Sharminda

 Samar ek naujawan ladka hain. Woh apne maata-pita ka iklauta ladka hain. Woh ek Company mein naukri karta hain. Wahan par Samar ke kai dost hain. Kuch ladke toh kuch ladkiyan bhi. Samar aksar apna lunch un logon ke saath hi karta hain. Waqt guzarta gaya aur Samar ke kai dost Company chod kar chale gaye, kyunki, unhe dusre Company se accha offer mil raha tha.  

Us Company mein Samar ki ek dost thi. Us ladki ka naam tha Shraddha. 

Ek din ki baat hain. Samar apne desk par baithkar kaam kar raha tha. Tabhi Shraddha uske paas aayi aur boli, "Hello Samar."

Samar - "Hi Shraddha. Kaisi ho tum ?"

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

Samar - "Main bhi thik hoon."

Shraddha - "Tumhare Mummy-Daddy kaise hain ?"

Samar - "Woh bhi thik hain. Aur tumhare ?"

Shraddha - "Bilkul thik hain."

Samar - "Aur batao. Kaisi chal rahi hain zindagi ?"

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

Samar - "Thik chal rahi hain."

Shraddha - "Main darasal tumse ek baat karna chahti thi."

Samar - "Haan kaho."

Shraddha - "Kya tum aaj mere saath lunch karoge ?"

Samar - "Thik hain."

Shraddha - "Toh aaj saath mein lunch pakka ?"

Samar - "Bilkul. Aur waise baat kya thi Shraddha ?"

Shraddha - "Thoda intezaar karo. Baat toh lunch par hi pata chalegi."

 "Thik hain." Samar muskura deta hain aur Shraddha chali jaati hain. 

Kuch der baad, lunch break hota hain aur Samar apna tiffin lekar Canteen mein chala jaata hain. Woh yahan-wahan nazar daudaata hain par use Shraddha kahi nazar nahi aati hain. Tabhi Samar ko apne kandhe par kisi ka sparsh mehsus hota hain. Woh peeche mudta hain aur dekhta hain, ki Shraddha khadi hain. Woh muskura rahi thi. Samar bhi use dekh kar muskurata hain. Phir Shraddha kehti hain, "Ab jaldi se table pakdo, warna jagah nahi milegi."

Samar - "Are haan."

Woh dono yahan-wahan nazar daudaate hain aur tabhi unhe ek table khaali nazar aata hain. Woh dono wahan jaakar baith jaate hain. Dono apna tiffin kholte hain aur apni peat pooja shuru karte hain. Tabhi Samar kehta hain, "Shraddha."

Shraddha - "Haan ?"

Samar - "Tumhe mujhse kuch baat karni thi na."

Shraddha - "Haan Samar."

Samar - "Kya baat thi ?"

Shraddha - "Woh darasal tum dekh hi rahe hoge, ki pichle kuch waqt se office se log jaa rahe hain. Abhi tak, kareeban 5-6 log naukri chod kar jaa chuke hain."

Samar - "Haan woh toh hain. Ab apne jaan-pehchan ka zyada koi office mein dikhta hi nahi hain."

Shraddha - "Haan. Toh aajkal bas thoda sa udaas jaisa lag raha hain."

Samar - "Haan ab yahan par mera bhi mann nahi lag raha hain."

Shraddha - "Toh kya ab tum bhi chod kar jaane ka plan kar rahe ho kya ?"

Samar - "Are nahi nahi. Bilkul nahi."

Shraddha - "Toh ab pehle jaisa maahol nahi raha yahan par. Thoda sa ab udaas jaisa mehsus ho raha hain."

Samar - "Koi baat nahi. Main hoon na. Tumhe jab bhi akelapan mehsus ho, toh mujhse aakar thodi baatein kar liya karna."

Shraddha - "Kya hum roz saath mein lunch par aa sakte hain ?"

Samar - "Bilkul. Ab se hum dono har roz saath mein lunch kiya karenge. Ab khush ?"

Shraddha - "Thank You."

Samar - "You are most welcome."

Us din ke baad se, Samar aur Shraddha har roz saath mein lunch par jaane lage. Dono lunch karte-karte saath mein dher saari baatein bhi kiya karte. Guzarte waqt ke saath-saath, unka rishta bohut mazboot ho chuka tha. Ab woh dono ek dusre ke bohut kareeb aa chuke the. Kabhi-Kabhi office se bahar nikalne ke baad, woh dono bahar saath mein ek dusre ke saath waqt beetate aur chuttiyon ke din, woh dono ek dusre se phone par baatein kiya karte. 

Ek din ki baat hain. Valentine's Day ka din tha. Lekin, phir bhi daftar chalu tha. Har roz ki tarah us din bhi sabhi apna kaam karne mein vyast the. Lekin, Samar ki nazar bas deewar par tange ghadi par tiki thi. Uska dil zor-zor se dhadak raha tha. Woh khush bhi tha aur bechain bhi. Khaas aaj ke din ke liye hi Samar ne apna pasandida kapda pehna hua tha aur saath hi saath, usne apne baal bhi katwaaye the. 

Dekhte Hi Dekhte lunch break ka samay aa gaya. Woh jhat se utha aur turant Canteen ki aur dauda. Canteen pohuchte hi, usne waha se ek Cadbury kharidi aur ek kursi par baithkar, Shraddha ka intezaar karne laga. Woh bada baichain tha. Samar ke mann mein dher saari alag-alag baatein chal rahi thi aur uski nazar darwaaze par tiki hui thi. Kuch pal baad, Shraddha waha par aayi. Shraddha ko dekhte hi woh kursi se utha. Woh Samar ke nazdeek aayi aur boli, "Waah Samar. Aaj toh tum bohut handsome lag rahe ho."

Samar - "Thank You. Please baitho na."

Sharddha baithti hain aur Samar bhi. Dono ek dusre ke aamne-saamne baithe hue the. Phir Samar ne kaha, "Kya khaaogi ?"

Shraddha - "Tiffin. Har roz ki tarah."

Samar - "Nahi mera matlab hain ki agar tumhara Canteen se kuch lene ka mann ho toh."

Shraddha - "Bilkul bhi nahi. Waise aaj tum bohut saj-dhaj kar aaye ho. Baal bhi katwaaye ho. Yeh nayi hairstyle bohut jach rahi hain tumpar."

Samar - "Thank You so much."

Shraddha - "Tiffin khole ?"

Samar - "Haan."

Dono saath mein apna-apna tiffin kholte hain. Samar Shraddha se kuch kehna chahta tha, lekin, himmat nahi juta paa raha tha. Shraddha uski baichain saaf-saaf dekh paa rahi thi. Lekin woh chup thi. Phir woh Samar se yahan-wahan ki baatein karna shuru ki. Is dauraan woh Samar ke badle hue bartaav ko bade dhyaan se dekh rahi thi. Woh ab bhi apne dil ki baat keh nahi paa raha tha. Kaafi der tak Samar ke haav-bhaav ko dekhne ke baad, Shraddha ne aakhir kaar pooch liya, "Kuch kehna chahte ho ?"

Samar - "Kya ?"

Shraddha - "Shayad tum mujhse kuch kehna chahte ho." 

Samar - "Nahi toh."

Shraddha - "Toh kya aaj tum bimaar ho ?"

Samar - "Bilkul bhi nahi."

Shraddha - "Phir ? Kya baat hain Samar ?"

Samar - "Kya office ke baad hum mile ?"

Shraddha - "Roz hi toh milte hain."

Samar - "Are haan."

Shraddha - "Kya soch rahe ho tum Samar ?"

Samar - "Kuch nahi. Office ke baad tum zaroor milna. Mujhe tumse kuch baatein karni hain."

Shraddha - "Thik hain."

Uske baad, dono waha se uthte hain aur apne-apne kaam par lag jaate hain. Samar ko shift khatam hone ka besabri se intezaar tha. Samar ke mann baichain tha aur uska waqt kat nahi paa raha tha. Woh soch raha tha ki, 'Aaj yeh waqt itna dheere kyun chal raha hain ?' Lekin, waqt toh apne hisaab se hi chalta hain.  Aakhir kaar, shaam hui aur jis pal ka Samar ko badi besabri se intezaar tha, woh pal aa hi gaya. Samar office ke bahar khada hua tha aur uski nazar buliding par hi tiki hui thi. 

Kuch der baad, Shraddha bahar aayi. Dono ki nazrein ek dusre se mili. Phir woh Samar ke nazdeek aayi aur kahi, "Hi Samar."

Samar - "Hi Shraddha."

Shraddha - "Tum bohut der se kuch kehna chahte the ?"

Samar - "Haan." 

Shraddha - "Kaho. Kya baat hain ?"

Samar - "Lekin tum meri baat ko galat toh nahi logi na ?"

Shraddha - "Bilkul bhi nahi."

Samar apna bag kholta hain aur usmein apna haath daalkar tatolta hain. 

Shraddha - "Kya dhoondh rahe ho bag mein ?"

Samar - "Bas kuch surprise hain."

Shraddha Samar ko bade dhyaan se dekh rahi thi. Aakhir kaar, Samar bag se apna haath bahar nikaalta hain aur uske haathon mein, ek laal rang ka gulab hota hain. Woh apna haath Shraddha ki aur badhata hain. Woh Samar ko dekhti hain. Phir woh kehta hain, "Agar tumhe aitraaz na ho, toh kya hum apne is rishte ko ek nayaa naam de sakte hain ?"

Shraddha - "Samar kya tum sach keh rahe ho ?"

Samar 'Haan' mein apna sar hilata hain. 

Shraddha - "Kya tum saari zindagi mujhe pyaar karte rahoge ?"

Samar - "Marte dum tak."

Shraddha muskurate hue, woh gulab le leti hain aur bade hi pyaar se us gulab ko Samar ke muh par maarte hue kehti hain, "Buddhu."

Samar - "Sirf tumhare liye. Main tumse bohut zyada pyaar karta hoon Shraddha."

Shraddha - "Main bhi."

Samar - "Thank You."

Shraddha - "Aise kaise Thank You ? Abhi pata chalega tumhe ki kis bala se tumhara paala pada hain. Dekhna bohut tang karungi main tumhe."

Samar - "Haan zaroor."

Shraddha - "Aaj ke baad, tum office mein kisi bhi ladki se baat-cheet nahi karoge."

Samar - "Tumse bhi nahi ?"

Shraddha sharmaate hue kehti hain, "Hatt Buddhu."

Dono hanste hain. 

Shraddha - "Toh ab main chalun ?"

Samar - "Mera dil toh wapas deti jaao."

Shraddha - "Ab toh yeh meri kaid mein hain aur zindagi bhar rahega."

Phir Shraddha waha se chali jaati hain aur Samar bhi apne ghar chala jaata hain. 

Raat ka waqt tha aur Samar apne khwaabon ka mahal banane mein khoya hua tha. Woh aaj aasmaan mein ud raha tha. Tabhi uska phone bajta hain. Uski nazar phone par padti hain aur dekhta hain ki Shraddha ka call aaya hain. Woh muskurata hain aur call utha kar behad pyaar se kehta hain, "Hello."

Shraddha rote hue kehti hain, "Samar meri baat dhyaan se suno. Mere paas waqt nahi hain. Hamare society ke ek ladke ne hume dekh liya tha. Papa bohut naraaz hain aur unhone jhat-pat mein meri Shaadi tai kar li hain. Aur, aur meri Shaadi agle mahine hi hone wali hain. Papa ne kal mere office aana bhi band karwa diya hain." Kehte hue, woh rone lagti hain. Tabhi Samar ko kisi aadmi ki aawaz sunayi deti hain, "Naalayak teri yeh himmat jo toh chupke se us ladke se baat kar rahi hain. Abhi seedha karta hoon main tujhe."

Samar - "Hello. Hello." 

Lekin, Samar ko koi jawaab nahi aata hain aur phone kat jaata hain. Woh kai baar Shraddha ke number par call lagata hain, par uska phone switched off rehta hain. Samar bohut baichain ho jaata hain. Pal bhar mein uski zindagi palat gayi. Woh raat bhar so nahi paata hain aur woh subah hote hi, office bhaagta hain. Woh Shraddha ka besabri se intezaar kar raha hota hain. Par woh nahi aati hain. Uska kaam mein zara bhi mann nahi lag raha tha. Shaam hote hi woh dobara Shraddha ke phone par call lagata hain, par koi jawaab nahi milta hain. Agle din, woh dobara office jaata hain aur use pata chalta hain ki, Shraddha ke pita ne office walon ko itella kar diya hain ki, abse woh kabhi kaam par nahi aayegi. Samar use kai baar call lagata hain. Woh use dher saare messages bhi karta hain, par use koi jawaab nahi milta hain. 

Kai din beet chuke hain. Par Samar ko Shraddha ki ek jhalak tak nahi dikhi. Nahi usse kisi tarah ki baat-cheet ho paayi. Kuch dino ke baad, Samar ko office ke hi ek sah-karmi se khabar milti hain, ki Shraddha ki Shaadi tai ho chuki hain. Ab Samar saari ummeedein kho chuka tha. 

Woh toot ke bikhar chuka tha. Yeh jhatka Samar se sahaa nahi gaya. Uske liye yeh dard jhelna namumkin tha aur saath hi is baat ko bhi maan na ki, jis ladki se woh beintehaa mohabbat karta hain, woh ladki ab kisi aur ki amaanat hone jaa rahi thi. 

Samar ne sharaab ka sahara lena shuru kar diya. Samar ke Parivaar ko uske is haal ka ki wajah ka pata chal chuka tha. Unhone Samar ko samjhane ki bohut koshish ki, lekin, sab vyarth hi saabit hui. 

Waqt guzarta gaya lekin, Samar wahi ka wahi khadaa tha. Samar har lamha khud ko usi pal mein kaid paata, jab usne Shraddha se apne dil ki baat kahi thi. Parivaar ke laakh koshisho ke bawjood woh khud ko gam ke samandar mein doobne se bacha nahi paaya. Ab toh uski haalat aisi ho chuki thi ki, use aspataal mein bharti karana pada. 

Maata-Pita ki aankhon ka iklauta taara aaj dard ke daldal mein phans chuka hain. 

Ek din ki baat hain, Samar aspataal ke bed par hi padaa hua tha. Uski aankhein dard se bhar aayi thi. Shareer bhi bukhaar se tap raha tha. Samar bed se utne ki bhi himmat nahi juta paa raha tha. 

Tabhi use apne haathon par kisi ka sparsh mehsus hua. Yeh sparsh use jaana-pehchana sa lag raha tha. Woh apni gardan ghumata hain aur dekhta hain ki saamne Shraddha khadi hain. Use dekhte hi, Samar hairaan bhi ho jaata hain aur bohut khush bhi. Phir Shraddha kehti hain, "Kaise ho Samar ?"

Samar badi hi dabi hui aawaz mein kehta hain, "Thik hoon."

Shraddha - "Tum please apna khayal rakho Samar. Main tumhe koi bhi seekh nahi dungi. Bas itna kahungi, ki please tum apni zindagi ke saath khelwaad mat karo. Meri zindagi toh tabaah ho hi chuki hain. Kam Se Kam main tumhari zindagi ko barbaad hote hue nahi dekh sakti hoon."

Samar - "Kahi tumhare pati ko hamare baare mein bhanak toh nahi lag gayi ?"

Shraddha - "Bilkul bhi nahi."

Samar - "Toh kya woh tumhe pareshan karta hain ? Kya woh tumhara khayal nahi rakh raha hain ?"

Shraddha - "Aisi baat nahi hain. Use business mein jhatka laga hain aur use heart attack aa gaya hain. Woh ICU mein hain. Main bas jaa hi rahi thi, ki meri nazar tum par pad gayi."

Samar ki aankhein bhar aati hain. Phir Shraddha nam aankhon se waha se chali jaati hain. Samar Shraddha ko jaate hue dekhta hain. Kuch der baad, woh Samar ki nazron se dur ho jaati hain. Samar sochta hain, 'Shayad ab kabhi mulaakaat na ho paaye.' Yeh khayal uske zehan mein aate hi, uski tabiyat kharab hone lagti hain. Doctors use injection dete hain aur woh behosh ho jaata hain. 

Kuch ghanton baad, Samar ko hosh aata hain. Woh apne maata-pita ko apne saamne paata hain aur woh log Samar se baat-cheet karte hain. Baat-Cheet ke dauraan Samar ko ehsaas hota hain ki, uske maata-pita kitni bakhubi usse apni peeda chupa rahe the. 

Raat hoti hain aur Samar ko neend nahi lagti hain. Aspataal mein har jagah andhera chaaya hua tha aur har koi gehri neend mein soya hua tha. Samar ko behad akelapan mehsus ho raha tha.

Aadmi jab akela hota hain, tab woh vichaaron ke samandar mein doobne lagta hain. Samar bhi dooba hua tha. Kabhi use apne khoye hue pyaar ki yaad aati, toh kabhi uske aankhon ke saamne apne maata-pita ka dayaneey chehra nazar aata. 

Kabhi use apna dard dikhta, toh kabhi apne maata-pita ka. Kabhi use apni mohabbat khone ka dard satata, toh kabhi apna doobta hua bhavishya use nazar aata. Woh samajh chuka tha ki, agar aisa hi chalta raha toh bhavishya mein woh bohut bade daldal mein phans jaayega. 

Aakhir kaar, Samar ne tai kiya, ki ab woh khud ko badlega.  Woh sochta hain, 'Bhale hi ab tak mere saath jo kuch bhi hua ho, maine chahe jo kuch bhi kiya ho, lekin is tarah se main apne maata-pita ko sharminda hote hue nahi dekh sakta hoon. Mohabbat kho di hain aur woh hamesha dil ke ek kone mein basi rahegi. Lekin, ab main khud mein badlaav zaroor laaunga. Ab main dobara udaan bharne ki koshish karunga. Ab main dobara apne chahne walon ko meri wajah se sharmindagi mehsus hone nahi dunga. Ab main apni zindagi ko ek naya mod dunga.' 

                     - Ved Vineet Gautam