बड़े घर की बेटी -प्रेमचंद

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

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benimadhav sianh gauripur gaanv ke zamiandar aur nambaradar the. unake pitamah kisi samay b de dhan-dhany sanpann the. gaanv ka pakka talab aur mandir jinaki ab marammat bhi mushkil thi, unhian ki kirti-stanbh the. kahate haian, is daravaze par hathi jhoomata tha, ab usaki jagah ek boodhi bhaians thi, jisake sharir mean asthi-panjar ke siva aur kuchh shesh n raha tha; par doodh shayad bahut deti thi; kyoanki ek n ek adami haan di liye usake sir par savar hi rahata tha. benimadhav sianh apani adhi se adhik sanpatti vakiloan ko bheant kar chuke the. unaki vartaman ay ek hazar rupaye varshik se adhik n thi. thakur sahab ke do bete the. b de ka nam shrikanth sianh tha. usane bahut dinoan ke parishram aur udyog ke bad bi. e. ki digri prapt ki thi. ab ek daftar mean naukar tha. chhota l daka lalabihari sianh dohare badan ka, sajila javan tha. bhara hua mukh da, chau di chhati. bhaians ka do ser taja doodh vah uth kar sabere pi jata tha. shrikanth sianh ki dasha bilakul viparit thi. in netrapriy gunoan ko unhoanne bi. e.-inhian do aksharoan par nyochhavar kar diya tha. in do aksharoan ne unake sharir ko nirbal aur chehare ko kaantihin bana diya tha. isi se vaidyak granthoan par unaka vishesh prem tha. ayurvaidik aushadhiyoan par unaka adhik vishvas tha. sham-sabere se unake kamare se prayah kharal ki surili karnamadhur dhvani sunayi diya karati thi. lahaur aur kalakatte ke vaidyoan se b di likha-padhi rahati thi.

shrikanth is aangareji digri ke adhipati hone par bhi aangareji samajik prathaoan ke vishesh premi n the. balki vah bahudha b de zor se usaki nianda aur tiraskar kiya karate the. isi se gaanv mean unaka b da samman tha. dashahare ke dinoan mean vah b de utsah se ramalila mean sammilit hote aur svayan kisi n kisi patra ka part lete the. gauripur mean ramalila ke vahi janmadata the. prachin hiandoo sabhyata ka gunagan unaki dharmikata ka pradhan aang tha. sammilit kutumb ke to vah ekamatr upasak the. ajakal striyoan ko kutumb mean mil-jul kar rahane ki jo aruchi hoti hai, use vah jati aur desh donoan ke lie hanikarak samajhate the. yahi karan tha ki gaanv ki lalanaean unaki niandak thian. koee-koee to unhean apana shatru samajhane mean bhi sankoch n karati thian. svayan unaki patni ko hi is vishay mean unase virodh tha. yah isalie nahian ki use apane sas-sasur, devar ya jeth adi se ghrina thi, balki usaka vichar tha ki yadi bahut kuchh sahane aur tarah dene par bhi parivar ke sath nirvah n ho sake, to aye-din ki kalah se jivan ko nasht karane ki apeksha yahi uttam hai ki apani khich di alag pakayi jaye.

anandi ek b de uchch kul ki l daki thi. usake bap ek chhoti-si riyasat ke tallukedar the. vishal bhavan, ek hathi, tin kutte, baj, bahari-shikare, jha d-phanoos, anareri majistreti, aur rrin, jo ek pratishthit tallukedar ke bhogy padarth haian, sabhi yahaan vidyaman the. nam tha bhoopasianh. b de udar-chitt aur pratibhashali purush the, par durbhagy se l daka ek bhi n tha. sat l dakiyaan hueean aur daivayog se sab-ki-sab jivit rahian. pahali umang mean to unhoanne tin byah dil khol kar kiye; par pandrah-bis hazar rupayoan ka karz sir par ho gaya, to aankhean khulian, hath samet liya. anandi chauthi l daki thi. vah apani sab bahanoan se adhik roopavati aur gunavati thi. isase thakur bhoopasianh use bahut pyar karate the. sundar santan ko kadachith usake mata-pita bhi adhik chahate haian. thakur sahab b de dharm-sankat mean the ki isaka vivah kahaan karean ? n to yahi chahate the ki rrin ka bojh badhe aur n yahi svikar tha ki use apane ko bhagyahin samajhana p de. ek din shrikanth unake pas kisi chande ka rupaya maangane aya. shayad nagari-prachar ka chanda tha. bhoopasianh unake svabhav par rijh gaye aur dhoomadham se shrikanth sianh ka anandi ke sath byah ho gaya.

anandi apane naye ghar mean ayi, to yahaan ka rang-dhang kuchh aur hi dekha. jis tim-tam ki use bachapan se hi adat p di huee thi, vah yahaan nam-matr ko bhi n thi. hathi-gho doan ka to kahana hi kya, koee saji huee suandar bahali tak n thi. reshami slipar sath layi thi, par yahaan bag kahaan. makan mean khi dakiyaan tak n thian. n zamin par pharsh, n divar par tasvirean. yah ek sidha-sada dehati grihasth ka makan tha, kintu anandi ne tho de hi dinoan mean apane ko is nayi avastha ke aisa anukool bana liya, mano usane vilas ke saman kabhi dekhe hi n the.

2

ek din dopahar ke samay lalabihari sianh do chi diya liye hue aya aur bhavaj se bola-jaldi se paka do, mujhe bhookh lagi hai. anandi bhojan banakar usaki rah dekh rahi thi. ab vah naya vyanjan banane baithi. haan di mean dekha, to ghi pav-bhar se adhik n tha. b de ghar ki beti, kiphayat kya jane. usane sab ghi maans mean dal diya. lalabihari khane baitha, to dal mean ghi n tha, bola-dal mean ghi kyoan nahian chho da ?

anandi ne kaha-ghi sab maans mean p d gaya. lalabihari zor se bola-abhi parasoan ghi aya hai. itana jald uth gaya ?

anandi ne uttar diya-aj to kul pav-bhar raha hoga. vah sab maianne maans mean dal diya.

jis tarah sookhi lak di jaldi se jal uthati hai-usi tarah kshudha se bavala manushy jara-jara si bat par tinak jata hai. lalabihari ko bhavaj ki yah dhithaee bahut buri maloom huee, tinak kar bola-maike mean to chahe ghi ki nadi bahati ho !

stri galiyaan sah leti hai, mar bhi sah leti hai; par maike ki nianda usase nahian sahi jati. anandi muanh pher kar boli-hathi mara bhi, to nau lakh ka. vahaan itana ghi nity naee-kahar kha jate haian.

lalabihari jal gaya, thali uthakar palat di, aur bola-ji chahata hai, jibh pak d kar khianch looan.

anandi ko bhi krodh a gaya. muanh lal ho gaya, boli-vah hote to aj isaka maja chakhate.

ab apadh, ujadd thakur se n raha gaya. usaki stri ek sadharan zamiandar ki beti thi. jab ji chahata, us par hath saf kar liya karata tha. kh daooan uthakar anandi ki or zor se pheanki, aur bola-jisake guman par bhooli huee ho, use bhi dekhooanga aur tumhean bhi.

anandi ne hath se kh daooan roki, sir bach gaya. par uangali mean b di chot ayi. krodh ke mare hava se hilate patte ki bhaanti kaanpati huee apane kamare mean a kar kh di ho gayi. stri ka bal aur sahas, man aur maryada pati tak hai. use apane pati ke hi bal aur purushatv ka ghanmad hota hai. anandi khoon ka ghooant pi kar rah gayi.

3

shrikanth sianh shanivar ko ghar aya karate the. brihaspati ko yah ghatana huee thi. do din tak anandi kop-bhavan mean rahi. n kuchh khaya n piya, unaki bat dekhati rahi. aant mean shanivar ko vah niyamanukool sandhya samay ghar aye aur bahar baith kar kuchh idhar-udhar ki batean, kuchh desh-kal sanbandhi samachar tatha kuchh naye mukadamoan adi ki charcha karane lage. yah vartalap das baje rat tak hota raha. gaanv ke bhadr purushoan ko in batoan mean aisa anand milata tha ki khane-pine ki bhi sudhi n rahati thi. shrikanth ko piand chhu dana mushkil ho jata tha. ye do-tin ghante anandi ne b de kasht se kate! kisi tarah bhojan ka samay aya. panchayat uthi. ekaant hua, to lalabihari ne kaha-bhaiya, ap jara bhabhi ko samajha dijiega ki muanh sanbhal kar batachit kiya karean, nahian to ek din anarth ho jayega.

benimadhav sianh ne bete ki or se sakshi di-haan, bahoo-betiyoan ka yah svabhav achchha nahian ki mardoan ke muanh lagean.

lalabihari-vah b de ghar ki beti haian, to ham bhi koee kurmi-kahar nahian haian. shrikanth ne chiantit svar se poochha-akhir bat kya huee ?

lalabihari ne kaha-kuchh bhi nahian; yoan hi ap hi ap ulajh p dian. maike ke samane ham logoan ko kuchh samajhatian hi nahian.

shrikanth kha-pi kar anandi ke pas gaye. vah bhari baithi thi. yah hajarat bhi kuchh tikhe the. anandi ne poochha-chitt to prasann hai.

shrikanth bole-bahut prasann hai. par tumane ajakal ghar mean yah kya upadrav macha rakha hai ?

anandi ki tyoriyoan par bal p d gaye, jhuanjhalahat ke mare badan mean jvala-si dahak uthi. boli-jisane tumase yah ag lagayi hai, use paooan, to muanh jhulas dooan.

shrikanth-itani garam kyoan hoti ho, bat to kaho.

anandi-kya kahooan, yah mere bhagy ka pher hai ! nahian to ganvar chhokara, jisako chaparasagiri karane ka bhi shoor nahian, mujhe kh daooan se mar kar yoan n ak data.

shrikanth-sab hal saph-saph kaho, to maloom ho. mujhe to kuchh pata nahian.

anandi-parasoan tumhare la dale bhaee ne mujhase maans pakane ko kaha. ghi haan di mean pav-bhar se adhik n tha. vah sab maianne maans mean dal diya. jab khane baitha to kahane laga-dal mean ghi kyoan nahian hai. bas, isi par mere maike ko bura-bhala kahane laga-mujhase n raha gaya. maianne kaha ki vahaan itana ghi to naee-kahar kha jate haian, aur kisi ko jan bhi nahian p data. bas itani si bat par is anyayi ne mujh par kh daooan pheank mari. yadi hath se n rok looan, to sir phat jaye. usi se poochho, maianne jo kuchh kaha hai, vah sach hai ya jhooth.

shrikanth ki aankhean lal ho gayian. bole-yahaan tak ho gaya, is chhokare ka yah sahas !

anandi striyoan ke svabhavanusar rone lagi kyoanki aansoo unaki palakoan par rahate haian. shrikanth b de dhairyavan aur shanat purush the. unhean kadachith hi kabhi krodh ata tha; striyoan ke aansoo purushoan ki krodhagni bh dakane mean tel ka kam dete haian. rat bhar karavatean badalate rahe. udvignata ke karan palak tak nahian jhapaki. pratahkal apane bap ke pas jakar bole-dada, ab is ghar mean mera nibah n hoga.

is tarah ki vidrohapoorn batean kahane par shrikanth ne kitani hi bar apane kee mitroan ko a de hathoan liya tha; parantu durbhagy, aj unhean svayan ve hi batean apane muanh se kahani p dian; doosaroan ko upadesh dena bhi kitana sahaj hai.

benimadhav sianh ghabara uthe aur bole-kyoan ?

shrikanth-isalie ki mujhe bhi apani man-pratishtha ka kuchh vichar hai. apake ghar mean ab anyay aur hath ka prakop ho raha hai. jinako b doan ka adar-samman karana chahie, ve unake sir chadhate haian. maian doosare ka naukar thahara, ghar par rahata nahian. yahaan mere pichhe striyoan par kh daooan aur jootoan ki bauchharean hoti haian. k di bat tak chinta nahian. koee ek ki do kah le, vahaan tak maian sah sakata hooan kintu yah kadapi nahian ho sakata ki mere oopar lat-ghooanse p dean aur maian dam n marooan.

benimadhav sianh kuchh javab n de sake. shrikanth sadaiv unaka adar karate the. unake aise tevar dekh kar boodha thakur avakh rah gaya. keval itana hi bola-beta, tum buddhiman ho kar aisi batean karate ho ? striyaan is tarah ghar ka nash kar deti haian. unako bahut sir chadhana achchha nahian.

shrikanth-itana maian janata hooan, apake ashirvad se aisa moorkh nahian hooan. ap svayan janate haian ki mere hi samajhane-bujhane se, isi gaanv mean kee ghar sanbhal gaye, par jis stri ki man-pratishtha ka eeshvar ke darabar mean uttaradata hooan, usake prati aisa ghor anyay aur pashuvath vyavahar mujhe asahy hai. ap sach manie, mere lie yahi kuchh kam nahian hai ki lalabihari ko kuchh dand nahian deta.

ab benimadhav sianh bhi garamaye. aisi batean aur n sun sake. bole-lalabihari tumhara bhaee hai. usase jab kabhi bhool-chook ho, usake kan pak do lekin ...

shrikanth-lalabihari ko maian ab apana bhaee nahian samajhata.

benimadhav sianh-stri ke pichhe ?

shrikanth-ji nahian, usaki kroorata aur avivek ke karan.

donoan kuchh der chup rahe. thakur sahab l dake ka krodh shaant karana chahate the. lekin yah nahian svikar karana chahate the ki lalabihari ne koee anuchit kam kiya hai. isi bich mean gaanv ke aur kee sajjan hukke-chilam ke bahane vahaan a baithe. kee striyoan ne jab yah suna ki shrikanth patni ke pichhe pita se l dane ko taiyar hai, to unhean b da harsh hua. donoan pakshoan ki madhur vaniyaan sunane ke lie unaki atmaean tilamilane lagian. gaanv mean kuchh aise kutil manushy bhi the, jo is kul ki nitipoorn gati par man hi man jalate the. ve kaha karate the-shrikanth apane bap se dabata hai, isilie vah dabboo hai. usane vidya padhi, isalie vah kitaboan ka ki da hai. benimadhav sianh usaki salah ke bina koee kam nahian karate, yah unaki moorkhata hai. in mahanubhavoan ki shubhakamanaean aj poori hoti dikhayi dian. koee huqqa pine ke bahane aur koee lagan ki rasid dikhane a kar baith gaya. benimadhav sianh purane adami the. in bhavoan ko ta d gaye. unhoanne nishchay kiya chahe kuchh hi kyoan n ho, in drohiyoan ko tali bajane ka avasar n dooanga. turant komal shabdoan mean bole-beta, maian tumase bahar nahian hooan. tumhara jo ji chahe karo, ab to l dake se aparadh ho gaya.

ilahabad ka anubhav-rahit jhallaya hua grejuet is bat ko n samajh saka. use dibetiang-klab mean apani bat par a dane ki adat thi, in hathakandoan ki use kya khabar ? bap ne jis matalab se bat palati thi, vah usaki samajh mean n ayi. bola-lalabihari ke sath ab is ghar mean nahian rah sakata.

benimadhav-beta, buddhiman log moorkhoan ki bat par dhyan nahian dete. vah besamajh l daka hai. usase jo kuchh bhool huee, use tum b de ho kar kshama karo.

shrikanth-usaki is dushtata ko maian kadapi nahian sah sakata. ya to vahi ghar mean rahega, ya maian hi. apako yadi vah adhik pyara hai, to mujhe vida kijie, maian apana bhar ap sanbhal looanga. yadi mujhe rakhana chahate haian to usase kahie, jahaan chahe chala jaye. bas yah mera aantim nishchay hai.

lalabihari sianh daravaze ki chaukhat par chupachap kh da b de bhaee ki batean sun raha tha. vah unaka bahut adar karata tha. use kabhi itana sahas n hua tha ki shrikanth ke samane charapaee par baith jay, huqqa pi le ya pan kha le. bap ka bhi vah itana man n karata tha. shrikanth ka bhi us par hardik sneh tha. apane hosh mean unhoanne kabhi use ghu daka tak n tha. jab vah ilahabad se ate, to usake lie koee n koee vastu avashy late. mugadar ki jo di unhoanne hi banava di thi. pichhale sal jab usane apane se dyodhe javan ko nagapanchami ke din dangal mean pachha d diya, to unhoanne pulakit ho kar akha de mean hi jakar use gale se laga liya tha, paanch rupaye ke paise lutaye the. aise bhaee ke muanh se aj aisi hriday-vidarak bat sun kar lalabihari ko b di glani huee. vah phoot-phoot kar roene laga. isamean sandeh nahian ki apane kiye par pachhata raha tha. bhaee ke ane se ek din pahale se usaki chhati dh dakati thi ki dekhooan bhaiya kya kahate haian. maian unake sammukh kaise jaooanga, unase kaise bolooanga, meri aankhean unake samane kaise utheangi. usane samajha tha ki bhaiya mujhe bula kar samajha deange. is asha ke viparit aj usane unhean nirdayata ki moorti bane hue paya. vah moorkh tha. parantu usaka man kahata tha ki bhaiya mere sath anyay kar rahe haian. yadi shrikanth use akele mean bula kar do-char batean kah dete; itana hi nahian do-char tamache bhi laga dete to kadachith use itana duahkh n hota; par bhaee ka yah kahana ki ab maian isaki soorat nahian dekhana chahata, lalabihari se saha n gaya. vah rota hua ghar aya. kothari mean jakar kap de pahane, aankhean poanchhian, jisase koee yah n samajhe ki rota tha. tab anandi ke dvar par akar bola-bhabhi, bhaiya ne nishchay kiya hai ki vah mere sath is ghar mean n raheange. ab vah mera muanh nahian dekhana chahate, isalie ab maian jata hooan. unhean phir muanh n dikhaooanga. mujhase jo kuchh aparadh hua, use kshama karana.

yah kahate-kahate lalabihari ka gala bhar aya.

4

jis samay lalabihari sianh sir jhukaye anandi ke dvar par kh da tha, usi samay shrikanth sianh bhi aankhean lal kiye bahar se aye. bhaee ko kh da dekha, to ghrina se aankhean pher lian, aur katara kar nikal gaye. mano usaki parachhaeean se door bhagate hoan.

anandi ne lalabihari ki shikayat to ki thi, lekin ab man mean pachhata rahi thi. vah svabhav se hi dayavati thi. use isaka tanik bhi dhyan n tha ki bat itani badh jayagi. vah man mean apane pati par jhuanjhala rahi thi ki yah itane garam kyoan hote haian. us par yah bhay bhi laga hua tha ki kahian mujhase ilahabad chalane ko kahean, to kaise kya karooangi. is bich mean jab usane lalabihari ko daravaze par kh de yah kahate suna ki ab maian jata hooan, mujhase jo kuchh aparadh hua, kshama karana, to usaka raha-saha krodh bhi pani ho gaya. vah rone lagi. man ka mail dhone ke lie nayan-jal se upayukt aur koee vastu nahian hai.

shrikanth ko dekh kar anandi ne kaha-lala bahar kh de bahut ro rahe haian.

shrikanth-to maian kya karooan ?

anandi-bhitar bula lo. meri jibh mean ag lage. maianne kahaan se yah jhag da uthaya.

shrikanth-maian n bulaooanga.

anandi-pachhataoge. unhean bahut glani ho gayi hai, aisa n ho, kahian chal dean.

shrikanth n uthe. itane mean lalabihari ne phir kaha-bhabhi, bhaiya se mera pranam kah do. vah mera muanh nahian dekhana chahate. isalie maian bhi apana muanh unhean n dikhaooanga.

lalabihari itana kah kar laut p da. aur shighrata se daravaze ki or badha. aant mean anandi kamare se nikali aur usaka hath pak d liya. lalabihari ne pichhe phir kar dekha aur aankhoan mean aansoo bhare bola-mujhe jane do.

anandi-kahaan jate ho ?

lalabihari-jahaan koee mera muanh n dekhe.

anandi-maian n jane dooangi ?

lalabihari-maian tum logoan ke sath rahane yogy nahian hooan.

anandi-tumhean meri saugandh, ab ek pag bhi age n badhana.

lalabihari-jab tak mujhe yah n maloom ho jay ki bhaiya ka man meri taraph se saf ho gaya, tab tak maian is ghar mean kadapi n rahooanga.

anandi-maian ishvar ko sakshi de kar kahati hooan ki tumhari or se mere man mean tanik bhi mail nahian hai.

ab shrikanth ka hriday bhi pighala. unhoanne bahar a kar lalabihari ko gale laga liya. donoan bhaee khoob phoot-phootakar roye. lalabihari ne sisakate hue kaha-bhaiya, ab kabhi mat kahana ki tumhara muanh n dekhooanga. isake siva ap jo dand deange, maian saharsh svikar karooanga.

shrikanth ne kaanpate hue svar se kaha-lalloo ! in batoan ko bilakul bhool jao. eeshvar chahega, to phir aisa avasar n avega.

benimadhav sianh bahar se a rahe the. donoan bhaiyoan ko gale milate dekh kar anand se pulakit ho gaye. bol uthe-b de ghar ki betiyaan aisi hi hoti haian. big data hua kam bana leti haian.

gaanv mean jisane yah vrittaant suna, usi ne in shabdoan mean anandi ki udarata ko saraha-‘b de ghar ki betiyaan aisi hi hoti haian.’