चोरी -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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hay bachapan ! teri yad nahian bhoolati ! vah kachcha, toota ghar, vah puval ka bichhauna; vah nange badan, nange paanv khetoan mean ghoomana; am ke pe doan par chadhana , sari batean aankhoan ke samane phir rahi haian. chamaraudho joote pahan kar us vakt kitani khushi hoti thi, ab 'phleks' ke bootoan se bhi nahian hoti. garam panue ras mean jo maja tha, vah ab gulab ke sharbat mean bhi nahian; chabene aur kachche beroan mean jo ras tha, vah ab aangoor aur khiramohan mean bhi nahian milata. maian apane chachere bhaee haladhar ke sath doosare gaanv mean ek maulavi sahab ke yahaan padhane jaea karata tha. meri umr ath sal thi, haladhar (vah ab svarg mean nivas kar rahe haian) mujhase do sal jeth the. ham donoan prat:kal basi rotiyaan kha, dopahar ke lie matar aur jau ka chabena le kar chal dete the. phir to sara din apana tha. maulavi sahab ke yahaan koee hajiri ka rajistar to tha nahian, aur n gairahajiri ka jurmana hi dena p data tha. phir dar kis bat ka ! kabhi to thane ke samane kh de sipahiyoan ki kavayad dekhate, kabhi kisi bhaloo ya bandar nachanevale madari ke pichhe-pichhe ghoomane mean din kat dete, kabhi relave steshan ki or nikal jate aur ga diyoan ki bahar dekhate. ga diyoan ke samay ka jitana jnan hamako tha, utana shayad taim-tebil ko bhi n tha. raste mean shahar ke ek mahajan ne ek bag lagavana shuroo kiya tha. vahaan ek kuaan khud raha tha. vah bhi hamare lie ek dilachasp tamasha tha. boodha mali hamean apani jhop di mean b de prem se baithata tha. ham usase jhag d-jhag d kar usaka kam karate ! kahian balti liye paudhoan ko sianch rahe haian, kahian khurapi se kyariyaan go d rahe haian, kahian kaianchi se beloan ki pattiyaan chhaant rahe haian. un kamoan mean kitana anand tha ! mali bal-prakriti ka pandit tha. hamase kam leta, par is tarah mano hamare oopar koee ehasan kar raha hai. jitana kam vah din bhar mean karata, ham ghante bhar mean nibata dete the. ab vah mali nahian hai; lekin bag hara-bhara hai. usake pas se ho kar gujarata hooan, to ji chahata hai; un pe doan ke gale mil kar roooan, aur kahooan , pyare, tum mujhe bhool gaye lekin maian tumhean nahian bhoola; mere hriday mean tumhari yad abhi tak hari hai , utani hi hari, jitane tumhare patto. ni:svarth prem ke tum jite-jagate svaroop ho. kabhi-kabhi ham haphtoan gairahajir rahate; par maulavi sahab se aisa bahana kar dete ki unaki badhi huee tyoriyaan utar jatian. utani kalpana-shakti aj hoti to aisa upanyas likh marata ki log chakit rah jate. ab to yah hal hai ki bahut sir khapane ke bad koee kahani soojhati hai. khair hamare maulavi sahab daraji the. maulavigiri keval shauq se karate the. ham donoan bhaee apane gaanv ke kurami-kumharoan se unaki khoob b daee karate the. yoan kahie ki ham maulavi sahab ke saphari ejeant the. hamare udyog se jab maulavi sahab ko kuchh kam mil jata, to ham phoole n samate ! jis din koee achchha bahana n soojhata, maulavi sahab ke lie koee-n-koee saugat le jate. kabhi ser-adha-ser phaliyaan to d lian, to kabhi das-paanch ookh; kabhi jau ya gehooan ki hari-hari balean le lian, un saugatoan ko dekhate hi maulavi sahab ka krodh shaant ho jata. jab in chijoan ki phasal n hoti, to ham saza se bachane ka koee aur hi upay sochate. maulavi sahab ko chi diyoan ka shauq tha. makatab mean shyam, bulabul, dahiyal aur chandooloan ke pianjare latakate rahate the. hamean sabak yad ho ya n ho par chi diyoan ko yad ho jate the. hamare sath hi ve padha karati thian. in chi diyoan ke lie besan pisane mean ham log khoob utsah dikhate the. maulavi sahab sab l dakoan ko patiange pak d lane ki takid karate rahate the. in chi diyoan ko patiangoan se vishesh ruchi thi. kabhi-kabhi hamari bala patiangoan hi ke sir chali jati thi. unaka balidan karake ham maulavi sahab ke raudr roop ko prasann kar liya karate the. ek din sabere ham donoan bhaee talab mean muanh dhone gaye, haladhar ne koee saphed-si chiz mutthi mean le kar dikhayi. maianne lapak kar mutthi kholi; to usamean ek rupaya tha. vismit ho kar poochha—yah rupaya tumhean kahaan mila ? haladhar— ammaan ne tak par rakha tha; charapaee kh di karake nikal laya. ghar mean koee sandook ya alamari to thi nahian; rupaye-paise ek ooanche tak par rakh diye jate the. ek din pahale chacha ji ne san becha tha. usi ke rupaye zamiandar ko dene ke lie rakhe hue the. haladhar ko n-jane kyoankar pata lag gaya. jab ghar ke sab log kam-dhandho mean lag gaye, to apani charapaee kh di ki aur us par chadh kar ek rupaya nikal liya. us vakt tak hamane kabhi rupaya chhua tak n tha. vah rupaya dekh kar anand aur bhay ki jo tarangean dil mean uthi thian, ve abhi tak yad haian; hamare lie rupaya ek alabhy vastu thi. maulavi sahab ko hamare yahaan se sirph barah ane mila karate the. mahine ke aant mean chacha ji khud jakar paise de ate the. bhala, kaun hamare garv ka anuman kar sakata hai ! lekin mar ka bhay anand mean vighn dal raha tha. rupaye anaginati to the nahian. chori khul jana mani huee bat thi. chacha ji ke krodh ka bhi, mujhe to nahian, haladhar ko pratyaksh anubhav ho chuka tha. yoan unase zyada sidha-sada adami duniya mean n tha. chacha ne unaki raksha ka bhar sir par n rakh liya hota, to koee baniya unhean bazar mean bech sakata tha; par jab krodh a jata, to phir unhean kuchh n soojhata. aur to aur, chachi bhi unake krodh ka samana karate darati thian. ham donoan ne kee minat tak inhian batoan par vichar kiya, aur akhir yahi nishchay hua ki ayi huee lakshmi ko n jane dena chahie. ek to hamare oopar sandeh hoga hi nahian, agar hua bhi to ham saf inakar kar jaeange. kaheange, ham rupaya lekar kya karate. tho da soch-vichar karate, to yah nishchay palat jata, aur vah vibhats lila n hoti, jo age chalakar huee; par us samay hamamean shaanti se vichar karane ki kshamata hi n thi. muanh-hath dho kar ham donoan ghar aye aur darate-darate aandar qadam rakha.  agar kahian is vakt talashi ki naubat ayi, to phir bhagavanh hi malik haian. lekin sab log apana-apana kam kar rahe the. koee hamase n bola. hamane nashta bhi n kiya, chabena bhi n liya; kitab bagal mean dabayi aur madarase ka rasta liya. barasat ke din the. akash par badal chhaye hue the. ham donoan khush-khush makatab chale ja rahe the. aj kaunsil ki ministri pa kar bhi shayad utana anand n hota. hajaroan mansoobe baandhate the, hajaroan havaee kile banate the. yah avasar b de bhagy se mila tha. jivan mean phir shayad hi vah avasar mile. isalie rupaye ko is tarah kharch karana chahate the ki zyada se zyada dinoan tak chal sake. yadyapi un dinoan paanch ane ser bahut achchhi mithaee milati thi aur shayad adha ser mithaee mean ham donoan aphar jate; lekin yah khayal hua ki mithaee khayeange to rupaya aj hi gayab ho jayaga. koee sasti chiz khani chahie, jisamean maja bhi aye, pet bhi bhare aur paise bhi kam kharch hoan. akhir amaroodoan par hamari najar gayi. ham donoan raji ho gaye. do paise ke amarood liye. sasta samay tha, b de-b de barah amarood mile. ham donoan ke kurtoan ke daman bhar gaye. jab haladhar ne khatakin ke hath mean rupaya rakha, to usane sandeh se dekh kar poochha—rupaya kahaan paya, lala?chura to nahian laye ? javab hamare pas taiyar tha. zyada nahian to do-tin kitabean padh hi chuke the. vidya ka kuchh-kuchh asar ho chala tha. maianne jhat se kaha —maulavi sahab ki phis deni hai. ghar mean paise n the, to chacha ji ne rupaya de diya. is javab ne khatakin ka sandeh door kar diya. ham donoan ne ek puliya par baith kar khoob amarood khaye. magar ab sadhe pandrah ane paise kahaan le jaean. ek rupaya chhipa lena to itana mushkil kam n tha. paisoan ka dher kahaan chhipata. n kamar mean itani jagah thi aur n jeb mean itani guanjaish. unhean apane pas rakhana chori ka dhiandhora pitana tha. bahut sochane ke bad yah nishchay kiya ki barah ane to maulavi sahab ko de diye jaean, shesh sadhe tin ane ki mithaee u de. yah phaisala karake ham log makatab pahuanche. aj kee din ke bad gaye the. maulavi sahab ne big d kar poochha—itane din kahaan rahe ? maianne kaha —maulavi sahab, ghar mean gami ho gayi. yah kahate-kahate barah ane unake samane rakh diye. phir kya poochhana tha ? paise dekhate hi maulavi sahab ki bachhean khil gayian. mahina khatm hone mean abhi kee din baki the. sadharanat: mahina chadh jane aur bar-bar takaje karane par kahian paise milate the. abaki itani jaldi paise pa kar unaka khush hona koee asvabhavik bat n thi. hamane any l dakoan ki or sagarv netroan se dekha, mano kah rahe hoan , ek tum ho ki maangane par bhi paise nahian dete, ek ham haian ki peshagi dete haian. ham abhi sabak padh hi rahe the ki maloom hua, aj talab ka mela hai, dopahar mean chhutti ho jayagi. maulavi sahab mele mean bulabul l dane jaeange. yah khabar sunate hi hamari khushi ka thikana n raha. barah ane to baiank mean jama hi kar chuke the; sadhe tin ane mean mela dekhane ki thahari. khoob bahar rahegi. maje se rev diyaan khayeange, golagappe u dayeange, jhoole par chadheange aur sham ko ghar pahuancheange; lekin maulavi sahab ne ek k di shart yah laga di thi ki sab l dake chhutti ke pahale apana-apana sabak suna dean. jo sabak n suna sakega, use chhutti n milegi. natija yah hua ki mujhe to chhutti mil gayi; par haladhar kaid kar liye gaye. aur kee l dakoan ne bhi sabak suna diye the, ve sabhi mela dekhane chal p de. maian bhi unake sath ho liya. paise mere hi pas the; isalie maianne haladhar ko sath lene ka iantazar n kiya. tay ho gaya tha ki vah chhutti pate hi mele mean a jaean, aur donoan sath-sath mela dekhean. maianne vachan diya tha ki jab tak vah n ayeange, ek paisa bhi kharch n karooanga; lekin kya maloom tha ki durbhagy kuchh aur hi lila rach raha hai ! mujhe mela pahuanche ek ghante se zyada gujar gaya; par haladhar ka kahian pata nahian. kya abhi tak maulavi sahab ne chhutti nahian di, ya rasta bhool gaye ? aankhean pha d-pha d kar s dak ki or dekhata tha. akele mela dekhane mean ji bhi n lagata tha. yah sanshay bhi ho raha tha ki kahian chori khul to nahian gayi aur chacha ji haladhar ko pak d kar ghar to nahian le gaye ? akhir jab sham ho gayi, to maianne kuchh rev diyaan khayian aur haladhar ke hisse ke paise jeb mean rakh kar dhire-dhire ghar chala. raste mean khayal aya, makatab hota chalooan. shayad haladhar abhi vahian ho; magar vahaan sannata tha. haan, ek l daka khelata hua mila. usane mujhe dekhate hi zor se kahakaha mara aur bola —  bacha, ghar jao, to kaisi mar p dati hai. tumhare chacha aye the. haladhar ko marate-marate le gaye haian. aji, aisa tan kar ghooansa mara ki miyaan haladhar muanh ke bal gir p de. yahaan se ghasitate le gaye haian. tumane maulavi sahab ki tanakhvah de di thi; vah bhi le li. abhi koee bahana soch lo, nahian to bebhav ki p degi. meri sitti-pitti bhool gayi, badan ka lahoo sookh gaya. vahi hua, jisaka mujhe shak ho raha tha. pair man-man bhar ke ho gaye. ghar ki or ek-ek qadam chalana mushkil ho gaya. devi-devataoan ke jitane nam yad the sabhi ki manata mani , kisi ko laddoo, kisi ko pe de, kisi ko batase. gaanv ke pas pahuancha, to gaanv ke dih ka sumiran kiya; kyoanki apane halake mean dih hi ki ichchha sarv-pradhan hoti hai. yah sab kuchh kiya, lekin jyoan-jyoan ghar nikat ata, dil ki dh dakan badhati jati thi. ghataean um di ati thian. maloom hota tha,  asaman phat kar gira hi chahata hai. dekhata tha, log apane-apane kam chho d-chho d bhage ja rahe haian, goroo bhi pooanchh uthaye ghar ki or uchhalate-koodate chale jate the. chi diyaan apane ghoansaloan ki or u di chali ati thian, lekin maian usi mand gati se chala jata tha; mano pairoan mean shakti nahian. ji chahata tha , zor ka bukhar chadh aye, ya kahian chot lag jae; lekin kahane se dhobi gadhe par nahian chadhata. bulane se maut nahian ati. bimari ka to kahana hi kya ! kuchh n hua, aur dhire-dhire chalane par bhi ghar samane a hi gaya. ab kya ho ? hamare dvar par imali ka ek ghana vriksh tha. maian usi ki a d mean chhip gaya ki jara aur aandhera ho jae, to chupake se ghus jaooan aur ammaan ke kamare mean charapaee ke niche ja baithooan. jab sab log so jaeange, to ammaan se sari katha kah sunaooanga. ammaan kabhi nahian maratian. jara unake samane jhooth-mooth roooanga, to vah aur bhi pighal jaeangi. rat kat jane par phir kaun poochhata hai. subah tak sabaka gussa thanda ho jayaga. agar ye mansoobe poore ho jate, to isamean sandeh nahian ki maian bedag bach jata. lekin vahaan to vidhata ko kuchh aur manjoor tha. mujhe ek l dake ne dekh liya, aur mere nam ki rat lagate hue sidhe mere ghar mean bhaga. ab mere lie koee asha n rahi. lachar ghar mean dakhil hua, to sahasa muanh se ek chikh nikal gayi, jaise mar khaya hua kutta kisi ko apani or ata dekh kar bhay se chillane lagata hai. barothe mean pita ji baithe the. pita ji ka svasthy in dinoan kuchh kharab ho gaya tha. chhutti le kar ghar aye hue the, yah to nahian kah sakata ki unhean shikayat kya thi; par vah mooang ki dal khate the, aur sandhya-samay shishe ki gilas mean ek botal mean se kuchh uan del-uan del kar pite the. shayad yah kisi tajurabekar hakim ki batayi huee dava thi. davaean sab basanevali aur k davi hoti haian. yah dava bhi buri hi thi; par pita ji n-jane kyoan is dava ko khoob maja le-le kar pite the. ham jo dava pite haian, to aankhean band karake ek hi ghooant mean gatak jate haian; par shayad is dava ka asar dhire-dhire pine mean hi hota ho. pita ji ke pas gaanv ke do-tin aur kabhi-kabhi char-paanch aur rogi bhi jama ho jate; aur ghantoan dava pite rahate the. mushkil se khana khane uthate the. is samay bhi vah dava pi rahe the. rogiyoan ki mandali jama thi, mujhe dekhate hi pita ji ne lal-lal aankhean karake poochha—kahaan the ab tak ? maianne dabi jaban se kaha —kahian to nahian. 'ab chori ki adat sikh raha hai ! bol, toone rupaya churaya ki nahian ?' meri jaban band ho gayi. samane nangi talavar nach rahi thi. shabd bhi nikalate hue darata tha. pita ji ne zor se d aaut kar poochha—bolata kyoan nahian ? toone rupaya churaya ki nahian ? maianne jan par khel kar kaha —maianne kahaan... muanh se poori bat bhi n nikalane payi thi ki pita ji vikaral roop dharan kiye, daant pisate, jhapat kar uthe aur hath uthaye meri or chale. maian zor se chilla kar rone laga. aisa chillaya ki pita ji bhi saham gaye. unaka hath utha hi rah gaya. shayad samajhe ki jab abhi se isaka yah hal hai, tab tamacha p d jane par kahian isaki jan hi n nikal jae. maianne jo dekha ki meri hikamat kam kar gayi, to aur bhi gala pha d-pha d kar rone laga. itane mean mandali ke do-tin adamiyoan ne pita ji ko pak d liya aur meri or ishara kiya ki bhag ja ! bachche aise mauke par aur bhi machal jate haian, aur vyarth mar kha jate haian. maianne buddhimani se kam liya. lekin andar ka drishy isase kahian bhayankar tha. mera to khoon sard ho gaya, haladhar ke donoan hath ek khambhe se bandho the, sari deh dhool-dhoosarit ho rahi thi, aur vah abhi tak sisak rahe the. shayad vah aangan bhar mean lote the. aisa maloom hua ki sara aangan unake aansuoan se bhar gaya hai. chachi haladhar ko d aaut rahi thian aur ammaan baithi masala pis rahi thian. sabase pahale mujh par chachi ki nigah p di. bolian , lo, vah bhi a gaya. kyoan re, rupaya toone churaya tha ki isane ? maianne nishshank ho kar kaha — haladhar ne. ammaan bolian — agar usi ne churaya tha, to toone ghar a kar kisi se kaha kyoan nahian ! ab jhooth bole bagair bachana mushkil tha. maian to samajhata hooan ki jab adami ko jan ka khatara ho, to jhooth bolana kshamy hai. haladhar mar khane ke adi the, do-char ghooanse aur p dane se unaka kuchh n big d sakata tha. maianne mar kabhi n khayi thi. mera to do hi char ghooansoan mean kam tamam ho jata. phir haladhar ne bhi to apane ko bachane ke lie mujhe phansane ki cheshta ki thi, nahian to chachi mujhase yah kyoan poochhatian , rupaya toone churaya ya haladhar ne ? kisi bhi siddhant se mera jhooth bolana is samay stuty nahian, to kshamy zaroor tha. maianne chhootate hi kaha —haladhar kahate the kisi se bataya, to mar hi dalooanga. ammaan  — dekha, vahi bat nikali n ! maian to kahati thi ki bachcha ki aisi adat nahian; paisa to vah hath se chhoota hi nahian, lekin sab log mujhi ko ulloo banane lage. hal. —maianne tumase kab kaha tha ki bataoge, to marooanga ? maian — vahian, talab ke kinare to ! hal. —ammaan, bilakul jhooth hai ! chachi —jhooth nahian, sach hai. jhootha to too hai, aur to sara sansar sachcha hai, tera nam nikal gaya hai n ! tera bap naukari karata, bahar se rupaye kama lata, char jane use bhala adami kahate, to too bhi sachcha hota. ab to too hi jhootha hai. jisake bhag mean mithaee likhi thi, usane mithaee khayi. tere bhag mean to lat khana hi likha tha. yah kahate hue chachi ne haladhar ko khol diya aur hath pak d kar bhitar le gayian. mere vishay mean snehapoorn alochana karake ammaan ne paansa palat diya tha, nahian to abhi bechare par n-jane kitani mar p dati. maianne ammaan ke pas baith kar apani nirdoshita ka rag khoob alapa. meri saral-hridaya mata mujhe saty ka avatar samajhati thian. unhean poora vishvas ho gaya ki sara aparadh haladhar ka hai. ek kshan bad maian gu d-chabena liye kothari se bahar nikala. haladhar bhi usi vakt chiu da khate hue bahar nikale. ham donoan sath-sath bahar aye aur apani-apani biti sunane lage. meri katha sukhamay thi, haladhar ki du:khamay; par aant donoan ka ek tha , gu d aur chabena.

sanbandhit lekh

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