Intezaar

Jai naam ka ek ladka hain. Woh ek company mein naukri karta hain. Ek baar company ki ek party hone wali thi. Party ek club mein hone wali thi. Woh club mein jaata hain aur wahan par apne colleagues ke saath dher saari masti karta hain. Saath Hi Saath usne bohut zyada sharaab bhi pee li thi. Tabhi wahan par ek kaanch ka glass uske haath par girta hain aur use turant hospital le jaaya jaata hain. Ek hafte ke ilaaj ke baad use aspataal se discharge mil jaata hain. 

Ek din jab wah job khatam karke apne office se bahar nikalta hain toh ek ladki use awaaz lagati hain, "Mr. Jai."

Jai dekhta hain us ladki ko aur woh uske paas aati hain. "Mr. Jai ?"

Jai - "Ji haan. Main Jai hoon."

Ladki - "Mera naam Upasana hain."

Jai - "OK."

Upasana - "Iam really sorry for that day."

Jai - "Which day ? And sorry for what ?"

Upasana - "Woh us din club mein aapke haath par kaanch ka glass phoot gaya tha. Woh actually meri hi galti thi." "Actually mere haath se glass slip ho gaya tha."

Jai - "It's OK Mam. No Issues."

Upasana - "Aap yahan par job karte ho ?"

Jai - "Haan 2nd floor par hi."

Upasana - "Main 5th floor par job karti hoon."

Jai - "Oh Wow what a co-incidence."

Upasana - "Ya. Milte rahenge phir aur sorry once again for that accident."

Jai - "It's totally alright."

Uske baad woh dono aksar hi milte rahe. Dono hi bohut acche dost ban gaye the. Dono hi office ke baad thoda sa time ek dusre ke saath bitate the. Dheere-Dheere woh dono hi ek dusre ke nazdeek aa rahe the.

Ek baar ki baat hain, jab woh dono saath mein ek movie dekhne ka plan banaye. Woh dono cinema mile, Jai ne ticket nikaali aur popcorn aur cold drinks liya. Woh dono saath mein agal-bagal wali seat par baith gaye. Woh ek romantic movie thi. Movie ke dauraan kai baar un dono ki nazrein mili. Movie khatam hui aur woh dono bahar aaye. Cinema Hall ke bahar aate waqt, bheed bohut thi aur Jai ne Upasana ka haath pakad liya. Phir woh dono bheed se dur aaye aur khaali road par paidal chalne lage. Us waqt bhi dono ka haath, ek dusre ke haathon mein hi tha. 

Phir Jai ne kaha, "Kya main tumhe ghar chod doon."

Upasana - "Nahi main chali jaaungi."

Jai - "Main tumhe tumhare ghar ke paas chod dunga."

Upasana - "Thik hain."

Jai ne apni bike nikaali aur Upasana uske peeche baithi. Dono hi bike par baatein karte hue jaa rahe the. Tabhi achanak se baarish shuru ho gayi. Thodi hi der mein woh baarish, bohut tez ho gayi. Jai ne side mein apni bike roki aur woh dono road ke kinaare mein jaakar khade ho gaye. 

Usi waqt achanak se wahan par se ek car thodi si speed mein guzari aur road ka paani unki aur uda. Jai peeche muda aur Upasana ko pakad liya. Saara paani Jai ke peeth par gir gaya. Dono ne ek dusre ko dekha aur woh dono ek dusre ki aankhon mein doob rahe the. Upasana ke badan se girta hua paani, dheere dheere neeche jaa raha tha. Uske hoton se tapakti hui paani ki boondein, Jai ko madhosh kar rahi thi. 

Barsaat shehar mein ho rahi thi aur yeh dono ek dusre ke aankhon ke samandar mein doob rahe the. Kuch der baad barsaat thami. Lekin in dono ke andar ek toofan uth chuka tha. Dono hi bina kuch kahe bike ki aur badhe, Jai ne bike start ki aur Upasana uske peeche baithi. Raaste bhar dono hi chup the. Woh dono hi ek dusre se kuch kehna chah rahe the, lekin shayad baat labon par aate hi kahi gum ho jaati thi.  

Aakhir mein woh dono Upasana ke ghar pahuche aur Jai ne bike rok di. Phir Upasana bike se utri aur woh apne ghar mein chali gayi, bina Jai se nazrein milaye. Us din dono ne ek dusre ko 'Bye' tak nahi kaha. 

Agle din office ka time khatam hone ke baad Jai, building ke bahar Upasana ka badi besabri se intezaar kar raha tha. Kareeb aadhe ghante baad, Upasana wahan par aayi aur Jai ko dekh kar thoda sa muskurayi. Jai ne "Hi" kaha aur us par usne bhi "Hi" kaha. Jai ne pucha, "Coffee peene chale?" 

Upasana - "Thik hain."

Dono hi paas ke ek Coffee Shop mein gaye aur woh dono ek table par baithe aur Coffee order kiye.

Woh dono yahan-wahan ki baatein kar rahe the. Us waqt Upasana, thoda sa sharma bhi rahi thi. Coffee khatam hone ke baad, Jai ke gaal par kuch laga hua tha. Upasana ne woh dekha aur Jai ko ishaara kiya. Woh apne gaal par haath ghuma kar dhoondhne ki koshish kar raha tha. Lekin use nahi mila. Upasana ne apna dupatta ka kona liya Jai ke gaalon par le gayi. Woh bohut pyaar se uske gaal ponch rahi thi. Phir Coffee khatam hone ke baad Jai ne bill diya aur woh dono wahan se bahar chale gaye. Uske baad Jai ne use uske ghar par chod diya. 

Woh dono aksar mila karte the, lekin us barsaat wale din ke baad, woh dono ka bartaav ek dusre ke saath kaafi badal gaya tha. Dono hi shayad ek daure se kuch kehna chahte the, lekin keh nahi paa rahe the. Kai din beet gaye. Ek din jab woh dono mile, tab unhone sadak par logon ko ek dusre ko phool dete hue dekha. Upasana ne apne mobile mein kuch dekha, phir woh Jai ki aur kuch seconds ke liye dekhi aur peeche mud gayi. Jai uske taraf gaya aur woh dekha ki woh apna chehra sharam se jhukaye hue thi. Jai ne uske haath se uska mobile liya aur uske mobile ko dekhte hi woh bhi muskuraya. Mobile par tareekh 14 February ki thi. Yaani ki aaj Valentines Day tha. Uske baad Jai ne pucha, "Kya tumhe phool pasand hain ?"

 Upasana ne 'Haan' mein sar hilaya. Jai paas ke ek phool ke dukaan par gaya aur wahan se laal phoolon ka guccha kharid liya. Phir woh Upasana ke paas gaya aur woh khoobsurat pholon ka guccha, uski taraf karte hue us se puch liya, "Kya tum mujhse shaadi karogi ?"

Upasana ne 'Haan' mein apna Sar hilaya aur woh sharma kar dusre aur mud gayi. Jai bhi uski aur muda aur usne dekha ki woh sharam se apna chehra neeche ki hui hain. Jai ne uske gaalon ko apne haathon se chua aur uske chehre ko upar uthaya. "Meri taraf dekho Upasana." Jai ne kaha.

Upasana ne dheere-dheere apni nazrein uthayi aur Jai se apni nazrein milayi. Dono ki nazrein ek dusre se mili aur Upasana ki aankhon mein aansun aa gaye. 

Jai ne hairani se pucha, "Kya hua Upasana ?"

Upasana - "Kuch nahi." Uski aankhon se aansun ruk nahi paa rahe the. 

Jai - "Kya tumhe meri baat ka bura laga ?"

Upasana - "Nahi Jai. Main bhi tumse bohut pyaar karti hoon. Maine kabhi socha nahi tha ki do ajnabee is tarah se ek dusre ke itne nazdeek aa jaayenge. Aaj main bohut khush hoon Jai. Bas tum kabhi bhi mera saath mat chodna."

Jai - "Main hamesha tumhare saath rahunga Upasana. Hum dono zindagi mein kabhi bhi alag nahi honge."

Aakhir kaar dono ne ek dusre se apne pyaar ka izhaar kar hi diya tha. Dono hi bohut khush the. Tabhi Upasana ke mobile par call aaya. Call utha kar usne kaha, "Hello." Kuch der tak baat karne ke baad, woh boli, "Accha main abhi ghar aati hoon."

Upasana - "Jai mujhe abhi apne ghar jaana hoga. Papa ne mujhe bulaya hain. Shaam hone ko aa rahi hain na." 

Jai - "Thik hain Upasana. Main tumhe ghar chod deta hoon."

Upasana - "Thik hain Jai."

Jai ne apni Bike start ki aur Upasana uske peeche baithi, gaadi chalate waqt un dono ne ek dusre se bohut saari baatein ki aur dekhte hi dekhte Upasana ka ghar aa gaya.

Jai - "Aakhir Kaar hum pahuch gaye tumhare ghar par."

Upasana bike se utri aur usne muskurate hue kaha, "Bye Jai."

Jai - "Bye-Bye. Ab kal mil rahi ho na tum ?"

Upasana - "Haan. Accha ab main aati hoon." Yeh keh kar woh apne ghar ke andar chali gayi. Uske baad, Jai bhi wahan se chala gaya. 

Woh roz office ke baad milte aur ek dusre ke saath bohut waqt bitate the. Kuch der saath bitane ke baad, woh dono waha se apne-apne ghar chale jaate. Aisa kuch waqt tak chalta raha. Woh dono hi ek dusre ke pyaar mein khoye jaa rahe the.

Ek din ki baat hain, jab woh har roz ki tarah us din bhi office ki building ke bahar  Upasana ka intezaar kar raha tha. Ek ghante se zyada ka waqt beet chuka tha, lekin woh bahar aate hue dikhi nahi. Usne socha ki woh kaam mein aaj shayad thoda zyada busy hogi. Shayad aaj uska work load thoda zyada hoga. Yeh soch kar woh aur intezaar karta raha. Woh kaafi lambe waqt se uska intezaar kar raha tha, lekin woh bahar nahi aayi. 

Jai ne uske mobile par call lagaya, lekin woh switched off aa raha tha. 

Aakhir mein us se raha nahi gaya aur woh us building mein chala gaya wahan se woh uske office ke andar gaya. Wahan par Jai ne logon se puch tach ki uske baare mein aur use pata chala ki aaj woh office nahi aayi. Jai ko thoda sa ajeeb laga. Woh wahan se chala gaya. Usne use kai baar call lagaya, lekin, abhi bhi uska phone switched off aa raha tha. Woh thoda sa ghabra gaya. Ek baar ke liye uske mann mein khayal aaya ki woh uske ghar chale jaaye. Lekin is tarah se milna shayad uske parivaar ko ajeeb lage. Aaj poore 3 din ho gaye, woh office aayi nahi. Jai use har roz call laga raha tha, lekin, uski taraf se koi bhi jawab nahi mil raha tha. Jai ne use kai baar messages bhi kiye, lekin uski taraf se koi bhi reply nahi mila use. Poore ek hafte tak yeh sab chalta raha. 

Aakhir mein Jai se raha nahi gaya aur ek din usne tai kiya ki woh Upasana ke ghar jaayega. Ek shaam woh Upasana ke ghar pahucha. Woh gate ke andar gaya aur usne ghar ki door bell bajayi. Ghar ka darwaza khula aur ek 55-60 saal ke budhe aadmi ne darwaaza khola. Us aadmi ko dekhte hi Jai ne kaha, "Namastey Uncle. Main Jai hoon. Main Upasana ka dost hoon."

Uncle - "Main jaanta hoon beta. Aaiye aap andar aaiye."

Jai ghar ke andar aata hain. Hall mein ek 55-60 saal ki budhi aurat bhi baithi hoti hain. Andar aane ke baad, woh aadmi Jai se baithne ke liye kehta hain. Jai ek bed par baithta hain. Uske baad woh aadmi us se puchta hain, "Beta aap chai loge ya coffee ?"

Jai - "No Thanks Uncle. Main kuch nahi lunga." 

 Budha aadmi - "Main Upasana ka pita hoon aur uski Maa hain."

Jai - "Namastey Aunty."

Upasana Ki Maa - "Namastey Beta."

Jai - "Uncle woh Upasana kaafi dino se office nahi aa rahi hain. Maine use kai baar call lagaya. Kai baar uske phone par messages bhi chode lekin, uski taraf se mujhe koi reply bhi nahi mila. Isiliye maine socha ki main ek baar aake mil loon."

Upasana Ke Pita - "OK Beta. Accha kiya."

Jai - "Woh Upasana kaha par hain Uncle ?"

Upasana Ke Pita - "Beta woh thodi bimar hain."

Jai - "Kyun ? Kya hua Uncle ?"

Upasana Ke Pita - "Main tumhe bata toh nahi paaunga, lekin, tum agar chaho toh us se mil sakte ho."

Jai - "Kaha par hain Upasana ?"

Upasana Ke Pita - "Beta woh andar apne kamre mein hain. Aao main tumhe apne saath le chalta hoon."

 Upasana Ke Pita ke saath Jai andar kamre mein jaata hain. Aur woh dekhta hain ki Upasana ek bed par leti hui hain. Thodi si bimaar lag rahi hain. Jai uske pass jaata hain.  

Jai - "Kaisi ho Upasana ?"

Upasana - "Koun hain yeh ?"

Yeh sun kar Jai ek dum se chaunk jaata hain. 

Upasana - "Aap dono koun ho ?"

Upasana ka aisa behaviour dekhkar Jai ko bohut dukh pahuchta hain aur woh us kamre se bahar chala jaata hain. 

Upasana Ke Pita uske paas aate hain aur kehte hain, "2-3 din pehle iska accident hua tha. Ghar mein hi uska pair faisla aur uske sar par choat lagi. Bohut hi gehri choat lagi thi use. Aur tabse uski yaad dash chali gayi hain. Maine use hospital mein admit bhi kiya. Lekin woh log keh rahe hain ki kisi specialist ko dikhana hoga. Ab 2-3 din mein specialist aane wale hain, uske baad dekhte hain kab tak woh thik ho paayegi. Tab tak toh hume bas intezaar hi karna hoga."  

Jai ko bohut bada dhakka lagta hain. Kuch der baad woh wahan se chala jaata hain. 

Use Upasana ke saath bitaya hua har ek pal yaad aata hain, jise woh bhool chuki hain. Woh apne aap ko hi bhool chuki hain. Jai ne socha, 'Ab jab tak uski yaad dash dubara wapas nahi aayegi, jab tak ki woh apne aap ko dubara paa nahi legi, tab tak main bas uska intezaar karta rahunga.'

               

              - Ved Vineet Gautam