झाँकी -प्रेमचंद

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is lekh ka punarikshan evan sampadan hona avashyak hai. ap isamean sahayata kar sakate haian. "sujhav"

kee dinoan se ghar mean kalah macha hua tha. maan alag muanh phulaye baithi thi, stri alag. ghar ki vayu mean jaise vish bhara hua tha. rat ko bhojan nahian bana, din ko maianne stov par khich di dali; par khaya kisi ne nahian. bachchoan ko bhi aj bhookh n thi. chhoti l daki kabhi mere pas akar kh di ho jati, kabhi mata ke pas, kabhi dadi ke pas; par kahian usake lie pyar ki batean n thian. koee use god mean n uthata tha, manoan usane bhi aparadh kiya ho. l daka sham ko skool se aya. kisi ne use kuchh khane ko n diya, n usase bola, n kuchh poochha. donoan baramade mean man mare baithe hue the aur shayad soch rahe the- ghar mean aj kyoan logoan ke hriday unase itane phir gaye haian. bhaee-bahin din mean kitani bar l date haian, rona-pitana bhi kee bar ho jata hai; par aisa kabhi nahian hota ki ghar mean khana n pake ya koee kisi se bole nahian. yah kaisa jhag da hai ki chaubis ghante gujar jane par bhi shaant nahian hota, yah shayad unaki samajh mean n ata tha.

jhag de ki j d kuchh n thi. ammaan ne meri bahan ke ghar tija bhejan ke lie jin samanoan ki soochi likhayi, vah patni ji ko ghar ki sthiti dekhate hue adhik maloom huee. ammaan khud samajhadar haian. unhoanne tho di-bahut kat-chhaant kar di thi; lekin patni ji ke vichar se aur kat-chhaant honi chahie thi. paanch sa diyoan ki jagah tin rahean, to kya buraee hai. khilaune itane kya hoange, itani mithaee ki kya jarurat! unaka kahana tha- jab rozagar mean kuchh milata nahi; dainik karyo mean khianchatan karani p dati hai, doodh-ghi ke bajat mean takhaliph ho gayi, to phir tije mean kyoan itani udarata ki jay? pahale ghar mean diya jalakar tab masajid mean jalate haian.yah nahian ki masajid mean to diya jala dean aur ghar aandhera p da rahe. isi bat par sas-bahoo mean takarar ho gayi, phir shakhean phoot nikalian. bat kahaan se kahaan ja pahuanchi, g de hue murde ukha de gaye. anyoktiyoan ki bari aee, vyangy ka daur shuroo hua aur maunalankar par samapt ho gaya.

maian b de sankat mean tha. agar ammaan ki taraph se kuchh kahata hooan, to patni ji rona-dhona shuroo karati haian, apane nasiboan ko kosane lagati haian; patni ki-si kahata hooan to jan-murid ki upadhi milati hai. isalie bari-bari se donoan pakshoan ka samarthan karata jata tha; par svarthavash meri sahanubhooti patni ke sath hi thi. khul kar ammaan se kuchh n kaha sakata tha; par dil mean samajh raha tha ki jyadati inhian ki hai. dukan ka yah hal hai ki kabhi-kabhi bohani bhi nahian hoti. asamiyoan se taka vasool nahian hota, to in purani lakiroan ko pitakar kyoan apani jan sankat mean dali jay!

bar-bar is grihasthi ke janjal par tabiyat jhuanjhalati thi. ghar mean tin to prani haian aur unamean bhi prem bhav nahian! aisi grihasthi mean to ag laga deni chahie. kabhi-kabhi aisi sanak savar ho jati thi ki sabako chho d-chha dakar kahian bhag jaooan. jab apane sir p dega, tab inako hosh ayega; tab maloom hoga ki grihasthi kaise chalati hai. kya janata tha ki yah vipatti jhelani p degi nahian vivah ka nam hi n leta. tarah-tarah ke kutsit bhav man mean a rahe the. koee bat nahian, ammaan mujhe pareshan karana chahati haian. bahoo unake paanv nahian dabati, unake sir mean tel nahian dalati, to isamean mera kya dosh? maianne use mana to nahian kar diya hai! mujhe to sachcha anand hoga, yadi sas-bahoo mean itana prem ho jay; lekin yah mere vash ki bat nahian ki donoan mean prem dal dooan. agar ammaan ne apani sas ki sa di dhoyi hai, unake paanv dabaye haian, unaki ghu dakiyaan khayi haian, to aj vah purana hisab bahoo se kyoan chukana chahati haian? unhean kyoan nahian dikhaee deta ki ab samay badal gaya hai? bahuean ab bhayavash sas ki gulami nahian karatian. prem se chahe unake sir ke bal noch lo, lekin jo rob dikhakar un par shasan karana chaho, to vah din lad gaye.

sare shahar mean janmashtami ka utsav ho raha tha. mere ghar mean sangram chhi da hua tha. sandhya ho gayi thi; par ghar aandhera p da tha. manahoosiyat chhayi huee thi. mujhe apani patni par krodh aya. l dati ho, l do; lekin ghar mean aandhera kyoan rakha hai? jakar kaha- kya aj ghar mean chirag n jaleange?

patni ne muanh phulakar kaha- jala kyoan nahian lete. tumhare hath nahian haian?

meri deh mean ag lag gayi. bola- to kya jab tumhare charan nahian aye the, tab ghar mean chirag n jalate the?

ammaan ne ag ko hava di- nahian, tab sab log aandhere hi mean p de rahate the.

patni ji ko ammaan ki is tippani ne jame ke bahar kar diya. bolian- jalate hoange mitti ki kuppi! lalaten to maianne nahian dekhi. mujhe is ghar mean aye das sal ho gaye.

maianne daanta- achchha chup raho, bahut badho nahian.

‘oho! tum to aisa daant rahe ho, jaise mujhe mol laye ho?’

‘maian kahata hooan, chup raho!’

‘kyoan chup rahooan? agar ek kahoge, to do sunoge.’

‘isi ka nam pativrat hai?’

‘jaisa muanh hota hai ,vaise hi bi de milate haian !’

maian parast hokar bahar chala aya, aur aandheri kothari mean baitha hua, us manahoos gh di ko kosane laga. jab is kulachchhani se mera vivah hua tha. is aandhakar mean bhi das sal ka jivan sinema-chitroan ki bhaanti mere netroan ke samane dau d gaya. usamean kahian prakash ki jhalak n thi, kahian sneh ki mriduta n thi.

2

sahasa mere mitr pandit jayadevaji ne dvar par pukara- are, aj yah aandhera kyoan kar rakha hai ji? kuchh soojhata hi nahian. kahaan ho?

maianne koee javab n diya. socha, yah aj kahaan se akar sir par savar ho gaye.

jayadev ne phir pukara- are, kahaan ho bhaee? bolate kyoan nahian? koee ghar mean hai ya nahian?

kahian se koee javab n mila.

jayadev ne dvar ko itani zor se jhanjho da ki mujhe bhay hua, kahian daravaza chaukhat-bajoo samet gir n p de. phir bhi maian bola nahian. unaka ana khal raha tha.

jayadev chale gaye. maianne aram ki saans li. bare shaitan tala, nahian ghantoan sir khata.

magar paanch hi minat mean phir kisi ke pairoan ki ahat mili aur abaki tarch ke tivr prakash se mera sara kamara bhar utha. jayadev ne mujhe baithe dekhakar kutoohal se poochha- tum kahaan gaye the ji? ghantoan chikha, kisi ne javab tak n diya. yah aj kya mamala hai? chirag kyoan nahian jale?

maianne bahana kiya- kya jane, mere sir mean dard tha, dukan se akar lete, to niand a gayi

‘aur soye to gho da bechakar, murdoan se shart lagakar?’

‘haan yar, niand a gayi.’

‘magar ghar mean chirag to jalana chahie tha ya usaka ritreanchameant kar diya?’

‘aj ghar mean log vrat se haian . hath n khali hoga.’

‘khair chalo, kahian jhaanki dekhane chalate ho? seth ghooremal ke mandir mean aisi jhaanki bani hai ki dekhate hi banata hai. aise-aise shishe aur bijali ke saman sajaye haian ki aankhean jhapak uthati haian. sianhasan ke thik samane aisa phauvara lagaya hai ki usamean se gulabajal ki phuharean nikalati haian. mera to chola mast ho gaya. sidhe tumhare pas dau da chala a raha hooan. bahut jhaankiyaan dekhi hoangi tumane, lekin yah aur hi chiz hai. alam phata p data hai. sunate haian dilli se koee chatur karigar aya hai. usi ki yah karamat hai.’

maianne udasin bhav se kaha- meri to jane ki ichchha nahian hai bhaee! sir mean zor ka dard hai.

‘tab to jarur chalo. dard bhag n jay to kahana.’

‘tum to yar, bahut dik karate ho. isi mare maian chupachap p da tha ki kisi tarah yah bala tale; lekin tum sir par savar ho gaye. kah diya- maian n jaooanga.

‘aur maianne kah diya- maian jarur le jaooanga.’

mujh par vijay pane ka mere mitroan ko bahut asan nuskha yad hai. yoan hatha-payi, dhianga-mushti, dhaul-dhappe mean kisi se pichhe rahane vala nahian hooan lekin kisi ne mujhe gudagudaya aur parast hua. phir meri kuchh nahian chalati. maian hath jo dane lagata hooan ghighiyane lagata hooan aur kabhi-kabhi rone bhi lagata hooan. jayadev ne vahi nuskha ajamaya aur usaki jit ho gayi. sandhi ki vahi shart thahari ki maian chupake se jhaanki dekhane chala chalooan

3

seth ghoorelal un adamiyoan mean haian, jinaka prat: ko nam le lo, to din-bhar bhojan n mile. unake makkhichoosapane ki saik doan hi dantakathaean nagar mean prachalit haian. kahate haian, ek bar marava d ka ek bhikhari unake dvar par dat gaya ki bhiksha lekar hi jaooanga. seth ji bhi a d gaye ki bhiksha n dooanga, chahe kuchh ho. marava di unhian ke desh ka tha. kuchh der to unake poorvajoan ka bakhan karata raha, phir unaki nianda karane laga, aant mean dvar par let raha. seth ji ne ratti-bhar paravah n ki. bhikshuk bhi apani dhun ka pakka tha. sara din dvar par be-dana-pani p da raha aur aant mean vahian mar gaya. tab seth ji pasije aur usaki kriya itani dhoom-dham se ki ki bahut kam kisi ne ki hogi. bhikshuk ka satyagrah seth ji ke lie varadan ho gaya. unake ant:karan mean bhakti ka jaise srot khul gaya. apani sari sanpatti dharmarth arpan kar di.

ham log thakuradare mean pahuanche, to darshakoan ki bhi d lagi huee thi. kandhe se kandha chhilata tha. ane aur jane ke marg alag the, phir bhi hamean adh ghante ke bad bhitar jane ka avasar mila. jayadev sajavat dekh-dekhakar lot-pot hue jate the, par mujhe aisa maloom hota tha ki is banavat aur sajavat ke mele mean krishna ki atma kahian kho gayi hai. unaki vah ratnajatit, bijali se jagamagati moorti dekhakar mere man mean glani utpann huee. is rup mean bhi prem ka nivas ho sakata hai? maianne to ratnoan mean darp aur ahankar hi bhara dekha hai. mujhe us vakt yahi yad n rahi, ki yah ek karo dapati seth ka mandir hai aur dhani manushy dhan mean lotane vale eeshvar ki hi kalpana kar sakata hai. dhani eeshvar mean hi usaki shraddha ho sakati hai. jisake pas dhan nahian, vah usaki daya ka patr ho sakata hai, shraddha ka kadapi nahian.

mandir mean jayadev ko sabhi janate haian. unhean to sabhi jagah sabhi janate haian. mandir ke aangan mean sangit-mandali baithi huee thi. kelakar ji apane gandharv-vidyalay ke shishyoan ke sath tamboora liye baithe the. pakhavaj, sitar, sarod, vina aur jane kaun-kaun baje, jinake nam bhi maian nahian janata, unake shishyoan ke pas the. koee git bajane ki taiyari ho rahi thi. jayadev ko dekhate hi kelakar ji ne pukara! mai bhi tuphail mean ja baitha. ek kshan mean git shuroo hua. samaan bandh gaya. jahaan itana shor-gul tha ki top ki avaz bhi n sunayi deti, vahaan jaise madhury ke us pravah ne sab kisi ko apane mean duba liya. jo jahaan tha, vahian mantr- mugdh-sa kh da tha. meri kalpana kabhi itani sachitr aur sajiv n thi. mere samane n vah bijali ki chakachauandh thi, n vah ratnoan ki jagamagahat, n vah bhautik vibhootiyoan ka samaroh. mere samane vahi yamuna ka tat tha, gulm-lataoan ka ghooanghat muanh par dale hue. vahi mohini guean thian, vahi gopiyoan ki jal-kri da, vahian vanshi ki madhur dhvani, vahi shital chaandani aur vahian pyara nandakishor! jisaki mukh-chhavi mean prem aur vatsaly ki jyoti thi, jisake darshanoan hi se hriday nirmal ho jate the.

4

maian isi anand-vismriti ki dasha mean tha ki kansart band ho gaya aur achary kelakar ke ek kishor shishy ne dhrupad alapana shuroo kiya. kalakaroan ki adat hai ki shabdoan ko kuchh is tarah to d-maro d dete haian ki adhikaansh sunanevaloan ki samajh mean nahian ata ki kya ga rahe haian. is git ka ek shabd bhi meri samajh mean n aya; lekin kanth-svar mean kuchh aisa madakata bhara lality tha ki pratyek svar mujhe romaanchit kar deta tha. kanth-svar mean itani jadoo-bhari shakti hai, isaka mujhe aj kuchh anubhav hua. man mean ek naye sansar ki srishti hone lagi, jahaan anand-hi-anand hai, prem-hi-prem, tyag-hi-tyag. aisa jan p da, du:kh keval chitt ki ek vritti hai, saty hai keval anand. ek svachchh, karuna-bhari komalata, jaise man ko masosane lagi. aisi bhavana man mean uthi ki vahaan jitane sajjan baithe hue the, sab mere apane haian, abhinn haian. phir atit ke garbh se mere bhaee ki smriti-moorti nikal ayi.

mera chhota bhaee bahut din hue, mujhase l dakar, ghar ki jama-jatha lekar rangoon bhag gaya tha, aur vahian usaka dehaant ho gaya tha. usake pashavik vyavaharoan ko yad karake maian unmatt ho uthata tha. use jita pa jata to shayad usaka khoon pi jata, par is samay smriti-moorti ko dekhakar mera man jaise mukharit ho utha. use aliangan karane ke lie vyakul ho gaya. usane mere sath, meri stri ke sath, mata ke sath, mere bachche ke sath, jo-jo katu, nich aur ghrinaspad vyavahar kiye the, vah sab mujhe bhool gaye. man mean keval yahi bhavana thi- mera bhaiya kitana du:khi hai. mujhe is bhaee ke prati kabhi itani mamata n huee thi, phir to man ki vah dasha ho gayi, jise vihvalata kah sakate haian! shatru-bhav jaise man se mit gaya tha. jin-jin praniyoan se mera bair-bhav tha, jinase gali-galauj, mar-pit mukadamabaji sab kuchh ho chuki thi, vah sabhi jaise mere gale mean lipat-lipatakar hans rahe the. phir vidya (patni) ki moorti mere samane a kh di huee- vah moorti jise das sal pahale maianne dekha tha- un aankhoan mean vahi vikal kanpan tha, vahian sandigdh vishvas, kapoloan par vahi lajja- lalima, jaise prem sarovar se nikala hua koee kamal pushp ho. vahi anurag, vahi avesh, vahi yachana-bhari utsukata, jisamean maianne us n bhoolane vali rat ko usaka svagat kiya tha, ek bar phir mere hriday mean jag uthi. madhur smritiyoan ka jaise srot-sa khul gaya. ji aisa t dapa ki isi samay jakar vidya ke charanoan par sir rag dakar roooan aur rote-rote besudh ho jaooan. meri aankhean sajal ho gayian. mere muanh se jo katu shabd nikale the, vah sab jaise mere hi hriday mean g dane lage. isi dasha mean, jaise mamatamayi mata ne akar mujhe god mean utha liya. balapan mean jis vatsaly ka anand uthane ki mujhamean shakti n thi, vah anand aj maianne uthaya.

gana band ho gaya. sab log uth-uthakar jane lage. maian kalpana-sagar mean hi dooba raha.

sahasa jayadev ne pukara- chalate ho, ya baithe hi rahoge?