Mohalle Ki Kahani

 Pranav apne maata-pita ka iklauta ladka hain. Uske pita ek private company mein naukri karte the. Filhal veh retire ho chuke hain. 

Pranav ke pita ka naam Sanjay hain aur maa ka naam Aditi hain. Pranav ek call center mein naukri karta hain. Woh CSR ( Customer Service Representative ) ki post par hain. 

Ek din, Pranav ki chutti thi aur woh ghar par hi tha. Woh apne kamre mein, apne bed par lete hue aaram kar raha tha. Tabhi unke ghar ka bell bajta hain aur Aditi darwaaza kholti hain. 'Shayad koi darwaaze par aaya hua hain.' 'Kya main bahar jaakar dekhun ?' 'Aaj ek din hi toh chutti mili hain. Aaram kar leta hoon.' Pranav sochta hain. 

Thodi der baad, Pranav ko kitchen mein se bartanon ki aawaz sunayi deti hain. "Koun hain ?" Pranav puchta hain.

"Main hoon beta." Aditi jawaab deti hain.

Pranav - "Mummy abhi thodi der pehle koi aaya tha kya ?"

Aditi - "Haan woh security guard tha. Keh raha tha ki aaj shaam mein society mein programme hain, Diwali ka. Toh invitation dene ke liye aaya tha. Shaam mein ready rehna tum."

Pranav - "Kyun ?"

Aditi - "Are baba shaam mein programme mein aana tum bhi."

Pranav - "Aaj ek din ki hi toh chutti mili hain Mummy aur Diwali par toh company koi khaas chutti de nahi rahi hain. Kal se dubara office jaana hoga mujhe."

Aditi - "Are beta thodi der ke liye neeche aa jaana tum. Sab se thoda sa milna-julna bhi chahiye."

Shaam mein Pranav tayyar hokar neeche gaya. Sab jaan-pehchan wale Pranav se keh rahe the ki, "Kaafi dino ke baad, milna-julna ho paa raha hain." Jis par woh bas itna hi kehta, "Kaam mein busy rehta hoon."

Tabhi society ke Sharma Uncle kehte hain, "Beta tum hamare society ke naye sadasya se nahi mile na ?"

"Nahi. Kya koi naye log yahan par shift hue hain ?" Pranav puchta hain.

Sharma Uncle - "Haan beta. Do minute haan." "Ahuja sahab." Sharma Uncle aawaz lagate hain. Tabhi ek adedh umar ka aadmi wahan par aata hain. 

Sharma - "Ahuja sahab. Zara inse bhi mil lijiye. Yeh hain Pranav."

Pranav - "Namastey Uncle."

Ahuja - "Namastey Beta. Aur yeh hain meri wife aur meri beti."

Pranav Ahuja ki biwi ko 'Namastey' karta hain aur beti ko 'Hello' kehta hain. Badle mein aunty bhi 'Namastey' mein jawab deti hain. Phir woh ladki apna haath aage badhate hue kehti hain, "Hi Iam Geet."

"Iam Pranav" woh Geet se haath milate hue kehta hain. 

Society mein Diwali ka tyohaar bohut dhoom-dhaam se manaya jaata hain. 

Agle din se, Pranav dubara apne kaam par jaana shuru kar deta hain. 

Ek din ki baat hain, Pranav apne office se bahar nikalta hain aur sadak ke kinaare Cigarette pee raha hota hain. Tabhi achaanak se koi peeche se uski aankhen band kar deta hain. 

Pranav - "Do I need to guess ?"

"Yes. U need to guess." Peeche se jawaab aata hain.

Pranav - "Aawaz toh koi ladki ki hain. Koun hain ? Aawaz shayad kahi suni-suni si lag rahi hain. Is it Priya ?"

"No." Peeche se jawaab aata hain.

Pranav - "OK. I surrender. Please show me your face."

Ladki apna haath hataati hain aur Pranav peeche mudta hain. Woh dekhte hi kehta hain, "Aap toh hamare society ki nayi member ho na ?" 

Geet - "Yes."

Pranav - "Sorry but, I don't remember your name."

Geet - "Iam Geet."

Pranav - "Right. Kaisi ho aap ?"

Geet - "Main thik hoon. Aap kaise ho ?"

Pranav - "Main bhi thik hoon. Aap yahan par kya kar rahi ho ?"

Geet - "Main actually shopping ke liye aayi thi. Kya aap free ho ?"

Pranav - "Haan. Meri shift khatam ho chuki hain."

Geet - "Kya aap shopping mein meri madad kar doge ?"

Pranav - "OK."

Dono saath mein maal jaate hain aur ek ghante tak shopping karte hain. Phir woh dono saath mein, Pranav ki bike par hi ghar ke liye nikal padte hain. Pranav bike chala raha hota hain aur Geet uske peeche baithi hoti hain.

Pranav - "Accha. Ek baat kehna tha aapse ?"

Geet - "Aap nahi tum kaho mujhe. Ab hum acche dost hain. Right ?"

Pranav - "Toh apni dosti nibha kar dikhaogi ?"

Geet - "Kaise ?"

Pranav - "Woh Cigarette ka ghar par batana mat haan."

Geet - "Ofcourse. Uska tum tension mat lo. Nahi bataungi."

Pranav - "Thank You."

Geet - "Thanks toh mujhe kehna chahiye. Tum meri itni help kar rahe ho."

Pranav - "Hum dono dost hain na. Doston mein aapas mein help thodi na hoti hain."

Geet - "Yeh bhi sahi hain."

Raaste bhar dono ne ekdusre se dher saari baatein ki. Kuch apne baare mein, kuch apne parivaar ke baare mein, toh kuch apne kaam ke baare mein bhi. 

Us din ke baad se, dono ka milna-julna shuru ho chuka tha. Jab bhi dono apne-apne kaam se ghar par laut te, toh thodi der ke liye ek dusre se milkar baatein kiya karte. Dono ne ek dusre ka number bhi le liya tha. Kabhi-Kabhi raat mein woh dono ek dusre se message ke zariye bhi baatein kar lete. 

Dheere-Dheere woh dono ek dusre ke behad kareeb aa rahe the. Aur is baat ka ehsaas dono ko hi ho raha tha. Lekin, kuch toh tha jo un dono ko dil ki baatein kehne se rok raha tha. 

Ek din, Pranav apne office se bahar nikla. Usne dekha ki Geet wahi bahar khadi hain. Pranav uske pass gaya. Aur woh Geet ko bas dekh raha tha. Woh bhi chup thi. Phir usne apni nazrein neeche kar li.

Pranav - "Meri taraf dekho Geet."

Geet waisi ki waisi hi khadi thi.

Pranav - "Mujhse nazrein milao Geet."

Geet - "Main nahi mila sakti hoon."

Pranav - "Kya hua hain tumhe ?"

"Pata nahi. Tumhe kya hua hain ?" Yeh kehkar Geet, Pranav se nazrein milati hain. 

Pranav - "Main nahi jaanta hoon ki, yeh kya hain aur kyun hain. Main bas itna jaanta hoon, ki main tumse milte rehna chahta hoon. Main chahta hoon ki tumse baatein karta rahoon aur tumhe bas dekhta rahoon. Agar tumhe yeh lagta hain ki mere iraade galat hain, toh main tumse kabhi nahi milunga. Main wahi karunga, jo tum chahogi."

Geet - "Main yeh nahi jaanti hoon, ki main kya chahti hoon. Lekin, kya humara ek dusre ke baare mein kuch khaas bhavnayein mehsus karna sahi hain ?"

Pranav - "Agar bhavna sahi hain. Agar dil saaf hain, toh kuch mehsus karne mein kya galat hain."

"Kya tum mujhse..." Kehte-Kehte Geet ruk jaati hain.

Pranav - "Kaho Geet. Jo bhi tumhare dil mein hain kaho."

Geet - "Par Kaise ?"

Pranav - "Main yeh nahi jaanta hoon ki, tumhare dil mein kya hain. Haan mujhe tumse mohabbat ho chuki hain. Duniya kya kahegi, mujhe us baat ki koi parwaah nahi hain. Agar tumhare dil mein kuch nahi hain, toh main kabhi bhi tumse is baare mein baat nahi karunga. Agar tumhe mujhse baat karne mein dilchaspi nahi hain, toh main tumhe kabhi apni shakal bhi nahi dikhaunga. Zindagi tumhari hain. Faisla tumhara hain. Sabse zyada zaroori baat yeh hain, ki tum kya chahti ho. Tumhara dil kya kehta hain. Tumhare maa-baap kya chahte hain." 

Geet - "Kya koi ladki kabhi apni dil ki baatein khulkar keh sakti hain ?"

Pranav - "Jo bhi hain. Ek baar saaf-saaf keh do."

Geet - "Haan. Mujhe bhi tumse mohabbat hain."

Pranav - "Ab aage kya ?"

Geet - "Ek baar mere Papa-Mummy se tum baat karke dekho."

Pranav - "Aur kis buniyad par main un logon se tumhara haath maangu ? Meri kaabiliyat kya hain ? Meri haisiyat kya hain filhal ?"

Geet - "Pyaar haisiyat dekh kar toh nahi ki jaati hain. Pyaar toh do dilon ka milan hota hain."

Pranav - "Lekin shaadi toh barabari walon mein hi hoti hain na ?"

Geet - "Aisa system kisne nikaala hain ?"

Pranav - "Agar kal ko main tumse shaadi kar bhi loon, log toh sabse pehle meri aukaat par ungli uthayenge. Mere iraade sawalon ke ghere mein aa jaayenge."

Geet - "Abhi kuch der pehle toh tum keh rahe the ki tumhe duniya ke vyang se koi bhi fark nahi padta hain ?"

Pranav - "Lekin, main tumhe kya khushi de paaunga ? Kya main tumhari har zaroorat poori karne ke kaabil bhi hoon ? Kya main tumhare kaabil bhi hoon ?"

Geet - "Kaabiliyat ke maamle mein toh main bhi sawaalon ke ghere mein aa sakti hoon."

Pranav - "Kyun na hum dono ek dusre ke kaabil bane ?"

Geet - "Matlab ?"

Pranav - "Hum dono mehnat kare, ek dusre ka saath de. Ek dusre ki sarahana kare aur jab hum apni zindagi mein ek mukaam haasil kar le, toh hum ghar walon se baat karne ki position mein bhi rahenge."

Geet - "Yeh bhi thik hain."

Pranav - "Toh hum ghar chale ?"

Geet - "Haan chalo."

Pranav - "Aaj hum dono ne apne pyaar ko paaya hain. Kyun na ek chota sa celebration ho jaaye ?"

Geet - "OK. Chalo Pizza khate hain."

Pranav - "OK."

Dono saath mein ek Pizza Shop mein jaate hain aur Pizza order karte hain. Dono ek dusre se duniya bhar ki baatein karte hain. Apne bachpan ke baare mein, apne sapno ke baare mein, apne parivaar ke baare mein. Tabhi Pizza table par aata hain.

Pranav - "Chalo start karo."

Geet - "Pehle tum."

Pranav - "Ladies First."

Geet - "OK."

Geet Pizza ka ek slice uthati hain aur Pizza ke slice ko Pranav ke muh ke pass le jaati hain. 

Pranav - "Pehle tum khao."

Geet - "Nahi pehle tum."

Pranav - "Maine toh pehle hi kaha tha, 'Ladies First.' "

Geet - "Kis liye kaha tha. Yeh nahi bataya. Ab ek acche boyfriend ki tarah chup-chap mere haath se Pizza khao."

Pranav muskurata hain. Geet Pranav ko bohut pyaar se Pizza khilati hain. Pizza khaate-khaate woh dono dher saari baatein karte hain. Dono saath jeene marne ki kasmein khaate hain. Uske baad, woh dono saath-saath ghar ke liye nikal jaate hain.  

Un dono ko jab bhi mauka milta, woh dono ek dusre se bahar kahi milte aur Whatsapp par chat toh har roz ki hi baat ho chuki thi. Din beet te gaye aur dheere-dheere dono ki kamayi bhi badhne lag gayi thi. Dono pyaar ke panchi ek hi aasmaan mein, saath-saath ud rahe the. 

Ek din, Geet ne Pranav ko message kiya, 'Main kal shaam tumhare office ke bahar aaungi, tum mujhe milna.'

Pranav ne 'OK' mein reply diya.

Agle din, Pranav apne office ke bahar Geet ka intezaar kar raha tha. Kuch minton ke baad, Geet tez chalte hue Pranav ke kareeb aayi aur uska haath pakadte hue Pranav ko ek kone mein le gayi. Dono ne ek dusre ki aankhon mein dekha aur kuch der ke liye, woh dono hi ek dusre ki aankhon mein doob chuke the. Aisa lag raha tha maano, woh dono hi duniya se kat chuke ho. Tabhi gaadiyon ki horn ki aawaz ne unhe hosh mein laaya. Woh dono mohabbat aur khayalon ki duniya se bahar nikal aaye. Un dono ne aas-paas dekha aur phir, Geet ne Pranav ke chehre ko bohut pyaar se chua. Uske baad, Geet ki aankhein bhar aayi. Geet ke aankhon se behta hua aansun dekh, Pranav ne uske aansun ponche aur kaha, "Aaj hamara Chand itna udaas kyun hain ?"

Geet - "Chand ki kismat mein hi likha hain akela rehna. Akele rehte-rehte aaj is Chand ka dil bhar aaya hain."

Pranav Geet ko gale se laga leta hain aur kuch der ke liye, woh dono ek dusre ke aise hi gale lage rehte hain. 

Uske baad, Geet kehti hain, "Waqt bohut kam hain." 

Pranav - "Matlab ?"

Geet - "Papa ne mere liye ladka dekhna shuru kar diya hain. Meri shaadi kabhi bhi tai ho sakti hain."

Pranav thoda sa soch mein pad jaata hain. Kuch der tak sochne ke baad, woh kehta hain, "Main aaj shaam tumhare ghar aaunga. Uske baad, jo hoga dekha jaayega. Ab tum apne ghar jaao." Geet wahan se chali jaati hain.

Shaam mein Pranav apne ghar pahuchta hain aur tayyar hokar Geet ke ghar ki aur badhta hain. Uske pair zara se ladkhada rahe the. Uske badan mein halki si kampan ho rahi thi. Himmat karke lekin ladkhadati chal mein, woh Geet ke ghar pahucha. Usne Door-Bell bajayi aur Geet ke pita ne darwaaza khola. 

Pranav ko dekhte hi unhone use andar aane ke liye kaha. Woh andar gaya, kursi par baitha. Pranav ne apni baat kehna shuru kiya. Pehle Geet ke pita hairaan hue, phir woh baat ko samjhe aur uske baad unhone kaha, "Beta main hamesha se yahi chahta hoon ki meri beti jahan bhi rahe khush rahe. Use kabhi bhi kisi cheez ki kami mehsus na ho. Geet ki khushi mein meri khushi hain. Main kuch waqt ke liye intezaar karne ke liye tayyar hoon. Tumhari mehnat dekhi hain maine. Aise hi mehnat karte raho aur koshish karo ki, jald se jald tumhari ek acchi kamayi shuru ho jaaye."

Yeh sun kar, Pranav aur Geet dono hi thode se relax ho jaate hain. 

Dono hi din raat mehnat karne lag gaye, taaki ek acchi kamayi shuru hone ke baad, woh dono hamesha ke liye ek ho jaaye. 

                

                   - Ved Vineet Gautam