ग़बन उपन्यास भाग-43

ek mahina guzar gaya. jalapa kee din tak bahut vikal rahi. kee bar unmad - sa hua ki abhi sari katha kisi patr mean chhapava dooan, sari kalee khol dooan, sare havaee kile dha dooanrri par yah sabhi udveg shaant ho ge. atma ki gaharaiyoan mean chhipi huee koee shakti usaki zaban band kar deti thi. rama ko usane hriday se nikal diya tha. usake prati ab use krodh n tha, dvesh n tha, daya bhi n thi, keval udasinata thi. usake mar jane ki soochana pakar bhi shayad vah n roti. haan, ise eeshvariy vidhan ki ek lila, maya ka ek nirmam hasy, ek kroor krida samajhakar tho di der ke lie vah dukhi ho jati. pranay ka vah bandhan jo usake gale mean do-dhaee sal pahale pada tha, toot chuka tha, par usaka nishan baki tha. rama ko is bich mean usane kee bar motar par apane ghar ke samane se jate dekha. usaki aankheanan kisi ko khojati huee maloom hoti thian. un aankhoan mean kuchh lajja thi, kuchh kshama-yachana, par jalapa ne kabhi usaki taraph aankheanan n uthaee. vah shayad is vakt akar usake pairoan par p data, to bhi vah usaki or n takati. rama ki is gh!nit kayarata aur mahanh svarthaparata ne jalapa ke hriday ko mano chir dala tha, phir bhi us pranay-bandhan ka nishan abhi bana hua tha. rama ki vah prem-vihnal moorti, jise dekhakar ek din vah gadagad ho jati thi, kabhi-kabhi usake hriday mean chhae hue aandhere mean kshin, malin, niranand jyotsna ki bhaanti pravesh karati, aur ek kshan ke lie vah smritiyaan vilap

kar uthatian. phir usi aandhakaraur niravata ka parada p d jata. usake lie bhavishy ki mridu smritiyaan n thian, keval kathor, niras vartaman vikaral roop se khada ghoor raha tha.

vah jalapa, jo apane ghar bat-bat par man kiya karati thi, ab seva, tyag aur sahishnuta ki moorti thi. jaggo mana karati rahati, par vah muanh-aandhere sare ghar mean jha doo laga ati, chauka-baratan kar dalati, ata gooandhakar rakh deti, choolha jala deti. tab budhiya ka kam keval rotiyaan seankana tha. chhoot-vichar ko bhi usane tak par rakh diya tha. budhiya use thel-thalakar rasoee mean le jati aur kuchh n kuchh khila deti. donoan mean maan-beti ka-sa prem ho gaya tha.

mukadame ki sab karravaee samapt ho chuki thi. donoan paksh ke vakiloan ki bahas ho chuki thi. keval phaisala sunana baki tha. aj usaki tarikh thi. aj bade sabare ghar ke kam-dhandhoan se phursat pakar jalapa dainik-patr vale ki avaz par kan lagae baithi thi, mano aj usi ka bhagy-nirnay hone vala hai. itane mean devidin ne patr lakar usake samane rakh diya. jalapa patr

par toot p di aur phaisala padhane lagi. phaisala kya tha, ek khayali kahani thi, jisaka pradhan nayak rama tha. jaj ne bar-bar usaki prashansa ki thi. sara abhiyog usi ke bayan par avalanbit tha. devidin ne poochha, ‘phaisala chhapa hai?’

jalapa ne patr padhate hue kaha, ‘haan, hai to!’

‘kisaki saza huee?’

‘koee nahian chhoota, ek ko phaansi ki saza mili. paanch ko das-das sal aur ath ko paanch-paanch sal. usi dinesh ko phaansi huee.’

yah kahakar usane samachar-patr rakh diya aur ek lanbi saans lekar boli, ‘in becharoan ke bal-bachchoan ka n jane kya hal hoga!’

devidin ne tatparata se kaha, ‘tumane jis din mujhase kaha tha, usi din se maian in batoan ka pata laga raha hooan. ath adamiyoan ka to abhi tak byah hi nahian hua aur unake ghar vale maze mean haian. kisi bat ki takaliph nahian hai. paanch adamiyoan ka vivah to ho gaya hai, par ghar ke khush haian. kisi ke ghar rozagar hota hai, koee zamiandar hai, kisi ke bap-chacha naukar haian. maianne kee

adamiyoan se poochha, yahaan kuchh chanda bhi kiya gaya hai. agar unake ghar vale lena chahean to to diya jayaga. khali dines tabah hai. do chhote-chhote bachche haian, budhiya, maan aur aurat, yahaan kisi syal mean mastar tha. ek makan kirae par lekar rahata tha. usaki kharabi hai.‘

jalapa ne poochha, ‘usake ghar ka pata laga sakate ho?’

‘haan, usaka pata kaun musakil hai?’

jalapa ne yachana-bhav se kaha, ‘to kab chaloge? maian bhi tumhare sath chalooangi. abhi to vakt hai. chalo, zara dekhean.’

devidin ne apatti karake kaha, ‘pahale maian dekh to aooan. is tarah mere sath kahaan-kahaan dau dati phirogi? ‘

jalapa ne man ko dabakar lachari se sir jhuka liya aur kuchh n boli. devidin chala gaya. jalapa phir samachar-patr dekhane lagi,par usaka dhyan dinesh ki or laga hua tha. bechara phaansi pa jayaga. jis vakt usane phaansi ka hukm suna hoga, usaki kya dasha huee hogi. usaki boodhi maan aur stri yah khabar sunakar chhati pitane lagi hoangi. bechara skool-mastar hi to tha, mushkil se rotiyaan chalati hoangi. aur kya sahara hoga? unaki vipatti ki kalpana karake use rama ke prati uttejana, poorn ghrina huee ki vah udasin n rah saki. usake man mean aisa udveg utha ki is vakt vah a jayan to aisa dhikkarooan ki vah bhi yad karean. tum manushy ho! kabhi nahian. tum manushy ke roop mean rakshas ho, rakshas! tum itane nich ho ki usako prakat karane ke lie koee shabd nahian hai. tum itane nich ho ki aj kamine se kamina adami bhi tumhare oopar thook

raha hai. tumhean kisi ne pahale hi kyoan n mar dala. in adamiyoan ki jan to jati hi, par tumhare muanh mean to kalikh n lagati. tumhara itana patan hua kaise! jisaka pita itana sachcha, itana eemanadar ho, vah itana lobhi, itana kayar!

sham ho gee, par devidin n aya. jalapa bar-bar khi daki par kh di ho-hokar idhar-udhar dekhati thi, par devidin ka pata n tha. dhire-dhire ath baj ge aur devi n lauta. sahasa ek motar dvar par akar rooki aur rama ne utarakar jaggo se poochha, ‘sab kushal-mangal hai n dadi! dada kahaan ge haian?’

jaggo ne ek bar usaki or dekha aur muanh udhar liya. keval itana boli, ‘kahian ge hoange, maian nahian janati.’

rama ne sone ki char choodiyaan jeb se nikalakar jaggo ke pairoan par rakh dian aur bola, ‘yah tumhare lie laya hooan dadi, pahano, dhili to nahian haian?’

jaggo ne choodiyaan uthakar zamin par patak dian aur aankheanan nikalakar boli, ‘jahaan itana pap sama sakata hai, vahaan char choodiyoan ki jagah nahian hai! bhagavan ki daya se bahut choodiyaan pahan chuki aur ab bhi ser-do ser sona pada hoga, lekin jo khaya, pahana, apani mihanat ki kamaee se, kisi ka gala nahian dabaya, pap ki gathari sir par nahian ladi, niyat nahian biga di. us

kokh mean ag lage jisane tum jaise kapoot ko janm diya. yah pap ki kamaee lekar tum bahoo ko dene ae hoge! samajhate hoge, tumhare rupayoan ki thaili dekhakar vah lattoo ho jaegi. itane din usake sath rahakar bhi tumhari lobhi aankheanan use n pahachan sakian. tum jaise rakshas us devi ke jog n the. agar apani kusal chahate ho, to inhian pairoan jahaan se ae ho vahian laut jao, usake samane jakar kyoan apana pani utaravaoge. tum aj pulis ke hathoan jakhmi hokar, mar

khakar ae hote, tumhean saza ho gee hoti, tum jehal mean dal die ge hote to bahoo tumhari pooja karati, tumhare charan dho-dhokar piti. vah un auratoan mean hai jo chahe majoori karean, upas karean, phate-chith de pahanean, par kisi ki buraee nahian dekh sakatian. agar tum mere l dake hote, to tumhean zahar de deti. kyoan kh de mujhe jala rahe ho chale kyoan nahian jate. maianne tumase kuchh le to nahian liya hai?

rama sir jhukae chupachap sunata raha. tab ahat svar mean bola, ‘dadi, maianne buraee ki hai aur isake lie marate dam tak lajjit rahooanga, lekin tum mujhe jitana nich samajh rahi ho, utana nich nahian hooan. agar tumhean maloom hota ki pulis ne mere sath kaisi-kaisi sakhtiyaan kian, mujhe kaisi-kaisi dhamakiyaan dian, to tum mujhe rakshas n kahatian.’

jalapa ke kanoan mean in avazoan ki bhanak p di. usane jine se jhaankakar dekha. ramanath khada tha. sir par banarasi reshami safa tha, resham ka badhiya kot, aankhoan par sunahali ainak. is ek hi mahine mean usaki deh nikhar aee thi. rang bhi adhik gora ho gaya tha. aisi kaanti usake chehare par kabhi n dikhaee di thi. usake aantim shabd jalapa ke kanoan mean p d ge, baj ki tarah tootakar dham-dham karati huee niche aee aur zahar mean bujhe hue nobanoan ka us par prahar karati huee boli, ‘agar tum sakhtiyoan aur dhamakiyoan se itana dab sakate ho, to tum kayar ho tumhean apane ko manushy kahane ka koee adhikar nahian. kya sakhtiyaan ki thian? zara sunooan! logoan ne to hansate-hansate sir kata lie haian, apane betoan ko marate dekha hai, kolhoo mean pele jana manjoor kiya hai, par sachchaee se jaubhar bhi nahian hate, tum bhi to adami ho, tum kyoan dhamaki mean a ge? kyoan nahian

chhati kholakar kh de ho ge ki ise goli ka nishana bana lo, par maian jhooth n bolooanga. kyoan nahian sir jhuka diya- deh ke bhitar isilie atma rakkhi gee hai ki deh usaki raksha kare. isalie nahian ki usaka sarvanash kar de. is pap ka kya puraskar mila? zara maloom to ho!

rama ne dabi huee avaz se kaha, ‘abhi to kuchh nahian .’

jalapa ne sarpini ki bhaanti phuankarakar kaha,yah sunakar mujhe badi khushi huee! eeshvar kare, tumhean muanh mean kalikh lagakar bhi kuchh n mile! meri yah sachche dil se prarthana hai, lekin nahian, tum jaise mom ke putaloan ko pulis vale kabhi naraz n kareange. tumhean koee jagah milegi aur shayad achchhi jagah mile, magar jis jal mean tum phanse ho, usamean se nikal nahian sakate. jhoothi gavahi, jhoothe mukadame banana aur pap ka vyapar karana hi tumhare bhagy mean likh gaya. jao shauk

se ziandagi ke sukh looto. maianne tumase pahale hi kah diya tha aur aj phir kahati hooan ki mera tumase koee nata nahian hai. maianne samajh liya ki tum mar ge. tum bhi samajh lo ki maian mar gee. bas, jao. maian aurat hooan. agar koee dhamakakar mujhase pap karana chahe, to chahe use n mar sayan, apani gardan par chhuri chala dooangi. kya tumamean auratoan ke barabar bhi himmat nahian hai?

rama ne bhikshukoan ki bhaanti gi dagidakar kaha, ‘tum mera koee ujr n sunogi?’

jalapa ne abhiman se kaha,’nahian!’

‘to maian muanh mean kalikh lagakar kahian nikal jaooan?’’

‘tumhari khushi!’

‘tum mujhe kshama n karogi?’

‘kabhi nahian, kisi tarah nahian!’

rama ek kshan sir jhukae khada raha, tab dhire-dhire baramade ke niche jakar jaggo se bola, ‘

dadi, dada aean to kah dena, mujhase zara der mil lean. jahaan kahean, a jaooan?’

jaggo ne kuchh pighalakar kaha, ‘kal yahian chale ana.’

rama ne motar par baithate hue kaha, ‘yahaan ab n aooanga, dadi!’

motar chali gee to jalapa ne kutsit bhav se kaha, ‘motar dikhane ae the, jaise

kharid hi to lae hoan!’

jaggo ne bhartsana ki, ‘tumhean itana belagam n hona chahie tha, bahoo! dil par chot lagati hai, to adami ko kuchh nahian soojhata.’

jalapa ne nishthurata se kaha, ‘aise hayadar nahian haian, dadi! isi sukh ke lie to atma bechib unase yah sukh bhala kya chhoda jayaga. poochha nahian, dada se milakar kya karoge? vah hote to aisi phatakar sunate ki chhathi ka doodh yad a jata.’

jaggo ne tiraskar ke bhav se kaha, ‘tumhari jagah maian hoti to mere muanh se aisi batean n nikalatian. tumhara hiya bada kathor hai. doosara mard hota to is tarah chupaka-chupaka sunata- maian to thar-thar kaanp rahi thi ki kahian tumhare oopar hath n chala de, magar hai bada gamakhor.‘

jalapa ne usi nishthurata se kaha, ‘ise gamakhori nahian kahate dadi, yah behayaee hai.’

devidin ne akar kaha, ‘kya yahaan bhaiya ae the? mujhe motar par raste mean dikhaee die the.’

jaggo ne kaha, ‘haan, ae the. kah ge haian, dada mujhase zara mil lean.’

devidin ne udasin hokar kaha, ‘mil looanga. yahaan koee batachit huee?’

jaggo ne pachhatate hue kaha, ‘batachit kya huee, pahale maianne pooja ki, maian chup huee to bahoo ne achchhi tarah phal-mala chadhaee.‘

jalapa ne sir nicha karake kaha, ‘adami jaisa karega, vaisa bhogega.’

jaggo—‘apana hi samajhakar to milane ae the.’

jalapa—‘koee bulane to n gaya tha. kuchh dinesh ka pata chala, dada!’

devidin—‘haan, sab poochh aya. habade mean ghar hai. pata-thikana sab maloom ho gaya.’

jalapa ne darate-darate kaha, ‘is vakt chaloge ya kal kisi vakt?’

devidin—‘tumhari jaisi marajib ji jahe isi bakhat chalo, maian taiyar hooan.

jalapa—‘thak ge hoge?’

devidin—‘in kamoan mean thakan nahian hoti beti.‘

ath baj ge the. s dak par motaroan ka taanta bandh hua tha. s dak ki donoan patariyoan par hazaroan stri-purush bane-thane, hansate-bolate chale jate the. jalapa ne socha, duniya kaisi apane rag-rang mean mast hai. jise usake lie marana ho mare, vah apani tev n chho degi. har ek apana chhota-sa mitti ka gharauanda banae baitha hai. desh bah jae, use parava nahian. usaka gharauanda bach rahe! usake svarth mean badha n p de. usaka bhola-bhala hriday bazar ko band dekhakar khush hota. sabhi adami shok se sir jhukae, tyoriyaan badale unmabha-se nazar ate. sabhi ke chehare bhitar ki jalan se lal hote. vah n janati thi ki is jan-sagar mean aisi chhoti-chhoti kankadiyoan ke girane se ek halkora bhi nahian uthata, avaz tak nahian ati.

sanbandhit lekh

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