इंद्रजाल -जयशंकर प्रसाद

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

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gaanv ke bahar, ek chhote-se banjar mean kanjaroan ka dal p da tha. us parivar mean tattoo, bhaianse aur kuttoan ko milakar ikkis prani the. usaka saradar maikoo, lambi-chau di haddiyoanvala ek adhe d purush tha. daya-maya usake pas phatakane nahian pati thi. usaki ghani dadhi aur mooanchhoan ke bhitar prasannata ki hansi chhipi hi rah jati. gaanv mean bhikh maangane ke lie jab kanjaroan ki striyaan jatian, to unake lie maikoo ki ajna thi ki kuchh n milane par apane bachchoan ko nirdayata se grihasth ke dvar par jo stri n patak degi, usako bhayanak dand milega.

us nirday jhund mean ganevali ek ladaqi thi. aur ek baansuri bajanevala yuvak. ye donoan bhi ga-bajakar jo pate, vah maikoo ke charanoan mean lakar rakh dete. phir bhi goli aur bela ki prasannata ki sima n thi. un donoan ka nity sampark hi unake lie svargiy sukh tha. in ghumakk doan ke dal mean ye donoan vibhinn ruchi ke prani the. bela bediऩ thi. maan ke mar jane par apane sharabi aur akarmany pita ke sath vah kanjaroan ke hath lagi. apani mata ke gane-bajane ka sanskar usaki nas-nas mean bhara tha. vah bachapan se hi apani mata ka anukaran karati huee alapati rahati thi.

shasan ki kathorata ke karan kanjaroan ka daka aur l dakiyoan ke churane ka vyapar band ho chala tha. phir bhi maikoo avasar se nahian chookata. apane dal ki unnati mean barabar laga hi rahata. is tarah goli ke bap ke mar jane par-jo ek chatur nat tha-maikoo ne usaki khel ki pitari ke sath goli par bhi adhikar jamaya. goli mahuar to bajata hi tha, par bela ka sath hone par usane baansuri bajane mean abhyas kiya. pahale to usaki nat-vidya mean bela bhi manoyog se lagi; kintu donoan ko bhanumati vali pitari dhokar do-char paise kamana achchha n laga. donoan ko maloom hua ki darshak us khel se adhik usaka gana pasand karate haian. donoan ka jhukav usi or hua. paisa bhi milane laga. in navagantuk bahariyoan ki kanjaroan ke dal mean pratishtha badhi.

bela saanvali thi. jaise pavas ki meghamala mean chhipe hue alokapind ka prakash nikharane ki adamy cheshta kar raha ho, vaise hi usaka yauvan sugathit sharir ke bhitar udvelit ho raha tha. goli ke sneh ki madira se usaki kajarari aankhean lali se bhari rahatian. vah chalati to thirakati huee, batean karati to hansati huee. ek mithas usake charoan or bikhari rahati. phir bhi goli se abhi usaka byah nahian hua tha.

goli jab baansuri bajane lagata, tab bela ke sahityahin git jaise prem ke madhury ki vyakhya karane lagate. gaanv ke log usake gitoan ke lie kanjaroan ko shighr hatane ka udyog nahian karate! jahaan apane sadasyoan ke karan kanjaroan ka vah dal ghrina aur bhay ka patr tha, vahaan goli aur bela ka sangit akarshan ke lie paryapt tha; kintu isi mean ek vyakti ka avaanchhaniy sahayog bhi avashyak tha. vah tha bhoore, chhoti-si dhol lekar use bhi bela ka sath karana p data.

bhoore sachamuch bhoora bhediy़a tha. goli adharoan se baansuri lagaye arddhanimilit aankhoan ke antaral se, bela ke mukh ko dekhata hua jab hriday ki phooank se baans ke tuk de ko anupranit kar deta, tab vikat ghrina se ta dit hokar bhoore ki bhayanak thap dhol par jati. kshan-bhar ke lie jaise donoan chauank uthate.

us din thakur ke gadh mean bela ka dal gane ke lie gaya tha. puraskar mean kap de-rupaye to mile hi the; bela ko ek aangoothi bhi mili thi. maikoo un sabako dekhakar prasann ho raha tha. itane mean siraki ke bahar kuchh halla sunaee p da. maikoo ne bahar akar dekha ki bhoore aur goli mean l daee ho rahi thi. maikoo ke karkash svar se donoan bhayabhit ho gaye. goli ne kaha-‘‘maian baitha tha, bhoore ne mujhako galiyaan dian. phir bhi maian n bola, is par usane mujhe pair se thokar laga di.’’

‘‘aur yah samajhata hai ki meri baansuri ke bina bela ga hi nahian sakati. mujhase kahane laga ki aj tum dholak betal baja rahe the.’’ bhoore ka kanth krodh se bharraya hua tha.

maikoo hans p da. vah janata tha ki goli yuvak hone par bhi sukumar aur apane prem ki madhuri mean vihval, lajila aur nirih tha. apane ko pramanit karane ki cheshta usamean thi hi nahian. vah aj jo kuchh ugr ho gaya, isaka karan hai keval bhoore ki pratidvandvita.

bela bhi vahaan a gayi thi. usane ghrina se bhoore ki or dekhakar kaha-

‘to kya tum sachamuch betal nahian baja rahe the?’

‘‘maian betal n bajaooanga, to doosara kaun bajayega. ab to tumako naye yar n mile haian. bela! tujhako maloom nahian tera bap mujhase tera byah thik karake mara hai. isi bat par maianne use apana naipali ka dogala tattoo de diya tha, jis par ab bhi too chadhaqar chalati hai.’’ bhoore ka muanh krodh ke jhag se bhar gaya tha. vah aur bhi kuchh bakata; kintu maikoo ki daant p di. sab chup ho gaye.

us nirjan prant mean jab andhakar khule akash ke niche taroan se khel raha tha, tab bela baithi kuchh gunaguna rahi thi.

kanjaroan ki jhop diyoan ke pas hi palash ka chhota-sa jangal tha. unamean bela ke git gooanj rahe the. jaise kamal ke pas madhukar ko jane se koee rok nahian sakata; usi tarah goli bhi kab mananevala tha. aj usake nirih hriday mean sangharsh ke karan atmavishvas ka janm ho gaya tha. apane prem ke lie, apane vastavik adhikar ke lie jhag dane ki shakti utpann ho gayi thi. usaka chhura kamar mean tha. hath mean baansuri thi. bela ki gunagunahat band hote hi baansuri mean goli usi tan ko duharane laga. donoan van-vihangam ki tarah us aandhere kanan mean kilakarane lage. aj prem ke avesh ne avaran hata diya tha, ve nachane lage. aj taroan ki kshin jyoti mean hriday-se-hriday mile, poorn aveg mean. aj bela ke jivan mean yauvan ka aur goli ke hriday mean paurush ka pratham unmesh tha.

kintu bhoora bhi vahaan ane se nahian ruka. usake hath mean bhi bhayanak chhura tha. aliangan mean abaddh bela ne chitkar kiya. goli chhatakakar door ja kh da hua, kintu ghav ochha laga.

bagh ki tarah jhapatakar goli ne doosara var kiya. bhoore samhal n saka. phir tisara var chalana hi chahata tha ki maikoo ne goli ka hath pak d liya. vah niche sir kiye kh da raha.

maikoo ne k dak kar kaha-‘‘bela, bhoore se tujhe byah karana hi hoga. yah khel achchha nahian.’’

usi kshan sari batean goli ke mastak mean chhaya-chitr-si nach uthian. usane chhura dhire se gira diya. usaka hath chhoot gaya. jab bela aur maikoo bhoore ka hath pak dakar le chale, tab goli kahaan ja raha hai, isaka kisi ko dhyan n raha.

bhag 2

kanjar-parivar mean bela bhoore ki stri mani jane lagi. bela ne bhi sir jhuka kar ise svikar kar liya. parantu use palash ke jangal mean sandhya ke samay jane se koee bhi nahian rok sakata tha. use jaise sayankal mean ek halaka-sa unmad ho jata. bhoore ya maikoo bhi use vahaan jane se rokane mean asamarth the. usaki dridhata-bhari aankhoan se ghor virodh nachane lagata.

barasat ka arambh tha. gaanv ki or se pulis ke pas koee virodh ki soochana bhi nahian mili thi. gaanv valoan ki chhuri-hansiya aur kath-kaba d ke kitane hi kam banakar ve log paise lete the. kuchh ann yoan bhi mil jata. chidiy़aan pak dakar, pakshiyoan ka tel banakar, j di-booti ki dava tatha uttejak aushadhiyoan aur madira ka vyapar karake, kanjaroan ne gaanv tatha gadh ke logoan se sadh‌bhav bhi bana liya tha. sabake oopar akarshak baansuri jab usake sath nahian bajati thi, tab bhi bela ke gale mean ek aisi nayi tis utpann ho gayi thi, jisamean baansuri ka svar sunaee p data tha.

antar mean bhare hue nishphal prem se yuvati ka saundary nikhar aya tha. usake kataksh alas, gati madir aur vani jhankar se bhar gayi thi. thakur sahab ke gadh mean usaka gana pray: hua karata tha.

chhiant ka ghaghara aur choli, us par gote se dhanki huee odhani sahaj hi khisakati rahati. kahana n hoga ki adha gaanv usake lie pagal tha. balak pas se, yuvak thik-thikane se aur boodhe apani maryada, adarshavadita ki raksha karate hue door se usaki tan sunane ke lie, ek jhalak dekhane ke lie ghat lagaye rahate.

gadh ke chauk mean jab usaka gana jamata, to doosara kam karate hue anyamanaskata ki a d mean manoyog se aur kanakhiyoan se thakur use dekh liya karate.

maikoo ghagh tha. usane ta d liya. us din sangit band hone par puraskar mil jane par aur bhoore ke sath bela ke gadh ke bahar jane par bhi maikoo vahian tho di der tak kh da raha. thakur ne use dekhakar poochha-‘kya hai?’

‘‘sarakar! kuchh kahana hai.’’

‘‘kya?’’

‘‘yah chhokari is gaanv se jana nahian chahati. udhar pulis tang kar rahi hai.’’

‘‘jana nahian chahati, kyoan?’’

‘‘vah to ghoom-gham kar gadh mean a jati hai. khane ko mil jata hai....’’

maikoo age ki bat chup hokar kuchh-kuchh sanket-bhari muskarahat se kah dena chahata tha.

thakur ke man mean halachal hone lagi. use dabakar pratishtha ka dhyan karake thakur ne kaha-

‘‘to maian kya karooan?’’

‘‘sarakar! vah to saanjh hote hi palash ke jangal mean akeli chali jati hai. vahian baithi huee b di rat tak gaya karati hai.’’

‘‘hooan!’’

‘‘ek din sarakar dhamaka dean, to ham log use le-dekar age kahian chale jayan.’’

‘‘achchha.’’

maikoo jal phailakar chala aya. ek hazar ki bohani ki kalpana karate vah apani siraki mean baithakar huqqa gu dagu dane laga.

bela ke sundar aang ki megh-mala premarashi ki rajat-rekha se udh‌bhasit ho uthi thi. usake hriday mean yah vishvas jam gaya tha ki bhoore ke sath ghar basana goli ke prem ke sath vishvasaghat karana hai. usaka vastavik pati to goli hi hai. bela mean yah uchchhrinkhal bhavana vikat tandav karane lagi. usake hriday mean vasant ka vikas tha. umang mean malayanil ki gati thi. kanth mean vanasthali ki kakali thi. aankhoan mean kusumotsav tha aur pratyek andolan mean parimal ka udgar tha. usaki madakata barasati nadi ki tarah vegavati thi.

aj usane apane joo de mean jangali karauande ke phooloan ki mala lapetakar, bhari masti mean jangal ki or chalane ke lie pair badhaya, to bhoore ne daantakar kaha-‘‘kahaan chali?’’

‘‘yar ke pas.’’ usane chhootate hi kaha. bela ke sahavas mean ane par apani laghuta ko janate hue masosakar bhoore ne kaha-‘‘too khoon karaye bina chain n legi.’’

bela ki aankhoan mean goli ka aur usake parivardhaman premaankur ka chitr tha, jo usake hat jane par virah-jal se hara-bhara ho utha tha. bela palash ke jangal mean apane bichhu de hue priyatam ke uddeshy se do-char virah-vedana ki tanoan ki pratidhvani chho d ane ka kalpanik sukh nahian chho d sakati thi.

us ekant sandhya mean barasati jhilliyoan ki jhanakar se vayumandal gooanj raha tha. bela apane parichit palash ke niche baithakar gane lagi-

chinhat nahian badal gaye naina....

aisa maloom hota tha ki sachamuch goli us andhakar mean aparichit ki tarah muanh phirakar chala ja raha hai. bela ki manovedana ko pahachanane ki kshamata usane kho di hai.

bela ka ekant mean virah-nivedan usaki bhav-pravanata ko aur bhi uttejit karata tha. palash ka jangal usaki katar kuhuk se gooanj raha tha. sahasa us nistabdhata ko bhang karate hue gho de par savar thakur sahab vahaan a pahuanche.

‘‘are bela! too yahaan kya kar rahi hai?’’

bela ki svar-lahari ruk gayi thi. usane dekha thakur sahab! mahatv ka sampoorn chitr, kee bar jise usane apane man ki asanyat kalpana mean durgam shail-shriang samajhakar apane bhram par apani hansi u da chuki thi. vah sakuch kar kh di ho rahi. boli nahian, man mean soch rahi thi-‘‘goli ko chho dakar bhoore ke sath rahana kya uchit hai? aur nahian to phir....’’

thakur ne kaha-‘‘to tumhare sath koee nahian hai. koee janavar nikal ave, to?’’

bela khilakhila kar hans p di. thakur ka pramad badh chala tha. gho de se jhukakar usaka kandha pak date hue kaha, ‘‘chalo, tumako pahuancha dean.’’

usaka sharir kaanp raha tha, aur thakur avesh mean bhar rahe the. unhoanne kaha-‘‘bela, mere yahaan chalogi?’’

‘‘bhoore mera pati hai!’’ bela ke is kathan mean bhayanak vyang tha. vah bhoore se chhutakara pane ke lie taras rahi thi. usane dhire se apana sir thakur ki jaangh se sata diya. ek kshan ke lie donoan chup the. phir usi samay andhakar mean do moortiyoan ka pradurbhav hua. kathor kanth se bhoore ne pukara-‘‘bela!’’

thakur savadhan ho gaye the. unaka hath bagal ki talavar ki mooth par ja p da. bhoore ne kaha-‘‘jangal mean kisalie too ati thi, yah mujhe aj maloom hua. chal, tera khoon piye bina n chho dooanga.’’

thakur ke aparadh ka arambh to unake man mean ho hi chuka tha. unhoanne apane ko chhipane ka prayatn chho d diya. k dakakar bole-‘‘khoon karane ke pahale apani bat bhi soch lo, tum mujh par sandeh karate ho, to yah tumhara bhram hai. maian to....’’

ab maikoo age aya. usane kaha-‘‘sarakar! bela ab kanjaroan ke dal mean nahian rah sakegi.’’

‘‘to tum kya kahana chahate ho?’’ thakur sahab apane mean a rahe the, phir bhi ghatana-chakr se vivash the.

‘‘ab yah apake pas rah sakati hai. bhoore ise lekar ham logoan ke sang nahian rah sakata.’’ maikoo poora khila di tha. usake samane us andhakar mean rupaye chamak rahe the.

thakur ko apane ahankar ka ashray mila. tho da-sa vivek, jo us andhakar mean jhilamila raha tha, bujh gaya. unhoanne kaha-

‘‘tab tum kya chahate ho?’’

‘‘ek hajar.’’

‘‘chalo, mere sath’’-kahakar bela ka hath pak dakar thakur ne gho de ko age badhaya. bhoore kuchh bhunabhuna raha tha; par maikoo ne use doosari or bhejakar thakur ka sang pak d liya. bela rikab pak de chali ja rahi thi.

doosare din kanjaroan ka dal us gaanv se chala gaya.

bhag 3

oopar ki ghatana ko kee sal bit gaye. bela thakur sahab ki ekamatr premika samajhi jati hai. ab usaki pratishtha any kul-badhuoan ki tarah hone lagi hai. naye upakaranoan se usaka ghar sajaya gaya hai. ustadoan se gana sikha hai. gadh ke bhitar hi usaki chhoti-si saph-suthari haveli hai. thakur sahab ki umang ki ratean vahian katati haian. phir bhi thakur kabhi-kabhi pratyaksh dekh pate ki bela unaki nahian hai! vah n jane kaise ek bhram mean p d gaye. bat nibahane ki a p di.

ek din ek nat aya. usane anek tarah ke khel dikhalaye. usake sath usaki stri thi, vah ghooanghat ooancha nahian karati thi. khel dikhalakar jab apani pitari lekar jane laga, to kuchh manachale logoan ne poochha-

‘‘kyoan ji, tumhari stri koee khel nahian karati kya?’’

‘‘karati to hai sarakar! phir kisi din dikhalaooanga.’’ kahakar vah chala gaya; kintu usaki baansuri ki dhun bela ke kanoan mean unmad ka ahvan suna rahi thi. pianj de ki van-vihangani ko vasant ki phooli huee dali ka smaran ho aya tha.

doosare din gadh mean bhari jamaghat laga. goli ka khel jam raha tha. sab log usake hast-kaushal mean mugdh the. sahasa usane kaha-

‘‘sarakar! ek b da bhari daity akash mean a gaya hai, maian usase l dane jata hooan, meri stri ki raksha ap log kijiyega.’’

goli ne ek dori nikalakar usako oopar akash ki or pheanka. vah sidhi tan gayi. sabake dekhate-dekhate goli usi ke sahare akash mean chadhaqar adrishy ho gaya. sab log mugdh hokar bhavishy ki pratiksha kar rahe the. kisi ko yah dhyan nahian raha ki stri ab kahaan hai.

gadh ke phatak ki or sabaki drishti phir gayi. goli lahoo se ranga chala a raha tha. usane akar thakur ko salam kiya aur kaha-‘‘sarakar! maianne us daity ko hara diya. ab mujhe inam milana chahie.’’

sab log us par prasann hokar paisoan-rupayoan ki bauchhar karane lage. usane jholi bharakar idhar-udhar dekha, phir kaha-

‘‘sarakar meri stri bhi ab milani chahie, maian bhi....’’ kintu yah kya, vahaan to usaki stri ka pata nahian. goli sir pak dakar shok-mudra mean baith gaya. jab khojane par usaki stri nahian mili, to usane chillakar kaha-‘‘yah anyay is rajy mean nahian hona chahie. meri sundari stri ko thakur sahab ne gadh ke bhitar kahian chhipa diya. meri yogini kah rahi hai.’’ sab log hansane lage. logoan ne samajha, yah koee doosara khel dikhalane ja raha hai. thakur ne kaha-‘‘to too apani sundar stri mere gadh mean se khoj la!’’ andhakar hone laga tha. usane jaise ghab dakar charoan or dekhane ka abhinay kiya. phir aankh mooandakar sochane laga.

logoan ne kaha-‘‘khojata kyoan nahian? kahaan hai teri sundari stri?’’

‘‘to jaooan n sarakar?’’

‘‘haan, haan, jata kyoan nahian’’-thakur ne bhi hansakar kaha.

goli nayi haveli ki or chala. vah ni:shank bhitar chala gaya. bela baithi huee tanmay bhav se bahar ki bhi d jharokhe se dekh rahi thi. jab usane goli ko samip ate dekha, to vah kaanp uthi. koee dasi vahaan n thi. sab khel dekhane mean lagi thian. goli ne potali pheankakar kaha-‘‘bela! jald chalo.’’

bela ke hriday mean tivr anubhooti jag uthi thi. ek kshan mean us din bhikhari ki tarah-jo ek mutthi bhikh ke badale apana samast sanchit ashirvad de dena chahata hai-vah varadan dene ke lie prastut ho gayi. mantr-mugdh ki tarah bela ne us odhani ka ghooanghat banaya. vah dhire-dhire usake pichhe bhi d mean a gayi. taliyaan pitian. hansi ka thahaka laga. vahi ghooanghat, n khulane vala ghooanghat sayankalin samir se hil kar rah jata tha. thakur sahab hans rahe the. goli donoan hathoan se salam kar raha tha.

rat ho chali thi. bhi d ke bich goli bela ko liye jab phatak ke bahar pahuancha, tab ek l dake ne akar kaha-‘‘ekka thik hai.’’

tinoan sidhe us par jakar baith gaye. ekka veg se chal p da.

abhi thakur sahab ka darabar jam raha tha aur nat ke kheloan ki prashansa ho rahi thi.

sanbandhit lekh

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