Baalyaavastha

 Avirup Sharma peshe se ek vyapaari hain. Unki patni ka naam Aarti Sharma hain. Avirup aur Aarti ke do bacche hain. Ek ladka aur ek ladki. Ladke ka naam Abhimanyu Sharma hain aur ladki ka naam Asmita Sharma hain.  

Abhimanyu aur Asmita dono ki padhaayi poori ho chuki hain. Abhimanyu ne apne pita ke saath vyapaar mein haath bantana shuru kar diya hain. 

Abhimanyu, Asmita se umar mein do saal bada hain. 

Ghar ka maahol hamesha khushnuma rehta hain. Ghar ke har sadasya ke chehre par aksar ek muskaan rehti hi hain. 

Ek shaam ki baat hain. Poora Parivaar saath mein baitha hua tha. Woh log apas mein baat-cheet kar rahe the. Sabhi log behad khush the. Tabhi Avirup ke Phone par ek Call aata hain. Call Aarti ke Bhai ka tha. Aarti ke Bhai ka naam hain Varun Dubey. Woh Call uthata hain aur kehta hain, "Hello. Varun kaise ho ?"

Varun - "Main thik hoon Jeejaji. Aap kaise ho ?"

Avirup - "Bas Badhiya. Ghar mein sab log kaise hain ?"

Varun - "Sab thik hain. Aur bataiye mere Bhanje aur Bhanji kaise hain ?"

Avirup - "Woh dono bhi bilkul thik hain. Lo apni behan se baat karo."

Varun - "Nahi Jeejaji. Woh maine aapko Call ek khaas maksad se lagaya tha. Mujhe aapse ek baat karni thi."

Avirup - "Haan. Kaho."

Varun - "Jeejaji woh agle mahine Papa retire hone wale hain. Toh isiliye ghar mein ek function ka aayojan hone wala hain. Aap logon se guzarish hain ki aap sab function mein sharik ho."

Avirup - "Haan. Haan. Zaroor. Kyun nahi. Kab hain function waise ?"

Varun - "Pandrah tareekh ko."

Avirup - "Hum sab log zaroor aayenge Varun aur function ke liye agar kisi bhi tarah ka kaam mere liye ho toh zaroor batana mujhe."

Varun - "Zaroor Jeejaji."

Avirup - "Papa hain ?"

Varun - "Haan yahi hain."

Avirup - "Phone dena zara Papa ko."

Varun - "Haan. Ek second Jeejaji."

Varun apne pita ko phone deta hain. Varun ke pita ka naam, Ramesh Dubey hain. Ramesh phone leta aur kehta hain, "Hello Avirup."

Avirup - "Namastey Papa."

Ramesh - "Khush raho beta. Kaise ho tum ?"

Avirup - "Main thik hoon. Aap kaise ho ?"

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

Avirup - "Sab thik hain Papa."

Ramesh - "Hamare Naati-Natni kitne bade ho gaye hain ?"

Avirup - "Are Bhai. Bohut bade ho gaye hain. Bilkul Shaadi ke laayak ho gaye hain." 

Dono hasne lagte hain. Phir Avirup, Aarti ko phone deta hain aur Aarti ke saath-saath; ghar ke baaki sadasya bhi Ramesh se baat-cheet karte hain. Kuch der baad, Ramesh ki aur se Phone kaat diya jaata hain. 

Phir Avirup kehta hain, "Chalo accha hain.  Agle mahine se Papa ko bhi bilkul free ho jaayenge. Unhe thoda aaram mil jaayega."

Aarti - "Haan woh toh hain. Isi bahane ghar mein sabse mulaakat bhi ho jaayegi."

Avirup - "Hmm. Yeh bhi ek baat hain."

Phir Avirup chup ho jaata hain. Ghar ke baaki sadasya aapas mein yahan-wahan ki baatein karna shuru kar dete hain. Lekin, Avirup chup rehta hain. Woh dheere-dheere kisi soch mein doobne lag jaata hain. 

Kuch der baad, Ghar ke baaki sadasya ko yeh baat samajh mein aati hain, jab unki nazar Avirup par padti hain. Avirup ko achaanak itna chup-chaap aur gum-sum dekh kar ghar ke baaki sadasya, achraj mein pad jaate hain. Woh log samajh nahi paate hain ki, aakhir Avirup ko kya ho gaya hain aur wahi dusri aur Avirup apne khayaalon ke dariya mein gote laga raha tha. 

Sabhi log hairaan the. Tabhi Abhimanyu, Avirup ke kandhe par haath rakh kar kehta hain, "Papa."

Avirup Abhimanyu ki aur dekhta hain. Phir Abhimanyu Avirup se puchta hain, "Kya hua Papa ? Aap kounse khayalon mein khoye hue ho ?"

Avirup - "Kuch nahi beta. Kuch nahi hua hain."

Tabhi Asmita kehti hain, "Papa jo bhi baat hain, saaf-saaf kahiye."

Avirup - "Koi baat nahi hain beta."

Aarti - "Agar koi baat nahi hain, toh aise achaanak se aapko yeh kya ho gaya. Aap achaanak se itne khaamosh kyun ho gaye ?"

Avirup - "Dekho tum mujhe galat mat samajhna. Lekin, Papa se baat karte waqt na jaane kyun aisa laga; jaise woh mujhse bohut durr se baat kar rahe ho."

Aarti - "Aur aapko aakhir aisa kyun laga ?"

Avirup - "Pata nahi."

Asmita - "Kahi aisa toh nahi ki, Nana ki tabiyat ke baare mein woh log humse kuch chupa rahe ho ? Waise Mama kabhi aisa karte toh nahi hain. Lekin, ho sakta hain ki, shayad aisa kuch hua ho."

Aarti - "Dhat pagli. Kuch bhi kehti hain. Zara shubh-shubh bhi bol liya kar kabhi."

Avirup - "Dekho Aarti. Tum galat mat samjhna par shayad ho sakta hain ki, Papa ki tabiyat zara naazuk mod se chal rahi ho."

Aarti chup rehti hain. Avirup bhi ab zyada kuch kehna sahi nahi samajhta hain. Uske baad, ghar ke sabhi log saath khaana khaate hain aur phir sone ke liye chale jaate hain. 

Agle din Avirup aur Abhimanyu apne office chale jaate hain. Aaj office mein kaam bohut zyada tha. Abhimanyu bohut ekaagrata ke saath kaam kar raha tha. Din bhar kaam mein woh itna vyast tha, ki use apna tiffin khaana bhi yaad na raha. Wahi dusri aur daftar mein duniya bhar ke kaam baaki rehne ke bawjood, Avirup ne aaj koi bhi kaam nahi kiya. Uska kaam mein mann hi nahi lag raha tha. Woh behad baichain tha. Avirup ke Dil mein baar-baar yeh baat aa rahi thi, ki kahi Ramesh ki tabiyat kisi naazuk mod se na chal rahi ho. Ramesh ke baare mein woh lagatar soch raha tha.   

Avirup ko yeh chinta khaaye jaa rahi thi ki kahi Ramesh ki tabiyat kharab toh nahi chal rahi hain. Avirup behad chintit ho chuka tha. Reh-Reh kar Avirup ke mann mein, ulte-seedhe khayal aa rahe the. Jo baat sabse zyada use khaayi jaa rahi thi woh yeh ki, agar Ramesh ki tabiyat sach mein kharab chal rahi hain; toh Varun ne yeh baat usse chupayi kyun. 

Avirup sochne laga, 'Aakhir Papa ko kya hua hoga ?'

'Kahi woh kisi behad khatarnaak bimari ke shikaar toh nahi ban gaye ?'

'Kahi woh kisi tarah ke tension se ya phir kisi tarah ki bimaari se peedit toh nahi ho gaye hain.'

'Aakhir Papa kis tarah ke stithi se guzar rahe honge.'

Yeh sab sochte-sochte poora din guzar gaya. Aaj daftar mein Avirup se, koi bhi kaam nahi ho paaya. Jaise-Taise shaam hui aur Avirup ghar ke liye nikal pada. Aaj woh apni Car bhi behad dheemi gati se chala raha tha. Kaafi der baad, woh ghar pohucha.

Ghar pohuch kar woh baaki logon ke saath kuch der baat-cheet kiya. Lekin, Avirup ke baat-cheet aur haav-bhaav mein uski chinta saaf nazar aa rahi thi.

Tabhi Abhimanyu ne Avirup se poocha, "Papa aap itne chintit kyun lag rahe ho ?"

Avirup - "Bas aise hi thoda kaam ki thakaan hain."

Asmita - "Yeh kaam ki thakaan nahi lag rahi hain Papa. Aapka chehra kuch aur hi bayaan kar raha hain."

Abhimanyu - "Kal Nana se baat karne ke baad se hi aapka chehra uda-uda sa lag raha hain."

Aarti - "Aapko aisa kyun lagta hain ki, Varun humse koi baat chupaayega ?"

Avirup - "Kai aisi baatein hoti hain, jo aadmi chah kar bhi Phone par nahi keh paata hain. Ab toh waha jaa kar hi sab sach pata chal paayega."

Asmita - "Thik hain Papa. Kuch din baad hum log jaa hi rahe hain. Toh wahan jaa kar sab kuch aap apne aankhon se dekh lena. Jab poora sach aankhon ke saamne aa jaayega, tab aapko aapke saare sawaalon ke jawab mil hi jaayenge."

Uske baad, sab log Khaana kha kar apne-apne kamre mein jaa kar so jaate hain. 

Kuch dino baad, aakhir kaar woh parivaar Ramesh Dubey ke ghar pohuch hi jaata hain. Sabhi log hanste-muskurate milte hain. Duniya bhar ki baat-cheet hoti hain. Saath mein baith kar dher saara hansi-mazaak bhi hota hain. Ek dusre se, baat-cheet karte-karte kab shaam ho jaati hain; pata bhi nahi chalta hain. 

Shaam ke waqt sabhi log alag-alag kamre mein baithe hue the. Avirup Hall mein baitha hua apne mobile par kisi se baatein kar raha tha. Kuch der baad, uski baat-cheet khatam ho gayi. Usne apna Mobile jeb mein rakha aur uski nazar Ramesh ko dhundhne lag gayi. Woh yahan-wahan dekha par Ramesh use kahi nahi dikha. 

Dhoondhte-Dhoondhte Avirup Ramesh ke kamre mein pohucha. Ramesh apne kamre mein ek kursi par baitha hua akhbaar padh raha tha. 

Ramesh ka shaam ke samay akhbaar padhna, Avirup ko achraj mein daal diya. Kyunki, Ramesh ko is samay par akhbaar padhne ki koi aadat nahi thi. Usne kabhi bhi Ramesh ko pehle aise nahi dekha tha.

Woh Ramesh ke paas gaya aur kaha, "Papa."

Ramesh ne Avirup ki aur dekha aur kaha, "Haan beta ?"

Avirup - "Aap kya kar rahe ho ?"

Ramesh - "Akhbaar padh raha hoon."

Avirup - "Lekin is samay ?"

Ramesh - "Ab waqt kaatne ke liye, kuch toh hona chahiye na."

Avirup - "Aapki tabiyat thik chal rahi hain na Papa ?"

Ramesh - "Baitho."

Avirup Ramesh ke saamne baith jaata hain.

Ramesh - "Budhaape mein aadmi akela pad jaata hain beta."

Avirup - "Kya ghar mein aapka khayal nahi rakha jaa raha hain."

Ramesh - "Aisa bilkul nahi hain."

Avirup - "Toh kahi aisa toh nahi ki Varun ya ghar mein koi aur aapke saath kisi tarah ka bhed-bhaav kar raha hain ? Jahan tak main Varun ko jaanta hoon, woh kabhi aisi harkat toh nahi kar sakta hain."

Ramesh - "Aisa kuch nahi hain beta."

Avirup - "Phir kya baat hain. Us din aapse jab phone par baat kiya tha tab bhi mujhe aapki tabiyat sahi nahi lag rahi thi aur aaj jab, main aaya hoon; tab bhi aapki tabiyat zara sust lag rahi hain. Aap kuch udaas bhi dikhne lag gaye ho."

Ramesh - "Main ab apni zindagi jee chuka hoon beta. Ab mere paas jeene ki koi khaas wajah hi nahi hain."

Avirup - "Kya hum log aapke liye ab maayne nahi rakhte hain ?"

Ramesh - "Bilkul rakhte ho. Lekin, jaisa main tumhara Sasur hoon, waise hi ek zamane mein; mera bhi koi Sasur raha hoga. Mere bhi Papa-Mummy rahe honge. Hain na ?"

Avirup Ramesh ki baaton ko dhyaan se sunn raha tha. Ramesh aage kehta hain, "Ek baat kahun Avirup ? Mujhe ab reh-reh kar apna Bachpan yaad aata hain. Bachpan mein maine jo bhi pal apne maata-pita aur dada-dadi ke saath bitaye hain. Jo pal maine apne Saans-Sasur ke saath beetaye hain, woh har ek pal mujhe bohut yaad aata hain. Mujhe apne sabhi badon ki bohut yaad aati hain. Yahan tumhe aur baaki sabko ek bade ka pyaar mil raha hain. Lekin, meri zindagi mein aisa koi nahi hain, jo mujhse badaa ho. Jo mujhe pyaar kare. Mujhe apni goad mein baithakar, laad-dulaar kare. Bas yahi baat mujhe zara chubhti rehti hain. Yeh baat shayad aaj tum samajh nahi paaoge, par meri umar mein aane ke baad; jab is kami ka ehsaas tumhe hoga, tab tum yeh baat bakhubi samajh paaoge."

 

Ramesh dobara akhbaar padhne lagta hain aur Ramesh ki takleef ka ehsaas hote hi; Avirup sunn reh jaata hain. Avirup sochta hain, 'Aadmi chahe umar mein kitna hi badaa kyun na ho jaaye, par jab use apne bachpan ke pal yaad aate hain; tab shayad use sabse pehle apne badon ke saath bitaye hue pyaar bhare pal hi yaad aate honge. Shayad use apne Maa-Baap ki goad yaad aati hogi. Shayad use apne shikshak ki daant yaad aati hogi. Us insaan ke andar ka sehma hua baccha kahi na kahi chupa zaroor rehta hain. Aakhir kya fayda aisi umar ka. Aakhir kya fayda aise budhape ka, jahan zindagi mein koi aisa badaa nahi hota hain; jiske kandhe par sar rakh kar ro sake. Aisa koi insaan nahi bachta hain, jiske seene se lag kar gehri neend so sake. Aise Budhaape ka kya fayda, jahan har pal ek bade ke pyaar ki kami khalte rehti hain. Is takleef ko kya main sehan kar paaunga.'

Avirup ko gehri soch mein dooba hua dekh kar, Ramesh kehta hain, "Are Bhai kis khayal mein tum ghum ho gaye ho ? Itna zyada mat socho."

Avirup bina kuch kahe Ramesh ko gale se laga leta hain aur Ramesh ka dard samjhte hi, Avirup ke aankhon mein aansun aa jaate hain.

                          - Ved Vineet Gautam