye naukrani aayegi?" anma ne jhlakar kaha. Rama uthi aur amma ke saath chalne lagi. Raaste bhar amma badbadati rahi aur Rama muskurati. Ghar pohackar seedha chule ke pass jakar beth gayi. Baba lete lete beedi pukh rahe the. Amma ne khane ko bulaya toh aakar beth gaye. Bole, "Itni der kuyn lag gayi?". Amma ne unhe bhi jhatak diya, "Tumhari ladli ke peeche peeche hi saara din nikal jata hai. Aur koi ghar ka kaam nahi hota kya? Pura din chule main maro, fir bhi yeh toh kissi se hota nahi ki madaat karde. Haan thandedar bane sawal zarur puchenge. Itni der kuyn ho gayi"? "Aare main toh sirf puch raha tha. Har baat par youn bigad kuyn jati ho"? baba ne zara zor se poocha. "Bigadungi nahi. Ek admi kaam karne ko. Uspar yeh hai ki bas apni hi duniya main khoyi rehati hai. Na kisi se bol chaal. Na kuch. Maa se tak beth kar do baat nahi karti. Fursta mili nahi ki bhaag jati hai. Kahe deti hun. Mujhe iss ladki ke lakshan bilkul aache nahi lag rahe. Yahin yeh haal hai jane sasural main kya karegi. Wahan na baat karegi apni saas se. Na puchegi apne rishtedaron ko. Mui jane kahan se paida ho gayi hai. Main keh rahi hun hamari bachi par koi saaya hai. Magar tumhe hosh hai kisi cheez ka? Kheton main pura din pade rehte ho. Raat main bhi jakar rakwali par beth jate ho. Kitni dafa kaha hai kissi ko rakh lo. Magar tumhe kissi par bharosa ho tab na" bolte hue amma rotiyan sekhane lagi.

Rama ne thali parosi aur baba ke samne rakh di. Baba chup chap khana khane lage. Amma ki baaton ka unpar kabhi koi asar nahi hota tha. Amma bol ballkar khud hi chup ho jati thi. Rama janti thi, amma ki inhi baaton se bachne ke liye baba kisi ko kheton ki rakhwali ke liye nahi rakh rahe the. Jabse pichle mausam main aalon ki fasal se nuksan hua tha, amma ne baba ki jaan kha li thi. Kai hafton tak un naspite aalon ko lekar hi roti rahi. Fir apni kismat ko ki na jane kounse paapon ka fal bhugat rahi hain iss ghar main aakar. Rama ne aajtak amma ko baba ki kisi baat par khush hote na dekha tha. Aur baba, woh toh bas apni hi dhun main jeete the. Ghar ke jhamelon main woh kabhi padte hi na the.

Amma ko bhi dadi hi pasand karke layin thi. Baba ne toh bas shadi ki din unhe dekha tha. Sundar toh thi hi amma hamesha se, dulhan ke libaz main aur hi kuch noor tha unka. Baba ne sirf wahi dekha. Amma ke dahej main bhi kai saara saman aaya tha. Aab tak uska wasta ghar main diya jata hai. Amma ke bauji kisi zamane main zamindar hua karte the. Ser ser bhar gehun, chawal aur fal bheje unhone apni beti ki sasural main. Ladke ka chunav kis tarike se kiya, bhai londa aache ghar khandan se hai, khet bhi khub hain aur umr bhi amma se kuch 2-1 saal hi badi hogi. Bas, aur kya chahiye ladki ko sukhi hone ke liye? Byah di apni ladli pehle muhrat main. Kehte hain Amma bada roi thin jab babul ke ghar ko chodkar aayi thi. Rama ko hamesha iss baat par hasi aaya karti thi. Kai baar woh mazak main keh diya karti thi, "Amma toh aab tak ro hi rahi hain. Jo hasti toh koi anokhi baat hoti". Iss baat par amma use khub daatti.

Amma ki baaton par Rama ne kabhi bahat dyaan nahi diya. Shayad bachpan se hi sunti aa rahi thi issiliye. Beti maa par na jakar baap se apne nak-nakshe udhar le aayi hai iss baat se unhe hamesha takleef rahi. Usspar uska ladkpan, woh unhe aur bhi gussa dilata. "Aae he agar jo khubsurat na ho toh kum se kum jo hai usse toh sambhal kar rako. Punji hai jo zindagibhar duniya main dikhani hogi. Ladkpan main yun isse lutao mat. Zara toh khud ka khyal rakhe apna. Yun thode hi londo ki taraf dhup main gandagi main fira kare. Uth se ho gai hai magar akal das paise ki na hai chori main," har din amma kehati usse.

Magar Rama hamesha se hi man mauji rahi thi. Yeh baaten uske palle kabhi padi hi nahi. Gaon main jeth ke mahine main ek chuski wala aaya karta tha. Sehar ko jane wali sadak par. Rama ko uski chuski aur uski chalti firti dukaan badi pasand thi. Ran birangi badi wali chatri jo uss chuski wale ne apni cycle par tanga rakhi thi, Rama ko uske rang bahat pasand the, Woh bhari dupahar main, chalti hui loo ko jhelkar bhi usske paas chuski khane zarur jati. Amma se daat na pade issiliye unke sone ke baad chup chap pichali kiwad se nikal jati. Tauji ke gulab ke kheton ke par ek choti si pagdandi thi, jo nathu chacha ke gehun ke kheton tak jati thi. Bas ussi pagdandi par woh apne baki saare doston ko jama karti aur puri paltan lekar sehar jane wali road par pohach jati. Ek ser gehun ke badle chuski le aati aur khub maze se bhagate daudte pagdandi par jakar beth jati. Baki saare dost kuch beri ke pedon par latak jate, kuch neeche jati choti se nehar main pav daal beth jate. Yun hi aadhi dophar nikal jati.

Chutpan main gav bhar ke dost hua karte the hamari Rama ke. Swabhav meetha tha so chachiyon aur taiyon ki bhi manpasnd thi. Amma bhi kitna hi jhalla len, Rama ki meethi nazaron se woh bhi na bach pati. Aakhir thi toh unhi ki aulad. Woh bhi ekloti. Bade hote hote Rama kai badlav aaye. Natkhat si choti Rama badi ho kar shant nadi ban chuki thi. Behna nahi choda tha usne magar bachpan ka woh ladkpan zarur chut gaya tha kahin. Umr ke saath saath uske shabd kam hone lage the. Boll chall toh sabhi se thi. Magar baaten kabhi kisi ko na kehati. Jo sab bolte woh sun leti aur chup chap apni aankhon main unn baaton ko utar leti. Magar nazaron main kisi cheez ka ya kisi insaan ki koi raay na hoti. Na kisi ko dekhkar uski nazaren jhukati na uthati thin.

Uski umr ki ladkiyon ko jo sajne sawarne ka shok tha, Rama ko na tha. Uss se toh bas ghanton tak pahadon ko takna aacha lagta tha. Wahan bethe bethe woh khub saari kahaniyan banati, geet bunti. Saheliyon ki shadi main kabhi kabhi gaya bhi karti thi. Padhai ka shok tha so sehar jakar B.A kar rahi thi. Gaon ke bachon ko saath saath padha liya karti thi. Amma ko yeh saari baaten pasand toh thi nahi. Magar ladki ki shadi karani thi aur aajkal bina padhi likhi ladki koun pasand karta hai. So unhone isse itni dur jakar padhne ki izzazt de di thi. Fir bhi magar jab bhi bechari se koi galti ho jaye, uske pure college aur masterain ko galiyan de daal ti thin amma. Inhone ne hi bigada hai chori ko, na jaane kya aan shaan padhate rehete hain. Samajh main toh hume rehna hai. Yahin ki baaten na sikhayenge? yun kehkar har baar uski soch par taala laga deti thi. Magar kaid toh kher kya hi kar pati woh usse. Ghanto pahadon ko takte hue woh apni soch khaniyon main bun liya karti thi.

Fir ek din gaon main ek masterji aaye. Waise toh Chandrakant babu bade zamindarji ke sabse chote bete the, magar choti hi umar main unhone khud ka kafi naam kar liya tha. Kai pustaken likhi thi, Ph.D kar rahe the literature main aur kai saare social works bhi. Ussi karan woh wapas gaon aaye the. Yahan unhone bachon ke school main ek saal tak padhane ka social work ka project karna tha. After all, charity begins at home. Yahi kaha karte the sabse. Dekhane main bade hi sushil lagte the. Kad kathi toh kher koi zyada nahi thi magar mukh zarur bada suhavna tha. Moti jaise daat bilkul seedhe. Aankhon par professoron wala chasma aur sundar baal. Rang saaf tha aur muskurahat bhari nazar. Badi hi seedhi aur saral baat karte the. Baat waise toh kam hi kiya karte the.

Unke aate hi thakurain ke kandhe aur chaude ho gaye aur aankhe jaise aasman ko chuti hon. Gav bhar main apne bete ke gund gati firti thi. Kuwari ladkiyon ki maon ke samne toh khaskar kar. Magar uski toh koi zarurat thi nahi. Gav ki har kunwari ladki ki maa ne apni nazar Chandrakant babu par jama di thi. Aas lagaye toh ladkiyan bhi bethi thi. Unki sabhiyat dekh kar sab ki sab jaise pighal hi gayi hon. Muh se lal tapane lagti sabke unke guzarte hi. Amma ne bhi badi apni nazar jami hui thi unpar. Magar Rama ko fursat mile apne pahadon se toh woh kahin kuch baat karen uss se. Iss taraf toh kai ladka uss se pasand nahi karega, yeh soch soch kar amma din ba din aadhi hui ja rahi thi.

Rama ne Chandrakant babu ke baare main bahat suna tha. Apni saari saheliyon se, unki maaon se aur jab hathe chad jati amma ke, unse bhi. Magar yun toh uss se kisi main koi dilchaspi na aati. Logon ki baaten sun sun kar. Ghamand nahi tha usme, magar vishwas zara kum hi sab par. Darasal saheliyan toh nain naksh se zyada kuch kehati nahi aur chachiyan aur amma zamindari ke. Issiliye Rama ne Chandrakant babu par koi zyada dhyaan nahi diya. Uss din tak. Shehar main college jate hue woh jo bus pakadti thi, uss bus stop par uss din uss se ek anjaan saaya dikha. Zara pass jakar dekha toh pata chal ki Chanrdakant babu hain. Rama zara jhep gayi. Logon se baat karneki waise hi adat nahi thi aur fir inse toh uska kabhi taruff hi nahi hua tha. Fir bhi zara hichkichate hue woh unke pass aakar khadi ho gayi.

Chandrakant babu raaste par bus ki raah taak rahe the. Nazar firakar dekha toh do moti moti aankhon se samna hua. Ek min ko zara dekhate hi reh gaye. Gol chehra, gappe jaise gaal, badi kali aankhe aur lambe ghane baal. Matha chota magar baalon ki maang se saja hua. Badan mota hi kehlta magar bahat zyada nahi. Dekhane bhar main koi bahat khubsurat shaks nahi dikhayi diya. Magar kuch toh tha usme jo ek min ke liye unki saas hi si ruk gayi. Unhone bina soche ek muskurahat Rama ki taraf feki aur pura uski taraf ghum gaye. Rama ne unhe dekha aur woh bhi muskurayi.

"Namaste Chandrakant babu"
"Aap janti hain hume?"
"Ji..Woh Amma ne bataya tha apke baare main"
"Aacha. Kounki ladki ho tum?"
"Suresh Gautam ki"
"Aacha Suresh Chacha ki. Aare Rama ho kya?"
"Ji"
"Aacha aacha. Tum shehar main B.A kar rahi ho na?"
"Ji. Wahin ja rahi hun. Aap kahan ja rahe hain?"
"Aare main zara shehar se bachon ke liye kuch kitabe lene jaa raha hun"
"Aacha. Toh Lalaji ki library main chale jayega. Bus stop se lagkar hi hai. Wahin aapko saari kitaben mil jayengi."
"Haan theek hai"

Itna kehkar woh ruk gaye. Fir na jane unhe kya suja woh bole, "Suno Rama, agar tumhe baht takleef na ho. Aur agar tumhe bahat der na ho rahi ho toh kya tum mere sang chaloge lalaji ke yahan? Mujhe bhi aasani ho jayegi bachopn ki kitaben lene main". Yeh sunkar na jane kuyn magar Rama ke rom rom main jaise ole padne lage. Haath pair thande ho gaye, dil ki dhadkan ek min ke liye toh ruk hi gayi. Fir zara uss se sambhalte hue usne kaha, "Ji kuyn nahi zarur". Unhone ek dusare ko dekha aur jaise bina kuch kahe bahat kuch keh diya ho. Uss din ke baad woh roz milne lage. Shaam ko school main chutti ke baad Chandrakant babu bhi Rama ke saath padhadon ka takne lage. Dono ne shadi ka faisla kiya aur gharwalon tak baat pohachi.

"Ai hai...main toh lut gayi barbad ho gayi. Duniya bhar ki khoobsurat ladkiyon ko chodke hamare nawabzade ko woh saand hi mili. Mujhe hi seengh maregi bahu bankar. Apna toh sikka hi khota nikla. Khub prasad chadha rahi hogi Suresh ki bahu aab toh. Sone ki chidiya phas li usne toh," yun keh keh kar thaukrain khub roi. Din raat apni kokh ka wasta diya magar Chandrakant babu ne apna faisla na badla. Maa bhi aakhir kya karti. Maan hi gayi. Saheliyon ne irshya ke maare Rama ko khub taine sunaye. "Ai hai hum hi kuch jakar padh aati college se. Na jane tumne toh kounse mantar padhe hain jo yeh maal phaas liya. Shakal se toh tumhari pyar hua na hoga. Yeh toh bata do kounsa manta phunka hai hamare shehari babu par". Rama sabko hass kar taal deti. Uss se pata tha ki uski saheliyan jal kukadi ban uss se chot pohchana chahati hai. Aur fir woh wakai khud ko khush kismat samjhti thi ki itne aache insaan uske jeevan saathi banenge. Issiliye usse inn sab baaton se koi farak na padta tha.

Amma toh jaise saatven aasman par hi pohach gayi hon. Din raat apne hone wale damad ke gund gaati aur beti ko duaen deti. Unhe bhi vishwaas na ho raha tha ki Rama se Chandrakant babu fas gaye. Magar unhe toh bas apni kush kismati main hi jeena tha. So woh iss baat par zyada gaur na karti thi. God bharai ka din aaya. Rama ko saheliyan saja kar dulhe aur uske gharwalon ke samne le aaye. "Rama aab tumhari shadi hone wali hai. Shadi par ladkiyon ka charera badan hi aacha lagta hai," Thakurain gurrai. Chandrakant babu ne unki taraf teekhi nazaron se dekha aur woh chup ho gai. Rama maan hi maan muskai. Sab theek se ho gaya.

Shaam ko Chandrakant babu aur Rama hamesha ki tarah tille par mile. Pahadon ko dekhate dekhate Chandrakant babu ne zara sharamnak bhav se kaha, "Rama main maa ki baaton ke liye tum se maafi mangta hun". Rama ne unki oor dekha aur uski muskurahat jaise dil main hi maar gayi ho. "Kya baat hai. Pareshan lag rahe hain aap," Rama ne chintit hokar pucha. Chandrakant babu ne uski oor dekha aur nazaren jhuka li. Kuch der baad bole, "Mujhe bas zara shadi ke liye daar lag raha hai. Aaj jaise maa ne keh diya, waise kai aur log kahenge shdi par. Rishtedaron ko toh tum janti hi ho. Ladki ki sundarta ko woh sirf mukh aur sharrer se hi napte hain. Mujhe daar hai woh kahin kuch aaisa waisa na keh den". Rama unki oor bas dekhati hi reh gayi. Uss se laga jaise usne unhe pehle kabhi dekha hi na ho. Unki shakal jo uski saari saheliyon ke dil main basi hui thi aab uss se dikhayi dene lagi. Usne jhep kar pucha, "Kya aapko fark padega"? Chandrakant ne uski taraf dekha aur kaha, "Nahi Rama mujhe inn sabse koi farak nahi padta. Magar mujhe iss samajh ka daar hai. Log kuch bol denge tumhe toh mujhe aacha na lagega". Unki yeh baaten Rama ke dil main teer ki tarf chubh gayi. Woh uthi aur ghar ki taraf chali gayi. Uss raat pehli baar usne tarron ko chodkar apne ghar ke seeshe main ghanton tak khud ko taka. Takte takte uski aankhe bhar aayi.