Benaam

Veer ek jawaan ladka hain. Woh ek company mein naukri karta hain. Woh apne parivaar walon se dur ek anjaan shehar mein rehta hain. Aaj Veer ne bohut tarakki kar li hain. Uske pass khud ki Car bhi ho gayi hain. Woh ek flat mein akela rehta hain. 

Ek raat, jab Veer apne Car se apne ghar ki aur aa raha tha. Us raat barsaat bohut tez ho rahi thi. Raaste mein usne dekha ki ek ladki sadak ke kinaare khadi bheeg rahi thi. Usne apni Car us anjaan ladki ke pass roki aur kaha,"Madam kya main aapko kahi par chod doon ?"

Ladki ne kaha, "Nahi." Tabhi achanak se baadal garajne lage. Ladki ghabra gayi aur woh jhat se Car ke andar aa baithi. Woh ladki behad khubsurat dikh rahi thi. Choti si aankhen, patle honth. Us ladki ne kaale rang ki saari pehni hui thi. Thand ke maare woh kaanp rahi thi. 

Veer ne usse pucha, "Main aapko kaha par chod doon ?"

Ladki ne kaha, "Mera ghar Viman Nagar mein hain."

Veer ne kaha "Thik hain. Main aapko chod deta hoon."

Thodi dur par jaane ke baad unhone dekha ki raaste mein ek bada ped gira hua hain. Veer ne us ladki se kaha, "Dekhiye road block ho chuka hain. Aap bohut bheeg bhi gayi ho. Agar aapko aitraaz na ho, toh mera flat yahi pass mein hi hain. Aap chaho toh mere ghar par aap..."

Ladki ne kuch seconds tak socha aur phir kaha, "Thik hain."

Veer ne Car ghumayi aur us anjaan ladki ko apne saath apne ghar ki par le gaya.  Ghar pahuch kar Veer ne use Towel diya aur apna Shirt-Pant diya, "Aage se right par bathroom hain." Ladki bathroom mein jaakar change kar aayi. Ladki ke baal abhi bhi thode se bheege hue the. Woh ladki behad khubsurat dikh rahi thi.

Phir Veer jaakar change kiya aur Coffee banakar hall mein aaya. Woh ladki sofa par baithi hui thi. Veer uske saamne wali chair par jaakar baitha aur us ladki ko Coffee ka Cup pakda diya. 

Veer - "Aap Pune ki hi hain ?"

Ladki - "Haan."

Veer - "Aapka naam kya hain ?"

Ladki - "Arpita."

Veer - "Aap kaha par rehti hain ?"

Arpita - "Viman Nagar."

Veer - "Aap kaam kya karti hain ?"

Arpita - "Main ek teacher hoon. Aapne apna naam nahi bataya."

Veer - "Mera naam Veer hain."

Arpita - "Aap kya kaam karte hain ?"

Veer - "Main ek tech company mein software developer hoon."

Arpita - "Aap yahan par akele rehte hain ?"

Veer - "Ji haan."

Arpita - "Aur aapki family ?"

Veer - "Woh log Rajasthan mein rehte hain."

Arpita - "Aapne Shaadi nahi ki ?"

Veer - "Ji nahi. Abhi tak toh nahi. Aapke ghar mein koun-koun hain ?"

Arpita - "Koi bhi nahi hain."

Veer - "Matlab ?"

Arpita - "Mere husband shaadi ke do din baad hi expire ho chuke the aur In-Laws aur mere family members se mera rishta bhi khatam ho gaya. Ab main akeli hoon."

Veer - "Aur yeh sab kab hua ?"

Arpita - "Aaj se ek saal pehle."

Veer - "Iam really sorry."

Arpita - "It's OK. Yahi life hain. Kya kar sakte hain hum."

Veer - "Hmmm."

Us raat un dono ke beech dher saari baatein hui. Dono ek dusre ko samajh rahe the. Kuch der ke baad Veer ne kaha, "Main yahan par Hall mein so jaata hoon. Aap mere kamre mein so jaaiye."

Arpita - "Nahi main ab jaati hoon."

Veer - "Bahar aap barsaat dekh rahi ho ? Kaise jaaogi aap ? Yeh nahi rukne wali hain ab. Aapka ghar bhi dur hain. Is kharab mausam mein aapko kahi gaadi bhi nahi milegi."

Arpita rukne ke liye maan gayi. Veer use apne bedroom mein le gaya aur Rajai dete hue kaha, "Aap yahi par so jaaiye."

Arpita - "Aur aap ?"

Veer - "Main Hall mein so jaaunga."

Arpita - "Thank You."

Veer - "It's totally alright."

Agle din subah hui aur Veer ne Arpita se kaha, ki woh use chod dega. Lekin, usne keh diya, ki woh chale jaayegi. Veer ne bhi use zyada force nahi kiya aur woh chali gayi.

Phir Veer bhi apni zindagi mein vyast ho gaya. 

Ek din ki baat hain, Veer apni Car se jaa raha tha aur usne Arpita ko sadak par khada dekha. Woh apni Car uski aur le gaya aur apni Car uske pass le jaakar rok diya. Phir usne horn bajayi. Gadi ki horn sunkar Arpita mudi aur Veer ko dekhte hi woh muskura di. Woh Car ke darwaze ke paas aayi aur Veer ne glass niche kiya. 

Veer - "Hi."

Arpita - "Hi Veer. Aap yahan ?"

Veer - "Haan woh main darasal yahan thoda kaam se aaya tha."

Arpita - "Kaam khatam ho gaya ?"

Veer - "Haan."

Arpita - "Filhal aap kis aur jaa rahe ho ?"

Veer - "Main apne ghar par jaa raha hoon."

Arpita - "Mera ghar yahi par pass mein hi hain. Agar aap free ho toh saath chaliye. Mera ghar bhi dekh lijiye."

Veer - "Thik hain."

Arpita Car mein baithi aur Veer ko apne ghar ka raasta batayi. Thodi der ke baad woh log Arpita ke flat par pahuche. Flat ke andar jaane ke baad, woh dono ne saath mein Chai pee aur dher saari baatein bhi ki. Baat-Cheet karte-karte Veer ne Arpita se uska contact number maanga, jise usne mana nahi kiya. 

Uske baad woh log kai baar mile. Ab toh chhuttiyon ke waqt woh dono ek dusre se milte rehte the. Kabhi ek dusre ke flat par toh kabhi kahi bahar. Dheere-Dheere woh dono bohut hi acche dost ban gaye the. 

Kahi na kahi Veer use pasand karne lag gaya tha. Lekin woh us se kehne se hichkicha raha 

tha. 

Ek din ki baat hain, jab Veer ne Arpita ko call kiya. Arpita ne call uthaya, "Haan Veer kaho kya baat hain ?"

Veer - "Busy ho kya tum ?"

Arpita - "Haan thoda. Lekin main baat kar sakti hoon."

Veer -  "Kal mera Birthday hain."

Arpita - "Oh wow great. Happy Birthday."

Veer - "Thank You. Toh main chahta hoon ki kal shaam mein tum mere ghar aao. Aur koi bahana nahi chalega haan."

Arpita - "Nahi main kal zaroor aaungi. Party kitne baje hain ?"

Veer - "Shaam mein saat baje hain."

Arpita - "Thik hain. Main zaroor aaungi. Accha yeh batao, tumhe kya present chahiye ?"

Veer - "Bas tum aa jaao. Yahi mera present hain." Yeh keh kar Veer ne call kaat diya. 

Agle din Arpita uske ghar pahuchi. Veer ne uska swaagat kiya. Aaj Arpita kaafi khubsurat lag rahi thi. Usne hare rang ki saree pehni hui thi aur haathon mein hare rang ki hi chudiyan bhi thi. Uske hothon par gulabi rang ki lipstick thi aur high heels ki sandal pehni woh aur lambi dikh rahi thi. 

Use dekhte hi Veer bas use dekhta hi reh gaya. Phir Veer ne use andar aane ke liye kaha. Arpita ne use Birthday wish kiya aur use ek ghadi gift ki. Uske baad, woh dono saath mein sofa par baithe. Veer andar se cold drinks le aaya aur woh dono saath mein cold drink peete hue baatein karne lage. Baat karte-karte Veer ne kaha, "Bhai mera present mujhe abhi tak nahi mila."

Arpita - "Ghadi di na tumhe ?"

Veer - "Haan. Lekin meri pasand ka gift toh mujhe milna chahiye na ?"

Arpita ne kaha, "Tumse poocha toh tha maine ki tumhe kya present chahiye. Tumhi ne badi-badi baatein kahi ki bas tum aa jaao, yahi mera gift hain."

Veer - "Yeh baat main abhi bhi keh raha hoon."

Arpita - "Matlab ?"

Veer - "Bas tum aa jaao, yahi mera gift hain."

Arpita - "Main kuch samjhi nahi."

Veer - "Bas tum aa jaao is ghar mein. Yahi mera gift hain. Hum ek ho jaaye. Tum hamesha mere saath raho. Kya tum mujhse shaadi karogi ?"

Yeh sun kar Arpita kuch der ke liye chup thi. Phir Veer ne uska haath pakda aur badi ummed se uski aur dekh raha tha. Arpita samajh nahi paa rahi thi ki woh aakhir kya kahe. Kuch shan baad usne apna haath Veer ke haath se jhatak diya. 

Veer ko bohut dhakka laga aur uski aankhein bhar aayi. 

Arpita - "Yeh nahi ho sakta hain Veer."

Veer - "Par kyun ?"

Arpita - "Kya tumhe wajah pata nahi hain ?"

Veer - "Kya wajah ?"

Arpita - "Ek vidhwa se shaadi karoge tum ?"

Veer - "Toh usme problem kya hain. Main tumhe pasand karta hoon. Tum mujhe pasand karti ho.."  Uski baat ko kaat te hue Arpita ne kaha, "Maine tumse yeh kab kaha, ki main tumhe pasand karti hoon ?"

Veer - "Phir ?"

Arpita - "Hum bohut acche dost hain Veer. Aur hum saari zindagi dost hi rahenge."

Veer - "Toh kya itne mahino se hum jo ek dusre se mil rahe hain, kya hain woh ?"

Arpita - "Ek dost, dusre dost se mil raha hain."

Veer - "Toh kya tumhe kabhi bhi mere baare mein kuch bhi mehsus nahi hua ?"

Arpita - "Ji nahi. Kya ab main jaa sakti hoon ?"

Veer - "Khana toh kha ke jaao."

Arpita - "Nahi main chalti hoon. Mujhe thoda sa kaam yaad aa gaya hain. Phir kabhi milenge." Yeh keh kar woh chali jaati hain. 

Uske jaane ke baad Veer bohut rota hain. Aaj use aisa lag raha tha ki uske paas sab kuch hokar bhi kuch bhi nahi hain. Woh raat bhar ro raha tha. 

Us din ke baad na Veer ne nahi Arpita ne ek dusre se koi bhi baat-cheet ki. Baat-Cheet toh dur ki baat, ek dusre ko ek message tak nahi kiya in dono ne. Veer bohut hi udas ho chuka tha. Usne logon se baat-cheet bhi bohut kam kar di thi.

Kuch din guzarne ke baad, ek shaam, Veer ke phone par Arpita ka message aaya. Message tha, 'Call Me.' Veer ne use turant call lagaya. Arpita ne call receive kiya aur kaha, "Hi Veer."

"Hi Arpita." Veer ne zara udasin aawaz mein kaha.

Arpita - "Kaise ho tum ?"

Veer - "Main thik hoon Arpita. Tum kaisi ho ?"

Arpita - "Main bhi thik hoon. Tum is waqt kya kar rahe ho ?"

Veer - "Bas ghar par hi hoon."

Arpita - "Kya tum free ho ?"

Veer - "Haan. Main bilkul free hoon."

Arpita - "Kya tum mere ghar par aa sakte ho ?"

Veer - "Is waqt ?"

Arpita - "Nahi. Kal. Kya tum kal free ho ?"

Veer - "Haan main free hoon."

Arpita - "Toh thik hain. Kal subah tum mere ghar par aa jaana."

Veer - "Kitne baje aana hain ?"

Arpita - "Are baba, tumhara hi ghar hain. Kabhi bhi aa jaao."

Veer - "OK. Main kal subah hi aa jaaunga."

Arpita - "OK Bye." Yeh keh kar woh call disconnect kar deti hain.

Agle din Veer uske ghar par jaata hain. Arpita us se bohut muskurakar aur pyaar se baatein karti hain aur woh bhi us se normally baat-cheet karta hain. Baat karte-karte Arpita Veer se puch leti hain, "Tum shaadi kab kar rahe ho ?"

Veer kuch nahi kehta. Woh dubara us se puchti hain. Lekin Veer phir bhi chup rehta hain. 

Ab Arpita thoda gusse mein kehti hain, "Main tumse kuch puch rahi hoon ?"

Veer - "Oh sorry. Kya tum mujhse baat kar rahi ho ?"

Arpita - "Toh kya yahan hum dono ke alaava koi aur hain Veer ?"

Veer - "Kya hum dono ke alaava humari zindagi mein koi aur hain Arpita ?"

Arpita - "Kya matlab ?"

Veer - "Kuch bhi nahi."

Arpita - "Kya hamara parivaar hamare jeevan ka hissa nahi hain ?"

Veer - "Kya hum ek dusre ke jeevan ka hissa nahi hain ?"

Arpita - "Tum baat ko samajah kyun nahi paa rahe ho ?"

Veer - "Aakhir tum meri baat ko samajah kyun nahi paa rahi ho Arpita ?"

Arpita - "Isme samajhana kya hain ? Hum bohut acche dost hain Veer aur humesha rahenge."

Veer - "Pati-Patni ek dusre ke bohut acche dost bhi hote hain."

Arpita - "Toh tum apni patni se bohut acchi dosti kar lena."

Veer uth kar jaa raha hota hain. Arpita uska haath pakadti hain aur kehti hain, "Veer ruko. Kahan par jaa rahe ho tum ?"

Veer - "Bas main jaa raha hoon."

Arpita - "Mere dil mein tumhare liye kuch bhi nahi hain Veer aur nahi kabhi ho sakta hain. Main kisi aur ki amaanat hoon."

Veer - "Tum kisi aur ki amaanat thi Arpita. Lekin, ab tum akeli ho aur main bhi akela hoon. Hum dono adhure hain aur do adhoore milkar, ek dusre ko pura kar dete hain."

Arpita - "Aur mere husband. Kya meri unke liye koi feelings nahi thi kabhi ? Kya unke guzar jaane ke baad, meri zindagi se unki ahmiyat khatm ho chuki hain ? Kya unke saath bitaaya hua har ek pal main bhool jaaun ?"

Veer - "Lekin ab woh mar chuka hain."

Arpita - "Woh mera pati tha. Yaad rakho is baat ko. Aur aainda se unke baare mein kabhi bhi ek bhi lafz tumhare zuban se nahi nikalana chahiye."

Veer kuch nahi kehta aur woh waha se chala jaata hain. 

Kuch dino baad, Arpita ko Veer ka call aata hain. Arpita call receive karti hain, "Hi Veer. Kaise ho tum ?"

Veer - "Main thik hoon. Tum kaisi ho ?"

Arpita - "Main bhi thik hoon."

Veer - "Kya tum aaj shaam, mere ghar aa sakti ho ?"

Arpita - "Haan zaroor. Koi khaas occasion hain ?"

Veer - "Nahi bas kaafi din ho gaye hain mile toh, maine socha ki ek baar mil lete hain."

Arpita - "OK. Shaam mein milte hain."

Shaam mein Arpita uske ghar par jaati hain aur Veer use dekh kar bas, "Hi" keh deta hain. Arpita ghar ke andar aati hain aur Veer awaaz lagata hain, "Aarav."

Tabhi andar ke kamre se ek baccha bhagte hue aata hain aur uske haath mein ek khilona hota hain. Uski umar kariban 8-9 saal ki hoti hain. 

Veer kehta hain, "Beta aunty ko namastey bolo ?"

Aarav - "Namastey aunty."

Arpita kuch samajh nahi paati hain. Lekin kuch seconds ke baad woh bhi kehti hain, "Namastey beta."

Tabhi Aarav kehta hain, "Papa ab main andar jaake khelun ?"

Veer - "Haan beta jaao. Jaakar khelo."

Us bacche ke muh se 'Papa' shabd sunkar Arpita dang reh jaati hain. Aarav andar chala jaata hain. 

Arpita us se puchti hain, "Kya hain yeh sab Veer ?"

Veer - "Tumhe pati nahi chahiye aur mujhe tumhare alaava koi aur nahi chahiye. Lekin mere ghar walon ko bahu-bacche chahiye. Bahu toh main unhe de nahi paaunga. Isiliye maine baccha goad liya hain. Aaj se pehle tak maine jo kuch bhi kaha tha, woh sab kuch tum ab bhool jaao. Aur main bhi bhool chuka hoon, ki main kisi ladki se pyaar karta tha. Ab main ek bacche ka baap hoon. Aur ab mera beta hi meri zindagi hain." 

Arpita bina kuch kahe waha se chali jaati hain. Haalanki yeh dono ke beech dosti aaj bhi hain. Dono aksar ek dusre se milte-julte rehte hain. Lekin inka rishta ab ek naaya roop le chuka hain. Jiska koi bhi naam nahi hain. Yeh rishta benaam hain. 

 

                     - Ved Vineet Gautam