Saugaat

 Rudra ek naujawan ladka hain. Haal hi mein, usne College mein admission liya hain. College ke shuruaatee din behad romaanchak hote hain. Naye-Naye dost bante hain. Rudra ke bhi dost bane. Kuch ladke, toh kuch ladkiyaan bhi. College ke sunhere pal behad hanste-muskurate hue kat rahe the. College ke kai doston mein se, Rudra ki ek dost thi. Us ladki ka naam, Avneet tha. Rudra aur Avneet dost toh the. Lekin, kareebi dost nahi the. Un dono ki nayi-nayi dosti hui thi. College mein un dono ki aksar mulaakatein hoti thi aur un dono ke beech, halki-phulki baat-cheet bhi ho jaaya karti thi. 

Dheere-Dheere, Rudra Avneet ki aur aakrshit hone laga. Rudra jab bhi Avneet ko dekhta tha, use kuch mehsus hua karta tha. Woh jab bhi Avneet ko dekhta, woh ek ajeeb si ghabrahat aur khushi dono mehsus karta tha. 

Rudra Avneet se bahar bhi milna chahta tha. Woh Avneet ke saath zyada se zyada waqt guzarna chahta tha. Lekin, woh yeh baat Avneet se kehne mein hichkichaa raha tha. 

Dheere-Dheere dono aur acche dost bane. College ke lectures ka samay khatam hone ke baad, kabhi-kabhi Rudra aur Avneet ek dusre se baat-cheet karte-karte, parking tak saath mein jaaya karne lage. Lekin, Rudra ko lag raha tha ki, un dono ka rishta abhi bhi itna kareebi nahi hain ki, woh Avneet ko bahar milne ke liye kahe. 

Rudra jab bhi Avneet ke saath hota, uske dimaag mein aksar ek hi khayal aata ki, woh Avneet ko aur kareeb se jaan na chahta hain. Ab woh, baaki ladkiyon ke mukaable, Avneet se zara alag tareeke se baat-cheet karne laga. 

Woh baat-cheet toh sahi karta tha, par uska baat-cheet karne ka tareeka; Avneet ko zara ajeeb dikhaayi dene laga. Rudra ke baat-cheet mein zara si ghabrahat aur bechaini thi aur yeh harkat, Avneet ko saaf-saaf dikhaayi dene lagi. 

Ek din ki baat hain. College ke lectures khatam ho gaye the. Rudra aur Avneet dono saath-saath chalte hue, ek dusre se baat-cheet kar rahe the. Baat-Cheet bhi kya kar rahe the. Rudra toh maano bas, khaamosh hi tha. Woh keval, Avneet ki baaton ka, ek do shabdon mein bas jawaab diye ja raha tha. 

Avneet - "Aaj OCM mein toh bohut hi naya topic jaan ne ko mila."

Rudra - "Hmmm."

Avneet - "Topic kounsa tha, Rudra ?"

Rudra - "Joint Hindu Family Business Venture."

Avneet - "Hmmm. Padhaayi mein dhyaan hain tumhara."

Rudra - "Haan."

Avneet - "Aur batao, ab kaha jaaoge ?"

Rudra - "Ghar."

Avneet - "Mujhse nahi puchoge, ki main kaha jaaungi ?"

Rudra - "Usmein puchna kya hain, tum bhi toh apne ghar hi jaaogi."

Avneet - "Haan. Lekin, tum itni bechaini se mujhse baat-cheet kyun karte ho ? Mujhse tum khul kar baat-cheet kyun nahi karte ? Aakhir tum bhi toh mujhse koi sawaal karo."

Rudra - "Tum kaha par rehti ho ?"

Avneet Rudra ki aur dekhti hain. Rudra thoda ghabra jaata hain. Phir woh zara  hadbadahate hue kehta hain, "Nahi. Mere kehna ka koi dusra matlab nahi tha. Please tum meri baaton ko galat mat lena."

Avneet - "Toh phir kya matlab tha tumhara Rudra ? Aakhir kya chal raha hain tumhare andar ? Batao." 

 Rudra khaamosh tha. Avneet aage kehti hain, "Tum jo kuch bhi kehna chahte ho, saaf-saaf kaho. Main tumhari kisi bhi baat ka koi dusra matlab nahi nikaalungi. Tumhare dimaag mein jo kuch bhi chal raha hain, woh tum khul kar kaho."

Rudra - "Dekho tum meri baat ko galat mat samajhna."

Avneet - "Zara bhi galat nahi samjhungi."

Rudra - "Avneet kya hum kabhi. Mera matlab hain ki..."

Avneet - "Matlab Vatlab kuch nahi. Saaf-Saaf kaho Rudra aakhir tum chahte kya ho mujhse ?"

Rudra - "Kya hum kabhi kahi bahar mile ? Mujhe lagta hain ki, hum dono ko ek dusre ko zara acche se jaan na chahiye, agar tum galat na samjho toh."

Avneet Rudra ko zara ghur kar dekhti hain. Rudra apni nazrein neeche kar leta hain. Avneet kuch pal ke liye, Rudra ko ghurti hain aur phir kehti hain, "Ek sawaal karun ?"

Rudra 'Haan' mein apna sar hilata hain. Uski nazrein ab bhi jhunki hui thi. Phir Avneet puchti hain, "Kya tumhare dimaag mein kuch chal raha hain ?"

Rudra 'Na' mein apna Sar hilata hain. 

Avneet - "Matlab tumne dosti ke aage ka kuch sochna shuru kar diya hain kya ?"

Rudra - "Woh toh nahi pata. Par main tumhe aur acche se jaan na chahta hoon."

Avneet kuch pal ke liye sochti hain aur phir woh kehti hain, "Sabse pehle toh tum mujhse apni nazrein milaao Rudra."

Rudra jas ka tas khada tha.

Avneet - "Meri taraf dekho Rudra."

Rudra dheere-dheere apni nazrein utha ta hain aur phir woh Avneet ki aur dekhta hain. Dono ki nazrein milti hain. Rudra paata hain ki, is baar Avneet ke chehre par narazgi nahi, balki ek pyaari si muskaan thi. Avneet ke chehre par maasumiyat bhari muskaan dekh kar, Rudra zara aashvast ho jaata hain. Phir Avneet kehti hain, "Hum dono dost toh hain hi. Tumhari iccha hain ki hum acche dost bane."

Rudra - "Haan."

Avneet - "Thik hain. Toh jab bhi tum kaho, hum kahi bahar mil lenge."

Rudra - "Toh kya hum baat kar sakte hain ?"

Avneet - "Baat-Cheet toh hum karte hi hain na..."

Rudra - "Nahi mera matlab hain ki, kab kaha milna hain; yeh tum tay karogi toh accha rahega. Tum soch-samajh kar mujhe bata dena."

Avneet - "Thik hain. Main tumhe ek do din mein, bata dungi."

Rudra - "Agar tum busy rahogi toh mujhe bas ek message kar dena bas."

Avneet - "Contact Number chahiye ?"

Rudra zara sharma jaata hain.

Avneet - "Thik hain. Tum mujhe apna Contact Number de do, main soch kar tumhe bahar milne ka plan message kar dungi."

Rudra Avneet ko apna Contact Number de deta hain. Uske baad dono ek dusre ko 'Bye' kehte hain aur phir Avneet wahan se jaane lagti hain. Rudra Avneet ko jaate hue dekh raha tha. Yeh baat Avneet ko mehsus ho rahi thi. Avneet ne peeche mud kar dekha. Rudra ab bhi use hi dekh raha tha. Woh zara khoya-khoya sa nazar aa raha tha. Avneet muskurayi aur phir woh apne ghar ke liye chali gayi. 

Shaam ka waqt tha. Rudra apne ghar mein tha. Woh Avneet ke message ka intezaar kar raha tha. Woh kaafi bechain tha. Rudra ne Mobile apne aankhon ke saamne rakha hua tha woh aur baar-baar apne phone ki aur dekhta. Toh kabhi woh apna phone utha kar check karta, is ummeed mein ki kahi koi message aaya ho, Avneet ka.  

Rudra baichain tha. Us samay uske mann mein bas do hi khayal reh-reh kar aa rahe the. 'Kya woh mujhe message karegi ?' 'Woh mujhe message kyun karegi ?'

Us waqt bas yahi do baatein, Rudra ke zehan mein ghar kar gaye the. Soch-Soch kar woh ghabra raha tha. Rudra ko Avneet ke message ka kuch is tarah se intezaar tha, jaise ki ek band andhere kamre mein baithe hue insaan ko roshni ki ek kiran ka intezaar rehta hain. 

Ghadi ke kaanton ki har ek tik-tik ke saath, Rudra ki baichaini badhti hi jaa rahi thi. Tabhi achaanak se uske phone ki ghanti baji. Rudra ne dekha, Avneet ka Call tha. Woh khushi ke maare jhoom utha. Woh is baat par yakeen hi nahi kar paa raha tha ki, Avneet ne use Call kiya hain. 

Rudra ne turant Call uthaya aur kaha, "He... Hel... Hello..."

Avneet - "Tum itne ghabraye hue kyun ho Rudra ?"

Rudra - "Ghabraya hua ? Aur main ? Nahi toh. Bilkul nahi."

Avneet - "Toh tum hakla kyun rahe ho ?"

Rudra - "Nahi. Main kaha haklaata hoon."

Avneet - "Accha. Toh tum bilkul thik ho ?"

Rudra - "Bilkul."

Avneet - "Toh phir tumne phone ko apne kaan par kyun laga rakha hain, Video Call hone ke bawjood ?"

Rudra Phone ko apne saamne laata hain aur dekhta hain ki, Avneet ne Video Call kiya hua hain. Rudra ko dekh kar Avneet muskurati hain. Rudra bhi muskurata hain. Woh Avneet ko bas dhyaan se dekh raha tha aur Avneet yeh dekh rahi thi, ki aakhir Rudra kab tak use isi khaamoshi se dekhta rehta hain. Kuch pal beete aur Rudra ab bhi bas yun hi khaamoshi se, Avneet ko bas dekhe jaa raha tha.  

Phir Avneet kehti hain, "Thik hain toh phir main Call kaat deti hoon."

Rudra - "Kya tum busy ho ?"

Avneet - "Jab tum mujhse koi baat hi nahi karna chahte ho, toh phir Call karne ka kya fayda ?"

Rudra - "Main toh tumse hamesha baat karna chahta hoon Avneet."

Avneet - "Matlab ?"

Rudra - "Matlab is waqt."

Avneet - "Tumhe yaad hoga ki, maine tumhe kis liye Call kiya hain."

Rudra - "Haan."

Avneet - "Kis liye ?"

Rudra - "Hum bahar milne wale the."

Avneet - "Hmmm."

Rudra - "Toh tumne kuch tay kiya, kab milna hain, kaha milna hain ?"

Avneet - "Smile Restaurant mein mile ?"

Rudra - "Haan. Yeh sabse accha Idea hain."

Avneet - "Toh thik hain kal College mein main tumhe mulaakaat ka waqt bata dungi."

Rudra - "Thik hain."

Avneet - "Good Night Rudra."

Rudra - "Good Night."

Avneet Call kaat deti hain. 

Agle din dono College mein milte hain. Lectures mein aaj Rudra ka mann nahi lag raha tha. Use toh bas yahi jaan ne ki baichaini thi ki, aakhir Avneet use milne ke liye kab aur kaha bulaayegi. Rudra ki nazar reh-reh kar Avneet par padti aur jaise hi Avneet, Rudra ko chor nazron se dekhte hue pakad leti; woh yahan-wahan dekhne lagta. 

College ka recess hota hain aur dono Canteen mein baithe-baithe aapas mein baat-cheet kar rahe hote hain. Baat-Cheet karte-karte Rudra puchta hain, "Tum mujhe milne ka waqt batane wali thi."

Avneet - "Sahi waqt aane par bataungi. Thoda toh sabr rakho. College khatam hone ke baad, main tumhe bataungi."

Rudra kuch nahi kehta. Ab woh thoda naaraz dikhaayi de raha tha. Uski naarazgi dekh kar, Avneet kehti hain, "Bharosa rakho mujh par."

Rudra bas apna Sar hilata hain. 

Dekhte Hi Dekhte, College ka samay khatam ho jaata hain. Woh dono dobara milte hain. Isse pehle ki Avneet kuch kahe, Rudra kehta hain, "Shayad ab tum kal bataogi. Main sabr rakhne ke liye tayyar hoon."

Rudra ki yeh baichaini dekh kar, Avneet hans padti hain aur kehti hain, "Nahi Baba. Main toh yeh keh rahi thi ki, hum abhi jaa rahe hain."

Rudra - "Kya ?" Woh khush aur hairaan dono tha. 

Avneet - "Ji Haan. Waise agar tumhe koi dusra kaam hain toh, koi baat nahi; main plan cancel kar sakti hoon."

Rudra - "Nahi. Nahi. Mujhe koi kaam nahi hain."

Avneet Rudra ka haath pakadti hain aur use apne saath College ke bahar le jaati hain aur phir woh ek Rickshaw wale ko rokti hain. Woh Rickshaw mein baith ti hain aur uske bagal mein Rudra baith ta hain. 

Avneet Rickshaw Wale ko pata batati hain aur Rickshaw chal padti hain. Kuch der baad, Rickshaw ek buliding ke bahar aakar ruk jaati hain. Avneet Rickshaw se utar ti hain aur uske saath Rudra bhi. Phir woh Avneet se puchta hain, "Yeh hum kaha aaye hue hain ?"

Avneet - "Tum khud socho."

Rudra - "Shayad tumhare ghar ?"

Avneet - "Bilkul sahi."

Rudra kuch nahi kehta hain. Avneet chalte jaati hain aur Rudra uske peeche-peeche jaata hain. Phir dono lift mein jaate hain aur woh dono khaamosh rehte hain. Kuch der baad, lift rukti hain. Avneet lift se bahar nikalti hain aur uske peeche Rudra bhi. Phir Avneet apne ghar ka taala kholti hain aur ghar ke andar aati hain. Woh Rudra ko bhi andar aane ka ishaara karti hain. Woh Ghar ke andar aata hain. Avneet ghar ka darwaaza andar se band kar deti hain. 

 Rudra - "Tumhare ghar ke baaki log dikhaayi ne de rahe hain."

"Aa jaayenge thodi der mein." Yeh keh kar Avneet andar kitchen mein chali jaati hain aur kuch der baad, woh Chai le aati hain. Dono saath baithe Chai ki chuskiyaan lete hue, yahan-wahan ki baatein kar rahe the. 

Baat-Cheet karte-karte Avneet kehti hain, "Kya main tumse ek baat kahoon Rudra ?"

Rudra - "Haan kaho na."

Avneet - "Agar main tumse yeh kahoon ki, main tumse apna rishta aage nahi badha sakti hoon. Ki hum dono acche dost ban kar hi reh sakte hain. Toh ?"

Yeh sunkar, Rudra dukhi ho jaata hain. Woh koi jawaab nahi deta hain. 

Avneet - "Main tumse ek aur baat kehna chahti hoon. Mere ghar ke sab log bahar gaon gaye hue hain, do teen din ke liye. Filhal main is ghar mein bilkul akeli hoon."

Rudra - "Toh phir tumne mujhe yahan kyun apne saath laaya ? Mera yahan rehna thik nahi hain."

Avneet - "Par kyun ?"

Rudra - "Pehli baat, tum mujhe sirf apna accha dost maanti ho aur dusri baat, ki tum is ghar mein akeli ho. Tumhare padosi jab hum dono ko akela paayenge, woh log kya sochenge ? Tum apne maata-pita ko kya jawaab dogi ?"

Rudra ka jawaab sunkar, Avneet muskurati hain aur woh andar chali jaati hain. Thodi der baad woh wapas Hall mein aati hain. Uski daaye haath ki mutthi band thi. Avneet dobara apne chehre par behad maasoom bhari muskaan laati hain aur apna haath Rudra ke saamne badhati hain. Phir woh apni mutthi kholti hain. Uske haathon mein, Sindoor ka dabba hota hain. Rudra Sindoor utha ta hain aur Avneet ki maang bhar deta hain. Phir woh dono ek dusre ke gale lag jaate hain aur ek dusre mein kahi kho jaate hain.

                           - Ved Vineet Gautam