ग़बन उपन्यास भाग-48

sare din rama udveg ke jangaloan mean bhatakata raha. kabhi nirasha ki aandhakaramay ghatiyaan samane a jatian, kabhi asha ki laharati huee hariyali . zohara gee bhi hogi ? yahaan se to bade. lanbe-chau de vade karake gee thi. use kya garaz hai? akar kah degi, mulakat hi nahian huee. kahian dhokha to n degi? jakar dipti sahab se sari katha kah sunae. bechari jalapa par baithe-bithae aphat a jay. kya zohara itani nich prakriti ki ho sakati hai? kabhi nahian, agar zohara itani bevapha, itani dagabaz hai, to yah duniya rahane ke layaq hi nahian. jitani jald adami muanh mean kalikh lagakar doob mare, utana hi achchha. nahian, zohara mujhase daga n karegi. use vah din yad ae, jab usake daftar se ate hi jalapa lapakakar usaki jeb tatolati thi aur rupaye nikal leti thi. vahi jalapa aj itani satyavadini ho gee. tab vah pyar karane ki vastu thi, ab vah

upasana ki vastu hai. jalapa maian tumhare yogy nahian hooan. jis ooanchaee par tum mujhe le jana chahati ho, vahaan tak pahuanchane ki shakti mujhamean nahian hai. vahaan pahuanchakar shayad chakkar khakar phir padooanb maian ab bhi tumhare charanoan mean sir jhukata hooan. maian janata hooan, tumane mujhe apane hriday se nikal diya hai, tum mujhase virakt ho gee ho, tumhean ab mere doobane ka duahkh hai n tairane ki khushi, par shayad ab bhi mere marane ya kisi ghor sankat mean phans jane ki khabar pakar tumhari aankhoan se aansoo nikal aeange. shayad tum meri lash dekhane ao. ha! pran hi kyoan nahian

nikal jate ki tumhari nigah mean itana nich to n rahooan. rama ko ab apani us galati par ghor pashchatap ho raha tha, jo usane jalapa ki bat n manakar ki thi.agar usane usake adeshanusar jaj ke ijalas mean apana bayan badal diya hota, dhamakiyoan mean n ata, himmat mazaboot rakhata, to usaki yah dasha kyoan hoti? use vishvas tha, jalapa ke sath vah sari kathinaiyaan jhel jata. usaki shraddha aur prem ka kavach pahanakar vah ajey ho jata. agar use phaansi bhi ho jati, to vah hansate-khelate us par chadhajata. magar pahale usase chahe jo bhool huee, is vakt to vah bhool se nahian, jalapa ki khatir hi yah kasht bhog raha tha. kaid jab bhogana hi hai, to use ro-rokar bhogane se to yah kahian achchha hai ki hans-hansakar bhoga jay. akhir pulisadhikariyoan ke dil mean apana vishvas jamane ke lie vah aur kya karata! yah dusht jalapa ko satate, usaka apaman karate, us par jhoothe mukadame chalakar use saza dilate. vah dasha to aur bhi asahy hoti. vah durbal tha, sab apaman sah sakata tha, jalapa to shayad pran hi de deti.

use aj jnat hua ki vah jalapa ko chho d nahian sakata, aur zohara ko tyag dena bhi usake lie asanbhav-sa jan p data tha. kya vah donoan ramaniyoan ko prasann rakh sakata tha?kya is dasha mean jalapa usake sath rahana svikar karegi? kabhi nahian. vah shayad use kabhi kshama n karegi! agar use yah maloom bhi ho jaye ki usi ke lie vah yah yatana bhog raha hai, to vah use kshama n karegi. vah kahegi, mere lie tumane apani atma ko kyoan kalankit kiya-

maian apani raksha ap kar sakati thi. vah dinabhar isi udho d-bun mean padaraha. aankhean s dak ki or lagi huee thian. nahane ka samay tal gaya, bhojan ka samay tal gaya b kisi bat ki parava n thi. akhabar se dil bahalana chaha, upanyas lekar baitha, magar kisi kam mean bhi chitt n laga. aj darogaji bhi nahian ae. ya to rat ki ghatana se rusht ya lajjit the. ya kahian bahar chale ge. rama ne kisi se is vishay mean kuchh poochha bhi nahian .

sabhi durbal manushyoan ki bhaanti rama bhi apane patan se lajjit tha. vah jab ekaant mean baithata, to use apani dasha par duahkh hota,kyoan usaki vilasavritti itani prabal hai? vah itana vivek-shoony n tha ki adhogati mean bhi prasann rahata, lekin jyoanhi aur log a jate, sharab ki botal a jati, zohara samane akar baith jati, usaka sara vivek aur dharm-jnan bhrasht ho jata. rat ke das baj ge, par zohara ka kahian pata nahian. phatak band ho gaya. rama ko ab usake ane ki asha n rahi, lekin phir bhi usake kan lage hue the. kya bat huee- kya jalapa use mili hi nahian ya vah gee hi nahian?

usane irada kiya agar kal zohara n aee, to usake ghar par kisi ko bhejooanga. use do-ek jhapakiyaan ai aur sabera ho gaya. phir vahi vikalata shuroo huee. kisi ko usake ghar bhejakar bulavana chahie. kam-se-kam yah to maloom ho jay ki vah ghar par hai ya nahian.

daroga ke pas jakar bola, ‘rat to ap ape mean n the.’

daroga ne eershyako chhipate hue kaha, ‘yah bat n thi. maian mahaz apako chhe d raha tha.’

ramanath—‘zohara rat aee nahian , zara kisi ko bhejakar pata to lagavaie, bat kya hai. kahian naraz to nahian ho gee?’

daroga ne bedili se kaha, ‘use garaz hoga khud aegi. kisi ko bhejane ki zaroorat nahian hai.’

rama ne phir agrah n kiya. samajh gaya, yah hazarat rat big d ge. chupake se chala aya. ab kisase kahe, sabase yah bat kahana lajjaspad maloom hota tha. log samajheange, yah mahashay ek hi rasiya nikale. daroga se to tho disi ghanishthata ho gee thi.

ek haphte tak use zohara ke darshan n hue. ab usake ane ki koee asha n thi. rama ne socha, akhir bevapha nikali. usase kuchh asha karana meri bhool thi. ya mumakin hai, pulis-adhikariyoan ne usake ane ki manahi kar di ho kam-se-kam mujhe ek patr to likh sakati thi. mujhe kitana dhokha hua. vyarth usase apane dil ki bat kahi. kahian in logoan se n kah de, to

ulti aantean gale p d jayan, magar zohara bevaphaee nahian kar sakati. rama ki aantaratma isaki gavahi deti thi.is bat ko kisi tarah svikar n karati thi. shuroo ke das-paanch din to zaroor zohara ne use lubdh karane ki cheshta ki thi. phir anayas hi usake vyavahar mean parivartan hone laga tha. vah kyoan bar-bar sajal-no hokar kahati thi, dekho babooji, mujhe bhool n jana. usaki vah hasarat bhari batean yad a-akar kapat ki shanka ko dil se nikal detian. zaroor koee n koee nee bat ho gee hai. vah aksar ekaant mean baithakar zohara ki yad karake bachchoan ki tarah rota. sharab se use ghrina ho gee. darogaji ate, ianspektar sahab ate par, rama ko unake sath das-paanch minat baithana bhi akharata. vah chahata tha, mujhe koee n chhede., koee n bole. rasoiya khane ko bulane ata, to use ghu dak deta. kahian ghoomane ya sair karane ki usaki ichchha hi n hoti. yahaan koee usaka hamadard n tha, koee usaka mitr n tha, ekaant mean man-mare baithe rahane mean hi usake chitt ko shaanti hoti thi. usaki smritiyoan mean bhi ab koee anand n tha. nahian, vah smritiyaan bhi mano usake hriday se mit gee thian. ek prakar ka virag usake dil par chhaya rahata tha.

satavaan din tha. ath baj ge the. aj ek bahut achchha film hone vala tha. ek prem-katha thi. darogaji ne akar rama se kaha, to vah chalane ko taiyar ho gaya. kap de pahan raha tha ki zohara a pahuanchi. rama ne usaki taraph ek bar aankh uthakar dekha, phir aine mean apane bal sanvarane laga. n kuchh bola, n kuchh kaha. haan, zohara ka vah sada, abharanahin svaroop dekhakar

use kuchh ashchary avashy hua. vah keval ek saphed sa di pahane hue thi. abhooshan ka ek tar bhi usaki deh par n tha. hoanth murajhae hue aur chehare par kridamay chanchalata ki jagah tejamay ganbhirata jhalak rahi thi. vah ek minat kh di rahi, tab rama ke pas jakar boli, ‘kya mujhase

naraz ho? bekasoor, bina kuchh poochhe-gachhe ?’

rama ne phir bhi kuchh javab n diya. joote pahanane laga. zohara ne usaka hath pak dakar kaha, ‘kya yah khaphagi isalie hai ki maian itane dinoan aee kyoan nahian!’

rama ne rookhaee se javab diya, ‘agar tum ab bhi n atian, to mera kya akhtiyar tha. tumhari daya thi ki chali aee!’ yah kahane ke sath use khayal aya ki maian isake sath anyay kar

raha hooan. lajjit najaroan se usaki or takane laga. zohara ne muskarakar kaha, ‘yah achchhi dillagi hai. apane hi to ek kam sauanpa aur jab vah kam karake lauti to ap big d rahe haian. kya tumane vah kam itana asan samajha tha ki chutaki bajane mean poora ho jaega. tumane

mujhe us devi se varadan lene bheja tha, jo oopar se phal hai, par bhitar se patthar, jo itani najuk hokar bhi itani mazaboot hai.‘

rama ne bedili se poochha, ‘hai kahaan? kya karati hai? ‘

zohara—‘usi dinesh ke ghar haian, jisako phaansi ki saza ho gee hai. usake do bachche haian, aurat hai aur maan hai. dinabhar unhian bachchoan ko khilati hai, budhiya ke lie nadi se pani lati hai. ghar ka sara kam-kaj karati hai aur unake lie bade.-bade adamiyoan se chanda maang lati hai. dinesh ke ghar mean n koee jayadad thi, n rupaye the. log badi takaliph mean the. koee madadagar tak n tha, jo jakar unhean dhadhas to deta. jitane sathi-sohabati the, sab-ke-sab muanh chhipa baithe.do-tin phake tak ho chuke the. jalapa ne jakar unako zila liya.’

rama ki sari bedili kafoor ho gee. joota chho d diya aur kursi par baithakar bole, ‘tum kh di kyoan ho, shuroo se batao, tumane to bich mean se kahana shuroo kiya. ek bat bhi mat chho dana. tum pahale usake pas kaise pahuanchi- pata kaise laga?’

zohara—‘kuchh nahian, pahale usi devidin khatik ke pas gee. usane dinesh ke ghar ka pata bata diya. chatapat ja pahuanchi.‘

ramanath—‘tumane jakar use pukara- tumhean dekhakar kuchh chauanki nahian? kuchh jhijhaki to zaroor hogi!

zohara muskarakar boli,maian is roop mean n thi. devidin ke ghar se maian apane ghar gee aur brahma-samaji ledi ka svaang bhara. n jane mujhamean aisi kaunasi bat hai, jisase doosaroan ko phauran pata chal jata hai ki maian kaun hooan, ya kya hooan. aur brahmanoan- lediyoan ko dekhati hooan, koee unaki taraph aankhean tak nahian uthata. mera pahanava-odhava vahi hai, maian bh dakile kap de ya phajool ke gahane bilakul nahian pahanati. phir bhi sab meri taraph aankhean pha d- pha dakar dekhate haian. meri asaliyat nahian chhipati. yahi khauph mujhe tha ki kahian jalapa bhaanp n jay, lekin maianne daant khoob saf kar lie the. pan ka nishan tak n tha. maloom hota tha kisi kalej ki ledi tichar hogi. is shakl mean maian vahaan pahuanchi. aisi soorat bana li ki vah kya, koee bhi n bhaanp sakata tha. parada dhanka rah gaya. maianne dinesh ki maan se kaha, ‘maian yahaan yoonivarsiti mean padhati hooan. apana ghar muanger batalaya. bachchoan ke lie mithaee le gee thi. hamadard ka part khelane gee thi, aur mera khayal

hai ki maianne khoob khela, donoan auratean bechari rone lagian. maian bhi jabt n kar saki. unase kabhi-kabhi milate rahane ka vada kiya. jalapa isi bich mean gangajal liye pahuanchi. maianne dinesh ki maan se bangala mean poochha, ‘kya yah kaharin hai? usane kaha, nahian, yah bhi tumhari hi tarah ham logoan ke duahkh mean sharik hone a gee hai. yahaan inaka shauhar kisi daftar mean naukar hai. aur to kuchh nahian maloom, roz sabere a jati haian aur bachchoan ko khelane le jati haian. maian apane hath se gangajal

laya karati thi. mujhe rok diya aur khud lati haian. hamean to inhoanne jivan-dan diya. koee age-pichhe n tha. bachche dane-dane ko tarasate the. jab se yah a gee haian, hamean koee kasht nahian hai. n jane kis shubh karm ka yah varadan hamean mila hai.

us ghar ke samane hi ek chhota-sa park hai. mahalle-bhar ke bachche vahian khela karate haian. sham ho gee thi, jalapa devi ne donoan bachchoan ko sath liya aur park ki taraph chalian. maian jo mithaee le gee thi, usamean se boodhi ne ek- ek mithaee donoan bachchoan ko di thi. donoan kood-koodakar nachane lage. bachchoan ki is khushi par mujhe rona a gaya. donoan mithaiyaan khate hue jalapa ke sath ho lie. jab park mean donoan bachche khelane lage, tab jalapa se meri batean hone lagian! rama ne kursi aur qarib khianch li, aur age ko jhuk gaya. bola,tumane kis tarah batachit shuroo ki.

zohara –‘ ‘kah to rahi hooan. maianne poochha, ‘jalapa devi, tum kahaan rahati ho? ghar ki donoan auratoan se tumhari badaee sunakar tumhare oopar ashik ho gee hooan.‘

ramanath—‘yahi laphj kaha tha tumane?’

zohara—‘haan, jara mazak karane ki soojhi. meri taraph tajjub se dekhakar boli,tum to bangalin nahian maloom hotian. itani saf hiandi koee bangalin nahian bolati. maianne kaha, ‘maian muanger ki rahane vali hooan aur vahaan musalamani auratoan ke sath bahut milati-julati rahi hooan. apase kabhi-kabhi milane ka ji chahata hai. ap kahaan rahati haian. kabhi-kabhi do gh di ke lie chali aooangi. apake

sath gh di bhar baithakar maian bhi adamiyat sikh jaooangi. jalapa ne sharamakar kaha, ‘tum to mujhe banane lagian, kahaan tum kalejaki padhane vali, kahaan maian apadhaganvar aurat. tumase milakar maian alabatta adami ban jaooangi. jab ji chahe, yahian chale ana. yahi mera ghar samajho.

maianne kaha, ‘tumhare svamiji ne tumhean itani azadi de rakkhi hai. bade. achchhe khayaloan ke adami hoange. kis daftar mean naukar haian?’

jalapa ne apane nakhoonoan ko dekhate hue kaha, ‘pulis mean ummedavar haian.’

maianne tajjub se poochha, ‘pulis ke adami hokar vah tumhean yahaan ane ki azadi dete haian?’

jalapa is prashn ke lie taiyar n maloom hoti thi. kuchh chauankakar boli, ‘vah mujhase kuchh nahian kahate---maianne unase yahaan ane ki bat nahian kahi--vah ghar bahut kam ate haian. vahian pulis valoan ke sath rahate haian.’

unhoanne ek sath tin javab die. phir bhi unhean shak ho raha tha ki inamean se koee javab itminan ke layaq nahian hai. vah kuchh khisiyani-si hokar doosari taraph takane lagi. maianne poochha, ‘tum apane svami se kahakar kisi tarah meri mulakat us mukhabir se kara sakati ho, jisane in kaidiyoan ke khilaf gavahi di hai? ramanath ki aankhean phail gee aur chhati dhak-dhak karane lagi. johara boli, ‘yah sunakar jalapa ne mujhe chubhati huee aankhoan se dekhakar poochha,tum unase milakar kya karogi?’

maianne kaha, ‘tum mulakat kara sakati ho ya nahian, maian unase yahi poochhana chahati hooan ki tumane itane adamiyoan ko phansakar kya paya? dekhooangi vah kya javab dete haian?’

jalapa ka chehara sakht p d gaya. boli, ‘vah yah kah sakata hai, maianne apane phayade ke lie kiya! sabhi adami apana fayada sochate haian. maianne bhi socha.’ jab pulis ke saik doan adamiyoan se koee yah prashn nahian karata, to usase yah prashn kyoan kiya jay? isase koee fayada nahian.

maianne kaha, ‘achchha, man lo tumhara pati aisi mukhabiri karata, to tum kya karatian?

jalapa ne meri taraph sahami huee aankhoan se dekhakar kaha, ‘tum mujhase yah saval kyoan karati ho, tum khud apane dil mean isaka javab kyoan nahian dhooandhatian?’

maianne kaha,’maian to unase kabhi n bolati, n kabhi unaki soorat dekhati.’

jalapa ne ganbhir chianta ke bhav se kaha, ‘shayad maian bhi aisa hi samajhati,ya n samajhati,kuchh kah nahian sakati. akhir pulis ke aphasaroan ke ghar mean bhi to auratean haian, ve kyoan nahian apane adamiyoan ko kuchh kahatian, jis tarah unake hriday apane maradoan ke-se ho ge haian, sanbhav hai, mera hriday bhi vaisa hi ho jata.’

itane mean aandhera ho gaya. jalapadevi ne kaha, ‘mujhe der ho rahi hai. bachche sath haian. kal ho sake to phir miliega. apaki batoan mean bada anand ata hai.’

maian chalane lagi, to unhoanne chalate-chalate mujhase kaha,’zaroor aiega. vahian maian milooangi. apaka iantazar karati rahooangi.’lekin das hi qadam ke bad phir rookakar bolian, ‘maianne apaka nam to

poochha hi nahian. abhi tumase batean karane se ji nahian bhara. der n ho rahi ho to ao, kuchh der gap-shap karean.’

maian to yah chahati hi thi. apana nam zohara batala diya. rama ne poochha, ‘sach!’

zohara- ‘haan, haraj kya tha. pahale to jalapa bhi zara chauanki, par koee bat n thi. samajh gee, bangali musalaman hogi. ham donoan usake ghar gee. us zarase kathaghare mean n jane vah kaise baithati haian. ek til bhi jagah nahian. kahian matake haian, kahian pani, kahian khat, kahian bichhavanab sil aur badaboo se nak phati jati thi. khana taiyar ho gaya tha. dinesh ki bahoo baratan dho rahi thi. jalapa ne use utha diya,jakar bachchoan ko khilakar sula do, maian baratan dhoe deti hooan. aur

khud baratan maanjane lagian. unaki yah khidamat dekhakar mere dil par itana asar hua ki maian bhi vahian baith gee aur maanje hue baratanoan ko dhone lagi. jalapa ne mujhe vahaan se hat jane ke lie kaha, par maian n hatib, barabar baratan dhoti rahi. jalapa ne tab pani ka mataka alag hatakar kaha, ‘maian pani n dooangi, tum uth jao, mujhe badi sharm ati hai, tumhean meri kasam, hat jao, yahaan ana to tumhari saza ho gee, tumane aisa kam apani ziandagi mean kyoan kiya hoga! maianne kaha, ‘tumane bhi to kabhi nahian kiya hoga, jab tum karati ho, to mere lie kya haraj hai.’

jalapa ne kaha, ‘meri aur bat hai.’

maianne poochha, ‘kyoan? jo bat tumhare lie hai, vahi mere lie bhi hai. koee mahari kyoan nahian rakh leti ho?’

jalapa ne kaha, ‘mahariyaan ath-ath rupaye maangati haian.’

maian boli, ‘maian ath rupaye mahina de diya karooangi.’

jalapa ne aisi nigahoan se meri taraph dekha, jisamean sachche prem ke sath sachcha ullas, sachcha ashirvad bhara hua tha. vah chitavan! ah! kitani pakiza thi, kitani pak karane vali. unaki is begaraj khidamat ke samane mujhe apani ziandagi kitani jalil, kitani kabile nagarat maloom ho rahi thi. un baratanoan ke dhone mean mujhe jo anand mila, use maian bayan nahian kar sakati.

baratan dhokar uthian, to budhiya ke paanv dabane baith gee. maian chupachap kh di thi. mujhase bolian, ‘tumhean der ho rahi ho to jao, kal phir ana. maianne kaha, ‘nahian, maian tumhean tumhare ghar pahuanchakar udhar hi se nikal jaooangi. garaj nau baje ke bad vah vahaan se chalian. raste mean maianne kaha, ‘jalapa—‘ tum sachamuch devi ho.’

sanbandhit lekh

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