नशा -प्रेमचंद

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

eeshvari ek b de zamiandar ka l daka tha aur maian ek garib klark ka, jisake pas mehanat-majoori ke siva aur koee jayadad n thi. ham donoan mean paraspar bahasean hoti rahati thian. maian jamiandari ki buraee karata, unhean hiansak pashu aur khoon choosane vali joank aur vrikshoan ki choti par phoolane vala banjha kahata. vah jamiandaroan ka paksh leta, par svabhavat: usaka pahaloo kuchh kamazor hota tha, kyoanki usake pas jamiandaroan ke anukool koee dalil n thi. vah kahata ki sabhi manushy barabar nahian hote, chhote-b de hamesha hote rahate haian aur hote raheange, lachar dalil thi. kisi manushiy ya naitik niyam se is vyavastha ka auchity siddh karana kathin tha. maian is vad-vivad ki garmi-garmi mean aksar tej ho jata aur lagane vali bat kah jata, lekin eeshvari harakar bhi muskarata rahata tha. maianne use kabhi garm hote nahian dekha. shayad isaka karan yah tha ki vah apane paksh ki kamazori samajhata tha. naukaroan se vah sidhe muanh bat nahian karata tha. amiroan mean jo ek bedardi aur uddandata hoti hai, isamean use bhi prachur bhag mila tha. naukar ne bistar lagane mean jara bhi der ki, doodh zaroorat se zyada garm ya thanda hua, saikil achchhi tarah saf nahian huee, to vah ape se bahar ho jata. susti ya badatamiji use jara bhi baradasht n thi, par dostoan se aur visheshakar mujhase usaka vyavahar sauhard aur namrata se bhara hua hota tha. shayad usaki jagah maian hota, to mujhamean bhi vahian kathorataean paida ho jatian, jo usamean thian, kyoanki mera lokaprem siddhaantoan par nahian, niji dashaoan par tika hua tha, lekin vah meri jagah hokar bhi shayad amir hi rahata, kyoanki vah prakriti se hi vilasi aur aishvary-priy tha.

abaki dashahare ki chhuttiyoan mean maianne nishchay kiya ki ghar n jaooanga. mere pas kiraye ke lie rupaye n the aur n gharavaloan ko takaliph dena chahata tha. maian janata hooan, ve mujhe jo kuchh dete haian, vah unaki haisiyat se bahut zyada hai, usake sath hi pariksha ka khyal tha. abhi bahut kuchh padhana hai, bordig haus mean bhoot ki tarah akele p de rahane ko bhi ji n chahata tha. isalie jab eeshvari ne mujhe apane ghar ka nevata diya, to maian bina agrah ke raji ho gaya. eeshvari ke sath pariksha ki taiyari khoob ho jayagi. vah amir hokar bhi mehanati aur jahin hai.

usane isake sath hi kaha- lekin bhaee, ek bat ka khyal rakhana. vahaan agar jamiandaroan ki nianda ki, to muamila big d jayaga aur mere gharavaloan ko bura lagega. vah log to asamiyoan par isi dave se shasan karate haian ki eeshvar ne asamiyoan ko unaki seva ke lie hi paida kiya hai. asami bhi yahi samajhata hai. agar use sujha diya jay ki zamiandar aur asami mean koee maulik bhed nahian hai, to jamiandari ka kahian pata n lage.

maianne kaha- to kya tum samajhate ho ki maian vahaan jakar kuchh aur ho jaooanga?

‘haan, maian to yahi samajhata hooan.’

‘tum galat samajhate ho.‘

eeshvari ne isaka koee javab n diya. kadachith usane is muamale ko mere vivek par chho d diya. aur bahut achchha kiya. agar vah apani bat par a data, to maian bhi zid pak d leta.

2

sekeand klas to kya , maianne kabhi iantar klas mean bhi saphar n kiya tha. abaki sekeand klas mean saphar ka saubhagy prapt hua. ga di to nau baje rat ko ati thi, par yatra ke harsh mean ham sham ko steshan ja pahuanche. kuchh der idhar-udhar sair karane ke bad riphreshameant room mean jakar ham logoan ne bhojan kiya. meri vesh-bhoosha aur rang-dhang se parakhi khanasamoan ko yah pahachanane mean der n lagi ki malik kaun hai aur pichhalaggoo kaun; lekin n jane kyoan mujhe unaki gustakhi buri lag rahi thi. paise eeshvari ki jeb se gaye. shayad mere pita ko jo vetan milata hai, usase zyada in khanasamoan ko inam- ikaram mean mil jata ho. ek athanni to chalate samay eeshvari hi ne di. ‍phir bhi maian un saboan se usi tatparata aur vinay ki apeksha karata tha, jisase ve eeshvari ki seva kar rahe the. eeshvari ke hukm par sab-ke-sab daudate haian, lekin maian koee chiz maangata hooan, to utana utsah nahian dikhate! mujhe bhojan mean kuchh svad n mila. yah bhed mere dhyan ko sanpoorn roop se apani or khianche hue tha.

ga di ayi, ham donoan savar hue. khanasamoan ne eeshveri ko salam kiya. meri or dekha bhi nahian.

eeshvari ne kaha- kitane tamijadar haian ye sab. ek hamare naukar haian ki koee kam karane ka dhang nahian.

maianne khatte man se kaha- isi tarah agar tum apane naukaroan ko bhi ath ane roj inam diya karo, to shayad inase zyada tamijadar ho jayean.

‘to kya tum samajhate ho, yah sab keval inam ke lalach se itana adab karate haian.’

‘ji nahian, kadapi nahian! tamij aur adab to inake rakt mean mil gaya hai.’

ga di chali. dak thi. prayag se chali to pratapagadh jakar rooki. ek adami ne hamara kamara khola. maian turant chilla utha- doosara daraja hai- sekeand klas hai.

us musaphir ne dibbe ke aandar akar meri or ek vichitr upeksha ki drishti se dekhakar kaha- ji haan, sevak itana samajhata hai, aur bich vale barth par baith gaya. mujhe kitani lajja ayi, kah nahian sakata.

bhor hote-hote ham log muradabad pahuanche. steshan par kee adami hamara svagat karane ke lie kh de the. do bhadr purush the. paanch begar. begaroan ne hamara lagej uthaya. donoan bhadr purush pichhe-pichhe chale. ek musalaman tha riyasat ali, doosara brahman tha ramaharakh. donoan ne meri or aparichit netroan se dekha, mano kah rahe haian, tum kauve hokar hans ke sath kaise?

riyasat ali ne eeshvari se poochha- yah baboo sahab kya apake sath padhate haian?

eeshvari ne javab diya- haan, sath padhate bhi haian aur sath rahate bhi haian. yoan kahie ki ap hi ki badaulat maian ilahabad p da hua hooan, nahian kab ka lakhanoo chala aya hota. abaki maian inhean ghasit laya. inake ghar se kee tar a chuke the, magar maianne inakari-javab dilava diye. akhiri tar to arjeant tha, jisaki phis char ane prati shabd hai, par yahaan se bhi usaka javab inkari hi gaya.

donoan sajjanoan ne meri or chakit netroan se dekha. atankit ho jane ki cheshta karate jan p de.

riyasat ali ne arddhashanka ke svar mean kaha- lekin ap b de sade libas mean rahate haian.

eeshvari ne shanka nivaran ki- mahatma gaandhi ke bhakt haian sahab. khaddar ke siva kuchh pahanate hi nahian. purane sare kap de jala dale. yoan kaho ki raja haian. dhaee lakh salana ki riyasat hai, par apaki soorat dekho to maloom hota hai, abhi anathalay se pak dakar aye haian.

ramaharakh bole- amiroan ka aisa svabhav bahut kam dekhane mean ata hai. koee bhaanp hi nahian sakata.

riyasat ali ne samarthan kiya- apane maharaja chaangali ko dekha hota to daantoan tale uangali dabate. ek gadhe ki mirjee aur chamaraudhe joote pahane bazaroan mean ghooma karate the. sunate haian, ek bar begar mean pak de gaye the aur unhian ne das lakh se kalej khol diya.

maian man mean kata ja raha tha; par n jane kya bat thi ki yah saphed jhooth us vakt mujhe hasyaspad n jan p da. usake pratyek vaky ke sath manoan maian us kalpit vaibhav ke samipatar ata jata tha.

maian shahasavar nahian hooan. haan, l dakapan mean kee bar laddoo gho doan par savar hua hooan. yahaan dekha to do kalaan-ras gho de hamare lie taiyar kh de the. meri to jan hi nikal gee. savar to hua, par botiyaan kaanp rahi thian. maianne chehare par shikan n p dane diya. gho de ko eeshvari ke pichhe dal diya. khairiyat yah huee ki eeshvari ne gho de ko tej n kiya, varana shayad maian hath-pair tu davakar lautata. sanbhav hai, eeshv‍ri ne samajh liya ho ki yah kitane pani mean hai.

3

eeshvari ka ghar kya tha, kila tha. imamaba de ka-sa phatak, dvar par paharedar tahalata hua, naukaroan ka koee hisab nahian, ek hathi bandha hua. eeshvari ne apane pita, chacha, taoo adi sabase mera parichay karaya aur usi atishyokti ke sath. aisi hava baandhi ki kuchh n poochhie. naukar- chakar hi nahian, ghar ke log bhi mera samman karane lage. dehat ke jamiandar, lakhoan ka munapha, magar pulis kansatebil ko aphasar samajhane vale. kee mahashay to mujhe huzoor-huzoor kahane lage.

jab jara ekaant hua, to maianne eeshvari se kaha- tum b de shaitan ho yar, meri mitti kyoan palid kar rahe ho?

eeshvari ne dridh muskan ke sath kaha- in gadhoan ke samane yahi chal zaroori thi, varana sidhe muanh bolate bhi nahian.

jara der ke bad naee hamare paanv dabane aya. kuanvar log steshan se aye haian, thak gaye hoange. eeshvari ne meri or ishara karake kaha- pahale kuanvar sahab ke paanv daba.

maian charapaee par leta hua tha. mere jivan mean aisa shayad hi kabhi hua ho ki kisi ne mere paanv dabaye hoan. maian ise amiroan ke chochale, reesoan ka gadhapan aur b de adamiyoan ki mutamaradi aur jane kya-kya kahakar eeshvari ka parihas kiya karata aur aj maian pot doan ka rees banane ka svaang bhar raha tha.

itane mean das baj gaye. purani sabhyata ke log the. nayi roshani abhi keval paha d ki choti tak pahuanch payi thi. aandar se bhojan ka bulava aya. ham snan karane chale. maian hamesha apani dhoti khud chhaant liya karata hooan; magar yahaan maianne eeshvari ki hi bhaanti apani dhoti bhi chho d di. apane hathoan apani dhoti chhaantate sharm a rahi thi. aandar bhojan karane chale. hostal mean joote pahale mej par ja datate the. yahaan paanv dhona avashyayak tha. kahar pani liye kh da tha. eeshvari ne paanv badha diye. kahar ne usake paanv dhoye. maianne bhi paanv badha diye. kahar ne mere paanv bhi dhoye. mera vah vichar n jane kahaan chala gaya tha.

4

socha tha, vahaan dehat mean ekagr hokar khoob padheange, par yahaan sara din sair-sapate mean kat jata tha. kahian nadi mean bajare par sair kar rahe haian, kahian machh‍liyoan ya chi diyoan ka shikar khel rahe haian, kahian pahalavanoan ki kushti dekh rahe haian, kahian shataranj par jame haian. eeshvari khoob aande mangavata aur kamare mean ‘stov’ par amalet banate. naukaroan ka ek jattha hamesha ghere rahata. apane hath-paanv hilane ki koee zaroorat nahian. keval jaban hila dena kafi hai. nahane baitho to adami nahalane ko hajir, leto to adami pankha jhalane ko kh de. maian mahatma gaandhi ka kuanvar chela mashahoor tha. bhitar se bahar tak meri dhak thi. nashte mean jara bhi der n hone paye, kahian kuanvar sahab naraz n ho jayean; bichhavan thik samay par lag jay, kuanvar sahab ke sone ka samay a gaya. maian eeshvari se bhi zyada najuk dimag ban gaya tha ya banane par majaboor kiya gaya tha. eeshvari apane hath se bistar bichhale lekin kuanvar mehaman apane hathoan se kaise apana bichhavan bichha sakate haian! unaki mahanata mean batta lag jayaga.

ek din sachamuch yahi bat ho gayi. eeshvari ghar mean tha. shayad apani mata se kuchh batachit karane mean der ho gayi. yahaan das baj gaye. meri aankhean niand se jhapak rahi thian, magar bistar kaise lagaooan? kuanvar jo thahara. koee sadhe gyarah baje mahara aya. b da muanhalaga naukar tha. ghar ke dhandhoan mean mera bistar lagane ki use sudhi hi n rahi. ab jo yad ayi, to bhaga hua aya. maianne aisi daant batayi ki usane bhi yad kiya hoga.

eeshvari meri daant sunakar bahar nikal aya aur bola- tumane bahut achchha kiya. yah sab haramakhor isi vyavahar ke yogy haian.

isi tarah eeshvari ek din ek jagah davat mean gaya hua tha. sham ho gayi, magar laimp mej par rakha hua tha. diyasalaee bhi thi, lekin eeshvari khud kabhi laimp nahian jalata tha. ‍‍phir kuanvar sahab kaise jalayean? maian jhuanjhala raha tha. samachar-patr aya rakha hua tha. ji udhar laga hua tha, par laimp nadarad. daivayog se usi vakt muanshi riyasat ali a nikale. maian unhian par ubal p da, aisi phatakar batayi ki bechara ulloo ho gaya- tum logoan ko itani fikr bhi nahian ki laimp to jalava do! maloom nahian, aise kamachor adamiyoan ka yahaan kaise gujar hota hai. mere yahaan ghante-bhar nirvah n ho. riyasat ali ne kaanpate hue hathoan se laimp jala diya.

vahaan ek thakur aksar aya karata tha. kuchh manachala adami tha, mahatma gaandhi ka param bhakt. mujhe mahatma ji ka chela samajhakar mera b da lihaz karata tha; par mujhase kuchh poochhate sankoch karata tha. ek din mujhe akela dekhakar aya aur hath baandhakar bola- sarakar to gaandhi baba ke chele haian n? log kahate haian ki yahaan suraj ho jayega to zamiandar n raheange.

maianne shan jamayi- jamiandaroan ke rahane ki zaroorat hi kya. hai? yah log gariboan ka khoon choosane ke siva aur kya karate hai?

thakur ne ‍phir poochha- to kyoan , sarakar, sab jamiandaroan ki zamin chhin li jaegi. maiannean kaha- bahut-se log to khushi se de deange. jo log khushi se n deange, unaki zamin chhinani hi p degi. ham log to taiyar baithe hue haian. jyoan hi svarajy hua, apane ilake asamiyoan ke nam hibba kar deange.

maian kurasi par paanv latakaye baitha tha. thakur mere paanv dabane laga. phir bola- ajakal zamiandar log b da julum karate haian sarakar! hamean bhi huzoor, apane ilake mean tho di-si zamin de dean, to chalakar vahian apaki seva mean rahean.

maianne kaha- abhi to mera koee akhtiyar nahian hai bhaee; lekin jyoan hi akhtiyar mila, maian sabase pahale tumhean bulaooanga. tumhean motar- draivari sikha kar apana draivar bana looanga.

suna, us din thakur ne khoob bhang pi aur apani stri ko khoob pita aur gaanv ke mahajan se l dane par taiyar ho gaya.

5

chhutti is tarah tamam huee aur ham phir prayag chale. gaanv ke bahut-se log ham logoan ko pahuanchane aye. thakur to hamare sath steshan tak aya. mainean bhi apana part khoob saphaee se khela aur apani kuberochit vinay aur devatv ki muhar harek hriday par laga di. ji to chahata tha, harek naukar ko achchha inam dooan, lekin vah samarthy kahaan thi? vapasi tikat tha hi, keval ga di mean baithana tha; par ga di ayi to thasathas bhari huee. durgapooja ki chhuttiyaan bhogakar sabhi log laut rahe the. sekeand klas mean til rakhane ki jagah nahian. iantar klas ki halat usase bhi badatar. yah akhiri ga di thi. kisi tarah rook n sakate the. b di mushkil se tisare daraje mean jagah mili. hamare aishvary ne vahaan apana rang jama liya, magar mujhe usamean baithana bura lag raha tha. aye the aram se lete-lete, ja rahe the siku de hue. pahaloo badalane ki bhi jagah n thi.

kee adami padhe-likhe bhi the! ve apas mean aangreji rajy ki tariph karate ja rahe the. ek mahashay bole- aisa nyay to kisi rajy mean nahian dekha. chhote-b de sab barabar. raja bhi kisi par anyay kare, to adalat usaki gardan daba deti hai.

doosare sajjan ne samarthan kiya- are sahab, ap khud badashah par dava kar sakate haian. adalat mean badashah par digri ho jati hai.

ek adami, jisaki pith par b da gatthar bandha tha, kalakatte ja raha tha. kahian gathari rakhane ki jagah n milati thi. pith par baandhe hue tha. isase bechain hokar bar-bar dvar par kh da ho jata. maian dvar ke pas hi baitha hua tha. usaka bar-bar akar mere muanh ko apani gathari se rag dana mujhe bahut bura lag raha tha. ek to hava yoan hi kam thi, doosare us ganvar ka akar mere muanh par kh da ho jana, mano mera gala dabana tha. maian kuchh der tak jabt kiye baitha raha. ekaek mujhe krodh a gaya. maianne use pak dakar pichhe thel diya aur do tamache jor-jor se lagaye.

usanean aankhean nikalakar kaha- kyoan marate ho babooji, hamane bhi kiraya diya hai!

maianne uthakar do-tin tamache aur j d diye.

ga di mean toofan a gaya. charoan or se mujh par bauchhar p dane lagi.

‘agar itane najuk mizaj ho, to avval darje mean kyoan nahian baithe.‘

‘koee b da adami hoga, to apane ghar ka hoga. mujhe is tarah marate to dikha deta.’

‘kya kasoor kiya tha bechare ne. ga di mean saans lene ki jagah nahian, khi daki par jara saans lene kh da ho gaya, to us par itana krodh! amir hokar kya adami apani insaniyat bilkul kho deta hai.

’yah bhi aangreji raj hai, jisaka ap bakhan kar rahe the.’

ek gramin bola- daphtaran maan ghusan to pavat nahian, us par itta mizaj!

eeshvari ne aangreji me kaha- What an idiot you are, Bir! (bir, tum kitane moorkh ho !) aur mera nasha ab kuchh-kuchh utarata hua maloom hota tha.