Padaav

 Ritesh Shergill ek call center mein naukri karta hain. Woh wahan par ek Mentor ki post par hain. Mahina bhar jee-tod mehnat karne ke baad, aakhir mein uske haath mein 25,000 /- Rupaye ki tankhwaa aa jaati hain. Uski ek patni hain. Jiska naam Priya hain. Woh bhi ek school mein teacher ki naukri karti hain. Uski pagaar bhi 18,000 /- Rupaye hain. 

Ritesh aur Priya ka ek beta hain. Uska naam hain, Aditya. Aditya ki umar keval do saal ki hain. 

Dono miya-biwi har roz subah tayyar hokar apne-apne kaam par chale jaate hain. Priya, Aditya ko apne saath hi lekar jaati hain. Priya ka school ghar ke nazdeek hi hain. 

Ritesh har roz subah tayyar hokar bus stop par jaata hain aur waha se bus pakad kar woh apne office tak pohunchta hain. Subah se shaam tak kaam karne ke baad, woh phir se bus pakad kar wapas ghar laut ta hain. Shaam mein ghar pohuch kar woh apne laadle bete ke saath thoda waqt beetata hain aur phir khaa-pikar so jaata hain. Uski roz-marra zindagi ka pahiya aise hi chalte rehta hain. 

Ek din ki baat hain, jab Ritesh apna kaam khatam karke bus stop par pohuncha. Bus Stop par bohut bheed thi. Sabhi logon ko bus ka besabri se intezaar tha. Har kisi ko apne-apne ghar pohunchne ki bohut jaldi thi. Kareeban 20 minute ke baad, ek bus wahan par pohunchi. Sabhi log bus mein chadhne ki hod mein lag gaye. Bhagdad mein, bus ke darwaaze ke bahar bohut bheed jamaa ho gayi aur dhakka-mukki mein keval teen-chaar log hi; bus mein chadhne mein safal ho paaye. Uske baad bus wahan se chali gayi. 

Darasal Ritesh aaj bohut hi zyada thak chuka tha. Aaj usne office mein kaam bohut zyada kiya tha. Woh jald se jald se jald ghar pohunch kar aaram karna chahta tha. Lekin, aaj hi ke din, har roz ke mukaable bus stop par zyada bheed thi. Uski bus chut gayi aur woh wapas bus stop par aakar baith gaya. 'Ab aadhe-paune ghante tak koi dusri bus nahi milne wali hain.' Ritesh ne socha. 

Sadak par aa-jaa rahi gaadiyon ko woh dekhta. Signal par Motorcycle aur Car aakar rukti aur woh un wahano ki banaavat dekh kar bohut khush hota. 'Kaash mere pass bhi aisi gaadi hoti, toh ab tak main ghar pohunch chuka hota.' Woh sochta hain. 'Lekin meri kamaayi utni honi bhi toh chahiye.' 'Beta bada ho raha hain. Kal ko use ek acche school mein bhi bhejna hoga.' 'Mujhe apni kamaayi badhane ki zaroorat hain.' 

Tabhi ek dusri bus wahan par aa pohunchti hain. Ritesh turant us bus ki aur daudta hain aur jaise-taise woh bus par chadh jaata hain. "Are Bhaisahab mujhe please andar aane dijiye." Saamne khada ek musafir thoda sa bagal mein sarakta hain aur woh aakhir mein bus ke andar chala jaata hain. Kuch der baad, woh apne ghar pohunchta hain. 

Ghar ka darwaaza khula hi tha. Woh ghar ke andar jaata hain aur uski nazar Priya aur Aditya par padti hain. Priya bhi use dekhti hain aur Ritesh muskura deta hain. 

Priya - "Aaj tum late ho gaye ?"

Ritesh - "Haan woh bus chut gayi thi."

Priya - "Toh phir kaise pohuchne tum ?"

Ritesh - "Dusri bus se. Darsaal dusri bus aane mein waqt lag gaya tha."

Aditya, Priya ki goad se khudkar, Ritesh ki aur daudta hain aur woh Ritesh ke pass aakar apni baahen phailaa deta hain. Woh Aditya ko apni goad mein utha leta hain aur bohut pyaar se uske gaalon ko chumta hain. 

Priya - "Kya tum paani piyoge ?"

Ritesh - "Haan."

Ritesh bas Aditya ke saath khelne mein lag jaata hain aur dheere-dheere uski thakaan khatam ho jaati hain. Raat mein khaa-pikar sab sone chale jaate hain. Thodi hi der mein, Priya aur Aditya so jaate hain. Ritesh bhi sone ki koshish kar raha hain, lekin, use neend lag nahi paa rahi hain. Use baar-baar bus ka wahi vaakya dikhayi de raha tha. Ritesh ko reh-reh kar apni aankhon ke saamne wahi Motorcycle aur Car dikh rahi thi. Use baar-baar ek hi baat yaad aa rahi thi, 'Kaash mere pass bhi ek gaadi hoti.' 

'Lekin gaadi lekar main karunga kya ?' Woh sochta hain. 

Ab Ritesh ka apne aap se vartaalap shuru ho gaya. 'Chalo thik hain. Gaadi ki koi zaroorat toh hain nahi. Lekin, kamaayi badhane ki zaroorat toh hain hi ?'

'Kal ko Aditya bada hoga. Uske bhi roz-marra zindagi ke kharche badh jaayenge. Use ek acche school mein daakhila dilaana hoga. Kya itni si kamaayi mein sab kuch ho jaayega ?' Yeh khayal aate hi, woh thoda sa ghabra jaata hain. Kuch der ke liye uska dimaag kaam karna band kar deta hain. Uski sochne samajhne ki shakti khatam ho jaati hain. 

Lekin, kuch der ke baad, uska dimaag shaant hota hain aur woh sochta hain, 'Hmm. Ab toh koi na koi raasta nikaalna hi hoga.' 'Main har haal mein apne bete ko ek international school mein hi daakhila dilaaunga.' 

Saalon pehle ki baat hain. Jab ek baar, College ke dino mein; Ritesh ko painting ka shauk chadha tha. Bakaidaa usne do saal tak uske classes bhi liye the. Haalanki, usne painting mein koi degree prapt nahi ki thi. Lekin, use yakeen tha ki agar woh is kaam ko shuru karega, toh woh acchi rakam kamaa sakta hain. Uska Dil keh raha tha. 

Ritesh ne tai kiya ki woh apne Dil ki sunega aur agle mahine ki pagaar aate hi, woh painting ke saare saaman kharid laayega. Pagaar aate hi usne thik aisa hi kiya. Woh office se bahar nikalte hi bazaar gaya aur usne painting ke kai saaman kharid liye. Paint Board, Brush, Colours, vagairah-vagairah. Usne saare saaman uthaye aur bus stop ki aur chal pada. Ek aur woh din bhar ke kaam se thak chuka tha aur dusri aur woh haathon mein itne saare saaman pakad kar chalna use ab takleef de raha tha. Ab Ritesh mein chalne ki himmat nahi ho paa rahi thi. Tabhi use raaste mein ek rickshaw aate hue dikh raha tha. Ritesh ne us rickshaw ko haath dikhaya aur woh rickshaw uske saamne aakar ruk gayi. Woh us rickshaw mein baitha aur ghar ki aur chal pada. 

Ritesh ke haathon mein itne saare saaman dekh kar, Priya us se badi hairaani se puchti hain, "Yeh sab kya hain Ritesh ?"

Ritesh - "Bas aise hi. Thoda painting ka saaman tha."

Priya - "Painting ka ?" 

Ritesh - "Haan."

Priya kuch samajh nahi paati hain aur woh aise hi khadi rehti hain. Ritesh sab saaman ko ek jagah par rakhta hain aur woh Priya ke pass jaata hain. Phir woh Priya ka haath pakadta hain aur kehta hain, "Priya. Ab Aditya bada ho raha hain. Ab waqt aa gaya hain ki, hum abhi se hi uske bhavishya ko surakshit karne ki tayyari shuru kar de. Ab hamari kamaayi badhaane ki zaroorat hain. Bas tum mujh par bharosa rakho."

Priya kuch nahi kehti hain aur woh bas 'Haan' mein apna sar hila deti hain. Priya ki sahmati dekh kar woh aashvast ho jaata hain. Woh apne painting ke saaman ke liye jagah banane mein lag jaata hain aur is kaam mein, Priya bhi uska haath bantaa ti hain. Kuch der ke baad, painting ka saara set-up lag jaata hain. Ritesh bursh uthata hain. Tabhi Priya keh padti hain, "Ab kal se shuru karna yeh kaam. Itna bhaari bharkam saaman uthakar laaye ho, aaj thoda aaram kar lo."

Ritesh, Priya ko dekhta hain aur kuch seconds tak sochne ke baad, woh kehta hain, "Thik hain Priya."

Agle din, Office se ghar pohunchte hi, Ritesh fresh ho jaata hain aur woh Paint Brush ko uthata hain. Woh kuch der tak kalpana karta hain aur Brush par ek rang lagaakar woh apna kaam shuru kar deta hain. Do ghante tak, Paint Board par Brush ghumane ke baad, woh thak jaata hain. Ritesh ne do ghanto tak painting ka kaam toh kiya, lekin, painting tayyar nahi ho paayi. Uske baad, woh wahi par baith gaya. Priya kitchen mein khaana bana rahi thi. Ritesh ko baitha hua dekh kar use laga ki shayad usne painting bana li ho. Woh Hall mein aati hain aur Ritesh se punchti hain, "Tumhara kaam ho gaya kya ?" 

Ritesh - "Nahi. Abhi tak kuch bhi haath nahi laga hain."

 Priya - "Koi baat nahi. Shuruwat mein toh dikkat aayegi hi."

Ritesh 'Haan' mein apna sar hilata hain. 

Ab yeh Ritesh ka har roz ka kaam ban chuka tha. Woh roz shaam mein Board par painting banane ki koshish karta, lekin usmein woh safal nahi ho paa raha tha. 

Ek din, Priya ne Ritesh se puch liya, "Tum apni painting bechne ka bhi soch rahe ho kya ?"

Ritesh - "Haan. Par abhi nahi."

Priya - "Kyun ?"

Ritesh - "Kyunki main khud apni banayi hui is painting se khush nahi hoon."

Priya - "Ek kalakaar ko apni kalaa mein hamesha kamiyaan hi nazar aati hain. Zaroori yeh baat hain, ki duniya hamare kaam ke baare mein kya kehti hain. Apne kaam ko tum duniya ki nazron mein le aao. Phir jantaa janaardhan hi tumhe tumhari kamiyaan batayengi. Tumhe bhi samajh mein aa jaayega ki kaise tumhe aage badhna hain."

Ritesh - "Tum thik keh rahi ho."

Priya - "Kuch socha hain tumne ki tum kaise apni paintings ko logon tak pohuchaoge ?"

Ritesh - "Main soch raha hoon ki, Instagram par apna page banaun. Social Media se bohut fayda mil sakta hain."

Priya - "Thik hain. Tum paintings banate raho aur main us page par tumhari paintings ki photos post karti rahungi."

Ritesh - "Yeh bhi accha idea hain." 

Priya ne turant hi Instagram par ek account banaya aur Ritesh ke dwaara banayi gayi pehli painting ka photo apne mobile mein kheech kar woh use Instagram par post kar deti hain. 

Ritesh aksar choti-choti paintings hi banata tha, jis wajah se uski painting ek hi din mein poori bhi ho jaati thi. Ritesh ki painting poori hote hi, Priya uska photo apne mobile mein kheech leti aur use Instagram par post kar deti. Usne Ritesh ka contact number bhi us page par daal diya tha, is ummeed ke saath ki shayad koi painting kharidne mein dilchaspi dikhaye. Priya, Ritesh ki har ek painting ko ek unique title aur captions ke saath post kar deti. 

Dekhte Hi Dekhte aanth mahine guzar gaye. Lekin, abhi tak use koi bhi safalta nahi mil paayi thi. Ab toh ghar mein aur paintings rakhne ki jagah banana bhi mushkil ho raha tha. Ritesh ne bohut dukh ke saath kaha, "Ghar mein jagah kam pad rahi hain. Main in saari paintings ko kabaadi ko bech deta hoon."

Priya - "Uski koi zaroorat nahi hain. Saari paintings ko tum deewar par lagwaa do. Ghar waise hi suna sa lagta hain. Paintings agar lag jaayegi, toh ghar ki khoobsurati badh jaayegi."

Ritesh - "Tum mera bohut saath de rahi ho. Main samajh nahi paa raha hoon ki main tumhara shukriyada kaise karun ?"

Priya - "Ab tumhara dimaag puri tarah se kharaab ho chuka hain. Main tumhari jeevansaathi hoon. Agar main tumhara saath nahi dungi, toh aur koun dega ?"

Ritesh ki aankhen bhar aati hain. Priya uske aansun ponchti hain aur kehti hain, "Ab jaldi se tum bahar jaao aur kisi kheela thokne wale ko tum le aao."

Ritesh bahar jaata hain aur thodi der baad, ek aadmi ko apne saath le aata hain. Priya apne hisaab se un saari paintings ko ghar ke alag-alag jagah par lagwaati hain. 

Ek din ki baat hain. Dono miya-biwi ko pagaar milti hain. Ritesh Priya se kehta hain, "Aaj hum kahi bahar ghumne chalte hain."

Priya - "Thik hain."

Ritesh - "Aaj hum khaana bhi bahar hi khaayenge."

Priya - "Chalo badhiya hain."

Poora parivaar tayyar hokar, saath mein bahar jaata hain. Woh log ek thele par jaate hain aur wahan par saath mein baithkar Paani Puri aur Bhel khaate hue saath mein bohut hi khushnumaa sa waqt bitaate hain.

Kaafi mahino se Ritesh bohut chinta mein chal raha tha. Khaas kar pichle kai dino se toh woh bohut hi zyada chinti ho chuka tha. Chinta apne bhavishya ka. Chinta apne parivaar ke bhavishya ka. Parivaar ke saath bitaaye hue yeh pyaare pal se Ritesh ka mann aa kaafi halka ho chuka tha. Nahi toh kuch dino se use aisa lag raha tha ki, maano duniya bhar ka bojh keval usi ke kandhon par hain. 

Kareeb do saal ke baad, aakhir mein Ritesh ki mehnat rang laayi. Ritesh ki teen paintings bik gayi aur dheere-dheere use orders bhi milna shuru ho gaye the. 

Ab Aditya ko School mein daakhila dilane ka waqt bhi aa chuka tha aur dono miya-biwi ki kamayi aisi ho chuki thi ki woh log Aditya ko ek acche international school mein daakhila dila sake. Ritesh ki paintings bhi acche se bik rahi hain aur saath hi saath ab use apni paintings ko art gallery mein lagane ka mauka bhi mil raha hain. 

Yahi se uski zindagi ek naye padaav par pohuch chuki hain.

                   - Ved Vineet Gautam