बूढ़ी काकी -प्रेमचंद

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

budhapa bahudha bachapan ka punaragaman hua karata hai. boodhi kaki mean jihva-svad ke siva aur koee cheshta shesh n thi aur n apane kashtoan ki or akarshit karane ka, rone ke atirikt koee doosara sahara hi. samast indriyaan, netr, hath aur pair javab de chuke the. prithvi par p di rahatian aur ghar vale koee bat unaki ichchha ke pratikool karate, bhojan ka samay tal jata ya usaka pariman poorn n hota athava bazar se koee vastu ati aur n milati to ye rone lagati thian. unaka rona-sisakana sadharan rona n tha, ve gala pha d-pha dakar roti thian.

unake patidev ko svarg sidhare kalaantar ho chuka tha. bete tarun ho-hokar chal base the. ab ek bhatije ke alava aur koee n tha. usi bhatije ke nam unhoanne apani sari sampatti likh di. bhatije ne sari sampatti likhate samay khoob lambe-chau de vade kie, kintu ve sab vade keval kuli-dipo ke dalaloan ke dikhae hue sabzabag the. yadyapi us sampatti ki varshik ay dedh-do sau rupe se kam n thi tathapi boodhi kaki ko pet bhar bhojan bhi kathinaee se milata tha. isamean unake bhatije pandit buddhiram ka aparadh tha athava unaki ardhaangini shrimati roopa ka, isaka nirnay karana sahaj nahian. buddhiram svabhav ke sajjan the, kiantu usi samay tak jab ki unake kosh par aanch n ae. roopa svabhav se tivr thi sahi, par eeshvar se darati thi. atev boodhi kaki ko usaki tivrata utani n khalati thi jitani buddhiram ki bhalamanasahat.

buddhiram ko kabhi-kabhi apane atyachar ka khed hota tha. vicharate ki isi sampatti ke karan maian is samay bhalamanush bana baitha hooan. yadi bhautik ashvasan aur sookhi sahanubhooti se sthiti mean sudhar ho sakata ho, unhean kadachith koee apatti n hoti, parantu vishesh vyay ka bhay unaki sucheshta ko dabae rakhata tha. yahaan tak ki yadi dvar par koee bhala adami baitha hota aur boodhi kaki us samay apana rag alapane lagatian to vah ag ho jate aur ghar mean akar unhean zor se daantate. l dakoan ko buddhoan se svabhavik vidvesh hota hi hai aur phir jab mata-pita ka yah rang dekhate to ve boodhi kaki ko aur sataya karate. koee chutaki katakar bhagata, koee in par pani ki kulli kar deta. kaki chikh marakar rotian parantu yah bat prasiddh thi ki vah keval khane ke lie roti haian, atev unake santap aur artanad par koee dhyan nahian deta tha. haan, kaki krodhatur hokar bachchoan ko galiyaan dene lagatian to roopa ghatanasthal par a pahuanchati. is bhay se kaki apani jihva kripan ka kadachith hi prayog karati thian, yadyapi upadrav-shanti ka yah upay rone se kahian adhik upayukt tha.

sampoorn parivar mean yadi kaki se kisi ko anurag tha, to vah buddhiram ki chhoti l daki ladali thi. ladali apane donoan bhaiyoan ke bhay se apane hisse ki mithaee-chabaina boodhi kaki ke pas baithakar khaya karati thi. yahi usaka rakshagar tha aur yadyapi kaki ki sharan unaki lolupata ke karan bahut manhagi p dati thi, tathapi bhaiyoan ke anyay se suraksha kahian sulabh thi to bas yahian. isi svarthanukoolata ne un donoan mean sahanubhooti ka aropan kar diya tha.

2

rat ka samay tha. buddhiram ke dvar par shahanaee baj rahi thi aur gaanv ke bachchoan ka jhuand vismayapoorn netroan se gane ka rasasvadan kar raha tha. charapaiyoan par mehaman vishram karate hue naiyoan se mukkiyaan lagava rahe the. samip kh da bhat virudavali suna raha tha aur kuchh bhavajn mehamanoan ki 'vah, vah' par aisa khush ho raha tha mano is 'vah-vah' ka yatharth mean vahi adhikari hai. do-ek aangrezi padhe hue navayuvak in vyavaharoan se udasin the. ve is ganvar mandali mean bolana athava sammilit hona apani pratishtha ke pratikool samajhate the.

aj buddhiram ke b de l dake mukharam ka tilak aya hai. yah usi ka utsav hai. ghar ke bhitar striyaan ga rahi thian aur roopa mehamanoan ke lie bhojan mean vyast thi. bhattiyoan par k dah chadh rahe the. ek mean poo diyaan-kachau diyaan nikal rahi thian, doosare mean any pakavan banate the. ek b de hande mean masaledar tarakari pak rahi thi. ghi aur masale ki kshudhavardhak sugandhi charoan or phaili huee thi.

boodhi kaki apani kothari mean shokamay vichar ki bhaanti baithi huee thian. yah svad mishrit sugandhi unhean bechain kar rahi thi. ve man-hi-man vichar kar rahi thian, sanbhavatah mujhe poo diyaan n mileangian. itani der ho gee, koee bhojan lekar nahian aya. maloom hota hai sab log bhojan kar chuke haian. mere lie kuchh n bacha. yah sochakar unhean rona aya, parantu apashakun ke bhay se vah ro n sakian.

'aha... kaisi sugandhi hai? ab mujhe kaun poochhata hai. jab rotiyoan ke hi lale p de haian tab aise bhagy kahaan ki bharapet poo diyaan milean?' yah vichar kar unhean rona aya, kaleje mean hook-si uthane lagi. parantu roopa ke bhay se unhoanne phir maun dharan kar liya.

boodhi kaki der tak inhian dukhadayak vicharoan mean doobi rahian. ghi aur masaloan ki sugandhi rah-rahakar man ko ape se bahar kie deti thi. muanh mean pani bhar-bhar ata tha. poo diyoan ka svad smaran karake hriday mean gudagudi hone lagati thi. kise pukarooan, aj ladali beti bhi nahian aee. donoan chhokare sada dik diya karate haian. aj unaka bhi kahian pata nahian. kuchh maloom to hota ki kya ban raha hai.

boodhi kaki ki kalpana mean poo diyoan ki tasvir nachane lagi. khoob lal-lal, phooli-phooli, naram-naram hoangian. roopa ne bhali-bhaanti bhojan kiya hoga. kachau diyoan mean ajavain aur ilayachi ki mahak a rahi hogi. ek poo di milati to jara hath mean lekar dekhati. kyoan n chal kar k dah ke samane hi baithooan. poo diyaan chhan-chhanakar taiyar hoangi. k dah se garam-garam nikalakar thal mean rakhi jati hoangi. phool ham ghar mean bhi sooangh sakate haian, parantu vatika mean kuchh aur bat hoti hai. is prakar nirnay karake boodhi kaki uk dooan baithakar hathoan ke bal sarakati huee b di kathinaee se chaukhat se utarian aur dhire-dhire reangati huee k dah ke pas ja baithian. yahaan ane par unhean utana hi dhairy hua jitana bhookhe kutte ko khane vale ke sammukh baithane mean hota hai.

roopa us samay karyabhar se udvign ho rahi thi. kabhi is kothe mean jati, kabhi us kothe mean, kabhi k dah ke pas jati, kabhi bhandar mean jati. kisi ne bahar se akar kaha--'maharaj thandee maang rahe haian.' thandee dene lagi. itane mean phir kisi ne akar kaha--'bhat aya hai, use kuchh de do.' bhat ke lie sidha nikal rahi thi ki ek tisare adami ne akar poochha--'abhi bhojan taiyar hone mean kitana vilamb hai? jara dhol, majira utar do.' bechari akeli stri dau date-dau date vyakul ho rahi thi, jhuanjhalati thi, kudhati thi, parantu krodh prakat karane ka avasar n pati thi. bhay hota, kahian p dosinean yah n kahane lagean ki itane mean ubal p dian. pyas se svayan kanth sookh raha tha. garmi ke mare phuanki jati thi, parantu itana avakash n tha ki jara pani pi le athava pankha lekar jhale. yah bhi khataka tha ki jara aankh hati aur chizoan ki loot machi. is avastha mean usane boodhi kaki ko k dah ke pas baithi dekha to jal gee. krodh n ruk saka. isaka bhi dhyan n raha ki p dosinean baithi huee haian, man mean kya kaheangian. purushoan mean log suneange to kya kaheange. jis prakar meandhak keanchue par jhapatata hai, usi prakar vah boodhi kaki par jhapati aur unhean donoan hathoan se jhatak kar boli-- aise pet mean ag lage, pet hai ya bha d? kothari mean baithate hue kya dam ghutata tha? abhi mehamanoan ne nahian khaya, bhagavan ko bhog nahian laga, tab tak dhairy n ho saka? akar chhati par savar ho gee. jal jae aisi jibh. din bhar khati n hoti to jane kisaki haandi mean muanh dalati? gaanv dekhega to kahega ki budhiya bharapet khane ko nahian pati tabhi to is tarah muanh bae phirati hai. dayan n mare n maancha chho de. nam bechane par lagi hai. nak katava kar dam legi. itani thooansati hai n jane kahaan bhasm ho jata hai. bhala chahati ho to jakar kothari mean baitho, jab ghar ke log khane lageange, tab tumhe bhi milega. tum koee devi nahian ho ki chahe kisi ke muanh mean pani n jae, parantu tumhari pooja pahale hi ho jae.

boodhi kaki ne sir uthaya, n roeean n bolian. chupachap reangati huee apani kothari mean chali geean. avaz aisi kathor thi ki hriday aur mashtishk ki sampoorn shaktiyaan, sampoorn vichar aur sampoorn bhar usi or akarshit ho ge the. nadi mean jab kagar ka koee vrihad khand katakar girata hai to as-pas ka jal samooh charoan or se usi sthan ko poora karane ke lie dau data hai.

3

bhojan taiyar ho gaya hai. aangan mean pattalean p d geean, mehaman khane lage. striyoan ne jevanar-git gana arambh kar diya. mehamanoan ke naee aur sevakagan bhi usi mandali ke sath, kiantu kuchh hatakar bhojan karane baithe the, parantu sabhyatanusar jab tak sab-ke-sab kha n chukean koee uth nahian sakata tha. do-ek mehaman jo kuchh padhe-likhe the, sevakoan ke dirghahar par jhuanjhala rahe the. ve is bandhan ko vyarth aur bekar ki bat samajhate the.

boodhi kaki apani kothari mean jakar pashchatap kar rahi thi ki maian kahaan-se-kahaan a gee. unhean roopa par krodh nahian tha. apani jaldabazi par du:kh tha. sach hi to hai jab tak mehaman log bhojan n kar chukeange, ghar vale kaise khaeange. mujh se itani der bhi n raha gaya. sabake samane pani utar gaya. ab jab tak koee bulane nahian aega, n jaooangi.

man-hi-man is prakar ka vichar kar vah bulane ki pratiksha karane lagian. parantu ghi ki ruchikar suvas b di dhairy़-parikshak pratit ho rahi thi. unhean ek-ek pal ek-ek yug ke saman maloom hota tha. ab pattal bichh gee hogi. ab mehaman a ge hoange. log hath pair dho rahe haian, naee pani de raha hai. maloom hota hai log khane baith ge. jevanar gaya ja raha hai, yah vichar kar vah man ko bahalane ke lie let geean. dhire-dhire ek git gunagunane lagian. unhean maloom hua ki mujhe gate der ho gee. kya itani der tak log bhojan kar hi rahe hoange. kisi ki avaz sunaee nahian deti. avashy hi log kha-pikar chale ge. mujhe koee bulane nahian aya hai. roopa chidh gee hai, kya jane n bulae. sochati ho ki ap hi aveangian, vah koee mehaman to nahian jo unhean bulaooan. boodhi kaki chalane ko taiyar hueean. yah vishvas ki ek minat mean poo diyaan aur masaledar tarakariyaan samane aeangian, unaki svadendriyoan ko gudagudane laga. unhoanne man mean tarah-tarah ke mansoobe baandhe-- pahale tarakari se poo diyaan khaooangi, phir dahi aur shakkar se, kachauriyaan rayate ke sath mazedar maloom hoangi. chahe koee bura mane chahe bhala, maian to maang-maangakar khaooangi. yahi n log kaheange ki inhean vichar nahian? kaha karean, itane din ke bad poo diyaan mil rahi haian to muanh jhootha karake tho de hi uth jaooangi .

vah uk dooan baithakar sarakate hue aangan mean aeean. parantu hay durbhagy! abhilasha ne apane purane svabhav ke anusar samay ki mithya kalpana ki thi. mehaman-mandali abhi baithi huee thi. koee khakar uangaliyaan chatata tha, koee tirachhe netroan se dekhata tha ki aur log abhi kha rahe haian ya nahian. koee is chianta mean tha ki pattal par poo diyaan chhooti jati haian kisi tarah inhean bhitar rakh leta. koee dahi khakar chatakarata tha, parantu doosara dona maangate sankoch karata tha ki itane mean boodhi kaki reangati huee unake bich mean a pahuanchi. kee adami chauankakar uth kh de hue. pukarane lage-- are, yah budhiya kaun hai? yahaan kahaan se a gee? dekho, kisi ko chhoo n de.

pandit buddhiram kaki ko dekhate hi krodh se tilamila ge. poo diyoan ka thal lie kh de the. thal ko zamin par patak diya aur jis prakar nirdayi mahajan apane kisi beiman aur bhago de karzadar ko dekhate hi usaka teantua pak d leta hai usi tarah lapak kar unhoanne kaki ke donoan hath pak de aur ghasitate hue lakar unhean aandheri kothari mean dham se patak diya. asharoopi vatika loo ke ek jhoanke mean vinasht ho gee.

mehamanoan ne bhojan kiya. gharavaloan ne bhojan kiya. baje vale, dhobi, chamar bhi bhojan kar chuke, parantu boodhi kaki ko kisi ne n poochha. buddhiram aur roopa donoan hi boodhi kaki ko unaki nirlajjata ke lie dand dene k nishchay kar chuke the. unake budhape par, dinata par, hatjnan par kisi ko karuna n aee thi. akeli ladali unake lie kudh rahi thi.

ladali ko kaki se atyant prem tha. bechari bholi l daki thi. bal-vinod aur chanchalata ki usamean gandh tak n thi. donoan bar jab usake mata-pita ne kaki ko nirdayata se ghasita to ladali ka hriday ऎanthakar rah gaya. vah jhuanjhala rahi thi ki ham log kaki ko kyoan bahut-si poo diyaan nahian dete. kya mehaman sab-ki-sab kha jaeange? aur yadi kaki ne mehamanoan se pahale kha liya to kya big d jaega? vah kaki ke pas jakar unhean dhairy dena chahati thi, parantu mata ke bhay se n jati thi. usane apane hisse ki poo diyaan bilkul n khaeean thian. apani gu diya ki pitari mean band kar rakhi thian. un poo diyoan ko kaki ke pas le jana chahati thi. usaka hriday adhir ho raha tha. boodhi kaki meri bat sunate hi uth baitheangian, poo diyaan dekhakar kaisi prasann hoangian! mujhe khoob pyar kareangian.

4

rat ko gyarah baj ge the. roopa aangan mean p di so rahi thi. ladali ki aankhoan mean niand n ati thi. kaki ko poo diyaan khilane ki khushi use sone n deti thi. usane gu़ diyoan ki pitari samane rakhi thi. jab vishvas ho gaya ki amma so rahi haian, to vah chupake se uthi aur vicharane lagi, kaise chalooan. charoan or aandhera tha. keval choolhoan mean ag chamak rahi thi aur choolhoan ke pas ek kutta leta hua tha. ladali ki drishti samane vale nim par gee. use maloom hua ki us par hanuman ji baithe hue haian. unaki pooanchh, unaki gada, vah spasht dikhalaee de rahi hai. mare bhay ke usane aankhean band kar lian. itane mean kutta uth baitha, ladali ko dhadhas hua. kee soe hue manushyoan ke badale ek bhagata hua kutta usake lie adhik dhairy ka karan hua. usane pitari uthaee aur boodhi kaki ki kothari ki or chali.

5

boodhi kaki ko keval itana smaran tha ki kisi ne mere hath pak dakar ghasite, phir aisa maloom hua ki jaise koee paha d par u dae lie jata hai. unake pair bar-bar pattharoan se takarae tab kisi ne unhean paha d par se pataka, ve moorchhit ho geean.

jab ve sachet hueean to kisi ki zara bhi ahat n milati thi. samajhi ki sab log kha-pikar so ge aur unake sath meri takadir bhi so gee. rat kaise kategi? ram! kya khaooan? pet mean agni dhadhak rahi hai. ha! kisi ne meri sudhi n li. kya mera pet katane se dhan ju d jaega? in logoan ko itani bhi daya nahian ati ki n jane budhiya kab mar jae? usaka ji kyoan dukhavean? maian pet ki rotiyaan hi khati hooan ki aur kuchh? is par yah hal. maian aandhi, apahij thahari, n kuchh sunooan, n boojhooan. yadi aangan mean chali gee to kya buddhiram se itana kahate n banata tha ki kaki abhi log khana kha rahe haian phir ana. mujhe ghasita, pataka. unhian poo diyoan ke lie roopa ne sabake samane galiyaan dian. unhian poo diyoan ke lie itani durgati karane par bhi unaka patthar ka kaleja n pasija. sabako khilaya, meri bat tak n poochhi. jab tab hi n dian, tab ab kya deange? yah vichar kar kaki nirashamay santosh ke sath let gee. glani se gala bhar-bhar ata tha, parantu mehamanoan ke bhay se roti n thian. sahasa kanoan mean avaz aee-- 'kaki utho, maian poo diyaan laee hooan.' kaki ne la dali ki boli pahachani. chatapat uth baithian. donoan hathoan se ladali ko tatola aur use god mean bitha liya. ladali ne poo diyaan nikalakar dian.

kaki ne poochha-- kya tumhari amma ne di hai?

ladali ne kaha-- nahian, yah mere hisse ki haian.

kaki poo diyoan par toot padian. paanch minat mean pitari khali ho gee. ladali ne poochha-- kaki pet bhar gaya.

jaise tho di-si varsha thandak ke sthan par aur bhi garmi paida kar deti hai us bhaanti in tho di poo diyoan ne kaki ki kshudha aur iksha ko aur uttejit kar diya tha. bolian-- nahian beti, jakar amma se aur maang lao.

la dali ne kaha-- amma soti haian, jagaooangi to mareangian.

kaki ne pitari ko phir tatola. usamean kuchh khurchan giri thi. bar-bar hoanth chatati thian, chatakhare bharati thian.

hriday masos raha tha ki aur poo diyaan kaise paooan. santosh-setu jab toot jata hai tab ichchha ka bahav aparimit ho jata hai. matavaloan ko mad ka smaran karana unhean madaandh banata hai. kaki ka adhir man ichchhaoan ke prabal pravah mean bah gaya. uchit aur anuchit ka vichar jata raha. ve kuchh der tak us ichchha ko rokati rahian. sahasa ladali se bolian-- mera hath pak dakar vahaan le chalo, jahaan mehamanoan ne baithakar bhojan kiya hai.

ladali unaka abhipray samajh n saki. usane kaki ka hath pak da aur le jakar jhoothe pattaloan ke pas bitha diya. din, kshudhatur, hath jnan budhiya pattaloan se poo diyoan ke tuk de chun-chunakar bhakshan karane lagi. oh... dahi kitana svadisht tha, kachau diyaan kitani saloni, khasta kitane sukomal. kaki buddhihin hote hue bhi itana janati thian ki maian vah kam kar rahi hooan, jo mujhe kadapi n karana chahie. maian doosaroan ki jhoothi pattal chat rahi hooan. parantu budhapa trishna rog ka aantim samay hai, jab sampoorn ichchhaean ek hi kendr par a lagati haian. boodhi kaki mean yah kendr unaki svadendriy thi.

thik usi samay roopa ki aankh khuli. use maloom hua ki la dali mere pas nahian hai. vah chauanki, charapaee ke idhar-udhar takane lagi ki kahian niche to nahian gir p di. use vahaan n pakar vah uthi to kya dekhati hai ki la dali joothe pattaloan ke pas chupachap kh di hai aur boodhi kaki pattaloan par se poo diyoan ke tuk de utha-uthakar kha rahi hai. roopa ka hriday sann ho gaya. kisi gay ki garadan par chhuri chalate dekhakar jo avastha usaki hoti, vahi us samay huee. ek brahmani doosaroan ki jhoothi pattal tatole, isase adhik shokamay drishy asanbhav tha. poo diyoan ke kuchh grasoan ke lie usaki chacheri sas aisa nishkrisht karm kar rahi hai. yah vah drishy tha jise dekhakar dekhane valoan ke hriday kaanp uthate haian. aisa pratit hota mano zamin ruk gee, asaman chakkar kha raha hai. sansar par koee apatti ane vali hai. roopa ko krodh n aya. shok ke sammukh krodh kahaan? karuna aur bhay se usaki aankhean bhar aeean. is adharm ka bhagi kaun hai? usane sachche hriday se gagan mandal ki or hath uthakar kaha-- paramatma, mere bachchoan par daya karo. is adharm ka dand mujhe mat do, nahian to mera satyanash ho jaega.

roopa ko apani svarthaparata aur anyay is prakar pratyaksh roop mean kabhi n dikh p de the. vah sochane lagi-- hay! kitani nirday hooan. jisaki sampati se mujhe do sau rupaya ay ho rahi hai, usaki yah durgati. aur mere karan. he dayamay bhagavan! mujhase b di bhari chook huee hai, mujhe kshama karo. aj mere bete ka tilak tha. saik doan manushyoan ne bhojan paya. maian unake isharoan ki dasi bani rahi. apane nam ke lie saik doan rupe vyay kar die, parantu jisaki badaulat hazaroan rupe khae, use is utsav mean bhi bharapet bhojan n de saki. keval isi karan to, vah vriddha asahay hai.

roopa ne diya jalaya, apane bhandar ka dvar khola aur ek thali mean sampoorn samagriyaan sajakar boodhi kaki ki or chali.

adhi rat ja chuki thi, akash par taroan ke thal saje hue the aur un par baithe hue devagan svargiy padarth saja rahe the, parantu usamean kisi ko vah paramanand prapt n ho sakata tha, jo boodhi kaki ko apane sammukh thal dekhakar prapt hua. roopa ne kantharuddh svar mean kaha---kaki utho, bhojan kar lo. mujhase aj b di bhool huee, usaka bura n manana. paramatma se prarthana kar do ki vah mera aparadh kshama kar dean.

bhole-bhole bachchoan ki bhaanti, jo mithaiyaan pakar mar aur tiraskar sab bhool jata hai, boodhi kaki vaise hi sab bhulakar baithi huee khana kha rahi thi. unake ek-ek roane se sachchi sadichchhaean nikal rahi thian aur roopa baithi svargiy drishy ka anand lene mean nimagn thi.