Antaraal

Aryan ek naujawan hain. Woh ek College Student hain. Woh ek sanyukt parivaar mein rehta hain. Ek din, jab woh apne class ke andar gaya, tab uski nazar Ridhima par padi, jo ki uske class mein hi padhti thi. Kaale salwaar suit mein, woh aaj behad khubsurat lag rahi thi. Aryan ne kuch pal ke liye use dekha aur phir ek bench par jaakar baith gaya. Professor ne lecture shuru kiya, lekin, Aryan ka dhyaan Professor ke dwara diye jaa rahe lecture par nahi tha. Uske dimaag mein bas, yahi chal raha tha ki, woh ek baar Ridhima ko thik se dekh le. Woh khud samajh nahi paa raha tha, ki woh aisa kyun soch raha hain. Lecture khatam hua aur ab bas use Professor ke class ke bahar jaane ka intezaar tha, taaki woh mud kar ek baar Ridhima ko dekh sake. Professor board ko rub kar rahe the aur uske baad, kitaabon ko uthakar darwaze ki aur chal pade. Is dauraan, Aryan ko lag raha tha, ki aaj Professor jaane mein kuch zyada hi der laga rahe hain. Jaise hi woh class ke bahar gaye, Aryan turant peeche muda aur uski nazron ko Ridhima ki khubsurati ka deedar hua. Woh Ridhima ko dekh kar, bas dekhta hi jaa raha tha. Tabhi Class mein ek dusre Professor ki entry hui aur Aryan ke bagal mein baithe hue ladke ne use kohni se dheere se maara. Aryan ne us ladke ki taraf dekha aur us ladke ne Professor ki aur ishaara kiya. Professor ko dekhte hi, woh seham gaya aur usne apni nazrein jhuka li. Agle Professor ne apna lecture shuru kiya. 

College ke teen saal ke dauraan, Aryan Ridhima ko bas dur se dekhta. Kabhi-Kabhar un dono ki thodi bohut baat-cheet bhi ho jaati thi. Lekin, woh chah kar bhi Ridhima se kuch keh na paata. Shayad apne sharmile swabahav ke wajah se. Kabhi-Kabhi Aryan ko yeh lagta, ki uska Ridhima ke baare mein socha ya use dekhne ki iccha rakhna; keval ek aakarshan hain. Kuch saalon ke baad, College khatam ho gaya; lekin, Aryan ki Ridhima se ek saadharan si dosti se zyada, rishta aage badh nahi paaya. College ki zindagi khatam hone ka dukh, Aryan ke chehre par saaf dikh raha tha. Aryan ek akela rehne wala ladka tha. Woh bas apni hi dhun mein rehta tha. Woh kisi ke bhi saath zyada uthta-baithta nahi tha, phir chahe woh bahar wale ho ya ghar wale. Jis din uska College mein aakhri exam tha, us din exam dene ke baad, Aryan bas College mein yahan-wahan ghum raha tha aur har jagah apni nazar dauda raha tha, ki Ridhima use kahi par bhi dikh jaaye. Kisi aur se Ridhima ke baare mein puchne se woh jheejhak raha tha. Aryan ne bohut koshish ki use dhundhne ki lekin, Ridhima use kahi bhi nahi dikhi. Woh kaafi der tak College mein ruka raha. College Campus mein yahan-wahan ghumta raha, lekin; woh Ridhima ko dhundh na paaya. Kyunki, kaafi der ho chuki thi, Aryan ke phone par uske pita ka call aaya. Aryan ne call uthaya aur kaha, "Hello Papa."

Aryan Ke Pita - "Kaha par ho beta ?"

Aryan - "Main College mein hoon Papa."

Aryan Ke Pita - "College ka waqt toh kab ka khatam ho chuka hain. Abhi tak kya kar rahe ho tum College mein beta ?"

Aryan - "Kuch nahi Papa. Woh bas aise hi. Aaj aakhri din hain na College ka isiliye aaj thoda sa waqt lag raha hain."

Aryan Ke Pita - "Hum sab log tumhara intezaar kar rahe hain beta, jaldi aa jaao ghar par."

Aryan - "Thodi der mein pahuchta hoon Papa." Woh call disconnect kar deta hain aur apne ghar ki aur chal padta hain. Raaste bhar woh khud se baat-cheet karte hue jaa raha hota hain. 'Aakhir mein is kahani ko yahi par khatam hona tha. Na jaane kyun mile hum. Ek aur adhuri prem kahani.'   

'Prem Kahani ? Kounsi prem kahani ? Woh toh mujhe thik se jaanti tak nahi thi. Aakhir meri Ridhima se zyada baat-cheet bhi kaha par ho paati thi. Kabhi uske kareeb hi nahi jaa paaya main. Waise bhi aisa kounsa shaks hain, jis se meri zyada baat-cheet hoti hain ? Na maine kabhi koi dost banaya. Aur agar koi dost hain bhi toh bas, naam ki hi toh dosti hain meri. Aisa kounsa dost hain, jo mere bohut kareeb hain ? Main bas ek akela musafir hoon.' 

Aisi hi, bohut saari baatein; khud se karte-karte woh apne ghar par pahuncha. Apne swabhav anusar, Aryan ne ghar walon se thodi bohut baat-cheet ki aur apne kamre mein jaakar darwaza andar se band kar liya. 

Raat ka samay tha. Aaj Aryan bohut dukhi tha. Woh samajh nahi paa raha tha, ki woh ab aage kya kare. Usne apne kamre ki khidki kholi aur aasmaan ki aur dekha. Aasmaan par kaale baadal chaaye hue the. Yeh dekh kar woh hairaan reh gaya. Aryan ne socha, 'Is April ke mahine mein, yeh baadal kaise aa rahe hain ? Shayad woh bhi aaj meri tarah, kisi ghum ke saaye mein ghira hua hain. Kaash main ek baar, himmat karke; Ridhima se apne dil ki baat keh paata.'

Uski aankhon se aansun chalak pade. Aaj Aryan bohut ghumgin tha. Uski aankhon ke saamne, baar-baar Ridhima ka chehra aa raha tha. Use Ridhima ko kho dene ka pachtawa ho raha tha. Tabhi achaanak se baadal garaj utha aur Aryan ke shareer mein ek ajeeb si jhanjhanaahat hui. Uske aankhon se aansun bahe jaa rahe the. Tabhi barsaat shuru ho gayi. Jaise-Jaise barsaat badhti gayi, uske mann ki pida bhi badhti gayi. Kuch pal beeta aur ab yeh pida uske liye asahniya ho chuki thi. 

Bina soche-samjhe woh apne kamre ke table ki aur badha aur ek drawer khola. Us drawer mein uska Shaving Kit rakha hua tha. Aryan ne woh Shaving Kit bahar nikaala aur use khola. Usme se usne ek blade nikaala aur use lekar apne bed par jaa baitha. Kuch pal ke liye woh us blade ko dekhta raha. Usne apni aankhen band ki aur us blade se apne dusre haath ko halka sa kaant diya. Haath se khoon behna shuru ho gaya. 'Yeh maine kya kar diya ? Maine aisa kyun kiya ? Ab ghar mein sabko kya jawab dunga ? Main aakhir kitna bada bewakoof hoon.' Aryan ne socha. Usne apne dusre haath se behte hue khoon ko rokne ki bohut koshish ki, lekin, khoon ka bahaav ruk nahi raha tha. Woh apne kamre se nikala aur bathroom ki aur bhaaga, is baat ka bhi dhyaan rakhte hue; ki kahi koi use is haalat mein dekh na le. Aryan ne bathroom ka nal chalu kiya aur apne haath se behte hue khoon ko paani se dhona shuru kiya. Kaafi der ki koshishon ke baad, jaise-taise uske haath ka khoon ka bahaav ruka. Woh apne kamre mein gaya aur us blade ko khidki se bahar phenk diya. Phir woh bed par leat gaya. Thodi der ke baad, use neend lag gayi.  

Agle din, subah hui aur woh thoda sa der se utha. Woh apne kamre se bahar aaya aur use dekhte hi ghar walon ne sawalon ki jhadi laga di. "Aakhir tumhe hua kya hain ?" "Tumhara yeh haanth kaise kataa ?" "Kya tumhe koi tension hain ?" "Kya kisi baat se tum bohut dukhi ho ?" "Kya koi ladki ka maamla hain ?" Ghar walon ke sawaal pe sawaal aa rahe the, lekin, Aryan ke pass ek bhi sawaal ka jawab nahi tha. Aryan ke pita, use apne saath aspatal le gaye aur uske haathon ki patti karayi. Ghar wale jaante the, ki yeh kabhi kisi se apne dil ki baatein nahi batata hain, isliye woh log Aryan ko indirectly samjhaane ki koshish kar rahe the. Aryan sabhi ki baatein sun raha tha, lekin, chup tha. Beech-Beech mein ghar wale Aryan se sawaal bhi kar rahe the, jinka uske pass koi bhi jawab nahi tha. 

Kuch din uske yunhi bas apne kamre mein baithe-baithe beete.

Agle mahine College ka result aaya aur woh College gaya ek aakhri ummeed ke saath, ki shayad Ridhima use kahi dikh jaaye. Lekin, woh kahi bhi nahi dikhi. Result lekar woh dukhi mann se apne ghar pahuncha. 

Ab use naukri ke liye apply karna tha. Uska mann ab is shahar mein nahi lag raha tha. Woh dusre shahar mein naukri karna chahta tha. Lekin, us haath katne wale wakye ke baad, Aryan ke parivaar wale yeh nahi chahte the ki, woh kisi anjaan shahar mein akela rahe. Un logon ko yeh darr sata raha tha, ki kahi woh dubaara aisi harkat na dohra de. Aryan ne jaise-taise apne parivaar ko is baat ke liye manaa liya aur woh Mumbai ke liye nikal pada. 

Waqt beet ta gaya aur woh Mumbai ki tez raftaar ke saath taal se taal milaana seekh gaya. Ab woh na sirf apne parichit logon se balki anjaan logon se bhi khulkar baat-cheet karne mein saksham ho chuka tha. Usme yeh badlaav dekh kar uske parivaar wale behad khush the. Ab woh log chahte the ki Aryan shaadi kar le. Jab bhi ghar wale Aryan se shaadi ke baare mein baat-cheet karte, woh kisi na kisi bahane se baat ko ghuma deta. Uske ghar wale toh yeh bhi kehte, ki agar koi ladki pasand ho toh bata do, hum logon ko koi bhi aapatti nahi hain. Lekin, Aryan bas itna hi kehta ki, "Filhal shaadi ki itni jaldi nahi karni chahiye. Abhi usme waqt hain." 

Ek din ki baat hain, har roz ki tarah Aryan office se kaam khatam karke apne ghar ke liye nikal pada tha. Woh rickshaw ka intezaar kar raha tha. Kaafi waqt tak intezaar karne ke baad, ek rickshaw uske saamne aakar ruki aur woh us rickshaw wale se baat karne hi wala tha ki, tabhi us rickshaw se ek ladki utri. Aryan ki us ladki par nazar padi. Aur woh use dekhta hi reh gaya. Woh ladki koi aur nahi, balki, Ridhima hi thi. Kaafi arse baad, aaj dubara apne chand ke deedar ho rahe the. Aryan ki aankhein bhar aayi. Uske muh se shabd nahi nikal paa rahe the. Tabhi rickshaw wale ne kaha, "Sahab aapko kahi jaana hain toh jaldi batao, yahan wahan kya dekh rahe ho ?" Yeh sunkar Ridhima ki nazar Aryan par padi aur woh bhi use dekh kar hairaan reh gayi thi. "Aryan ?" Ridhima ne bade aashcharya se kaha.

Aryan - "Hi Ridhima."

Ridhima - "Hi Aryan. Kaise ho tum ?"

Aryan - "Thik hoon."

Rickshaw Wala - "Sahab aapko kahi jaana hain kya ?"

Aryan - "Nahi nahi. Ab nahi jaana hain. Iam sorry bhaiya."

Woh Rickshaw Wala wahan se chala gaya. 

Aryan - "Kaafi lambe waqt ke baad, hum mil rahe hain."

Ridhima - "Haan woh toh hain."

Aryan - "Tum Mumbai mein rehti ho ya bas kuch dino ke liye aayi ho ?"

Ridhima - "Main ab yahi par hi rehti hoon. Aur tum ?"

Aryan - "Main bhi. Kya tum abhi free ho ?"

Ridhima - "Haan bilkul."

Aryan - "Mere saath Coffee piyogi ?"

Ridhima - "Thik hain chalo."

Woh dono saath mein ek nazdeek ke hi Coffee Shop mein gaye aur wahan par baithkar dher saari baatein ki. Dono ne ek dusre ka contact number liya aur us din ke baad se woh dono aksar milne lage. Dheere-Dheere dosti gehri hoti gayi aur woh dono ek dusre ke kareeb aate gaye. Mulakaaton ka silsila yunhi chalta raha.

 Ek din, Aryan ne tai kar liya ki aaj woh Ridhima se apne dil ki baat keh kar hi rahega. Aryan ne use call kiya. Ridhima ne call uthaya aur kaha, "Hi Aryan." 

Aryan - "Hi Ridhima."

Ridhima - "Kaise ho tum ?"

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

Ridhima - "Main bhi thik hoon. Aur baaki sab ?"

Aryan - "Sab thik hain. Kya hum kal mil sakte hain ?"

Ridhima - "Haan zaroor. Kaha par milna hain ?"

Aryan - "Jahan par bhi tum kaho."

Ridhima - "Tum ek kaam karo. Kal shaam tum mere ghar par aa jaao."

Aryan - "Thik hain."

Agle din, woh Ridhima ke ghar gaya. Usne darwaze ki bell bajayi aur Ridhima ne darwaaza khola. Aryan andar gaya aur Ridhima ne darwaaza band kar diya. Phir woh dono sofa par baithkar yahan wahan ki baatein karne lage. Tabhi Aryan ne pucha, "Tumhara shaadi ka kya plan hain ?"

Ridhima - "Dekhte hain. Abhi toh kuch socha nahi hain."

Aryan - "Kya koi ladka pasand hain tumhe ?"

Ridhima - "Haan pasand toh hain."

Aryan - "Koun hain woh ?"

Ridhima - "Mere saamne hi toh baitha hain."

Aryan - "Kya tum mujhse pyaar karti ho ?"

Ridhima ne 'Haan' mein apna sar hilaya.

Aryan - "Kya tum mujhse shaadi karogi ?"

Ridhima - "Haan."

Aryan - "Thank You very much Ridhima. Maine kabhi sapne mein bhi nahi socha tha, ki tum mujhe pasand karogi."

Ridhima - "Aisa kyun ?"

Aryan - "Kyunki College ke daur mein, main tumse kabhi zyada baat-cheet nahi kar paata tha aur tumse dur hokar bohut lamba waqt bhi guzar chuka tha. Isliye mujhe laga ki shayad, tum mujhe bhool chuki hogi."

Ridhima - "Kya tum mujhe itne saalon mein bhoola paaye the ?"

Aryan ne 'Na' mein apna sar hilaya. 

Ridhima - "Tab ? Main tumse aaj se nahi balki College ke daur se hi mohabbat karti hoon. Kya tum mere banoge ?"

Aryan ki aankhen bhar aayi. Ridhima ne uske aansun ponche aur use apne gale se laga liya. 

                   - Ved Vineet Gautam