लोकमत का सम्मान -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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bechoo dhobi ko apane gaanv aur ghar se utana hi prem tha, jitana pratyek manushy ko hota hai. use rookhi-sookhi aur adhe pet khakar bhi apana gaanv samagr sansar se pyara tha. yadi use vriddha kisan striyoan ki galiyaan khani p dati thian to bahuoan se ‘bechoo dada’ kahakar pukare jane ka gaurav bhi prapt hota tha. anand aur shok ke pratyek avasar par usaka bulava hota tha, visheshatah vivahoan mean to usaki upasthiti var aur vadhoo se kam avashyak n thi. usaki stri ghar mean pooji jati thi, dvar par bechoo ka svagat hota tha. vah peshavaj pahane kamar mean ghantiyaan baandhe sajindoan ko sath liye ek hath mridang aur doosara apane kan par rakh kar jab tatkalarachit birahe aur bol kahane lagata to atmasamman se usaki aankhean unmatt ho jati thian. haan, dhele par kap de dhokar bhi vah apani dasha se santusht rah sakata tha, kintu jamiandar ke naukaroan ki kroorata aur atyachar kabhi-kabhi itane asahy ho jate the ki usaka ji gaanv chho dakar bhag jane ko chahane lagata tha. gaanv mean karinda sahab ke atirikt paanch-chhah chaparasi the. unake sahavasiyoan ki sankhya kam n thi. bechoo ko in sajjanoan ke kap de mupht dhone p date the. usake pas istari n thi. unake kap doan par istari karane ke lie use doosare-doosare gaanv ke dhobiyoan ki chirauri karani p dati thi. agar kabhi bina istari kiye hi kap de le jata to usaki shamat a jati thi. mar p dati, ghantoan chaupal ke samane kh da rahana p data, galiyoan ki vah bauchhar p dati ki sunanevale kanoan par hath rakh lete, udhar se gujaranevali striyaan lajja se sir jhuka letian.

jeth ka mahina tha. asapas ki tal-talaiya sab sookh gayi thian. bechoo ko pahar rat rahate door ke ek tal par jana p data tha. yahaan bhi dhobiyoan ki osari bandhi huee thi. bechoo ki osari paanchavean din p dati thi. pahar rat rahe ladi lad kar le jata. magar jeth ki dhoop mean 9-10 baje ke bad kh da n ho sakata. adhi ladi bhi n dhul pati, bina dhule kap de samet kar ghar chala ata. gaanv ke saral jajaman usaki vipatti katha sun kar shaant ho jate the; n koee galiyaan deta, n marane dau data. jeth ki dhoop mean unhean bhi pur chalana aur khet go dana p data tha. apane pairoan mean bivay phati thi, usaki pir janate the. parantu karianda mahashay ko prasann karana itana sahaj n tha. unake adami nity bechoo ke sir par savar rahate the. vah b di gambhirata se kahate-‘too ek-ek athavare tak kap de nahian lata, kya yah bhi koee ja de ke din haian, ajakal pasine se doosare din kap de maile ho jate haian; kap doan se boo ane lagati hai aur tujhe kuchh bhi paravah nahian rahati.’ bechoo hath-pair jo dakar kisi tarah unhean manata rahata tha, yahaan tak ki ek bar use batean karate 9 din ho gaye aur kap de taiyar n ho sake. dhul to gaye the, par istari n huee thi. aant mean vivash hokar bechoo dasavean din kap de lekar chaupal pahuancha. mare dar ke pair age n uthate the. karianda sahab use dekhate hi krodh se lal ho gaye. bole-kyoan be paji, tujhe gaanv mean rahana hai ki nahian?

bechoo ne kap doan ki gathari takht par rakh di aur bola-kya karooan sarakar, kahian bhi pani nahian hai aur n mere istari hi hai.

karianda-pani tere pas nahian hai aur sari duniya mean hai. ab tera ilaj isake sivay aur kuchh nahian hai ki gaanv se nikal dooan. shaitan, daee se pet chhipata hai, pani nahian, istari nahian.

bechoo-malik, gaanv apaka hai, chahe rahane dean, chahe nikal dean, lekin yah kalank n lagayean, itani umir ap hi logoan ki khidamat karate ho gayi, par chahe kitani hi bhool-chook huee ho, kabhi niyat bad nahian huee. agar gaanv mean koee kah de ki maianne kabhi gahakoan ke sath aisi chal chali hai to usaki taang ki rah nikal jaooan. yah dastoor shahar ke dhobiyoan ka hai.

nirankushata ka tark se virodh hai. karianda sahab ne kuchh aur apashabd kahe. bechoo ne bhi nyay aur daya ki duhaee di. phal yah hua ki use ath din haldi aur gu d pina p da. navean din usane sab gahakoan ke kap de jaise-taise dho diye, apana boriya-bandhana sanbhala aur bina kisi se kuchh kahe-sune rat ko patane ki rah li. apane purane gahakoan se vida hone ke lie jitane dhairy ki jaroorat thi, usase vah vanchit tha.

2

bechoo shahar mean aya to aisa jan p da ki mere lie pahale se hi jagah khali thi. use keval ek kothari kiraye par leni p di aur kam chal nikala. pahale to vah kiraya sunakar chakaraya. dehat mean to use mahine mean itani dhulaee bhi n milati thi. par jab dhulaee ki dar maloom huee to kiraye ki akhar mit gayi. ek hi mahine mean gahakoan ki sankhya usaki ganana-shakti se adhik ho gayi. yahaan pani ki kami n thi. vah vade ka pakka tha. abhi nagarik jivan ke kusanskaroan se mukt tha. kabhi-kabhi usaki ek din ki majadoori dehat ki varshik ay se badh jati thi.

lekin tin hi char mahine mean use shahar ki hava lagane lagi. pahale nariyal pita tha, ab ek gu dagu di laya. nange paanv joote se veshtit ho gaye aur mote anaj se pachan-kriya mean vighn p dane laga. pahale kabhi-kabhi tij-tyauhar ke din sharab pi liya karata tha, ab thakan mitane ke lie nity usaka sevan hone laga. stri ko abhooshanoan ki chat p di. aur dhobinean ban-thanakar nikalati haian, maian kisase kam hooan. l dake khoanche par lattoo hue, halave aur mooangaphali ki avaj sunakar adhir ho jate. udhar makan ke malik ne kiraya badha diya; bhoosa aur khali bhi motiyoan ke mol bikati thi. ladi ke donoan bailoan ka pet bharane mean ek khasi rakam nikal jati thi. atev pahale kee mahinoan mean jo bachat ho jati thi, vah ab gayab ho gayi. kabhi-kabhi kharch ka pal da bhari ho jata; lekin kiphayat karane ki koee vidhi samajh mean n ati thi. nidan stri ne bechoo ki nazar bachakar gahakoan ke kap de pachhaee dene shuroo kiye. bechoo ko yah bat maloom huee to big d kar bola-agar maianne phir yah shikayat suni to mujhase bura koee n hoga. isi ilajam par to maianne bap-dade ka gaanv chho d diya. yahaan se bhi nikalana chahati hai kya?

stri ne uttar diya-tumhian se to ek din bhi daroo ke bina nahian raha jata. maian kya paise la kar lutati hooan. jo kharch lage vah dete jao. mujhe isase kuchh mithaee tho de hi milati hai. par shanaiah-shanaiah naitik jnan ne avashyakata ke samane sir jhukana shuroo kiya. ek bar use kee din tak jvar aya. stri use doli par bithakar vaidy ji ke yahaan le gayi. vaidy ji ne nuskha likh diya. ghar mean paise n the. bechoo stri ko katar netroan se dekhakar bola-to kya hoga? dava mangani hi hai?

stri-jo kaho vah karooan.

bechoo-kisi se udhar n milega?

stri-sabase to udhar le chuki. muhalle mean rah chalana mushkil hai. ab kisase looan. akele jitana kam ho sakata hai, karati hooan. ab chhati pha d ke mar tho di hi jaooangi? kuchh paise oopar se mil jate the, lekin tumane usaki manahi kar di hai. to mera kya bas hai? do din se bail bhookhe kh de haian. do rupaye hoan to inaka pet bhare.

bechoo-achchha, jo tere ji mean aye kar, kisi tarah kam to chala. mujhe maloom ho gaya ki shahar mean achchhi niyatavale adami ka nirvah nahian ho sakata.

us din se yahaan any dhobiyoan ki niti ka vyavahar hone laga.

3

bechoo ke p dos mean ek vakil ke muharrir muanshi dataram raha karate the. bechoo kabhi-kabhi avakash ke samay unake pas ja baithata. p dos ki bat thi, dhulaee ka koee hisab-kitab n tha. muanshi ji bechoo ki khatir karate, apani chilam utar kar usaki taraph badha dete, kabhi ghar mean koee achchhi chij pakati to bechoo ke l dakoan ke lie bhejava dete. haan, isaka vichar rakhate the ki in satkaroan ka mooly dhulaee ke paise se badhane n paye.

garmiyoan ke din the, baratoan ki dhoom thi. muanshi ji ko ek barat mean sharik hona tha. gu dagu di ke lie pechavan banavaya, rogani chilam laye, salemashahi joote kharide, apane vakil sahab ke ghar se ek kalin mangani laye, apane mitr se sone ki aangoothi aur batan liye. in samagriyoan ke ekatrit karane mean jyada kathinaee n p di, kintu kap de mangani lete hue sharm ati thi. barat ke yogy kap de banavane ki guanjaish n thi. tanajeb ke kurate, reshami achakan, nainasukh ka chunnatadar payajama, banarasi sapha banavana asan n tha. khasi rakam lagati thi. reshami kinare ki dhotiyaan aur kashi silk ki chadar kharidani bhi kathin samasya thi. kee dinoan tak bechare isi chianta mean p de rahe. aant mean bechoo ke sivay aur koee is chianta ka nivaran karanevala n dikhaee diya. sandhya samay jab bechoo unake pas akar baitha to b di namrata se bole-‘‘bechoo, ek barat mean jana tha aur sab saman to maianne jama kar liye haian, magar kap de banavane mean jhanjhat hai. rupayoan ki to koee chianta nahian, tumhari daya se hath kabhi khali nahian rahata. pesha bhi aisa hai ki jo kuchh mil jay vah tho da hai, ek n ek aankh ka aandha gaanth ka poora nity phansa hi rahata hai, par janate ho ajakal lagn ki teji hai, darajiyoan ko sir uthane ki phurasat nahian, dooni silaee lete haian tis par bhi mahinoan dau date haian. agar tumhare yahaan mere layak kap de hoan to do-tin din ke lie de do, kisi tarah sir se yah bala tale. nevata de dene mean kisi ka kya kharch hota hai, bahut kiya to patr chhapava liye, lekin log yah nahian sochate ki baratiyoan ko kitani taiyariyaan karani p dati haian, kya-kya kathinaiyaan p dati haian. agar biradari mean yah rivaj ho jata ki jo mahashay nimantran bhejean, vahi usake lie sab saman bhi jutaean to log itani beparavahi se nevate n diya karean. to bolo-itani madad karoge n?

bechoo ne murauvat mean p d kar kaha-muanshi ji, apake lie kisi bat se inakar tho de hi hai. lekin bat yah hai ki ajakal lagn ki teji se sabhi grahak apane-apane kap doan ki jaldi macha rahe haian, din mean do-tin ber adami bhejate haian. aisa n ho, idhar apako kap de de dooan, udhar koee jaldi machane lage.

muanshiji-aji, do-tin din ke lie talana kaun b da kam hai. tum chaho to haphtoan tal sakate ho, abhi bhatthi nahian di, abhi istari nahian huee, ghat band hai. tumhare pas bahanoan ki kya kami hai. p dos mean rah kar meri khatir se itana bhi n karoge?

bechoo-nahian muanshi ji, apake lie jan hajir hai. chalie kap de pasand kar lijie, to maian un par aur ek ber istari karake thik kar dooan. yahi n hoga, gahakoan ki ghu dakiyaan khani p deangi. do-char grahak toot hi jayange to kaun gam hai.

4

muanshi dataram that se barat mean pahuanche. yahaan unake banarasi saphe, reshami achakan aur reshami chadar ne aisa rang jamaya ki log samajhane lage, yah koee b de rees haian. bechoo bhi unake sath ho liya tha. muanshi ji usaki b di khatir kar rahe the. use ek botal sharab dila di, bhojan karane gaye to ek pattal usake vaste bhi lete aye. bechoo ke badale use chaudhari kah kar pukarate the. yah sara that-bat usi ki badaulat to tha.

adhi rat gujar chuki thi. mahaphil uth gayi thi. log sone ki taiyariyaan kar rahe the. bechoo muanshi ji ki charapaee ke pas ek chadara odhe p da tha. muanshi ji ne kap de utare aur b di savadhani se alagani par lataka diye. hukka taiyar tha. letakar pine lage ki akasmath sajindoan mean se ek ataee a kar samane kh da ho gaya aur bola-kahie hajarat yah achakan aur sapha apane kahaan paya?

muanshi ji ne usaki or sashank netroan se dekhakar kaha-isaka kya matalab?

ataee-isaka matalab yah hai, yah donoan chizean meri haian.

muanshiji ne dussahasapoorn bhav se kaha-kya tumhare khayal mean reshami achakan aur sapha tumhare sivay aur kisi ke pas ho hi nahian sakata.

ataee-ho kyoan nahian sakata. allah ne jise diya hai, vah pahanata hai. ek se ek p de hue haian. maian kis ginati mean hooan. lekin yah doanno chizean meri haian. agar aisi achakan shahar mean kisi ke pas nikal aye to jo jaribana kahie dooan. maianne isaki silaee das rupaye diye haian. aisa koee karigar hi shahar mean nahian. aisi tarash karata hai ki hath choom lean. saphe par bhi mera nishan bana hua hai. laie dikha dooan. maian apase mahaj itana poochhata chahata hooan ki apane yah chizean kahaan payian.

muanshi ji samajh gaye ki ab adhik tark-vitark ka sthan nahian hai. kahian bat badh jay to beijjati ho. kootaniti se kam n chalega. namrata se bole-bhaee, yah n poochho, yahaan in batoan ke kahane ka mauka nahian. hamari aur tumhari ijjat ek hai. bas, itana hi samajh lo ki isi tarah duniya ka kam chalata hai. agar aise kap de banavane baithata to is vakt saik doan ke mathe jati. yahaan to kisi tarah naved mean sharik hona tha. tumhare kap de kharab n hoange, isaka jimma mera. maian inaki ehatiyat apane kap doan se bhi zyada karata hooan.

ataee-kap de ki mujhe phikar nahian, apaki dua se allah ne bahut diya hai. reesoan ko khuda salamat rakhe, unaki badaulat paanchoan uangaliyaan ghi mean haian. n maian apako badanam karana chahata hooan. apaki jootiyoan ka gulam hooan. maian sirph itana janana chahata tha ki kap de yah apane kisase paye. maianne bechoo dhobi ko dhone ke lie diye the. aisa to nahian hua ki koee chor bechoo ke ghar se u da laya ho, ya kisi dhobi ne bechoo ke ghar se chura kar apako de diye hoan, kyoanki bechoo ne apane hath se apako haragij kap de n diye hoange. vah aisa chhichhorapan nahian karata. maian khud usase is tarah ka muamala karana chahata tha, hathoan par rupaye rakh deta tha, par usane kabhi parava n ki. sahab, rupaye utha kar pheank diye aur aisi daant batayi ki mere hosh u d gaye. idhar ka hal maian nahian janata, kyoanki ab maian usase kabhi aisi batachit hi nahian karata. par mujhe yakin nahian ata ki vah itana badaniyat ho gaya hoga. isalie apase bar-bar poochhata hooan ki apane vah kap de kahaan paye?

muanshi ji-bechoo ki nisbat tumhara jo khayal hai, vah bilakul thik hai. vah aisa hi begaraj adami hai, lekin bhaee p dos ka bhi to kuchh hak hota hai. mere p dos mean rahata hai, athoan pahar ka sath hai. idhar se bhi kuchh n kuchh salook hota hi rahata hai. meri jaroorat dekhi, pasij gaya. bas aur koee bat nahian.

ataee ne bechoo ki niahsprihata ke vishay mean b di atishayokti se kam liya tha. n usane bechoo ke hath par rupaye rakhe the aur n bechoo ne kabhi use daant batayi thi. par is atishayokti ka prabhav bechoo par usase kahian jyada p da jitana keval bat ko yatharth kah dene se p d sakata tha. bechoo niand mean n soya tha. ataee ki ek-ek bat usane suni thi. use aisa jan p data tha ki meri atma kisi gahari niand se jag rahi hai. duniya mujhe kitana eemanadar, kitana sachcha, kitana nishkapat samajhati hai aur maian kitana beeeman, kitana dagabaj hooan. isi jhoothe ilajam par maianne vah gaanv chho da jahaan bap-dadoan se rahata aya tha. lekin yahaan akar daroo-sharab, ghi-chini ke pichhe tabah ho gaya.

bechoo yahaan se lauta to doosara hi manushy ho gaya tha ya yoan kahie ki vah phir apani khoyi huee atma ko pa gaya tha.

5

chhah mahine bit gaye. sandhya ka samay tha. bechoo ke l dake malakhan ke byah ki batachit karane ke lie mehaman log aye hue the. bechoo stri se kuchh salah karane ke lie ghar mean aya to vah boli-daroo kahaan se ayegi? tumhare pas kuchh hai?

bechoo-mere pas jo kuchh tha, vah tumhean pahale hi nahian de diya tha?

stri-usase to maian chaval, dal, ghi, yah sab saman layi. sat adamiyoan ka khana banaya hai. sab uth gaye.

bechoo-to phir maian kya karooan?

stri-bina daroo lie vah log bhala khane utheange? kitani namoosi hogi.

bechoo-namoosi ho chahe badanami ho, daroo lana mere bas ki bat nahian. yahi n hoga, byah n thik hoga, n sahi.

stri-vah dushala dhulane ke lie nahian aya hai? n ho kisi baniye ke yahaan giravi rakh kar char-paanch rupaye le ao, do-tin din mean chhu da lena, kisi tarah marajad to nibhani chahie? sab kaheange, nam b de darasan tho de. daroo tak n de saka.

bechoo-kaisi bat karati hai. yah dushala mera hai?

stri-kisi ka ho, is bakhat kam nikal lo. kaun kisi se kahane jata hai.

bechoo-n, yah mujhase n hoga, chahe daroo mile ya n mile.

yah kah kar bahar chala aya. dobara bhitar gaya to dekha stri jamin se khod kar kuchh nikal rahi hai. use dekhate hi gaddhe ko aanchal se chhipa liya.

bechoo muskarata hua bahar chala aya.

sanbandhit lekh

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