Kaaraawaas

 Anubhav apne maata pita ka iklauta ladka hain. Uski umar aanth saal hain. Uske pita ek sarkari karmachari hain. Haal hi mein uske pita ki posting badli hui jis wajah se unhe dusre shahar mein basna pada. Ek anjaan shahar mein bas kar, zindagi ke pahiye ko ek nayi disha dene ki koshish mein juta tha yeh parivaar.

Anubhav ka shahar badla aur uska purane doston ka saath bhi chooth gaya. Apne school aur colony ke doston se dur woh kahi na kahi akela pad chuka tha. Haalanki, us naye shahar ke jis colony mein woh reh raha tha, waha par koi bhi bacche nahi the. Sabhi naye shaadi shuda log the aur poore colony mein iklauta baccha hone ke kaaran, use sabhi se dher saara pyaar mil raha tha. Lekin, phir bhi use kahi na kahi ek akelapan mehsus hota hi tha. Kyunki, ab uske zindagi mein, hum-umra logon ki bohut kami ho chuki thi. 

Ek din ki baat hain, woh apne mohalle mein akela Gilli-Danda khel raha tha. Usne kai gilli maari. Khelte-Khelte usne zara tez gilli udaayi aur woh gilli zara dur chali gayi. Ab Anubhav ne gilli ko dhoondhna shuru kiya. Kaafi der tak dhoondhne ke bawajood, use gilli nahi mili. Ab woh yahan-wahan apni nazar daudaana shuru kiya. Usne chaaron disha mein khoj ki, lekin use kahi par bhi gilli nahi mili.

Har taraf se gilli dhoondhte-dhoondhte woh thak chuka tha. Us colony ke bagal mein hi ek khandahar tha. Anubhav ki nazar us khandahar par padi.

'Shayad gilli udte-udte yahan chali gayi ho ?' Usne socha. Bina koi deri kiye, woh us khandahar ki aur chal pada. Kuch kadam chalne ke baad, woh us khandahar ke saamne pohucha. Aaj pehli baar, Anubhav us khandahar ko itne nazdeek se dekh raha tha. Imaarat tooti nahi thi, lekin shayad kaafi lambe samay se wahan par koi nahi reh tha; jis wajah se woh imaarat is ajeeb aur dayniya roop mein tabdil ho gayi. Woh us gumzada imaarat ke aas-paas apni gilli dhoondhne laga, lekin use kahi par bhi nahi mili. Anubhav ne socha, 'Shayad gilli is imaarat ke andar chali gayi ho ?' Itne akele pade imaarat mein usne andar jaane ka faisla kiya. Na usmein koi bhay tha, na hi koi  jigyaasa thi. Woh maasoom toh bas apne nanhe kadamon se us imaarat ke andar chalta hi jaa raha tha. Use bas apni iklauti jaagir ki talaash thi. Waise bhi, chote bacchon ki icchayen hoti hi kya hain. Bas maa-baap ka pyaar, kuch pyaare dost, kuch khilone aur muskurate hue kuch pal. 

Gilli dhoondhte woh chauthi manzil tak pohucha. Us manzil ki baat hi alag thi. Pehle ke teen manzil ke mukaable, us manzil ke deewar ka rang kuch zyada hi uda hua tha. Woh ek kamre kamre mein gaya. Waha par kuch gharelu saaman bhi the. Sofa, Bed, ek tooti hui Suraahi ke alaawa aur bhi dher gharelu saaman bhi the. Yahan par apni gilli dhoondhna Anubhav ke liye thoda zyada muskhil tha. Lekin, use apni gilli har haal mein chahiye thi. Gilli dhoondhte-dhoondhte kaafi waqt beet chuka tha. Lekin, use keval niraashaa hi haath lagi. Ab woh poori tarah se haar maan chuka tha aur woh dubara jaane laga. 

Woh jaa hi raha tha, ki use kisi ki aawaz sunayi di. Anubhav ko aabhas hua ki shayad us ghar mein koi aur bhi hain. Usne socha, 'Shayad meri gilli us vyakti ke pass hogi.' Aur woh us aawaz ka peecha karte hue, ek kamre mein pohucha. Usne dekha ki kamre mein koi bhi nahi hain. Lekin, kamre mein kuch saaman pade hue the. Sabhi purane pade saaman kareeban-kareeban toot chuke the. Deewar par har aur bohut bade-bade jhaale the. Kyunki, ab woh thoda thak bhi chuka tha; isiliye, woh wahi par ek bed par baith gaya aur woh yahan-wahan dekhne laga.

Anubhav yeh baat bhool hi chuka tha, ki woh yahan apni khoyi hui gilli dhoondhne aaya hua hain. Ab uski dilchaspi us kamre ko dekhne mein thi. Tabhi, Anubhav ko apne saamne kuch chamakti hui roshni dikhayi deti hain. Woh us roshni ko bohut dhyaan se dekh raha tha. Dekhte Hi Dekhte, woh roshni ab aur zyada chamkili ho chuki thi. Tabhi us roshni mein se ek jawaan ladki bahar aayi aur roshni gum ho chuki thi. Woh koi 18-20 saal ki umar ki ladki hogi. Us ladki ko dekhte hi, Anubhav ne badi masumiyat se pucha, "Aap koun ho ?"

Ladki - "Mere ghar mein aakar tum mujhse puchte ho ki main koun hoon ?"

Anubhav - "Aapka ghar ? Yeh ghar toh kabse khaali pada hua hain. Yahan koi bhi nahi rehta hain."

Ladki - "Tumhara naam kya hain ?"

"Mera naam Anubhav hain." Woh jawaab deta hain. 

Ladki puchti hain, "Tum kaha par rehte ho ?"

Anubhav - "Main isi colony mein rehta hoon." 

Ladki - "Tum yahan par kyun aaye hue ho ?"

Apne baal khujate hue woh kehta hain, "Main yahan par kyun aaya tha... Kyun aaya tha... Are haan, yaad aaya, main yahan par apni gilli dhoondhne ke liye aaya tha."

Ladki hanste hue kehti hain, "Sirf ek gilli ke liye tum is khandahar mein aaye hue ho ?"

Anubhav - "Haan toh. Woh meri gilli hain. Agar woh mujhe nahi mili, toh main khelunga kaise ?"

Ladki - "Hmm. Woh baat toh hain."

Anubhav - "Aap koun ho ?"

"Main pari hoon." Ladki jawaab deti hain. 

Anubhav - "Kya aap sach mein pari ho ?"

Pari - "Haan main Pari hi hoon."

Anubhav - "Toh kya aap mujhe meri gilli wapas laakar de dogi ?"

Pari - "Agar main tumhe tumhari gilli laakar de doon, toh tum kya karoge ?"

Anubhav - "Main uske saath khelunga."

Pari - "Kya tumhe mere saath khelne mein koi aitraaz hain ?"

Anubhav - "Bilkul bhi nahi."

Pari - "Toh kya tum abse mere saath kheloge ?"

Anubhav - "Kya ab hum dost hain ?"

Pari - "Haan."

Anubhav - "Toh thik hain. Abse main har roz aapke saath khelunga."

Pari - "Toh kya kal tum mujhse milne ke liye aaoge ?"

Anubhav - "Haan." 

"Chalo acchi baat hain." Kehte hue, woh Anubhav ko uski gilli use pakda deti hain. 

Apni gilli ko dekh kar woh bohut khush hota hain aur kehta hain, "Thank You." Phir woh us gilli ko lekar turant waha se bhaag jaata hain. Pari  Anubhav ki masumiyat par bohut muskurati hain.

Anubhav bohut khush tha. Kyunki, ab use ek naya dost mil chuka hain. 

Agle din, Pari usi kamre mein, Anubhav ka intezaar kar rahi thi. Lekin, kahi na kahi, use Anubhav ke aane ki koi ummeed bhi nahi thi. Pari ne socha ki, 'Yeh maasoom baccha, is khandahar mein aayega hi kyun ? Shayad woh aaj ki mulaakaat bhi bhool chuka hoga. Waise bhi, us bacche ko apni gilli mil hi chuki hain. Ab bas, woh us gilli-dande ke khel mein mashgool ho chuka hoga.'  

Woh bilkul niraashaa se waha par baithi rehti hain. Tabhi use ek aawaz sunayi deti hain, "Hello Pari." 

Pari dekhti hain, saamne Anubhav khada tha. Uski pyaari muskaan dekh kar, Pari ki aankhen bhar aati hain. Yeh dekh kar Anubhav hairaan reh jaata hain aur woh puchta hain, "Kya hua Pari ? Tum kyun ro rahi ho ?"

Pari - "Kuch bhi nahi Anubhav. Bas aise hi mere aankhon mein kachra chala gaya tha."

Anubhav - "Accha."

Pari - "Accha yeh batao, tumne subah se kya-kya kiya ?"

Anubhav - "Main subah tayyar hokar, pehle apne school gaya. Phir dopahar mein, main apne ghar wapas aaya aur ab shaam mein, main aapke saath khelne ke liye aaya hua hoon." 

Pari ko us maasoom baalak ki baaton par bada pyaar aata hain aur woh us naadan bacche ke baalon ko bade pyaar se sehlati hain aur woh bas muskurata rehta hain. Phir woh Anubhav ko apne goad mein utha leti hain aur bade pyaar se apne seene se laga leti hain. Phir Anubhav kehta hain, "Ab kya hum saath mein khele ?"

Pari - "Chalo khelte hain."

Uske baad, woh dono kuch der tak saath mein khelte hain. Thodi der ke baad, jab andhera hone ko hota hain; tab Anubhav kehta hain, "Accha toh ab main chalta hoon. Ghar mein Papa aur Mummy mera intezaar kar rahe honge."

Pari - "Thik hain. Lekin, kal bhi yaad se wapas aana tum."

"Thik hain." Kehte hue, Anubhav waha se chala jaata hain. 

Raat mein Anubhav apne kamre mein so raha hota hain. Lekin, Pari ki aankhon se neend udi hui hoti hain. Kaafi der tak koshish karne ke bawajood; use neend nahi lagti hain. 

Woh baichain thi. Pari ko baar-baar apni aankhon ke saamne Anubhav ka maasoom sa chehra nazar aa raha tha. Woh isi shan Anubhav ko apne paas chahti thi. Lekin, woh yeh bhi jaanti thi ki, woh aa nahi sakta hain. Pari turant apne kamre se bahar nikalti hain aur woh Hall mein chali jaati hain. Hall ke darwaaze ki aur uski nazar padti hain. Woh kuch shan ke liye sochti hain aur tezi se darwaaze ki aur jaane lagti hain. Tabhi us darwaaze ke saamne ek deewar khadi ho jaati hain. Pari bohut dukhi ho jaati hain. Uska sabr khatam ho chuka tha. Aur woh ro rokar us deewar par apna haath patakte hue kehti hain, "Mujhe bahar jaane do. Mujhe ab is kamre mein ghutan mehsus ho rahi hain. Main isi waqt bahar jaana chahti hoon. Kya koi meri baat sunn bhi raha hain ?" 

Tabhi usi shan, Pari ke saamne Yamraaj prakat hote hain. Woh Pari ko bohut dukhi aur baichain paate hain. Pari ke baal bikhare hue the aur aankhon se behte hue aansun rukne ka naam hi nahi le rahe the. Pari ka aisa dayniya roop dekh kar, woh usse puchte hain, "Kya hua hain ?"

Pari - "Kya aap jaante nahi ho ki kya hua hain ? Kya mujhe aapko sab kuch bataane ki zaroorat bhi hain ? Sab kuch dekh kar bhi aap anjaan bane hue ho."

Yamraaj - "Kya tum bhool chuki ho ki tum yahan par kyun bandi bani hui ho ?"

Pari - "Haan yaad hain. Ek baar, Vishnu Dev ki bina anumati ke maine swarg lok se bahar nikalne ka dussahas kiya tha. Kyunki, mere andar Dharti Lok ko dekhne ki jigyaasa jaag uthi thi."

Yamraaj - "Aur ab wahi galti tum dubaara dohara rahi ho ?"

Pari - "Kya main hamesha ke liye, Anubhav ko apne sameep nahi rakh sakti hoon ?"

Yamraaj - "Uske liye toh mujhe uske praan harne honge."

Pari - "Nahi. Nahi kripya aisa kabhi mat kariyega." 

Yamraaj - "Agar yeh baat swarg lok par pohuch gayi, toh tumhara Dharti Lok Kaaraawaas aur aage badh sakta hain." 

Pari - "Toh ab aap hi bataiye Yam Dev ki main kya karun ?"

Yamraaj - "Pratiksha. Sahi samay aane par tum mukt ho jaaogi." 

Pari - "Yeh mere liye sabse badaa dand hain. Kya isse kathin dand is sansaar mein, kisi ko mil sakta hain bhalaa ?"

Yamraaj - "Dhairya rakho Pari. Samay aane par tumhari yeh peeda bhi samaapt ho jaayegi." 

Phir Yamraaj waha se chale jaate hain. 

Pari raat bhar nahi so paati hain. Woh baichain rehti hain. Pari ko Anubhav se ek ajeeb sa lagaav ho chuka tha. Ab woh har shan Anubhav ko apne sameep chahti thi. Pari ko aisa mehsus ho raha tha, maano woh usi ka apna beta ho. Woh is saty ko maan na hi nahi chahti thi ki, Anubhav kisi aur ki santaan hain. 

Dekhte-Dekhte suraj ki kiran andhere ka seena cheerte hue bahar nikalti hain. Ab bhor ho chuki thi. Pari ab bohut vyakulta se Anubhav ki prateeksha kar rahi thi. Ab Pari ka dhairya khatam ho raha tha. Aakhir mein, uske saamne Anubhav aa khada hua. Anubhav ko dekhte hi, Pari ke aankhon se aansun chalak pade. Pari ko aisa mehsus ho raha tha, maano woh Anubhav se naa jaane kitne lambe samay ke baad, mil rahi hain. Pari ne Anubhav ka haath pakda aur use apni goad mein bitha diya. Woh bade sneh se Anubhav ke sar par apna haath phira rahi thi. Anubhav bohut muskura raha tha aur Pari ko uski muskurahat par bohut prem aa raha tha. 

Tabhi Anubhav kehta hain, "Kya hua Pari ? Aap kuch bol kyun nahi rahi ho ?"

Pari - "Kuch bhi toh nahi hua hain."

Anubhav abhi bhi muskura raha tha. Phir Pari kehti hain, "Accha yeh batao, kya tumhe mere saath milna-julna pasand hain ?"

Anubhav - "Haan."

Pari - "Kya tum aage bhi mujhse milte rehna chahoge ?"

Anubhav - "Haan zaroor."

Pari - "Lekin main toh kuch samay ke baad, yahan se chali jaaungi."

Anubhav - "Kaha par ?"

Pari - "Mere ghar par."

Anubhav - "Par us din toh aap keh rahi thi ki yeh aapka ghar hain ?"

Pari - "Mera ek aur ghar hain."

Anubhav - "Woh ghar kaha par hain ?"

Pari - "Hain ek jagah. Thoda dur hain."

Anubhav - "Toh aap mujhse milne ke liye aate rehna."

Pari - "Haan zaroor."

Un dono ne saath mein dher saari baatein ki aur phir kuch der ke baad, Anubhav waha se chala gaya. Aisa kuch dino tak chala. 

Ek din, Yamraaj Pari ke saamne dubara prakat hue aur unhone use bataya ki uska Kaaraawaas Kaal samaapt ho chuka hain. Pari Abhinav ko apne saath le jaana chahti thi, lekin uske liye uske praan harna hoga. Jo ki Pari nahi chahti thi. Pari ne Yamraaj se kai baar binti ki, ki use aajeevan yahi par rehne diya jaaye, lekin, yeh asambhav tha. 

Aakhir mein Yamraaj ne Pari ko apne bhais par baithne ka aadesh diya. Pari ne us aadesh ka paalan kiya. Phir woh dono us ghar se bahar nikale aur aasmaan mein pohuche. Tabhi us ghar ki deewar kamzor padna shuru hui aur kuch hi shan mein, woh ghar dharashahi ho gaya. Anubhav us ghar ki aur dauda aur waha pohuch kar woh Pari ko dhoondhne laga. Lekin, woh use kahi nahi mili. Anubhav bohut phoont-phoont kar ro raha tha. Yeh dekhkar Pari ka hriday bhar aaya aur woh bhi bohut ro rahi thi. Dekhte Hi Dekhte woh bohut dur jaa chuki thi aur ab Anubhav Pari ko dikhayi bhi nahi de raha tha. 

                  - Ved Vineet Gautam