Prem

 Shekhar ek jawan ladka hain. Usne haal hi mein College mein admission liya hain. Usne B. Com ki padhayi karne ke liye admission liya hain. Aaj uske College ka pehla din hain. Woh tayyar hokar bohut josh ke saath College pahucha. Lectures kaha par hone wale hain yeh use pata nahi tha. Ajit ne waha par kaam kar rahe ek karmchari se pata lagaya aur woh apne Class pahucha. Class mein lecturer aaye aur sabhi students ne unhe 'Good Morning' wish kiya. 

Lecturer bole, "Toh students kaise ho aap sabhi log ?"

Sabhi Students ek saath bole, "Hum sab thik hain Sir."

Lecturer - "Mera naam Ajit hain aur main aap logon ka accounts ka lecturer hoon. Aasha karta hoon ki aap logon ko mere saath padhayi karne mein maza aayega. Aur hum sab, bohut hi acche dost ki tarah rahenge. Ab main chahta hoon ki aap sabhi log apna-apna introduction dein."

Uske baad, sabhi vidyarthiyon ne apna-apna introduction diya. Ab class mein daily lectures attend karna hota tha aur sabhi vidyarthi aate the. Class mein kuch 25-30 vidyarthi the, kuch ladke toh kuch ladkiyan aur sabhi log ek dusre ke bohut acche dost ban gaye the. 

Ek din, Shekhar ke pass Preeti aayi, jo ki uske saath uske class mein hi padhti thi aur kahi, "Hi Shekhar."

Shekhar - "Hi Preeti."

Preeti - "Kaise ho tum ?"

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

Preeti - "Main bhi thik hoon. Accha woh mera Pen ka ink khatam ho gaya hain, kya tumhare pass ek extra Pen hain ?"

Shekhar - "Haan hain." Aur woh apne bag mein se ek Pen nikalkar use de deta hain. 

Preeti muskura kar kehti hain, "Thank You." Aur woh chali jaati hain. 

Agle din Shekhar, uske pass jaata hain aur kehta hain, "Mera Pen tumhare pass reh gaya tha."

Preeti - "Pen ?"

Shekhar - "Haan. Kal tumne mujhse Pen liya tha na ?"

Preeti - "Are haan, haan. Sorry woh main bhool gayi thi." Uske baad, woh apne bag mein se Pen nikalkar Shekhar ko de deti hain. Aur woh wapas chala jaata hain. Din-Ba-Din un dono ke beech mein baat-cheet badhne lagi aur kuch hi waqt mein woh dono ek dusre ke bohut acche dost ban gaye. 

Ek din, College mein Friendship Day ka programme tha. College tha, zyadatar students colour dress mein hi aate the. Lekin, aaj sabhi students apna-apna best dress pehen kar aane wale the. Shekhar ne apni Maa se kehkar ek apna Safed rang ka Shirt aur Neele rang ki Jeans press karwai aur woh use pehen kar tayyar ho jaata hain. Phir unse apni Maa se kaha, "Mummy aaj College mein Friendship Day hain, toh mujhe apne sabhi doston ke liye Friendship Band kharidana hain."

Shekhar Ki Maa - "Thik hain Beta. Kitne paise doon ?"

Shekhar - "500 Rupaye de dijiye."

Shekhar Ki Maa use paise de deti hain aur woh khushi-khushi College ke liye chala jaata hain. Raaste mein ek dukaan par ruk kar woh Friendship Bands choose karna shuru karta hain. "Bhaiyaa yeh red wali dikhana. Aur yeh black wali bhi aur woh blue wali band bhi toh dikhaiye." Kaafi der tak choose karne ke baad, usne dher saari Friendship Bands kharidi. Dukandaar ko paise dekar woh jaa hi raha tha ki, uske mann mein achaanak se Preeti ka khayal aaya. Woh wapas Dukaan ke andar jaata hain aur us dukandaar se kehta hain, "Bhaiyaa koi special Friendship Band hain kya aapke pass ?" 

Dukandaar - "Haan ji haan. Zaroor hain. Koi bohut khaas dost hain kya ?"

Shekhar - "Haan Bhaiyaa."

Dukandaar - "Zara do minute rukiye." Yeh kehkar woh yahan-wahan dhundhne lagta hain. Thodi der tak dhundne ke baad, woh ek Friendship Band use dikhata hain aur kehta hain, "Yeh bohut special hain."

Us Friendship Band ko dekhkar Shekhar bohut khush hua aur us se pucha, "Bhaiyaa iski kya keemat hain ?"

Dukandaar - "Ji 200 Rupaye."

Shekhar woh Friendship Band kharid leta hain aur woh College ke liye nikal padta hain. Raaste mein jaate waqt use thoda sa achraj mehsus hota hain. 'Aakhir mujhe achanak se Preeti ka khayal kyun aaya ?' Woh sochta hain. Thodi der ke baad, woh College pahuch jaata hain.  College pahunchte hi, use uske kai dost  milte hain aur woh un logon ko Friendship Day wish kar-kar ke Friendship Bands bandhta hain. Uski nazaron ko Preeti ka hi intezaar hota hain. Woh sabhi se baat-cheet karte-karte apni nazarein yahan-wahan daudata hain, lekin woh use kahi bhi nahi dikhayi deti hain. Thodi der ke baad, Preeti Class mein aati hain. Aaj usne Hare rang ki Salwaar pehni hain aur woh us Salwaar mein bohut khubsurat bhi lag rahi hain. Shekhar bas use hi dekh raha tha. Sabhi doston se milte-julte aur unhe Friendship Bands bandhte-bandhte woh Shekhar ke pass pahuchti hain aur bohut hi meethi aawaz mein kehti hain, "Hi Shekhar."

Shekhar - "Hi Preeti."

Preeti - "Happy Friendship Day Shekhar."

Shekhar - "Happy Valentines Day Preeti."

Preeti - "Valentines Day ? Aaj  Friendship Day hain Shekhar." Shekhar - "Oops Iam sorry. Woh maine tumhare liye Friendship Band laya hain."

Preeti - "Accha specially mere liye ?"

Shekhar - "Haan."

Preeti - "Toh jaldi se dikhao."

Shekhar apne bag mein se Friendship Band nikalta hain aur use dikhata hain. Us Friendship Band ko dekh kar Preeti bohut khush hoti hain aur woh kehti hain, "Itna khubsurat Band hain yeh. Yeh tum mere liye laaye ho ?"

Shekhar - "Haan. Yeh main sirf tumhare liye hi laaya hoon."

Preeti - "Thank You very much Shekhar."

Shekhar - "It's all my pleasure."

Preeti - "Ab dekh kya rahe ho ? Bandhon bhi ?"

Shekhar - "Haan."

Shekhar use Friendship Band bandhta hain aur Preeti bhi use ek Friendship Band bandhti hain. Phir woh Shekhar se kehti hain, "Maine aaj tak itna khubsurat Friendship Band nahi dekha. Main ise bohut sambhal kar rakhungi." Uske baad woh muskura kar chali jaati hain aur Shekhar bas use hi dekhta reh jaata hain. 'Kya mujhe Pyaar ho gaya hain ?' Woh sochta hain. 

Ab Shekhar ke dil aur dimaag ke beech mein ek jung chid jaati hain. Kabhi use lagta hain ki woh Preeti se pyaar karta hain, toh kabhi use lagta hain ki yeh sirf ek attraction hain. 

Ek din, jab Sunday ka din tha. Woh subah uthkar tayyar hota hain aur woh apne kamre mein baitha Preeti ke baare mein hi sochta hain. 'Aakhir Preeti kitni pyaari hain.' Uska dil kehta hain. 

Tabhi dimaag apna jawab deta hain, 'Pyaari toh har ladki hoti hain.'

Phir Dil kehta hain, 'Haan lekin, Preeti ki baat kuch aur hain.'

Dimaag apni rai rakhta hain, 'Aisi kya khaas baat hain bhai. Yeh bas ek aakarshan hain. Kuch dino mein utar jaayega.'

Uske baad, Dil apni baat rakhta hain, 'Bachpan se lekar aaj tak toh teri bohut saari ladkiyon se dosti thi, lekin, sirf Preeti ko dekhkar hi kyun tujhe ek alag sa ehsaas hota hain ?'

Shekhar ko uska jawaab mil jaata hain. Use apni mohabbat ka ehsaas ho jaata hain. 

Ab woh yeh sochta rehta hain, ki aakhir woh kaise Preeti se apne pyaar ka izhaar kare. Ab jab bhi woh Preeti se milta toh woh bohut kam baat-cheet karta. Kyunki, uski Preeti ke liye bhavnayen badal chuki hain. Aisa kai dino tak chalta raha. Shekhar ke bartaav mein badlaav dekh kar, Preeti ko thoda sa ajeeb mehsus ho raha tha. Usne socha ki 'uski bhi personal life hain. Shayad uski life mein koi badlaav aaye honge.' Ek mahina beet gaya, lekin Shekhar abhi bhi Preeti se bas nazrein churata tha. 

Ek din, Preeti ne tai kar liya ki woh Shekhar se khul kar baat karegi. College mein pahunch kar woh Class mein gayi aur Shekhar ek bench par baitha hua tha. Preeti uske pass gayi aur boli, "Shekhar College khatam hone ke baad, tum mujhse Canteen mein milna. Mujhe tumse kuch baatein karni hain."

Shekhar - "Thik Hain."

Preeti, Canteen mein Shekhar ka besabri se intezaar kar rahi hoti hain aur thodi der ke baad, woh wahan par pahunchta hain. Use dekhte hi Preeti muskurati hain. Shekhar uske pass jaata hain aur kehta hain, "Hi Preeti."

Preeti - "Hi Shekhar. Aao baitho."

Dono hi table par ek dusre ke aamne-saamne baithte hain. 

Preeti - "Tum kuch loge ?"

Shekhar - "Nahi."

Preeti - "Aur batao kaise ho tum ?"

Shekhar - "Main thik hoon. Tum apna haal batao."

Preeti - "Main toh thik hoon. Lekin, tum thik nahi ho."

Shekhar - "Matlab ?"

Preeti - "Itne dino se tumhare dimaag mein kya chal raha hain ?"

Shekhar - "Main kuch samjha nahi."

Preeti - "Main sab kuch bahut acche se samjhati hoon. Kya tum mere baare mein kuch soch rahe ho ?"

Shekhar - "Main aakhir kya sochunga ?"

Preeti - "Tum baaton ko ghumao mat. Kya tum kuch mehsus kar rahe ho mere baare mein ? Shayad kuch khaas ?"

Shekhar - "Lekin tum kya chahti ho yeh bhi toh jaan na zaroori hain ?"

Preeti - "Sawaal maine kiya hain. Jawaab paane ka pehla haq mera hain."

Shekhar - "Agar main haan kahun toh ?"

Preeti - "Toh isme bura hi kya hain."

Shekhar khush bhi hota hain aur thoda sa aashcharya chakit bhi ho jaata hain.

Preeti - "Tum itne hairan kyun ho ?"

Shekhar - "Kya tumhe meri baaton ka bura nahi laga ?"

Preeti - "Bilkul bhi nahi. Pyaar karna kounsi buri baat hain ?"

Shekhar - "Aur tumhare mere baare mein kya khayalaat hain ?"

Preeti - "Main bhi tumhe pyaar karti hoon."

Shekhar - "Thank You, very much. Main aur kya bolun, mujhe kuch..."

Uski baat kaat te hue Preeti kehti hain, "Lekin."

Shekhar - "Lekin kya ?"

Preeti - "Lekin yeh ki agar humare parivaar wale nahi maane toh hum unke khilaaf kabhi bhi nahi jaayenge. Tum kisi bhi tarah ki jung nahi chedoge."

Shekhar - "Haan tum jaisa kahogi waisa hi main karunga."

Preeti - "Filhal hum apni padhayi par dhyaan denge aur hamesha ek dusre ka saath denge."

Shekhar - "Zaroor."

Kuch dino ke baad, exams aane wale the aur dono ne hi bohut mehnat se padhayi ki. Exams khatam hone ke baad, ek din, Preeti ne Shekhar ko call lagaya aur kaha, "Tum Summer Jobs Karo."

Shekhar - "Lekin mujhe uski zaroorat hi kya hain ?"

Preeti - "Kabhi na kabhi toh tumhe naukri karni hi hogi. Toh abhi accha experience le lo."

Shekhar - "Lekin aisa kyun ?"

Preeti - "Agar tum mujhse pyaar karte ho, toh tum job karoge."

Shekhar - "Thik hain. Ab pyaar kiya hain toh, itna toh mujhe karna hi padega."

Shekhar ek Mall mein job par lag jaata hain. Kyunki use job karne ki aadat nahi thi toh shuruat ke kuch din, use thodi dikkaton ka saamna karna pada. Shaam hote-hote woh bohut thak jaata tha aur ghar aate hi woh so jaata tha. Shekhar ko jab jaisa waqt milta woh Preeti ko call laga kar us se baat kar leta tha. Lekin, use zyada waqt nahi mil paata tha, Preeti se baat karne ke liye. 

Naukri ke anubhav se Shekhar mein bohut badlaav aaye. Use paison ki keemat ka ehsaas hua. Ab woh apne paise bohut sambhaal kar kharach karta tha. 

Shekhar ko samajhdaar aur zimmedar banta dekh kar, uske maata pita bohut khush hue. Ek din, Shekhar ke pita ne us se kaha, "Kya baat hain beta, aaj kal tum dikhte hi nahi ho."

Shekhar - "Haan Papa, woh abhi bas job kar raha hoon."

Shekhar Ke Pita - "Kya job kar rahe ho tum ?"

Shekhar - "Bas ek Call Centre mein job kar raha hoon main." 

Shekhar Ke Pita - "Tumhe Job ki zaroorat hi kya hain."

Shekhar - "Bas Papa thoda experience ke liye."

Shekhar Ke Pita - "Are bhai aakhir koun hain woh ladki, jisne hamare bete ko itna badal diya ?"

 Shekhar - "Koun ladki Papa ? Koi nahi hain."

Shekhar Ke Pita - "Aisa achaanak se badlaav ladke mein sirf do hi wajahon se aata hain. Ya toh use koi paison ki dikkat ho, ya phir use kisi se pyaar ho gaya ho. Paison ki koi dikkat toh hain nahi tumhe, toh wajah toh yahi bachti hain. Koi toh ladki hain."

Shekhar - "Sach kahun Papa ? Toh haan. Hain ek ladki. Usne meri poori zindagi hi badal di hain Papa."

Shekhar Ke Pita - "Toh tum kab mila rahe ho us ladki se ?"

Shekhar - "Ab College jab bhi khulega. Tab hi main shayad us se mil paaunga."

Shekhar Ke Pita - "Chutti ke din jaakar hamari Bahu Raani se mil aao."

Shekhar - "Papa abhi tak toh aap us se mile bhi nahi ho."

Shekhar Ke Pita - "Jisne mere bete ko itna badal diya hain. Maine use mile bina hi, dil se apni Bahu Raani maan liya hain."

Shekhar - "Thanks Papa."

Apni pehli Salary paate hi, Shekhar Preeti ko milne ke liye ek park mein bulata hain. Park mein milte hi dono ek dusre ko gale laga lete hain. Uske baad Shekhar kehta hain, "Tumhe andaaza nahi hain, ki maine yeh ek mahina tumhare bagair kaise guzara hain."

Preeti - "Main bhi bohut tadpi hoon, tumhare deedar ke liye."

Shekhar - "Kya tumhe pata hain, mere Papa aur Mummy tumse bohut prabhavit hue hain. Woh tumse mile bina hi, tumhe pasand kar chuke hain."

Preeti - "Mere Papa bhi tumse milna chahte hain. Kab aaoge tum ghar par ?"

Shekhar - "Jab bhi tum kaho."

Preeti - "Lekin ek baat yaad hain na ?"

Shekhar - "Haan. Hum kabhi bhi apne parivaar ki marzi ke khilaaf jaakar shaadi nahi karnege. Pehle main tumhare kaabil banunga, phir main tumhare ghar aaunga."

Uske baad, woh dono ek dusre ke haathon mein haath daale waha se chale jaate hain.

           - Ved Vineet Gautam