ग़बन उपन्यास भाग-49

jalapa ne chhootate hi kaha, ‘zohara –‘ aisa mat kaho maian khidamat nahian kar rahi hooan, apane papoan ka prayashchitta kar rahi hooan. maian bahut dudyakhi hooan. mujhase badi abhagini sansar mean n hogi.’

maianne anajan banakar kaha, ‘isaka matalab maian nahian samajhi.’

jalapa ne samane takate hue kaha, ‘kabhi samajh jaogi. mera prayashchitt is janm mean n poora hoga. isake lie mujhe kee janm lene p deange.’ ‘maianne kaha,tum to mujhe chakkar mean dale deti ho, bahan! meri samajh mean kuchh nahian a raha hai. jab tak tum ise samajha n dogi, maian tumhara gala n chhodooangi.’ jalapa ne ek lanbi saans lekar kaha, ‘zohara –‘ kisi bat ko khud chhipae rahana isase zyada asan hai ki doosaroan par vah bojh rakkhooan.’ maianne art kanth se kaha, ‘haan, pahali mulakat mean agar apako mujh par itana etabar n ho, to maian apako ilazam n dooangi, magar kabhi n kabhi apako mujh par etabar karana p dega. maian apako chhodooangi nahian.’

kuchh door tak ham donoan chupachap chalati rahian, ekaek jalapa ne kaanpati huee avaz mean kaha, ‘zohara –‘ agar is vakt tumhean maloom ho jay ki maian kaun hooan, to shayad tum napharat se muanh udhar logi aur mere sae se bhi door bhagogi.’

in larjieanshoan mean n maloom kya jadoo tha ki mere sare roean kh de ho ge. yah ek ranj aur sharm se bhare hue dil ki avaz thi aur isane meri syah ziandagi ki soorat mere samane kh di kar di. meri aankhoan mean aansoo bhar ae. aisa ji mean aya ki apana sara svaang khol dooan. n jane unake samane mera dil kyoan aisa ho gaya tha. maianne b de-bade kaiean aur chhante hue shohadoan aur pulis-aphasaroan ko chapar-gattoo banaya hai, par unake samane maian jaise bhigi billi bani huee thi. phir maianne jane kaise apane ko sanbhal liya. maian boli to mera gala bhi bhara hua tha, ‘yah tumhara khayal phalat hai devi!’

‘shayad tab maian tumhare pairoan par phir p dooangi. apani ya apanoan ki buraiyoan par sharminda hona sachche diloan ka kam hai.’

jalapa ne kaha, ‘lekin tum mera hal janakar karogi kya bas, itana hi samajh lo ki ek garib abhagin aurat hooan, jise apane hi jaise abhage aur garib adamiyoan ke sath milane-julane mean anand ata hai.’

‘isi tarah vah bar-bar talati rahi, lekin maianne pichha n chhoda, akhir usake muanh se bat nikal hi li.’

rama ne kaha, ‘yah nahian, sab kuchh kahana p dega.’

zohara—‘ab adhi rat tak ki katha kahaan tak sunaooan. ghantoan lag jaeange. jab maian bahut pichhe p di, to unhoanne akhir mean kaha,maian usi mukhabir ki badanasib aurat hooan, jisane in kaidiyoan par yah agat dhaee hai. yah kahate-kahate vah ro p dian. phir zara avaz ko sanbhalakar bolian,ham log ilahabad ke rahane vale haian. ek aisi bat huee ki inhean vahaan se bhagana p da. kisi se kuchh kaha n suna, bhag ae. kee mahinoan mean pata chala ki vah yahaan haian.’

rama ne kaha, ‘isaka bhi qissa hai. tumase bataooanga kabhi, jalapa ke siva aur kisi ko yah n soojhati.

zohara boli,’yah sab maianne doosare din jan liya. ab maian tumhare ragarag se vakiph ho gee. jalapa meri saheli hai. shayad hi apani koee bat unhoanne mujhase chhipaee ho kahane lagian,zohara –‘ maian badi musibat mean phansi huee hooan. ek taraph to ek adami ki jan aur kee khanadanoan ki tabahi hai, doosari taraph apani tabahi hai. maian chahooan, to aj in saboan ki jan bacha sakati hooan. maian adalat ko aisa saboot de sakati hooan ki phir mukhabir ki shahadat ki koee haisiyat hi n rah jayagi, par mukhabir ko saza se nahian bacha sakati. bahan, is duvidha mean maian p di narak ka kasht jhel rahi hooan. n yahi hota hai ki in logoan ko marane dooan, aur n yahi ho sakata hai ki rama ko ag mean jhoank dooan. yah kahakar vah ro p dian aur bolian, bahan, maian khud mar jaooangi, par unaka anisht mujhase n hoga. nyay par unhean bheant nahian kar sakati. abhi dekhati hooan, kya phaisala hota hai. nahian kah

sakati, us vakt maian kya kar baithooan. shayad vahian haeekort mean sara qissa kah sunaooan, shayad usi din zahar khakar so rahooan.‘

itane mean devidin ka ghar a gaya. ham donoan vida huee. jalapa ne mujhase bahut isarar kiya ki kal isi vakt gir ana. din?bhar to unhean bat karane ki phurasat nahian rahati. bas vahi sham ko mauqa milata tha. vah itane rupaye jama kar dena chahati haian ki kam-se-kam dinesh ke ghar valoan ko koee takaliph n ho do sau rupaye se zyada jama kar chuki haian. maianne bhi paanch rupaye die. maianne do-ek bar zikr kiya ki ap in jhag doan mean n padie, apane ghar chali jaie,

lekin maian saph-saph kahati hooan, maianne kabhi zor dekar yah bat n kahi. jabajab maianne isaka ishara kiya, unhoanne aisa muanh banaya, goya vah yah bat sunana bhi nahian chahatian. mere muanh se poori bat kabhi n nikalane paee. ek bat hai, ‘kaho to kahooan?’

rama ne mano oopari man se kaha, ‘kya bat hai?’

zohara—‘dipti sahab se kah dooan, vah jalapa ko ilahabad pahuancha dean. unhean koee takaliph n hogi. bas do auratean unhean steshan tak batoan mean laga le jaeangi. vahaan ga di taiyar milegi, vah usamean baitha di jaeangi, ya koee aur tadabir socho.’

rama ne zohara ki aankhoan se aankh milakar kaha, ‘kya yah munasib hoga?’

zohara ne sharamakar kaha, ‘munasib to n hoga.’

rama ne chatapat joote pahan lie aur zohara se poochha, ‘devidin ke hi ghar par rahati hai n?’

zohara uth kh di huee aur usake samane akar boli, ‘to kya is vakt jaoge?’

ramanath—‘haan zohara –‘ isi vakt chala jaooanga. bas, unase do batean karake us taraph chala jaooanga jahaan mujhe ab se bahut pahale chala jana chahie tha.’ zohara—‘magar kuchh soch to lo, natija kya hoga.’

ramanath—‘sab soch chuka, zyada-se zyada tin?char sal ki kaid darogabayani ke jurm mean, bas ab rookhasat, bhool mat jana zohara –‘ shayad phir kabhi mulakat ho!’

rama baramade se utarakar sahan mean aya aur ek kshan mean phatak ke bahar tha. daraban ne kaha, ‘huzoor ne darogaji ko ittala kar di hai?’

ramanath—‘isaki koee zaroorat nahian.’

chaukidar—‘maian zara unase poochh looan. meri rozi kyoan le rahe haian, huzoor?’

rama ne koee javab n diya. tezi se s dak par chal khada hua. zohara nispand kh di use hasarat-bhari aankhoan se dekh rahi thi. rama ke prati aisa pyar, aisa vikal karane vala pyar use kabhi n hua tha. jaise koee virabala apane priyatam ko samarabhoomi ki or jate dekhakar garv se phali n samati ho chaukidar ne lapakakar daroga se kaha. vah bechare khana khakar lete hi the. ghabarakar nikale, rama ke pichhe dau de aur pukara, ‘baboo sahab, zara sunie to, ek minat rook jaie, isase kya fayada,kuchh maloom to ho, ap kahaan ja rahe haian?akhir bechare ek bar thokar khakar gir p de. rama ne lautakar unhean uthaya aur poochha, ‘kahian chot to nahian aee?’

daroga –‘koee bat n thi, zara thokar kha gaya tha. akhir ap is vakt kahaan ja rahe haian?sochie to isaka natiza kya hoga?’

ramanath—‘maian ek ghante mean laut aooanga. jalapa ko shayad mukhaliphoan ne bahakaya hai ki haeekort mean ek arji de de. zara use jakar samajhaooanga.’

daroga –‘yah apako kaise maloom hua?’

ramanath—‘zohara kahian sun aee hai.’

daroga –‘badi bevapha aurat hai. aisi aurat ka to sir kat lena chahie.’

ramanath—‘isilie to ja raha hooan. ya to isi vakt use steshan par bhejakar aooanga, ya is buri tarah pesh aooanga ki vah bhi yad karegi. zyada batachit ka mauqa nahian hai. rat-bhar ke lie mujhe is kaid se azad kar dijie. ’

daroga –‘maian bhi chalata hooan, zara thahar jaie.’

ramanath—‘ji nahian, bilakul mamala big d jaega. maian abhi ata hooan.’

daroga lajavab ho ge. ek minat tak kh de sochate rahe, phir laut p de aur zohara se batean karate hue pulis steshan ki taraph chale ge. udhar rama ne age badhakar ek taanga kiya aur devidin ke ghar ja pahuancha. jalapa dinesh ke ghar se lauti thi aur baithi jaggo aur devidin se batean kar rahi thi. vah in dinoan ek hi vakt khana khaya karati thi. itane mean rama ne niche se avaz di. devidin usaki avaz pahachan gaya. bola, ‘bhaiya haian sayat.’

jalapa—‘kah do, yahaan kya karane ae haian. vahian jayan.’

devidin—‘nahian beti, zara poochh to looan, kya kahate haian. is bakhat kaise unhean chhutati mili?’

jalapa—‘mujhe samajhane ae hoange aur kya! magar muanh dho rakkhean.’

devidin ne dvar khol diya. rama ne aandar akar kaha, ‘dada, tum mujhe yahaan dekhakar is vakt tajjub kar rahe hoge. ek ghante ki chhutati lekar aya hooan. tum logoan se apane bahut se aparadhoan ko kshama karana tha. jalapa oopar haian?’ devidin bola, ‘haan, haian to. abhi aee haian, baitho, kuchh khane ko laooan!’

ramanath—‘nahian, maian khana kha chuka hooan. bas, jalapa se do batean karana chahata hooan.’

devidin—‘vah maneangi nahian, nahak shamiooda hona p dega. manane vali aurat nahian hai.’ ramanath—‘mujhase do-do batean kareangi ya meri soorat hi nahian dekhana chahatian?zara jakar poochh lo.’

devidin—‘isamean poochhana kya hai, donoan baithi to haian, jao. tumhara ghar jaise tab tha vaise ab bhi hai.’

ramanath—‘nahian dada, unase poochh lo. maian yoan n jaooanga.’

devidin ne oopar jakar kaha,’tumase kuchh kahana chahate haian, bahoo!’

jalapa muanh latakakar boli,’to kahate kyoan nahian, maianne kuchh zaban band kar di hai? jalapa ne yah bat itane zor se kahi thi ki niche rama ne bhi sun li. kitani nirmamata thi! usaki sari milan-lalasa mano u d gee. niche hi se kh de-kh de bola, ‘vah agar mujhase nahian bolana chahatian, to koee jabaradasti nahian. maianne jaj sahab se sara kachcha chitatha kah sunane ka nishchay kar liya hai. isi irade se is vakt chala hooan. meri vajah se inako itane kasht hue, isaka mujhe khed hai. meri akl par parada padahua tha. svarth ne mujhe aandha kar rakkha tha. pranoan ke moh ne, kashtoan ke bhay ne buddhi har li thi. koee grah sir par savar tha. inake anushthanoan ne us grah ko shaant kar diya. shayad do-char sal ke lie sarakar ki mehamani khani p de. isaka bhay nahian. jita raha to phir bheant hogi. nahian meri buraiyoan ko maph karana aur mujhe bhool jana. tum bhi devi dada aur dadi, mere aparadh kshama karana. tum logoan ne mere oopar jo daya ki hai, vah marate dam tak n bhoolooanga. agar jita lauta, to shayad tum logoan ki kuchh seva kar sakooan. meri to ziandagi satyanash ho gee. n din ka hua n duniya ka. yah bhi kah dena ki unake gahane maianne hi churae the. sarraph ko dene ke lie rupaye n the. gahane lautana zaroori tha, isilie vah kukarm karana p da. usi ka phal aj tak bhog raha hooan aur shayad jab tak pran n nikal jaeange, bhogata rahooanga. agar usi vakt sagaee se sari katha kah di hoti, to chahe us vakt inhean

bura lagata, lekin yah vipatti sir par n ati. tumhean bhi maianne dhokha diya tha. dada, maian brahman nahian hooan, kayasth hooan, tum jaise devata se maianne kapat kiya. n jane isaka kya dand milega. sab kuchh kshama karana. bas, yahi kahane aya tha.’

rama baramade ke niche utar padaaur tezi se qadam uthata hua chal diya. jalapa bhi kothe se utari, lekin niche aee to rama ka pata n tha. baramade ke niche utarakar devidin se boli, ‘kidhar ge haian dada?’ devidin ne kaha, ‘maianne kuchh nahian dekha, bahoo! meri aankhean aansoo se bhari huee thian. vah ab n mileange. dau date hue ge the. ’

jalapa kee minat tak s dak par nispand-si kh di rahi. unhean kaise rok looan! is vakt vah kitane dukhi haian, kitane nirash haian! mere sir par n jane kya shaitan savar tha ki unhean bula n liya. bhavishy ka hal kaun janata hai. n jane kab bheant hogi. vivahit jivan ke in do-dhaee saloan mean kabhi usaka hriday anurag se itana prakanpit n hua tha. vilasini roop mean vah keval prem

avaran ke darshan kar sakati thi. aj tyagini banakar usane usaka asali roop dekha, kitana manohar, kitana vishu', kitana vishal, kitana tejomay. vilasini ne premodyan ki divaroan ko dekha tha, vah usi mean khush thi. tyagini banakar vah us udyan ke bhitar pahuanch gee thi,kitana ramy drishy tha, kitani sugandh, kitana vaichitry, kitana vikas, isaki sugandh mean, isaki ramyata ka devatv bhara hua tha. prem apane uchchatar sthan par pahuanchakar devatv se mil jata hai. jalapa ko ab koee shanka nahian hai, is prem ko pakar vah janm-janmaantaroan tak saubhagyavati bani rahegi. is prem ne use viyog, paristhiti aur mrityu ke bhay se mukt kar diya,use abhay pradan kar diya. is prem ke samane ab sara sansar aur usaka akhand vaibhav tuchchh hai.

itane mean zohara a gee. jalapa ko patari par kh de dekhakar boli,’vahaan kaise kh di ho, bahan, aj to maian n a saki. chalo, aj mujhe tumase bahut - si batean karani haian.’

donoan oopar chali gee.

sanbandhit lekh

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