Prastaav

 Deven Bhalla apne maata-pita ka iklauta ladka hain. Woh ek company mein naukri karta hain. Ek din ki baat hain. Deven apna kaam khatam karke ghar laut raha tha. Tabhi achaanak se barsaat shuru ho gayi. Kuch dur tak Bike chalate rehne ke baad, achaanak se Deven ki gaadi kharab ho gayi. Woh sadak ke kinaare ek dukaan ke shed ke neeche khada tha. 

Tabhi ek ladki daudte hue waha par aayi aur us shed ke neeche dusre kinare par khadi ho gayi. Ladki dikhne mein kaafi khoobsurat thi. Ladki ka bharaa hua shareer tha aur rang gora tha. Us ladki ne gulabi rang ka salwaar suit pehna hua tha. Pairon mein sandal thi aur Payal bhi. Us ladki ke haathon mein chudiyaan bhi thi.

Ladki kaafi bheeg chuki thi. Woh kabhi apne baal sawarti, toh kabhi dupatte ko nichod kar paani nikaalti. Dono ek duri par hi khade the aur barsaat tezz thi. Kyunki, ladki dusri dekh rahi us wajah se, Deven poori tarah se us ladki ka chehra dekh nahi paa raha tha. 

Deven wahi par khada bas us ladki ko dekh raha tha. Tabhi us ladki ki nazar Deven par padi. Ladki ki choti-choti aankhein thi. Honth patle the aur un honton par laal rang ki lipstick lagi hui thi. Us ladki ne aankhon mein kajal bhi lagaya hua tha. Naak ki banaawat toh kuch is tarah se thi ki maano, kisi kalaakar ne bohut shiddat se use banaya ho. Us ladki ki aankhein bohut kuch bayaan kar rahi thi. Aise lag raha tha maano, jaise ki un choti si aankhon mein bohut saare raaz dabe hue ho. Deven us ladki ko ek tuk nazron se dekhe jaa raha tha.

Tabhi achaanak se baadal garja aur Deven ko yaad aaya ki woh ek anjaan ladki ko kuch der se ghurr raha hain. Woh zara hadbadaaya aur yahan-wahan dekhne laga. 

 Ladki Deven ko ab zara gusse se ghur rahi thi. Lekin, woh kuch nahi kahi. Deven ab us ladki ki aur dekhne mein zara asehaj mehsus kar raha tha. Phir ladki bhi yahan-wahan dekhne lagi. Kuch der baad, barsaat thodi kam hui. Woh ladki jaldbaazi mein wahan se jaane lagi. Barsaat ki wajah se sadak chikna ho chuka tha. Do kadam chalte hi, ladki ka pair fisla aur Deven ne us ladki ko girne se sambhaala. Ladki Deven ki aur dekh kar kahi, "Thank You." Ladki ki aawaaz badi meethi thi. Bilkul Koyal jaisi. Tabhi waha par ek Rickshaw aa ruki aur woh ladki us Rickshaw mein baith kar wahan se chali gayi.

Deven ab bhi wahi par khada tha. Kuch der baad, barsaat ruki aur woh bhi apni Bike se ghar chala gaya. 

Ek baar, Deven ko apni Company ke kaam se kuch dino ke liye, bahar gaon jaana pada. Woh waha par ek lodge mein thehra hua tha. Woh har roz subah tayyar hokar alag-alag Companies mein meeting ke liye jaata aur phir shaam mein lodge par wapas aa jaata. 

Ek din ki baat hain. Shaam ka waqt tha aur Deven apna kaam khatam karke wapas lodge ki aur jaa raha tha. Woh paidal chal raha tha. Tabhi achaanak se koi peeche se uske kandhe par haath rakh diya. Deven ne peeche mudkar dekha. Wahan par ek ladki khadi thi. Us ladki ko dekh kar, Deven ko aisa mehsus hua ki; shayad usne us ladki ko pehle kahi dekha hain. Deven ke chehre par uljhaa hua bhaav dekh kar, woh ladki boli, "Aapne pehchana nahi ?"

Deven ne 'Na' mein apna sar hilaaya. Phir woh ladki boli, "Nagpur mein us din hum dono us dukaan ki shed ke neeche khade the."

Deven - "Are haan, haan. Yaad aaya. Yaad aaya."

Ladki - "Aap yahan is shehar mein kya kar rahe ho ?"

Deven - "Main yahan par ek kaam ke silsile mein aaya hoon."

Ladki - "Aapka naam ?"

"Deven." Woh jawaab deta hain. Phir ladki apna haath badhate hue kehti hain, "Mera naam Rubina hain."

Deven Rubina se haath milata hain. 

Deven - "Aap is shehar se ho ?"

Rubina - "Nahi. Main aapke hi shehar se hoon. Main yahan ek rishtedaar ki Shaadi mein aayi hoon."

Deven - "Oh Accha. Toh aap kaam kya karti ho ?"

Rubina - "Main ek Marriage Bureau mein kaam karti hoon."

Deven - "Toh aap Shaadiyan karati ho."

Rubina hansti hain aur kehti hain, "Jab aapko Shaadi karni ho toh bata dijiyega. Main aapke liye sabse acchi ladki dekhungi."

Deven - "Ji Zaroor."

Rubina - "Waise aap kya kaam karte ho ?"

Deven - "Main ek Oil Company mein kaam karta hoon."

Rubina - "Wow. Toh Dubia jaane ka iraada hain."

Deven - "Ji nahi. Aisi baat nahi hain."

Rubina - "Accha."

Deven - "Toh thik hain phir. Main chalta hoon. Kabhi mulakaat hogi, toh fursat se baatein karenge."

Rubina - "Ji Zaroor."

Deven wahan se chala jaata hain. 

Do-Teen din baad, Deven wapas apne shahar aa jaata hain. Deven ki zindagi yun hi chal rahi thi. 

Ek din ki baat hain. Deven apna kaam khatam karke office se ghar ke liye jaa raha tha. Woh ek signal par ruka hua tha. Tabhi uski nazar sadak ke dusri aur padti hain. Woh dekhta hain ki Rubina wahan par khadi hain. 

Woh apni bike ghumata hain aur Rubina ke saamne le jaakar ruk jaata hain. Deven ko dekhte hi Rubina pehchan jaati hain aur muskurate hue Deven ke paas aati hain. Dono haath milate hain. 

Rubina - "Kaise ho Deven ?"

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

Rubina - "Thik hoon."

Deven - "Aap yahan Bus ka wait kar rahi ho ?"

Rubina - "Ji haan. Abhi aap office se chute ho ?"

Deven - "Ji."

Rubina - "Kitni ajeeb baat hain. Hum baar-baar mil rahe hain." 

Deven - "Ise hi kismat kehte hain." 

Rubina muskurati hain. 

Deven - "Kya main aapko kahi chod doon ?"

Rubina - "Nahi. Aapko khaamakha takleef hogi."

Deven - "Ismein takleef ki koi baat nahi hain."

Rubina - "Phir bhi main chali jaaungi."

Deven - "Thik hain. Main chalta hoon phir."

Rubina - "Ji Zaroor. Sambhalkar jaaiyega."

Deven - "OK Bye."

Rubina - "Bye-Bye."

Deven wahan se chala jaata hain.

Kuch dino baad ki baat hain. Aaj Deven ki chutti thi. Woh ghumne ka plan banata hain. Aaj Deven ka movie dekhne ka mann tha. Woh tayyar hokar Cinema Hall jaata hain. Woh apni bike parking mein lagata hain aur ticket counter ki aur jaane lagta hain. Tabhi uski nazar Rubina par padti hain. Woh uske paas jaata hain. Achaanak se Deven ko dekh kar woh behad khushi se kehti hain, "Hi Deven."

Deven - "Hi Rubina."

Rubina - "Movie dekhne ke liye aaye ho ?"

Deven 'Haan' mein apna sar hilata hain. 

Rubina - "Doston ke saath aaye ho ?"

Deven - "Nahi akele."

Rubina - "Toh kyun na hum saath mein movie dekhe. Main bhi akele hi aayi hui thi."

Deven - "Thik hain."

Deven ticket nikaalta hain aur dono saath mein movie dekhte hain. Beech mein interval hota hain aur dono saath mein bahar aate hain. Phir Deven kehta hain, "Kuch khaaogi tum ? Opps Sorry. Aap."

Rubina - "Ab tum hi thik hain."

Deven - "Hum dono ek dusre ko itne acche se jaante nahi hain."

Rubina - "Lekin kismat toh hume baar-baar milate rehti hain. Toh kab tak hum formality nibhaate rahenge."

Deven - "Thik hain. Toh hume aage bhi milte rehna chahiye."

Rubina - "Contact Number chahiye tumhe ?"

Deven sharma jaata hain.

Rubina - "Iska matlab main na samjhun."

Deven - "Nahi. Contact Number chahiye."

Rubina - "Nahi Chahiye ?"

Deven - "Nahi. Nahi. Mera matlab hain, number haan chahiye."

Rubina - "Thik hain. Movie khatam hone ke baad sochungi."

Deven - "Filhal toh tum yeh socho ki tum kya khaana pasand karogi."

Rubina - "Puff."

Deven - "Aur Soft Drinks bhi ?"

Rubina - "Haan."

Deven jaane lagta hain. Tabhi Rubina kehti hain, "Are akele kaha jaate ho ?"

Deven - "Matlab ?"

Rubina - "Bill toh hum aadha-aadha pay karenge na."

Deven - "Aaj main bill pay kar raha hoon. Agli baar tum kar dena."

Rubina - "Haan par ?"

Deven - "Ise hamari dosti ki party samajh lo."

Rubina - "Thik hain."

Deven Puff aur Cold Drinks le aata hain. Phir woh dono baaki bachi hui film dekh kar bahar aa jaate hain. Cinema Hall se bahar aane ke baad woh dono yahan-wahan ki baatein karte hain. Kuch der tak baat-cheet karne ke baad, Rubina kehti hain, "Toh main chalun phir ?"

Deven 'Haan' mein sar hilata hain. Rubina jaane lagti hain. Tabhi Deven ko kuch yaad aata hain aur Rubina ko aawaz lagata hain. Rubina palat ti hain. Deven kehta hain, "Tum kuch bhool rahi ho Rubina."

Rubina - "Kya ?"

Deven - "Tum mujhe koi gift dene wali thi."

Rubina - "Kya tumhara Janamdin hain ?"

Deven - "Nahi. Lekin, kuch der pehle hi tumne mujhse ek baat kahi thi. Yaad karo zara, kya baat thi ?"

Rubina kuch pal sochti hain aur phir achaanak se woh kehti hain, "Are haan. Yaad aaya woh Mobile Number na ?"

Deven - "Ji Haan."

Dono ek dusre ka contact number le lete hain. Phir Rubina kehti hain, "Baat-Cheet karte rehna."

Deven - "Zaroor."

Phir dono apne-apne ghar chale jaate hain. Ab dono ke beech aksar baat-cheet hoti hain. Kabhi Call par, toh kabhi message par. Beech-Beech mein kai baar dono ki mulaakaatein bhi hui. Kabhi Cinema Hall mein, toh kabhi Restaurant mein.

Waqt ke saath dono ek dusre ke behad kareeb aa gaye aur kahi na kahi dono ek dusre ko pasand bhi karne lag chuke the. Lekin, abhi tak dono ne ek dusre se izhaar nahi kiya tha.

Kabhi-Kabhi Deven, Rubina ke liye phool le aata. Jise lete waqt, Rubina behad sharmaati. 

Ek din ki baat hain. Deven ek Mall mein gaya tha. Woh akela tha. Woh Mall mein yahan-wahan ghum raha tha, ki tabhi achaanak uski nazar Rubina par padi. Rubina usi Mall mein apni kuch saheliyon ke saath thi.

 Deven uske paas gaya. Woh Deven ko dekh kar muskurayi aur kahi, "Hi Deven."

Deven - "Hi Rubina. Tum yahan ?"

Rubina - "Haan main apne saheliyon ke saath aayi thi."

Tabhi ek saheli kehti hain, "Rubina apne is dost ka introduction toh zara humse bhi karwaao."

Rubina kehti hain, "Doston yeh hain Mr. Deven Bhalla. Yeh ek Company mein naukri karte hain."

Tabhi dusri saheli kehti hain, "Aur yeh aapke kya lagte hain ?"

Rubina - "Yeh mere bohut acche dost hain."

Phir woh log yahan-wahan ki baatein karte hain aur sab log apne-apne ghar chale jaate hain. 

Ek din dono ek dusre se ek restaurant milne ka plan banate hain. 

Rubina aaj behad khush thi. Woh aaj Deven se apne Dil ki baat kehne wali thi, jo baat woh bohut dino se kehna chahti thi. Rubina ko aaj ke din ka badi besabri se intezaar tha. Woh aaj behad acche se saji-dhaji thi. Poori tayyari ke saath Rubina waqt par milne ki jagah par pohuch gayi thi.

Woh Deven ka intezaar kar rahi thi aur baar-baar khud ko dekh rahi thi. Woh kabhi apni ghadi ki aur dekhti, toh kabhi yahan-wahan nazar daudaati. 

Aaj ka din Rubina ke liye behad khaas tha. Kaafi der ho gayi. Lekin, Deven abhi tak nahi aaya. Tay waqt se kareeb pauna ghanta beet chuka tha. Ab woh zara udaas ho gayi thi. 

Aakhir mein Rubina ki nazron ko Deven ka deedar hua. Woh Deven ko dekh kar behad utsaahit ho gayi. Woh Rubina ke paas aaya. Rubina Deven ko dekh kar behad khush thi. Lekin, Deven ke chehre par woh khushi nazar nahi aa rahi thi. 

Dono ne ek dusre ko 'Hi' bola aur woh dono ek jagah par jaakar baith gaye. 

Rubina - "Kaise ho Deven ?"

Deven - "Thik hoon."

Rubina - "Tumhare ghar mein sab kaise hain ?"

Deven - "Thik hain."

Rubina - "Kya loge ?"

Deven - "Kuch nahi."

Rubina - "Tum is tarah se baat kyun kar rahe ho ?"

Deven - "Matlab ?"

Rubina - "Khul kar baat nahi kar rahe ho ?"

Deven - "Khul kar baat toh apno se hoti hain na."

Rubina - "Matlab ?"

Deven - "Main tumhara kya lagta hoon ?"

Rubina - "Matlab ?"

Deven - "Hum dono ka rishta kya hain Rubina ?"

Rubina - "Tum kya keh rahe ho, main samajh nahi paa rahi hoon Deven."

Deven - "Us din jab meri mulaakaat tumhare doston se hui thi, tab tumne kya kaha tha ? Main tumhara dost hoon."

Rubina - "Haan. Toh ?"

Deven - "Kya main tumhara sirf dost hoon ?"

Rubina - "Nahi. Humara rishta behad khaas hain."

Deven - "Us rishte ka naam kya hain Rubina ?"

Rubina - "Main apne muh se kaise keh sakti hoon."

Deven - "Humare is rishte ki manzil kya hain ?"

Rubina sharmati hain aur dheemi aawaz mein kehti hain, "Shaadi."

Deven - "Tumhare zindagi mein aur bhi dost honge. Toh mujh mein aisa kya khaas hain, jo tum mujhse Shaadi karna chahti ho ?"

Rubina - "Kya tum mujhse Shaadi nahi karna chahte ho ? Kya tum mujhe pasand nahi karte ho ?" 

Deven - "Pyaar zindagi ki sabse khoobsurat bhaavna hoti hain. Mohabbat ke rang zindagi ko khushiyon se bhar dete hain. Lekin, Mohabbat se bhi badhkar is duniya mein bhi ek cheez hain. Aur woh cheez insaan ke liye sabse zyada zaroori hoti hain."

Rubina - "Kya ?"

Deven - "Izzat."

Rubina - "Kya main tumhari izzat nahi karti ?"

Deven - "Agar karti. Toh tum mujhpar bharosa bhi karti."

Rubina - "Toh tum yeh kehna chahte ho, ki main tumpar bharosa nahi karti hoon."

Deven - "Agar bharosa karti, toh tum apne doston se mera sahi parichay karwaati."

Rubina - "Matlab ?"

Deven - "Tumne apne doston se kaha ki main tumhara dost hoon. Agar tum apne doston se yeh nahi keh sakti ki main tumhara kya lagta hoon; toh tum mujhe apne layak nahi samjhti ho. Tum mere saath rishta rakhna chahti ho, par yeh nahi chahti ho; ki hamara rishta kisi ke saamne aaye."

Rubina - "Duniya mein dhindhora peetne se mohabbat saabit nahi ho jaati hain. Jo saabit karna pade, woh mohabbat kaisi."

Deven - "Jis rishte ko chupana pade, woh rishta bhi bas naam ka hi hota hain."

Rubina - "Agar tum mujhe chod kar jaana chahte ho, toh yahi sahi."

Deven - "Sirf haan ya na mein jawaab dena. Tumhe mujhse mohabbat hain ya nahi."

Rubina chup thi.

Deven - "Haan ya Na."

Rubina apni gardan neeche karti hain aur behad dheeme swar mein kehti hain, "Haan."

Deven - "Kya tum mujhse Shaadi karna chahti ho ?"

Rubina - "Haan."

Deven - "Toh thik hain. Tum apne pita se baat karo. Main un logon se milna chahta hoon."

Rubina kuch nahi kehti. 

Deven - "Ya phir ghar walon se bhi yahi kahogi, ki main tumhara Dost hoon ?"

Rubina - "Agar ghar wale nahi maane toh ?"

Deven - "Toh hum khaamoshi se alag ho jaayenge. Ghar walon par hum koi bhi dabaav nahi daalenge."

Rubina - "Thik hain."

Rubina aur Deven apne-apne Parivaar se baat-cheet karte hain. Dono parivaaron ki mulaakaat hoti hain aur phir Rubina aur Deven Shaadi ke pavitra bandhan mein bandh jaate hain.

                         - Ved Vineet Gautam