Sadma

 Paras ek naujawan hain. Woh ek company mein naukri karta hain. Woh apne maata-pita ke saath hi rehta hain. Filhal woh kunwara hain. Woh har roz apni bike se naukri par aata-jaata rehta hain. 

Aaj ka din kuch khaas tha. Aaj office mein Paras ko bohut kaam karna baaki tha. Aksar woh dopahar chaar baje apni naukri se chooth jaata hain, par aaj kaam zyada hone ki wajah se; Paras ko aaj der tak baithna pada. Aakhir kaar, shaam che baje uska kaam poora hua. Woh daudte hue, parking ki aur gaya. Use ghar jaane ki thodi ghayi thi. Usne apni bike nikaali aur company ke gate ke bahar nikla. Kuch hi dur par use apni gaadi ko modna tha. Jaldbaazi ke chalte, usne aage-peeche bina dekhe, apni bike dusre mod ki aur badha di aur achaanak se uski bike ek Scotty se jaa takraai. Apni bike sahit Paras wahi par gir gaya. Use thodi choatein bhi aayi thi. Logon ne use aspataal mein bharti karwaaya. Woh na hi behos tha aur na hi hosh mein tha. Woh ek ajeeb se ardh-behosi ki haalat mein aspataal pohucha. Doctor ne Paras ko ek injection diya aur ab woh poori tarah se behosh ho chuka tha. 

Kuch ghanton baad, use hosh aaya, toh usne dekha ki uske maata-pita uske saamne khade hain. Paras ne un dono se kuch der baat-cheet ki. Baad mein use pata chala ki uski bike ek ladki ke Scooty se takrayi thi aur woh ladki uske bagal wale bed par hi hain. Is baat ka pata chalte hi, Paras ne kaha, "Main us ladki se ek baar baat karna chahta hoon."

Paras Ke Pita - "Par kyun beta ?"

Paras - "Main ek baar usse maafi maangna chahta hoon."

Paras Ke Pita - "Thik hain."

Doctor ne us parde ko hataaya jo ki Paras aur us ladki ke beech thi. Parda hatt te hi, ladki ki nazar Paras par padi. Woh bhi zakhmi thi. Shayad kuch zyada hi zakhmi thi. 

Paras ne socha, 'Na jaane kitni takleef hui hogi is bichari ko.' 

Paras ne pehla shabd kaha, "Iam sorry."

Ladki - "It's alright."

Paras - "Mujhe aap please maaf kar dijiye. Meri wajah se hi, aaj aap is haalat mein ho."

Ladki - "Koi baat nahi. Aapne yeh koi jaan-boojhkar thodi na kiya hain. Accident ho jaata hain."

Paras - "Aapka bohut-bohut shukriya."

Ladki - "Aapka bhi. Aapke wajah se hi toh mujhe ek lambi vacation mil gayi."

Paras - "Ab aap mujhe sharminda kar rahi ho Mam."

Ladki - "Kiara. Kiara naam hain mera. Please aap mujhe Mam mat bulaaiye."

Paras - "Thik hain Kiara. Mujhe maaf kar dijiye."

Kiara - "Aap kitne baar mujhse maafi maangenge."

Paras - "Toh phir mujhe maaf kar dijiye aapse baar-baar maafi maangne ke liye."

Kiara hansti hain aur kehti hain, "Aapka naam kya hain ?"

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

Kiara - "Toh Paras aap baatein bohut acchi kar lete ho."

Paras - "Ji shukriya."

Kiara - "Aapko discharge kab milega ?"

Paras - "Pata nahi. Aapko kab tak mil raha hain ?"

Kiara - "Ab yeh toh doctors hi bata sakte hain. Dua kariye ki aapko discharge jaldi mil jaaye. Kyunki, mere saath rehkar aap zyada bimaar pad jaayenge. Main apni baaton se aapko bohut pareshan kar dungi."

Paras - "Waise Kiara, main bhi baatein karne mein kuch kam nahi hoon."

Kiara hansti hain aur kehti hain, "Are waah. Tab yeh toh  bohut hi acchi baat hain. Dekhna hamari khoob jamegi."

Paras - "Zaroor."

Dono ke Maata-Pita ek dusre se halki-phulki baat-cheet kiye. Kareeb pandrah dino tak woh dono aspataal mein bharti the aur in pandrah dino mein, dono ne ek dusre ke saath dher saari baat-cheet ki. Is dauraan dono ek dusre ko kaafi acche se samajh chuke the. Un dono ne ek dusre ka contact number bhi le liya tha. Baad mein dono ko discharge mila aur apne-apne ghar chale gaye. 

Ek din Paras apne Company ke kaam se ek jagah par gaya tha. Us jagah par pohuchne ke baad, use yaad aaya ki Kiara bhi yahi-kahi kaam karti hain. Phir usne socha, 'Jaane do. Woh bhi apne kaam mein vyast hogi.' Aur woh us Office mein gaya, jaha par use kaam tha. Kuch ghanton tak meeting chali aur phir woh wapas buliding ke bahar aaya. 

Shaam ka samay ho chuka tha. Aasman mein dhoop ki chamak phiki ho chuki thi aur halki-halki thandi hawa Paras ke chehre ko choom rahi thi.

Woh dheere-dheere paidal chalte hue, apni bike ki aur badh raha tha. Tabhi Paras ko aabhas hua ki, shayad koi use pukaar raha hain. Woh peeche muda aur paaya ki Kiara uski aur badh rahi hain. Woh wahi ka wahi khadaa tha aur Kiara chalte hue, uske nazdeek aate jaa rahi thi. Aakhir kaar Kiara Paras ke saamne aa khadi hui aur woh boli, "Hi Paras."

Paras - "Hi Kiara."

Kiara - "Tum yahan kya kar rahe ho ?"

Paras - "Darasal main yahan kuch kaam se aaya hua tha."

Kiara - "Tumne mujhe bataya bhi nahi."

Paras - "Maine socha ki shayad tum apne kaam mein vyast hogi."

Kiara - "Toh kam se kam ek message hi daal dete tum."

Paras - "Iam sorry."

Kiara - "It's alright. Kya abhi tum free ho ?"

Paras - "Haan main free hoon."

Kiara - "Toh hum saath mein kahi baithe ?"

Paras - "Haan chalo."

Kiara - "Aao mere saath."

Dono saath mein jaate hain. Kiara, Paras ko ek canteen mein lekar jaati hain. Dono waha saath mein baithte hain. Tabhi Kiara poochti hain, "Kya loge Paras ?"

Paras - "Jo bhi tum chaho."

Kiara - "Coffee aur Samosa loge ?"

Paras - "Haan yeh perfect rahega."

Kiara waiter ko order deti hain aur waiter order lekar waha se chala jaata hain. Phir Paras poochta hain, "Abhi tum kaisi ho ?"

Kiara - "Main bilkul thik hoon. Tum apni batao."

Paras - "Main bhi badhiya. Aur batao tumhare Mummy-Daddy kaise hain ?"

Kiara - "Woh dono toh mast hain. Aur tumhare Mummy-Daddy kaise hain ?"

Paras - "Woh dono bhi thik hain. Phir kaisi chal rahi hain tumhari zindagi ?"

Kiara - "Acchi chal rahi hain. Aur tumhari zindagi ?"

Paras - "Mera bhi sab badhiya chal raha hain."

Kiara - "Aur tumhare sab dost kaise hain ?"

Paras - "Sab thik hain. Aur tumhare ?"

Kiara - "Ekdum badhiya. Toh kya tumhari koi khaas dost hain ?"

Paras - "Bilkul bhi nahi. Aur kya tumhara koi khaas dost hain ?"

Kiara - "Abhi tak toh nahi."

Paras - "Aisa kyun ?"

Kiara - "Koi pasand hi nahi aaya yaar. Aur tumhari kya wajah hain ? Koi pasand nahi aayi ya koi kahani hain tumhari ?"

Paras - "Nahi. Mujhe bhi ab tak koi pasand nahi aayi hain. Toh tum zara apni pasand napasand ke baare mein batao." 

Kiara - "Mujhe movies dekhna pasand hain."

Paras - "Are waah. Woh toh mujhe bhi bohut pasand hain."

Kiara - "Kya tumhe kitaabein padna pasand hain ?"

Paras - "Haan. Maine do mahine pehle hi, Anjaane Rishtey padhi thi."

Kiara - "Are haan. Us kitaab ki kahani toh bohut hi acchi thi. Lekhak ne kahani ko bohut hi acchi likhi thi."

Paras - "Kisi Swarg ki tarah."

Kiara - "Bilkul."

Kaafi der tak baat-cheet karne ke baad, dono apne-apne ghar chale gaye. Us din ke baad se dono ka milne-julne ka silsila shuru ho gaya. Yeh dono aksar ek dusre se mila karte aur hamesha bahar hi milte the. Kabhi kisi Coffee Shop mein, toh kabhi kisi Mall mein. Kabhi-Kabhi yeh dono saath mein movies dekhne ke liye bhi jaaya karte the. 

Waqt guzarta gaya aur is guzarte hue waqt ke saath-saath, in dono ke beech nazdeekiyaan bhi badhti gayi. In dono ki zindagi ek dusre ke saamne ek khuli kitaab thi. 

Ek shaam Paras ko Kiara ka phone aata hain. Paras call uthata hain aur kehta hain, "Haan kaho Kiara. Kaisi ho tum ?"

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

Paras - "Main bhi thik hoon. Aur batao ghar mein sab kaise hain ?"

Kiara - "Sab thik hain. Tumhare ghar mein sab kaise hain ?"

Paras - "Sab badhiya hain."

Kiara - "Accha tum mujhe yeh batao ki kya kal tumhari chutti hain ?"

Paras - "Haan chutti toh hain."

Kiara - "Meri bhi chutti hain."

Paras - "Toh hum kal kahi mile ?"

Kiara - "Haan. Woh Samruddhi Nagar mein ek Garba ka function chal raha hain." 

Paras - "Toh kal Garba khelne ka plan banaye ?"

Kiara - "Kal shaam mein che baje milte hain phir ?"

Paras - "Haan ekdum pakka."

Agle din, Paras us jagah par pohuch jaata hain jahan par Garba ho raha hota hain. Woh Kiara ko Call lagata hain. Kiara Call uthate hi kehti hain, "Bas dus minute mein pohunch rahi hoon."

Paras "Thik Hain" kehkar Call kaat deta hain aur Kiara ka intezaar karta hain. Woh yahan-wahan dekh raha tha. 'Sach mein aakhir sajaawat kitni khoobsurat hain.' Woh sochta hain. 

 Yahan-Wahan dekhte-dekhte Paras ki nazar Kiara par padhti hain. Woh chalte hue Paras ki aur badh rahi thi. Peele rang ke lehnge mein woh behad khoobsurat dikh rahi thi. Kiara Paras ke saamne aati hain aur muskurati hain. Paras bhi muskurata hain lekin, woh kuch nahi kehta hain. Paras ki aankhein Kiara ki khoobsurati ki tareef kar rahi thi. Phir Kiara kehti hain, "Ab chalo bhi."

Paras - "Kaha ?"

Kiara - "Garba khelne."

Paras - "Are haan."

Kiara Paras ka haath pakadti hain aur woh use apne saath waha le jaati hain. Dono saath mein garba khelte hain. Kiara toh is lamhe ka khoob lutf utha rahi thi. Lekin, Paras toh maano jaise kahi kho gaya tha. Woh Kiara ki khoobsurat muskaan mein kho gaya tha. Uski nazar Kiara ke chehre se hath hi nahi paa rahi thi. Woh toh bas Kiara ke labon ki muskaan aur uske chehre ki hansi mein hi doob chuka tha. 

Kuch der baad, woh dono garba khelna band kar dete hain aur dinner section ki aur badhte hain. Chalte-Chalte Kiara poochti hain, "Woh sajaawat kaisi lagi ?"

Paras - "Acchi thi. Lights bohut hi acche se design kiya hua tha."

Kiara - "Bahar ki lights na ?"

Paras - "Haan."

Kiara - "Main andar ki sajaawat ki baat kar rahi thi."

Paras - "Haan. Haan woh bhi acchi hain."

Kiara - "Woh baccho ke group ne toh bohut dhoom machaayi thi."

Paras - "Bacche ?" Woh soch mein pad jaata hain. Phir kuch pal baad hi woh kehta hain, "Are haan, haan. Un logon ne bhi accha khela tha."

Ab Kiara, wahi ruk gayi aur woh Paras ko ghur-ghur ke dekh rahi thi. Paras kuch samajh nahi paa raha tha. Woh poochta hain, "Kya hua ?"

Kiara - "Yahan koi bhi baccho ka group khel hi nahi raha tha."

Paras apni nazrein jhuka leta hain. 

Kiara - "Kya chal raha hain tumhare dimaag mein ?"

Paras chup tha.

Kiara - "Main kaafi lambe samay se notice kar rahi hoon. Tumhara dhyaan is function mein bilkul bhi nahi hain. Tumhara dhyaan kahi aur hain. Batao Paras kya chal raha hain, yeh sab ?"

Paras ki nazrein ab bhi jhuki hui thi. 

Kiara - "Kya tumhare dil mein mere baare mein kuch khayalat aa rahe hain ?"

Paras - "Ab main bol bhi kya sakta hoon. Mujhe maaf kar dena. Main koi safai toh nahi de paaunga. Lekin haan ek baat main Dil se kahunga ki mere iraade galat nahi hain."

Dono hi khaamosh the. Kiara Paras ko ghur-ghur ke dekh rahi thi. 

Kiara - "Jo bhi tumhare Dil mein hain, saaf-saaf keh do."

Paras - "Main shayad tumhe pasand karta hoon. Ya kya pata yeh mera waham hi ho. Shayad yeh keval ek aakarshan hi ho. Aaj tum dikh bhi bohut khoobsurat rahi ho. Aaj tumhe pehli baar traditional dress mein dekha shayad us wajah se."

Kiara - "Pyaar, Shaadi zindagi ka bohut hi bada faisla hota hain. Jo bhi faisla lo, soch-samajh kar lo."

Paras - "Soch-Samjh kar jo kiya jaaye, woh pyaar kaisa."

Kiara - "Haan par mujhe sochne ke liye waqt chahiye."

Paras - "Tumhare paas waqt hi waqt hain."

Kiara - "Kal ko tumhari zindagi mein kai naye dost aayenge aur main shayad tumhari zindagi se bohut dur chali jaaun. Kahi waqt ke saath pyaar kamzor na pad jaaye."

Paras - "Mera iraada mazboot hain."

Kiara chup thi. Kuch der sochne ke baad, woh kehti hain, "Aaj ke baad, hum kabhi nahi milenge."

Paras ke aankhon se aansun chalak padte hain. Kiara chali jaati hain. Us din ke baad se dono na toh ek dusre ko koi message karte hain aur na hi call karte hain. Kai din beet gaye, Paras ab bhi Kiara ki yaadon mein khoya hua tha. 

Ek din himmat jutakar Paras ne Kiara ko Call lagaya, lekin usne call nahi uthaya. Paras ne use kai messages bhi kiye, lekin, uski taraf se ek bhi jawaab nahi mila. 

Ab Paras se raha nahi jaa raha tha. Woh himmat karke Kiara ke ghar gaya is ummeed ke saath ki shayad uski 'Na', 'Haan' mein badal jaaye. Paras ne darwaaza khatkatayaa. Darwaaza Kiara ke Pita ne khola tha. Paras ke haathon mein phoolon ka guldasta tha. Usne Kiara ke pita se poocha, "Uncle Kiara hain ?"

Kiara Ke Pita - "Kiara hain nahi. Kiara thi. Us raat jab woh garba khel kar ghar aa rahi thi, tabhi ek durghatna mein uski maut ho gayi."

Yeh sunkar Paras ko bohut bada dhakka laga. Us sadme ne use coma mein pohuncha diya.  

                    - Ved Vineet Gautam