Palak

 Rohan apne maata-pita ka eklauta beta hain. Woh ek company mein naukri karta hain. Woh bohut hi shaant swabhav ka ladka hain. Woh har roz subah tayyar hokar waqt se daftar par pohuch jaata hain. Woh kisi se bhi zyada baat-cheet nahi karta hain. 

Ek din ki baat hain. Office mein Rohan ka kaam khatam ho chuka tha. Woh apni office ke parking mein gaya aur apni bike dhoondhne laga. Thodi der ke baad, use apni bike dikh gayi. Woh apni bike ke pass gaya aur apni pant ki jeb mein haath daala, chaabhi nikalne ke liye. Lekin, use apni chaabhi nahi mili. Usne pant ki dusri jeb mein chaabhi khoja, lekin use waha par bhi nahi mili. 

'Are yeh bike ki chaabhi kaha chali gayi ?' Rohan ne socha. Phir woh turant apne office ki aur bhaaga. Woh office ke andar pohucha aur apne desk ke pass gaya. Woh apne desk ke pass apni bike ki chaabhi dhundhne laga. Aakhir kaar, use apni chaabhi mil hi gayi aur woh rahat ki saans liya.

Ab Rohan, bina vilamb kiye, office se bahar jaane laga. Lekin, woh kisi se takra gaya aur neeche gir gaya. Usne apni nazrein uthayi aur dekha ki woh ek ladki se takraya hain. Aur woh jis ladki se takraya tha, woh uski company ki ek sah-karmi thi. 

"Iam so sorry Mam. Aapko koi choat toh nahi lagi ?" Rohan ne kaha. 

Ladki - "Ji nahi bilkul bhi nahi."

Dono ek saath khade hote hain aur dono ek dusre ko dekhte hain. Phir ladki kehti hain, "Aap toh isi company mein naukri karte ho na ?"

Rohan - "Haan. Aur aap bhi na ?"

Ladki - "Haan. Main bhi yahi par kaam karti hoon. Aapka naam kya hain ?"

"Mera naam Rohan hain." Usne jawab diya. 

Ladki ne apna haath aage badhate hue kaha, "Main Anjali hoon."

Rohan ne Anjali se haath milaya aur kaha, "Aapse milke bohut accha laga Anjali."

Anjali - "Waise toh hum har roz hi milte hain, lekin, baat hum aaj pehli baar kar rahe hain."

Rohan - "Haan woh baat toh hain."

Dono seedhiyon se utarna shuru karte hain aur saath hi saath ek dusre se baatein karte hue. 

Anjali - "Toh aap yahan kya post par kaam karte ho ?"

Rohan - "Main online sales team mein hoon."

Anjali - "OK."

Rohan - "Aur aap ?"

Anjali - "Main finance team mein hoon. Aap yahan kabse kaam kar rahe ho ?"

Rohan - "Chaar mahine se."

Anjali - "Main Saat mahine se."

Rohan - "Phir toh aap meri senior hui ?"

Anjali hanste hue kehti hain, "Ji nahi. Bilkul nahi. Hum dono ek hi company mein kaam karte hain. Bas department alag-alag hain. Nahi toh hamari salary kareeban-kareeban barabri ki hi hain."

Rohan - "Accha."

Anjali - "Aap rehte kaha par ho ?"

Rohan - "Main Nandan Nagar mein rehta hoon."

Anjali - "Main Shastri Nagar mein rehti hoon."

Rohan - "Accha."

Anjali - "Aapke ghar mein koun-koun hain ?"

Rohan - "Bas Papa, Mummy aur Main. Aur aapke ghar mein ?"

Anjali - "Papa, Mummy aur ek chota Bhai bhi hain."

Rohan - "Chaliye accha hain."

Anjali - "Aap kisi se bhi zyada baat-cheet nahi karte hain ?"

Rohan - "Nahi."

Anjali - "Aisa kyun ?"

Rohan Anjali ki aur ek sawaal bhari nazron se dekhta hain.

Anjali - "Mujhe maaf kar dijiyega. Maine bas aise hi poonch liya."

Rohan - "Nahi koi baat nahi. Woh darasal, main bachpan se hi bohut sharmila kism ka insaan raha hoon."

Anjali muskurati hain. Badle mein Rohan bhi uska jawaab muskaan se hi deta hain. Tabhi woh dono bahar pohuch jaate hain. Phir Anjali kehti hain, "Baatein karte-karte kab hum offfice ke bahar aa gaye pata hi nahi chala."

Rohan muskurate hue kehta hain, "Haan."

"Aapse baat karke accha laga Rohan." Kehte hue woh apna haath aage badhati hain. Rohan Anjali se haath milata hain aur kehta hain, "Mujhe bhi." Aur dono alag-alag raaste chale jaate hain. 

Agle din, Rohan office pohuchta hain. Office ke andar jaate hi uski nazar Anjali par padti hain. Dono ki nazrein ek dusre se milti hain aur dono ek dusre ko dekh kar muskura dete hain. Kaafi din guzar gaye. Us din ke baad se, dono ke beech na ke barabar hi baat-cheet hui hain.

Ek din ki baat hain. Rohan subah-subah apne ghar se bahar nikla thoda tahalne ke liye. Aaj Rohan ki chutti thi. Woh bina nahaye dhoye bas aise hi shorts mein bahar nikla hua tha aur woh sadak par aaram se tahal raha tha. Aaj mausam bhi bohut hi zyada khushgawaar tha. Subah-Subah ki thandi hawa aur uspar Suraj ki halki si dhoop. Aise mausam mein aakhir kiska ghar mein rehne ka mann karega bhala. 

Woh bohut hi aaram se chalte hue jaa raha tha. Tabhi Rohan ko peeche se ek aawaz sunayi deti hain, "Hello."

Rohan peeche mudkar dekhta hain. Peeche aur koi nahi, balki Anjali hi khadi rehti hain. Woh muskurate hue kehta hain, "Hello Anjali."

Anjali - "Hello Rohan. Kaise ho aap ?"

Rohan - "Main thik hoon. Aap kaisi ho ?"

Anjali - "Main bhi thik hoon."

Rohan - "Aap yahan kya kar rahi ho ?"

Anjali - "Main bas yahan par kuch phool lene ke liye aayi thi. Suna hain, yahan par bohut khoobsurat phool milte hain."

Rohan - "Aapne bilkul sahi suna hain. Lekin, phool lene itne subah-subah ?"

Anjali - "Phool subah-subah hi acche milte hain."

Rohan - "Bilkul sahi kaha aapne. Toh chaliye phir aapke phool kharid liye jaaye."

Dono saath mein jaate hain aur tarah-tarah ke phool dekhte hain. Aakhir mein woh kuch phool kharid leti hain. Tabhi wahan par Rohan ko ek laal gulab ka phool dikhta hain aur na jaane uske dimaag mein kya aata hain ki woh us phool ko kharid leta hain. Phir woh khoobsurat sa laal gulab Anjali ko de deta hain. Woh zara sa sharmate hue, us phool ko leti hain. Phir woh dono baatein karte hue dubara chalne lagte hain. Tabhi Rohan kehta hain, "Mera ghar yahan nazdeek mein hi hain. Kya saath mein ek cup chai ho jaaye ?"

Anjali - "Thik hain."

Dono saath mein Rohan ke ghar jaate hain aur Sofa par baith te hain. Tabhi Anjali kehti hain, "Aapke Papa-Mummy nahi dikhayi de rahe hain ?"

"Woh bahar gaon gaye hue hain." Yeh kehte hi woh kitchen mein jaata hain. 

Thodi der baad, woh do cup chai lekar aata hain. Dono baithkar chai peena shuru karte hain. Chai ki kuch chuskiyan woh dono khamoshi se lete hain. Tabhi Rohan kehta hain, "Ghar mein aakhir kitna sannata hain na ?"

Anjali - "Sannata nahi. Khamoshi hain. Ek ajeeb si sukun bhari khamoshi hain. Bade khush kismat hain aap. Aaj Kal aisi khoobsurat khamoshi jaldi kahi mehsus karne ke liye nahi milti hain."

Rohan - "Kya aap mera ghar dekhna chahengi ?"

Anjali - "Haan."

Dono Sofa par se uth te hain aur Rohan Anjali ko apna ghar dikhana shuru karta hain. Ghar ke alag-alag hisson ko dekhte-dekhte woh dono Rohan ke bedroom mein jaate hain. Rohan ke bedroom mein ek bohut hi khoobsurat painting lagi hoti hain. Us painting ko dekh kar Anjali ka chehra utar jaata hain. Anjali ke chehre par achaanak se badle hue bhaav dekh kar Rohan achambhe mein pad jaata hain. Woh puchta hain, "Kya hua Anjali ?"

Anjali - "Yeh painting. Yeh doobta hua suraj aakhir kitna udaas lagta hain. Mann ko dukhi kar deta hain."

Rohan - "Kya pata shayad yeh ek ugta hua suraj ho. Jo hume apni zindagi ko ek naye seere se dubara shuru karne ka mauka de raha ho."

Anjali - "Aisa toh kabhi socha hi nahi maine. Main bhi aakhir kitni buddhu hoon."

Rohan - "Toh abse soch lo."

Anjali - "Shayad woh waqt beet chuka hain."

Rohan - "Lekin zindagi toh chal hi rahi hain. Hum zinda hain. Yahi is baat ka sabse bada saboot hain ki, hamari zindagi mein abhi bhi bohut kuch accha hona baaki hain. Zindagi mein abhi bhi dher saare acche pal ka anubhav lena baaki hain."

Yeh sunkar, Anjali khule dil se muskurati hain. Phir woh Rohan se puchti hain, "Agle hafte jab office ki chutti rahegi, tab ka kuch plan banaya hain aapne ?"

Rohan - "Koi plan toh nahi hain. Lekin haan, agar aap kahi ka plan bana rahi ho toh main usmein shaamil zaroor hona chahunga." 

Anjali - "Main shopping ke liye jaane wali hoon."

Yeh sunte hi Rohan hans deta hain.

Anjali - "Kya hua ?"

Rohan - "Tab toh main apne ghar do din baad hi pohuch paaunga."

Anjali - "Aisa kyun ?"

Rohan - "Ladkiyon ki shopping aur ladko ka travelling kabhi na poora hone wala ek safar hain."

Yeh sunte hi Anjali bhi khub thahaakaa lagakar hansti hain. Phir woh kehti hain, "Accha toh ab main chalti hoon."

Rohan - "Thik hain."

Anjali waha se chali jaati hain. Agle din, dono office mein milte hain aur ek dusre se yahan-wahan ki baatein karte hain. Ab yeh silsila har roz chalne laga tha. Apne swabhaav ke viprit, Rohan ab Anjali se khul kar baat-cheet karne lag gaya tha. Dekhte Hi Dekhte poora hafta beet jaata hain. Isi dauraan dono ek dusre ka contact number bhi le lete hain. 

Aakhir kaar chutti ka din aa hi jaata hain. Rohan ki neend khulti hain. Woh bed se uth ta hain aur wash basin par jaakar apna muh dhota hain. Tabhi uska phone bajta hain. Woh dekhta hain ki, Anjali ka call aaya hain. Woh call utha ta hain aur kehta hain, "Hello Anjali."

Phone ke dusre aur se Anjali kehti hain, "Hello Rohan. Good Morning."

Rohan - "Kaisi ho tum Anjali ?"

Anjali - "Main thik hoon. Tum kaise ho ?"

Rohan - "Main bhi thik hoon."

Anjali - "Aur batao aaj ka kya plan hain tumhara ?"

Rohan - "Kuch nahi bas aaram."

Anjali - "Aaj toh aap kahi jaane wale the na ?"

Rohan - "Aaj toh office band hain."

Anjali - "Kisi ke saath aap kahi jaane wale the ?"

Rohan - "Are haan. Aaj toh shopping ke liye jaana tha na hume ? Sorry woh main bhool gaya tha. Kaha par aana hain shopping ke liye ?"

Anjali - "Main address message karti hoon aapko."

Rohan - "Thik hain."

Phone kat jaata hain aur thodi der ke baad, Anjali ka message aata hain. Rohan tayyar hota hain aur woh Anjali ke bheje hue address par pohuchta hain. Anjali mall ke bahar hi khadi, Rohan ka intezaar kar rahi thi. Dono ki nazrein milti hain aur woh dono ek dusre ko dekh kar muskurate hain. Woh Anjali ke pass jaata hain aur dono ek dusre se haath milate hain. Uske baad, dono ek dusre ko dekhte hain aur dekhte hi reh jaate hain. Kuch shan ke liye dono ek dusre ke aankhon mein doob jaate hain. Tabhi traffic signal khulta hain aur sadak par gaadiyon ka shor shuru ho jaata hain. Dono hosh mein aate hain. Anjali yahan-wahan dekhne lagti hain aur Rohan kehta hain, "Chale shopping ke liye ?"

Anjali - "Haan."

Dono saath mein, Mall ke andar jaate hain aur shopping karna shuru kar dete hain. Shopping karte-karte un dono ko kaafi waqt lag jaata hain. Aakhir mein Anjali apne kharide hue saamaan ka bill bharti hain aur woh dono carry bags utha kar us section ke bahar aate hain. Phir Anjali kehti hain, "Mall ke bahar jaane ka raasta kaha se hoga ?"

Rohan - "Kya aapko bhookh nahi lagi hain ?"

Anjali - "Haan. Bhookh toh lagi hain."

Rohan - "Kahi baithkar khaaye ?"

Anjali - "Yeh bhi sahi hain. Chaliye chalte hain."

Dono Mall ke andar hi bana foods section mein jaakar saath baith te hain aur kuch order karte hain. Khaate-Khaate woh dono ek dusre se dher saari baatein karte hain. Tabhi achaanak se koi peeche se Rohan ke peeth par haath rakh deta hain. Rohan mudkar dekhta hain aur khushi se kehta hain, "Anita."

Anita - "Haan Rohan main hi hoon."

Rohan apni kursi se uth ta hain. Phir Anita kehti hain, "Bhai wah tumne toh mujhe pehli nazar mein hi pehchan liya ?"

Rohan - "Are bhai aise kaise bhoolunga main tumhe ?"

Phir woh Anjali ki aur dekh kar kehta hain, "Anjali yeh hain meri dost Anita. College mein hum dono saath mein hi padhte the. Aur Anita yeh hain Anjali. Meri..." Kehte hue woh kahi gum sa ho jaata hain.

Anita - "Tumhari ? Tumhari kya Rohan ?"

"Meri dost hain yeh." Rohan ki aawaz mein badlaav aata hain. 

"Main ab aati hoon. Mera kaam toh khatam ho chuka hain." Kehte hue, Anjali apne carry bags utha kar waha se jaane lagti hain. Rohan uske peeche-peeche jaata hain aur use rokne ki koshish karta hain. "Anjali ruk jaao. Meri baat toh suno Anjali." Anjali ruk jaati hain. Woh Anjali ke pass jaata hain aur kehta hain, "Kya hua Anjali ? Aise achaanak se tumhara mood kaise badal gaya ?"

Anjali - "Pata nahi. Shayad yeh jalan hain. Apne dost ko khone ka darr hain yeh shayad."

Rohan - "Agar yeh dost kahe ki yeh zindagi bhar tumhare saath rahega toh ?"

Anjali - "Lekin hamara rishta kya hain ?"

Rohan - "Shayad dosti ka hain. Ya shayad dosti se zyada bhi kuch ho. Lekin, hum dono hi anjaan hain is baat se. Hume hamare rishte ko samajhne mein bhi waqt lagega na ?"

Anjali - "Toh hamara yeh rishta anjaan hain. Jo bhi ho bas hum milte rahe. Phir sahi waqt aane par hume khud hi maaloom pad jaayega ki aakhir is rishte ki gaadi kis manzil ki aur rukh karti hain."

Rohan - "Thik hain." 

Woh dono phir se ek dusre ko bas dekhte hi rehte hain. 

             - Ved Vineet Gautam