आँसुओं की होली -प्रेमचंद

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

namoan ko biga dane ki pratha n-jane kab chali aur kahaan shuroo huee. is sansaravyapi rog ka pata lagaye to aitihasik sansar mean avashy hi apana nam chho d jae. pandit ji ka nam to shrivilas tha; par mitr log silabil kaha karate the. namoan ka asar charitra par kuchh n kuchh p d jata hai. bechare silabil sachamuch hi silabil the. daftar ja rahe haian; magar pajame ka ijaraband niche latak raha hai. sir par phelt-kaip hai; par lambi-si chutiya pichhe jhaank rahi hai, achakan yoan bahut sundar hai. n jane unhean tyoharoan se kya chidh thi. divali gujar jati par vah bhalamanas kau di hath mean n leta. aur holi ka din to unaki bhishan pariksha ka din tha. tin din vah ghar se bahar n nikalate. ghar par bhi kale kap de pahane baithe rahate the. yar log toh mean rahate the ki kahian bacha phans jaean magar ghar mean ghus kar to faujadari nahian ki jati. ek-adha bar phanse bhi, magar ghighiya-pudiya kar bedag nikal gaye. lekin abaki samasya bahut kathin ho gayi thi. shastroan ke anusar hm varsh tak brahmachary ka palan karane ke bad unhoanne vivah kiya tha. brahmachary ke paripakv hone mean jo tho di-bahut kasar rahi, vah tin varsh ke gaune ki muddat ne poori kar di. yadyapi stri se koee shanka n thi, tathapi vah auratoan ko sir chadhane ke hami n the. is mamale mean unhean apana vahi purana-dhurana dhang pasand tha. bibi ko jab kas kar d aaut diya, to usaki majal hai ki rang hath se chhue. vipatti yah thi ki sasural ke log bhi holi manane anevale the. purani masal hai : 'bahan aandar to bhaee sikandar'. in sikandaroan ke akraman se bachane ka unhean koee upay n soojhata tha. mitr log ghar mean n ja sakate the; lekin sikandaroan ko kaun rok sakata hai ? stri ne aankh pha d kar kaha —are bhaiya ! kya sachamuch rang n ghar laoge ? yah kaisi holi hai, baba ? silabil ne tyoriyaan chadha kar kaha —bas, maianne ek bar kah diya aur bat doharana mujhe pasand nahian. ghar mean rang nahian ayega aur n koee chhuega ? mujhe kap doan par lal chhiante dekh kar machali ane lagati hai. hamare ghar mean aisi hi holi hoti hai. stri ne sir jhuka kar kaha —to n lana rang-sang, mujhe rang le kar kya karana hai. jab tumhian rang n chhuoge, to maian kaise chhoo sakati hooan. silabil ne prasann ho kar kaha —nissandeh yahi sadhavi stri ka dharm hai. 'lekin bhaiya to anevale haian. vah kyoan maneange ?' 'unake lie bhi maianne ek upay soch liya hai. use saphal banana tumhara kam hai. maian bimar ban jaooanga. ek chadar odh kar let rahooanga. tum kahana inhean jvar a gaya. bas; chalo chhutti huee.' stri ne aankh nacha kar kaha —ai nauj; kaisi batean muanh se nikalate ho ! jvar jae muddee ke ghar, yahaan aye to muanh jhulas dooan nigo de ka. 'to phir doosara upay hi kya hai ?' 'tum ooparavali chhoti kothari mean chhip rahana, maian kah dooangi, unhoanne julab liya hai. bahar nikaleange to hava lag jayagi.' pandit ji khil uthe , bas, bas, yahi sabase achchha. 1389 holi ka din hai. bahar hahakar macha hua hai. purane jamane mean abir aur gulal ke siva aur koee rang n khela jata tha. ab nile, hare, kale, sabhi rangoan ka mel ho gaya hai aur is sangathan se bachana adami ke lie to sanbhav nahian. haan, devata bachean. silabil ke donoan sale muhalle bhar ke mardoan, auratoan, bachchoan aur boodhoan ka nishana bane hue the. bahar ke divanakhane ke pharsh, divarean , yahaan tak ki tasavirean bhi rang uthi thian. ghar mean bhi yahi hal tha. muhalle ki nanadean bhala kab manane lagi thian. paranala tak rangin ho gaya tha. b de sale ne poochha—kyoan ri champa, kya sachamuch unaki tabiyat achchhi nahian ? khana khane bhi n aye ? champa ne sir jhuka kar kaha —haan bhaiya, rat hi se pet mean kuchh dard hone laga. daktar ne hava mean nikalane ko mana kar diya hai. jara der bad chhote sale ne kaha —kyoan jiji ji, kya bhaee sahab niche nahian ayeange ? aisi bhi kya bimari hai ! kaho to oopar ja kar dekh aooan. champa ne usaka hath pak d kar kaha —nahian-nahian, oopar mat jaiyo ! vah rang-vang n kheleange. daktar ne hava mean nikalane ko mana kar diya hai. donoan bhaee hath mal kar rah gaye. sahasa chhote bhaee ko ek bat soojhi , jija ji ke kap doan ke sath kyoan n holi khelean. ve to nahian bimar haian. b de bhaee ke man mean yah bat baith gayi. bahan bechari ab kya karati ? sikandaroan ne kuanjiyaan usake hath se lian aur silabil ke sare kap de nikal-nikal kar rang dale. roomal tak n chho da. jab champa ne un kap doan ko aangan mean alagani par sookhane ko dal diya to aisa jan p da, mano kisi rangarej ne byah ke jo de range hoan. silabil oopar baithe-baithe yah tamasha dekh rahe the; par jaban n kholate the. chhati par saanp-sa lot raha tha. sare kap de kharab ho gaye, daftar jane ko bhi kuchh n bacha. in dushtoan ko mere kap doan se n jane kya bair tha. ghar mean nana prakar ke svadisht vyanjan ban rahe the. muhalle ki ek brahmani ke sath champa bhi juti huee thi. donoan bhaee aur kee any sajjan aangan mean bhojan karane baithe, to b de sale ne champa se poochha—kuchh unake lie 1390 : manasarovar bhi khich di-vich di banayi hai ? pooriyaan to bechare aj kha n sakeange ! champa ne kaha —abhi to nahian banayi, ab bana looangi. 'vah ri teri akl ! abhi tak tujhe itani fikr nahian ki vah bechare khayeange kya. too to itani laparavah kabhi n thi. ja nikal la jaldi se chaval aur mooang ki dal.' lijie , khich di pakane lagi. idhar mitroan ne bhojan karana shuroo kiya. silabil oopar baithe apani kismat ko ro rahe the. unhean is sari vipatti ka ek hi karan maloom hota tha , vivah ! champa n ati, to ye sale kyoan ate, kap de kyoan kharab hote, holi ke din mooang ki khich di kyoan khane ko milati ? magar ab pachhatane se kya hota hai. jitani der mean logoan ne bhojan kiya, utani der mean khich di taiyar ho gayi. b de sale ne khud champa ko oopar bheja ki khich di ki thali oopar de aye. silabil ne thali ki or kupit netroan se dekh kar kaha —ise mere samane se hata le jav. 'kya aj upavas hi karoge ?' 'tumhari yahi ichchha hai, to yahi sahi.' 'maianne kya kiya. sabere se juti huee hooan. bhaiya ne khud khich di dalavayi aur mujhe yahaan bheja.' 'haan, vah to maian dekh raha hooan ki maian ghar ka svami nahian. sikandaroan ne us par qabza jama liya hai, magar maian yah nahian man sakata ki tum chahatian to aur logoan ke pahale hi mere pas thali n pahuanch jati. maian ise pativrat dharm ke viruddh samajhata hooan, aur kya kahooan !' 'tum to dekh rahe the ki donoan jane mere sir par savar the.' 'achchhi dillagi hai ki aur log to samose aur khaste u dayean aur mujhe mooang ki khich di di jae. vah re nasib !' 'tum ise do-char kaur kha lo, mujhe jyoan hi avasar milega, doosari thali laooangi.' 'sare kap de rangava dale, daftar kaise jaooanga ? yah dillagi mujhe jara bhi nahian bhati. maian ise badamashi kahata hooan. tumane sandook ki kuanji kyoan de di ? kya maian itana poochh sakata hooan ?' 1391 'jabaradasti chhin li. tumane suna nahian ? karati kya ?' 'achchha, jo hua so hua, yah thali le jav. dharm samajhana to doosari thali lana, nahian to aj vrat hi sahi.' ekaek pairoan ki ahat pa kar silabil ne samane dekha, to donoan sale a rahe haian. unhean dekhate hi bichare ne muanh bana liya, chadar se sharir dhank liya aur karahane lage. b de sale ne kaha —kahie, kaisi tabiyat hai ? tho di-si khich di kha lijie. silabil ne muanh bana kar kaha —abhi to kuchh khane ki ichchha nahian hai. 'nahian, upavas karana to hanikar hoga. khich di kha lijie.' bechare silabil ne man mean in donoan shaitanoan ko khoob kosa aur vish ki bhaanti khich di kanth ke niche utari. aj holi ke din khich di hi bhagy mean likhi thi ! jab tak sari khich di samapt n ho gayi, donoan vahaan date rahe, mano jel ke adhikari kisi anashan vratadhari kaidi ko bhojan kara rahe hoan. bechare ko thooans-thooans kar khich di khani p di. pakavanoan ke lie guanjayash hi n rahi. das baje rat ko champa uttam padarthoan ka thal liye patidev ke pas pahuanchi ! mahashay man hi man jhuanjhala rahe the. bhaiyoan ke samane meri paravah kaun karata hai. n jane kahaan se donoan shaitan phat p de. din bhar upavas karaya aur abhi tak bhojan ka kahian pata nahian. bare champa ko thal late dekh kar kuchh agni shaant huee. bole —  ab to bahut sabera hai, ek-do ghante bad kyoan n ayian ? champa ne samane thali rakh kar kaha —tum to n hari hi manate ho, n jiti. ab akhir ye do mehaman aye hue haian, inaki seva-satkar n karooan to bhi to kam nahian chalata. tumhian ko bura lagega. kaun roj ayeange. 'eeshvar n kare ki roj ayean, yahaan to ek hi din mean badhiya baith gayi.' thal ki sugandhamay, tarabatar chizean dekh kar sahasa pandit ji ke mukharaviand 139hm : manasarovar par muskan ki lali dau d gayi. ek-ek chiz khate the aur champa ko sarahate the , sach kahata hooan, champa; maianne aisi chizean kabhi nahian khayi thian. halavaee sala kya banayega. ji chahata hai, kuchh inam dooan. 'tum mujhe bana rahe ho. kya karooan jaisa banana ata hai, bana layi.' 'nahian ji, sach kah raha hooan. meri to atma tak tript ho gayi. aj mujhe jnat hua ki bhojan ka sambandh udar se itana nahian, jitana atma se hai. batalao, kya inam dooan ?' 'jo magooan, vah doge ?' 'dooanga , janeoo ki kasam kha kar kahata hooan !' 'n do to meri bat jae.' 'kahata hooan bhaee, ab kaise kahooan. kya likha-padhi kar dooan ?' 'achchha, to maangati hooan. mujhe apane sath holi khelane do.' pandit ji ka rang u d gaya. aankhean pha d kar bole —  holi khelane dooan ? maian to holi khelata nahian. kabhi nahian khela. holi khelana hota, to ghar mean chhip kar kyoan baithata. 'aur ke sath mat khelo; lekin mere sath to khelana hi p dega.' 'yah mere niyam ke viruddh hai. jis chiz ko apane ghar mean uchit samajhooan use kis nyay se ghar ke bahar anuchit samajhooan, socho.' champa ne sir nicha karake kaha —ghar mean aisi kitani batean uchit samajhate ho, jo ghar ke bahar karana anuchit hi nahian pap bhi hai. pandit ji jheanpate hue bole —  achchha bhaee, tum jiti, maian hara. ab maian tum se yahi dan maangata hooan... 'pahale mera puraskar de do, pichhe mujhase dan maangana' , yah kahate hue champa ne lote ka rang utha liya aur pandit ji ko sir se paanv tak nahala diya. jab tak vah uth kar bhagean usane mutthi bhar gulal le kar sare muanh mean pot diya. pandit ji roni soorat bana kar bole—  abhi aur kasar baki ho, to vah bhi poori kar lo. maian janata tha ki tum meri astin ka saanp banogi. ab aur kuchh rang baki nahian raha ? champa ne pati ke mukh ki or dekha, to us par manovedana ka gahara rang jhalak raha tha. pachhata kar boli—  kya tum sachamuch bura man gaye ho ? maian to samajhati thi ki tum keval mujhe chidha rahe ho. shrivilas ne kaanpate hue svar mean kaha— nahian champa, mujhe bura nahian laga. haan, tumane mujhe us kartavy ki yad dila di, jo maian apani kayarata ke karan bhula baitha tha. vah samane jo chitr dekh rahi ho, mere param mitr manaharanath ka hai, jo ab sansar mean nahian hai. tumase kya kahooan, kitana saras, kitana bhavuk, kitana sahasi adami tha ! desh ki dasha dekh-dekh kar usaka khoon jalata rahata tha. hm bhi koee umr hoti hai, par vah usi umr mean apane jivan ka marg nishchit kar chuka tha. seva karane ka avasar pa kar vah is tarah use pak data tha, mano sampatti ho. janm ka viragi tha. vasana to use chhoo hi n gayi thi. hamare aur sathi sair-sapate karate the; par usaka marg sabase alag tha. saty ke lie pran dene ko taiyar, kahian anyay dekha aur bhavean tan gayian, kahian patroan mean atyachar ki khabar dekhi aur chehara tamatama utha. aisa to maianne adami hi nahian dekha. eeshvar ne akal hi bula liya, nahian to vah manushyoan mean ratn hota. kisi musibat ke mare ka uddhar karane ko apane pran hatheli par liye phirata tha. stri-jati ka itana adar aur samman koee kya karega ? stri usake lie pooja aur bhakti ki vastu thi. paanch varsh hue, yahi holi ka din tha. maian bhang ke nashe mean choor, rang mean sir se paanv tak nahaya hua, use gana sunane ke lie bulane gaya, to dekha ki vah kap de pahane kahian jane ko taiyar hai. poochha—kahaan ja rahe ho ? usane mera hath pak d kar kaha —tum achchhe vakt par a gaye, nahian to mujhe jana p data. ek anath budhiya mar gayi hai, koee use kandha denevala nahian milata. koee kisi mitr se milane gaya hua hai, koee nashe mean choor p da hua hai, koee mitroan ki davat kar raha hai, koee mahaphil sajaye baitha hai. koee lash ko uthanevala nahian. brahman-kshatri us chamarin ki lash kaise chhueange, unaka to dharm bhrasht hota hai, koee taiyar nahian hota ! b di mushkil se do kahar mile haian. ek maian hooan, chauthe adami ki kami thi, so eeshvar ne tumhean bhej diya. chalo, chalean. hay ! agar maian janata ki yah pyare manahar ka adesh hai, to aj meri atma ko itani glani n hoti. mere ghar kee mitr aye hue the. gana ho raha tha. us vakt lash utha kar nadi jana mujhe apriy laga. bola —  is vakt to bhaee, maian nahian ja sakooanga. ghar par mehaman baithe hue haian. maian tumhean bulane aya tha. manahar ne meri or tiraskar ke netroan se dekh kar kaha —achchhi bat hai, tum jao; maian aur koee sathi khoj looanga. magar tumase mujhe aisi asha nahian thi. tumane bhi vahi kaha, jo tumase pahale auroan ne kaha tha. koee nayi bat nahian thi. agar ham log apane kartavy ko bhool n gaye hote, to aj yah dasha hi kyoan hoti ? aisi holi ko dhikkar hai ! tyohar, tamasha dekhane, achchhi-achchhi chizean khane aur achchhe-achchhe kap de pahanane ka nam nahian hai. yah vrat hai, tap hai, apane bhaiyoan se prem aur sahanubhooti karana hi tyohar ka khas matalab hai aur kap de lal karane ke pahale khoon ko lal kar lo. saphed khoon par yah lali shobha nahian deti. yah kah kar vah chala gaya. mujhe us vakt yah phatakarean bahut buri maloom hueean. agar mujhamean vah seva-bhav n tha, to use mujhe yoan dhikkarane ka koee adhikar n tha. ghar chala aya; par ve batean barabar mere kanoan mean gooanjati rahian. holi ka sara maja big d gaya. ek mahine tak ham donoan ki mulakat n huee. kalej imtahan ki taiyari ke lie band ho gaya tha. isalie kalej mean bhi bheant n hoti thi. mujhe kuchh khabar nahian, vah kab aur kaise bimar p da, kab apane ghar gaya. sahasa ek din mujhe usaka ek patr mila. hay ! us patr ko padhakar aj bhi chhati phatane lagati hai. shrivilas ek kshan tak gala ruk jane ke karan bol n sake. phir bole —  kisi din tumhean phir dikhaooanga. likha tha, mujhase akhiri bar mil ja, ab shayad is jivan mean bheant n ho. khat mere hath se chhoot kar gir p da. usaka ghar merath ke zile mean tha. doosari ga di jane mean adha ghante ki kasar thi. turant chal p da. magar usake darshan n bade the. mere pahuanchane ke pahale hi vah sidhar chuka tha. champa, usake bad maianne holi nahian kheli, holi hi nahian, aur sabhi tyohar chho d diye. eeshvar ne shayad mujhe kriya ki shakti nahian di. ab bahut chahata hooan ki koee mujhase seva ka kam le. khud age nahian badh sakata; lekin pichhe chalane ko taiyar hooan. par mujhase koee kam lenevala bhi nahian; lekin aj vah rang dal kar tumane mujhe us dhikkar ki yad dila di. eeshvar mujhe aisi shakti de ki maian man mean hi nahian, karm mean bhi manaharan banooan. yah kahate hue shrivilas ne tashtari se gulal nikala aur use chitr par chhi dak kar pranam kiya.