Haisiyat

Prateek aur Pooja yeh dono bhai behan hain. Prateek umar mein, Pooja se do saal bada hain. Teen saal pehle ek durghatana mein unke maata-pita ki mrityu ho chuki thi. Jis samay us dampati ki mrityu hui thi, us samay Prateek ki padhaai poori ho chuki thi aur Pooja ka College chal raha tha. 

Jab manushya ka samay kharab hota hain, tab use jeevan ke kai katheen pareeksha ka saamna karna padta hain. In dono bhai-behan ke saath bhi aisa hi hua tha. Kareeb aanth maah tak, Prateek koi kahi par bhi naukri nahi mil paa rahi thi. Us samay, un dono bhai behan ke sabhi rishtedaaron ne unka bohut saath diya tha. Khaas kar ke unke Mama aur Bua ne un dono ki bohut madad ki thi. 

Ab yeh dono bhai-behan ke jeevan mein bohut shaanti aa chuki hain. Prateek aarthik roop se bhi saksham ban chuka hain.  

Ek din ki baat hain, jab in dono ke Mama aur Bua apne parivaar ke saath, unse milne ke liye, inke ghar aaye the. Sabhi log saath mein baithe baatein kar rahe the. Tabhi Mama ne kaha, "Baccho tum dono ab bade ho chuke ho. Jeejaji aur Didi ke guzar jaane ke baad, tum dono ne jis tarah se khud ko sambhaal liya, main is baat se bohut khush hoon." Dono muskura dete hain. Mama aage khete hain, "Ab main chahta hoon ki tum dono ka ghar bas jaaye."

Prateek - "Par Mama shaadi ki itni bhi kya jaldi hain ?"

Mama - "Beta jeevan mein har chiz sahi samay par ho jaaye, toh behtar hota hain. Yahi sahi samay hain, tum dono ki shaadi ka."

Tabhi in dono ke Phoopha kehte hain, "Beta jab tak insaan zindagi mein aage badhne ka kadam nahi rakhta hain, tab tak woh apni zindagi mein wahi ka wahi hi khadaa reh jaata hain. Tumhare maata-pita ko guzare aaj teen saal se bhi zyada samay beet chuka hain. Ab tum dono bacche nahi rahe ho. Ab tum dono is laayak ban chuke ho ki baccho ko tum sambhaal sako. Sabse pehle Pooja ke liye koi accha sa ladka dekh kar uski shaadi kara do, uske baad, tum bhi shaadi kar lena."

Prateek - "Thik hain Phoopha Ji."

Phoopha - "Agar tum dono ko koi pasand hain, toh hume zaroor bataana. Hume unke parivaar se milva dena. Tumhari shaadi hum bohut dhoom dhaam se karana chahte hain." 

Prateek - "Jee Phoopha Ji." 

Uske baad, woh log yahan-wahan ki baatein karna shuru kar dete hain. Sabhi logon ne saath mein bohut accha samay bitaya aur thodi der ke baad, Mama aur Phoopha wahan se chale gaye. 

Agle din, Prateek apni naukri par jaata hain, aur Pooja ki chutti hoti hain, toh woh ghar mein hi ruk jaati hain. Shaam mein, Prateek wapas ghar laut aata hain. Woh apna haath muh dhokar fresh hota hain aur hall mein sofa par aakar baith jaata hain. Tabhi Pooja uske saamne aati hain aur poochti hain, "Bhaiyaa kya tum chai peeyoge ?"

Prateek - "Haan Pooja. Thodi si chai de do tum."

Pooja - "Thik hain." 

Pooja andar chale jaati hain. Prateek Hall mein baitha hua kuch sochne lagta hain. Thodi der ke baad, Pooja chai ka cup lekar aati hain aur Prateek ko pakda deti hain. Woh itni gehri soch mein tha ki, uske haath se chai ka cup chooth jaata hain aur cup farsh par gir kar toot jaata hain. 

Pooja - "Bhaiyaa aapka haath toh nahi jalaa na ?"

Prateek - "Nahi. Mujhe maaf kar dena, mere haath se cup phoonth gaya."

Pooja - "Koi baat nahi Bhaiyaa."

Pooja farsh se cup ke tukadon ko uthati hain aur use kachre ke dabbe mein le jaakar phenk deti hain. Uske baad, woh dusra cup chai lekar aati hain. Prateek bohut dheere-dheere chai ki chuski le raha tha. Woh bohut aaram se chai ka lutf utha raha tha. Pooja uske saamne hi baithi hui thi. Woh khaamosh thi aur Prateek ko chai ke swaad ka aanand lete hue dekh rahi thi. 

Chai khatam hone ke baad, woh andar jaakar cup rakh deta hain aur wapas Hall mein aakar sofa par baith jaata hain.

Pooja - "Bhaiyaa."

Prateek - "Hmm."

Pooja - "Aaj bohut thake hue lag rahe ho tum ?"

Prateek - "Haan. Aaj office mein kaam bohut tha."

Pooja - "Ab tumhe kisi ke saath ki zaroorat hain, Bhaiyaa."

Prateek - "Nahi re pagli. Jab tak main teri shaadi nahi karaa dunga, tab tak main khud shaadi nahi karunga. Agar koi ladka tujhe pasand ho toh bataa. Main bhi khud teri shaadi jald se jald karaana chahta hoon."

"Haan ek ladka pasand toh hain." Pooja sharmaate hue kehti hain. 

Prateek - "Yeh toh bohut acchi baat hain phir. Kya kaam karta hain woh ladka ? Uske parivaar mein koun-koun hain ?"

Pooja - "Woh mere saath office mein kaam karta hain." 

Prateek - "Naam kya hain uska ?"

Pooja - "Naveen naam hain uska."

Prateek - "Aur uske parivaar mein koun-koun hain ?"

Pooja - "Uske maata-pita aur ek choti behan."

Prateek - "Aur Naveen ke pita kya kaam karte hain ?"

Pooja - "Woh us company ke maalik hain."

Woh soch mein pad jaata hain. Woh thoda sa pareshaan dikh raha tha. Prateek ko hairaan pareshaan dekh kar, Pooja usse puchti hain, "Kya hua Bhaiyaa ?"

Prateek - "Kuch nahi."

Pooja - "Bhaiyaa tum pareshaan lag rahe ho ?"

Prateek - "Nahi."

Pooja - "Bhaiyaa tum sach-sach bataao, ki kya baat hain."

Prateek - "Are baba kuch bhi nahi."

Pooja bhi kuch nahi kehti hain. Raat mein, dono bhai-behan khaana kha kar apne-apne kamre mein so jaate hain. Kuch ghanto ke baad, achaanak se Prateek ki neend khul jaati hain. Woh abhi bhi utna hi pareshaan hain, jitna ki shaam mein tha. Woh abhi bhi soch ke jaal mein phasaa hua hain. Woh sochta hain, "Aakhir main kaise Pooja ka rishta Naveen ke parivaar ke paas lekar jaaun ? Aakhir meri haisiyat hi kya hain ? Woh log aakhir kya sochenge ? Aakhir samaaj kya kahega ? Yahi na ki apna aur apni behan ka bhavishya surakshit karne ke liye maine yeh shaadi karai hain. Ek toh dahej mein dene ke liye bhi mere pass kuch bhi nahi hain. Aakhir kis muh se main un logon se rishte ki baat karunga ?" Yahi sab sochte-sochte kab subah ho jaati hain, use pataa hi nahi chalta hain. Woh saari raat jagaa raha.

Dono bhai-behan tayyar hokar, apne-apne office ke liye nikal jaate hain. Aaj Prateek ka kaam mein bhi mann nahi lag paa raha tha. Dekhte Hi Dekhte uska sar pakad leta hain aur woh office ke canteen mein jaakar chai peeta hain. Chai khatam hone ke baad, woh wapas apne kaam par lag jaata hain. Woh nahi chahta tha, ki shaam ho. Woh nahi chahta tha, ki uska kaam khatam ho. Kyunki, kaam khatam hone ke baad, use ghar jaana padta aur uski maasoom behan usse apni shaadi ke baare mein sawaalat karti. Jiska woh jaanta hain, ki woh koi bhi jawaab de nahi paayega. 

Lekin aakhir kaar shaam ho chuki thi aur Prateek ke ghar jaane ka samay bhi aa chuka tha. Jaise hi use is baat ka ehsaas hua, woh ghabra gaya. Woh bohut hi gehri uljhan mein tha. Woh samajh nahi paa raha tha ki aakhir woh apni laadli behan se kya kahe, kaise kahe. Woh us masoom ladki ko samjhaye bhi toh kaise samjhaye. Woh sadak par paidal hi chal raha tha. Dheere-Dheere uska ghar uske nazdeek aa raha tha aur uski uljhan bhi badhti hi jaa rahi thi. Thode hi samay mein woh apne ghar par pahunch chuka tha. Prateek ne ghar ka door bell bajaya. Uske haath kaanp rahe the. Pooja ne darwaaza khola. Prateek ko dekhte hi woh muskurayi. Prateek ne bhi muskurahat se uska jawaab diya. Uski muskurahat nakli thi. Uska chehra saaf bataa raha tha. Tabhi Pooja ne kaha, "Ghar ke andar toh aa jao tum Bhaiyaa." Prateek ghar ke andar aata hain aur sofa par baith jaata hain. Phir Pooja kehti hain, "Bhaiyaa chai banaun tumhare liye ?"

Prateek bas 'Haan' mein apna sar hila deta hain. Pooja andar kitchen mein jaati hain. Thodi der baad, woh Chai lekar aati hain aur Prateek ko Chai ka Cup pakda deti hain. Apni kap kapaati haathon se woh Chai ka Cup pakadta hain. Lekin, uske haath se Cup gir jaata hain. 

Pooja hairaani se kehti hain, "Yeh kya kar diye Bhaiyaa."

Prateek - "Mujhe maaf kar dena. Haath se Cup chooth gaya."

Pooja Cup ke tukadon ko uthati hain aur unhe le jaakar kachre ke dabbe mein phenk deti hain. Phir woh Prateek ke saamne aati hain aur kehti hain, "Dusri Cup chai bana doon Bhaiyaa ?"

Prateek - "Nahi Pooja."

Pooja - "Agar aapko chahiye toh ek Cup pee lijiye Bhaiyaa."

Prateek - "Nahi jaane do. Ab mann nahi hain."

Pooja - "Kya baat hain Bhaiyaa aap bohut pareshan lag rahe ho ?"

Prateek - "Bas thoda sa main thak chuka hoon. Aajkal office mein kaam bohut zyada rehta hain na."

Pooja uske saamne aakar baithti hain. Phir woh kehti hain, "Bhaiyaa kal aapki chutti hain na ?"

Prateek - "Haan. Kal meri chutti hain."

Pooja - "Toh kal aapka kahi jaane ka plan hain kya ?"

Prateek - "Nahi."

Pooja - "Toh kya kal aap mere saath chaloge ?"

Prateek - "Kaha par ?"

Pooja - "Hain ek jagah."

Prateek - "Par hume jaana kaha hain ?"

Pooja - "Woh toh surprise hain."

Prateek - "Are baba batao toh sahi."

Pooja - "Maine kaha na bhaiyaa surprise hain."

Prateek - "Dekho agar tum nahi bataogi, toh main bhi jaane ke liye tayyar nahi hounga."

Pooja - "Darasal bhaiyaa baat yeh hain, ki kal Naveen ka birthday hain. Toh usne hum dono ko apne ghar par bulaya hain."

Prateek - "Jaana toh zaroori hi hoga ?"

Pooja - "Haan bhaiyaa."

Prateek - "Thik hain. Kal hum dono Naveen ke ghar zaroor jaayenge."

Pooja - "Aap sach mein mere saath chal rahe ho na ?"

Prateek - "Haan."

Pooja - "Kal koi bahana toh nahi banaoge ?"

Prateek - "Main koi bhi bahana kyun banaun bhalaa ?"

Pooja - "Kyunki bhaiyaa. Mujhe shuruat se aisa lag raha hain ki aap Naveen se milne ke icchuk nahi ho."

Prateek - "Aisi koi baat nahi hain. Main kal zaroor chalunga tumhare saath."

Agle din, subah uthkar dono bhai behan tayyar hote hain. Uske baad, Pooja naashta banati hain. Woh dono saath mein naashta karte hain. Naashta karte-karte Prateek, Pooja se puchta hain, "Naveen ne ghar par kab bulaaya hain ?"

"Shaam mein." Pooja jawaab deti hain. 

Prateek - "Kitne baje bulaaya hain ?"

Pooja - "Shaam mein 6 baje."

Prateek - "Thik hain. Koi gift khareeda hain tumne ?"

Pooja - "Nahi."

Prateek - "Par kyun ? Kya hum Naveen ke ghar khaali haath jaayenge ? Koi accha present toh tumhe lena hi chahiye na."

Pooja - "Le lenge. Raaste mein gift lete hue chale jaayenge."

Prateek - "Dekho koi accha gift lena tum."

Pooja - "Hum dono toh saath hi chal rahe hain na Bhaiyaa. Aap bhi present pasand kar lena."

Prateek - "Thik hain."

Dono ka naashta khatam ho jaata hain. Uske baad, Pooja andar chale jaati hain. Ghadi ka kaanta apni raftaar se chal raha tha aur kaante ki ek-ek tik-tik Prateek ke dil aur dimaag par hathode ki tarah vaar kar rahi thi. Prateek ab chinta ke sagar mein doob chuka tha. Tabhi Pooja uske kandhe par haath rakhte hue kehti hain, "Chale bhaiyaa ?"

Prateek - "Hmm."

Dono bhai-behan saath mein ghar ke bahar nikalte hain. Pooja darwaaze par taala laga deti hain. Uske baad woh dono waha se nikal padte hain. Kuch dur tak chalne ke baad, woh dono sadak par pahuchte hain. Wahi se ek rickshaw jaa rahi hoti hain. Prateek us rickshaw ko haath dikhakar rokta hain. Woh dono usmein baithkar Naveen ke ghar ke liye chal padte hain. 

Prateek abhi bhi apni chintaon ke kaal kothri mein kaid tha. Raaste bhar woh bas yahi sochta raha tha, ki agar un logon ne shaadi ki baat ched di, tab woh un logon se kis tarah se baat karega. 

Thodi der baad, woh log Naveen ke ghar pahuch jaate hain. Rickshaw rukti hain. Pooja kehti hain, "Aa gaya Naveen ka ghar."

 'Aakhir kaar pareeksha ki ghadi aa hi gayi.' Prateek sochta hain. Dono Rickshaw se utarte hain.

Pooja ungli se ishaara karte hue kehti hain, "Yeh dekho bhaiyaa Naveen ka ghar."

Prateek dekhta hain aur woh ghar dekh kar thoda sa aur ghabra jaata hain. Ghar bohut bada tha. Woh ghar kya, ek bangla tha. Woh dono saath mein andar jaate hain. Naveen aur uske maata-pita un dono ka khule dil se swaagat karte hain. Woh sab log saath mein baithte hain aur yahan-wahan ki baatein karte hain. 

Tabhi Naveen kehta hain, "Bhaiyaa main aapko kisi se milwaana chahta hoon."

Prateek - "Kisse ?"

"Main ek second mein aaya." Kehte hue Naveen andar jaata hain. Uske baad, Naveen wapas aata hain. Uske saath kuch log bhi hote hain aur woh log koi aur nahi balki, Prateek ke sabhi kareebi rishtedaar the. Un sab logon ko dekh kar Prateek chaunk jaata hain. 

Tabhi Naveen ke Pita kehte hain, "Beta aapko yahi chinta sataa rahi thi na ki in dono ki shaadi ki baat aap kaise karaoge ?"

Prateek - "Uncle meri woh haisiyat nahi ki main aapke ghar rishta jod sakun."

Naveen ke Pita - "Dekho beta rishte dil se judte hain. Aur jo rishta aukaat dekh kar kiya jaata hain. Woh rishta bas ek samajhauta hota hain. Rishte kabhi samjhaute se nahi chalte hain. Ab batao kya aap mere bete se apni behan ki shaadi karaoge ?"

Prateek 'Haan' mein apna sar hilaata hain aur uski aankhen bhar aati hain. 

               -  Ved Vineet Gautam