Santaap

 Anand Gautam ek businessman hain. Uski kapdon ki dukaan hain. Kuch mahino pehle hi uski shaadi hui thi. Anand ki patni ka naam, Akshara Gautam hain. Filhal is dampati ke koi bacche nahi hain.

 Ghar mein dono miyan biwi ke alaawa, Anand ke maata-pita bhi rehte hain. Anand ke pita ka naam, Ram Gautam hain aur maa ka naam, Aparna Gautam hain.

Is vyapaar ko Ram ne shuru kiya tha. Ram jab gaon se shahar kaam ki talaash mein aaya tha, tab uske jeb mein keval Sau Rupayee the. Is shahar mein aane ke baad, usne naukri karna shuru kiya. Pehle woh patthar toda karta tha. Din bhar ki mehnat ke baad, use 10 Rupaye mil jaaya karte the. Phir ek saal baad, use ek chaprasi ki naukri mili. Aur is kaam ko bhi Ram ne bohut mehnat aur imandaari ke saath kiya tha. Din bhar ki mehnat karne ke baad, jab Ram ko bhookh lagti, tab woh paani pee-pee kar apni bhookh mitataa tha. Lekin, kabhi-kabhi bhookh ke saamne uski sehan shakti haar jaati thi, tab woh use ek rupaye mein sukhi roti milti thi. Jiske saath, na use koi achaar milta tha aur na hi namak. Yeh kathin samay Ram ke jeevan mein, teen saal tak chalta raha. 

Lekin, Ram ke isi sangharsh ne use khud ka Vyapaar khada karne ke liye prerit kiya. Kuch paise ikattha karke, Ram ne ek kapde istri karne ki machine kharidi aur dusron ke kapde istri karna shuru kar diye. Logon ke kapde istri karte-karte use kapdon ki gunavatta ki pehchan hui. 

Dheere-Dheere Ram ki kamayi tezi se badhi, aur ek choti si kutiya mein apni kapdon ki dukaan shuru kar di. Dekhte Hi Dekhte kuch saalon mein Ram ne apni mehnat se ek badi dukaan khol di aur apne parivaar ko ek accha jeevan dene mein safal hua.

Dukaan mein dono baap-bete har roz jaate hain aur shaam mein apni dukaan band karke ghar laut aate hain. Unhone apni dukaan mein kaam ek ladke ko bhi rakha tha. Uska naam hain Kishore.

Har roz ki tarah, us din bhi dono baap-bete apni dukaan par waqt se pohuch gaye. Anand ne dukaan ka taala khola aur shutter upar uthaya. Shutter khulte hi dukaan ke andar ka nazara dekh kar, un dono ki aankhen fati ki fati reh gayi. Dukaan mein rakhe hue aadhe kapde gaayab the aur baaki jo kapde bache hue the, woh bhi kisi acchi haalat mein nahi the. Saaf-Saaf dikh raha tha ki dukaan mein chori hui hain. 

Anand - "Are yeh kya aadha maal toh gayab ho chuka hain. Kal toh dukaan poori bhari hui thi."

Ram - "Shayad chori hui hogi."

Anand - "Lagta toh yahi hain. Bohut bada nuksaan hua hain."

Ram - "Filhal jaane do sabse pehle hum log police station mein jaakar report likhwate hain."

Dono baap-bete police station chale jaate hain aur inspector sahab unse pooch-taach shuru karte hain. 

Inspector - "Yeh chori kab hui hain ?"

Ram - "Pata nahi. Kal jab humne dukaan band kari thi, tab toh sab kuch sahi tha aur aaj jab dukaan kholi toh aadha maal gayab hain."

Inspector - "Dukaan mein koun-koun kaam karta hain ?"

Anand - "Bas hum dono aur ek ladka hain Kishore. Woh hamare yahan naukri karta hain."

Inspector - "Woh ladka is waqt kaha hain ?"

Ram - "Dukaan pohuchta hi hoga woh."

Inspector - "Thik hain toh main bhi aapke saath dukaan par chalta hoon. Main us ladke se wahi par hi pooch-taach kar lunga."

Anand - "Ji aapka bohut-bohut shukriya."

Teeno dukaan par jaate hain aur Kishore ka intezaar kar rahe hote hain. Kaafi waqt beet jaata hain, par Kishore abhi tak dukaan par nahi pohucha tha. Kareeb ek ghante tak intezaar karne ke baad, Inspector Sahab un dono se poochte hain, "Kishore dukaan par kitne baje aata hain ?"

Anand - "Woh aksar subah 9 baje tak aa jaata tha. Aaj pata nahi kyun itna waqt laga raha hain woh aane mein."

Inspector Sahab - "Kya aapke paas uske ghar ka pata hain ?"

Ram - "Haan hain."

Inspector Sahab - "Thik hain aap mujhe waha le chaliye."

Teeno Kishore ke ghar jaate hain. Lekin, uske ghar par taala laga hua hota hain. Ados-Pados walon se poochne par pata chalta hain ki, Kishore Subah-Subah hi apna boriya-bistar baandh kar apne gaon ke liye nikal pada tha. 

Ab yeh baat samajh mein aa chuki thi ki, Kishore ne chori ki aur faraar ho gaya. Is baat ka dono baap-bete ko bohut gehra jhatka laga. Kyunki, un dono ne hi Kishore ko bohut dil se maana tha aur unhe is baat ka zara bhi andaaza nahi tha ki Kishore jo ki itna mehnati ladka tha, woh aisa kar sakta hain. 

Inspector Sahab - "Kishore kaha ka rehne wala tha ?"

Anand - "Woh Bihar mein ek gaon hain Chiurapur. Wahi par uska parivaar rehta hain."

Inspector Sahab - "Thik hain. Main waha ke Inspector se baat kar leta hoon."

Us din, dono baap-bete wapas apne ghar laut aate hain. Dono ko itne jaldi ghar par pohucha dekh kar, Aparna poochti hain, "Aaj aap dono jaldi ghar laut aaye ?"

Ram 'Haan' mein apna sar hilata hain.

Aparna - "Kya main aapke liye paani le aaun ?"

Ram dubara 'Haan' mein apna sar hilata hain.

Aparna andar se paani le aati hain aur Ram ko pakdati hain. Ram do ghunt paani peeta hain aur uske haathon se paani ka glass chuth jaata hain. 

Aparna - "Are yeh kya sambhalkar glass pakdiye."

Ram koi jawaab nahi deta hain.

Aparna - "Aap kaha khoye hue ho ?"

Ram - "Nahi woh kuch bhi nahi."

Aparna - "Kahiye toh. Aakhir baat kya hain ?"

Ram - "Woh bas Vyapaar ki kuch baat hain."

Aparna - "Ab Vyapaar mein utaar-chadaav toh hote hi rehta hain."

Ram - "Haan. Lekin, is baar ki baat alag hain."

Aparna - "Itne saal se aap vyapaar kar rahe ho. Aaj tak toh aapko kabhi itni gehri soch mein doobe hue maine pehle kabhi nahi dekha hain."

Anand - "Maa woh thodi badi musibat aa padi hain. Is baar samasya bohut gambhir hain."

Aparna - "Kyun kya hua ?"

Ram - "Vyapaar mein bohut bada ghaata hua hain."

Aparna - "Vyapaar mein nafaa-nuksaan toh laga hi rehta hain."

Ram - "Kal dukaan mein bohut badi chori hui hain. Dukaan se aadha maal gayab ho chuka hain aur Kishore bhi lapata hain."

Aparna - "Hey bhagwan. Ab kya hoga aage ?"

Ram - "Dekhte hain. Kya kar sakte hain. Upar wala hain. Ab wahi hume koi na koi raasta dikhayega."

Agle din, dono baap-bete dubara apni dukaan par chale jaate hain aur shaam mein police station hote huye apne ghar laut aate hain. 

Shaam ka waqt tha. Ram, Hall mein ek kursi par baitha hua tha. Suraj dheere-dheere doob raha tha. Ujale par andhere ka baan chal chuka tha aur dekhte hi dekhte, kuch hi samay mein, roshni raat ki aagosh mein gum ho chuki thi. 

Ram bohut hi gheri soch mein dooba hua tha. Ram ko apni aankhon ke saamne apni poori zindagi dikhayi de rahi thi. Kaise woh gaon se 100 Rupaye lekar shahar aaya tha. Patthar todne ka kaam se lekar, Company mein chaprasi ki naukri karte-karte kaise usne ek-ek rupaya jodkar apna vyapaar shuru kiya tha. Din bhar paani pee-pee kar usne apni bhookh maari aur jab, bhookh sahan shakti ki saari seemayein langh deti; tab woh ek rupaye kharch karke do roti bina namak mirchi ke khaata. Us ek rupaye ko kharch karne mein bhi uska Dil bohut jalta tha. Isi tarah se poore teen saal ke sangharsh ke baad, Ram ke pass kuch paise ikattha hue the, jis se usne kapde istri karne wali machine kharidi thi aur yahi woh samay tha jab Ram ko kapdon ki gunavatta ki samajh hone lagi. Dheere-Dheere usne paise ikattha karna shuru kiye aur ek choti si kutiya mein usne apni kapdon ki dukaan khol di thi. Phir aage badhte-badhte usne apni ek acchi dukaan khol li. Jise Ram ne aaj tak barkarar rakha hua tha. 

Is samay, Ram ke mann mein sawalon ke sailaab ne bhi dastak de di thi. 

Woh sochne laga,

'Kya aakhir Kishore ko pehchane mein, main kahi chuk gaya ?'

'Kya mujhe insaan ko parakhne ki koi samajh hi nahi hain ?'

'Kya main ek accha vyapaari hoon bhi ya nahi ?'

Ab Ram ka dil baith chuka tha. Woh rona chah raha tha, lekin, mann mein chal rahe kashmakash mein woh itna phans chuka tha ki, Ram ke aankhon tak aate-aate aansun kahi gum ho jaate the.

Thodi hi der baad, Ram ko apne seene mein dard mehsus hona shuru ho gaya. Uska haath uske seene par pohucha aur Ram ke maathe se paseena aana shuru ho gaya. Tabhi iteefaq se, Anand kamre ke andar aaya aur Ram ki aisi haalat dekh kar usne turant Ram ko pakda aur bohut zor se aawaz lagayi, "Maa."

Aparna turant Hall mein aayi aur Ram ki aisi haalat dekh kar, woh jaldi se kitchen ki aur daudi. Kitchen se Aparna ne paani laaya aur Ram ko pilaaya. Phir un logon ne turant hi, Ram ko aspataal mein bharti karaya.

Agle din, Ram hosh mein aaya aur usne khud ko aspataal ke bed par leta paaya. Ram ki aankhon ke saamne, ghar ke baaki sadasya khade the. Sabko dekh Ram muskuraya. Woh kuch kehna chah raha tha, par kuch keh nahi paa raha tha. 

Kareeb ek hafte ke illaj ke baad, Ram ko aspataal se discharge mil gaya. In ek hafton mein, Ram ne kai dafaa Anand se vyapaar ke baare mein poocha; par har baar Anand ne koi na koi bahana banakar baat ko taal diya. 

Ghar pohuchte hi, Anand ne Ram ko takthe par baitha diya. Ram ko dekhte hi, Aparna aur Akshara ki aankhein bhar aayi. Yeh dekh kar, Ram ne kaha, "Tum dono ki aankhein kyun nam hain ?"

Woh dono hi chup the.

Ram - "Ab main bilkul thik hoon."

Aparna - "Aap itna zyada tension lene lag gaye the. Agar aapko kuch ho jaata toh, hamara kya hota. Kabhi socha hain aapne ?"

Ram - "Accha baba mujhe maaf kar do. Bhool ho gayi mujhse."

Akshara - "Papa. Aaj ke baad se aap kabhi bhi zyada tension nahi lenge. Koi bhi baat aap apne Dil mein daba kar nahi rakhenge. Kya maine aapse kabhi bhi kisi tarah ki maang ki ?"

Ram - "Nahi."

Akshara - "Kya maine kabhi bhi aapko kisi tarah ka taana maara hain ?"

Ram - "Bilkul nahi."

Akshara - "Lekin ab taana maarungi. Aapko keval khud ki hi fikr hain. Bhagwaan na kare agar kal ko aapka saaya mere upar se uth jaata, toh main kya karti."

Ram - "Bahu mujhe maaf kar dena."

Akshara - "Agar kal ko zaroorat pade toh hum ek waqt ka khaana kha kar bhi guzara kar lenge. Lekin, bas aap khud ko sambhale rakhiye Papa."

 "Thik hain beta. Jaisa tum kaho. Mujhe tumpar naaz hain." Ram ne muskura kar kaha.

Tabhi Anand ne kaha, "Waise bhi Papa agar bhagwan ne chaha toh jald hi sab kuch thik ho jaayega. Kal hi meri Ajay Kumar se baat hui thi, woh hume school ke baccho ka kapda silwane ka order de raha hain. Kareeb ek mahine tak yeh kaam chalta hi rahega. Yeh ek bada contract hume mila hain. Kam Se Kam hamari gaadi toh shuru ho hi chuki hain."

Ram - "Yeh toh bohut hi acchi khabar sunayi hain tumne beta. Kapdon ke size ki lists hume kab mil rahi hain, Ajay Kumar se ?"

Anand - "Kal shaam tak poori lists mil jaayegi." 

Ram - "Yaani ki parson se kaam bohut badh jaayega."

Anand - "Haan. Kaam badhega toh kamayi bhi acchi khaasi hogi."

Ram - "Hmm."

Anand - "Aur ek aur baat aapko batani thi mujhe."

Ram - "Kounsi baat ?"

Anand - "Papa. Woh darasal Kishore ka bhi pata chal chuka hain. Parson hi Inspector Sahab ne mujhe Police Station milne ke liye bulaaya tha. Kishore ke gaon wale ghar se hamara saara maal baramad hua hain aur Kishore ko police ne giraftaar bhi kar liya hain. Saamano ki jaanch hote hi, kuch mahino mein shayad hume apna saara maal wapas mil jaaye."

Ram - "Chalo yeh bhi acchi baat hain. Itna mehnati ladka tha woh. Pata nahi Kishore ne aisa kyun kiya ? Hum logon ke dil ke bhi woh behad kareeb aa chuka tha."

Anand - "Papa ab aap Kishore ko bhool hi jaaye, toh accha rahega. Waise bhi yeh duniya ab bharose ke laayak nahi reh gayi hain."

Ram ne gehri saans li aur kaha, "Hmm. Tum thik hi keh rahe ho beta."

Anand - "Ab main aapse bas ek aakhri baat kehna chahta hoon Papa."

Ram - "Aur woh kya baat hain ?"

Anand - "Ab main Vyapaar ke vistaar ke baare soch raha hoon. Maine Madhya Pradesh ke do teen vyapaariyon se baat ki hain, woh lagataar hume maal bhejte rahenge. Is se hume Vyapaar mein bohut fayda hoga."

Ram - "Chalo accha hain. Kuch pal ke bure waqt ne zindagi mein ek bada darwaza khol diya."

                - Ved Vineet Gautam