Update-2
Unke baal ab thodi si safedi liye hue the, aankhon ke neeche thakan ke nishaan the, par wohi pyar, wohi dard unki aankhon mein ab bhi tha. Jitni bhi meri dhundli yaad thi wo sab kuch mil rahi thi. Woh meri taraf badh rahi thi, unke kadmon ki aawaz hospital ke sannate mein goonj rahi thi, aur meri aankhein ek baar phir bheeg gayi.
Meri zindagi ka woh pal, jab main 8 saal ka tha, ek toofan ki tarah guzar gaya tha. Maa aur Pitaji ka divorce ho gaya tha, aur uske saath meri chhoti si duniya do hisson mein baant di gayi thi. Wajah thi Maa ka apna ek alag jeevan chunna—unhone ek travel writer banne ka faisla kiya, ek aisi duniya jahan woh duniya ke kone-kone ghoom kar apni kalam se har naye tajurbe ko kaagaz par utaar sakein. Unke liye yeh unki azadi thi, unki zindagi ka maqsad, par Pitaji, jo ek sada jeevan jeene wale company me ek manager the, unke liye yeh sab ek ajnabi khayal tha. Pitaji ke liye parivaar, ghar, aur ek sthir zindagi hi sab kuch tha, jabki Maa ke liye unka safar aur kalam thi. Dono ke sapne ek doosre se itne alag the ki woh ek saath nahi chal sake. Divorce ke baad, Pitaji ne mujhe apne saath rakha, kyunki woh mujhe ek surakshit aur niyamit zindagi dena chahte the, ek aisa ghar jahan main pal-bhar ke liye bhi akela na mehsoos karoon. Maa ne iska virodh nahi kiya, par unhone ek kathor faisla liya—woh mujhse kabhi nahi mili, na hi is parivaar se dobara judi. Unhone apni duniya alag basa li, shayad isliye ki woh nahi chahti thi ki unka yeh azad jeevan meri zindagi ya Pitaji ke sthir sansaar par koi bojh bane. Main Pitaji ke saath raha, unki wajah se jo mujhe ek mazboot buniyaad dena chahte the, maa ki yaadein dhire dhire dhundli hoti chali gayi.
Divorce ke baad, Pitaji ne apne dard ko apni taakat banaya. Unhone apni zindagi ko naye sir se shuru kiya aur ek chhoti si mechanical workshop kholi, jo unke junoon aur mehnat ka prateek bani. Woh raat-din kaam karte, apne sapno ko haqiqat mein badalte hue. Unki yeh chhoti si shuruaat dhire-dhire ek badi company mein tabdeel ho gayi—‘Sujay Industries’, jo aaj 50 crore ke turnover wali ek naamchin company hai. Pitaji ne na sirf apni shohrat kamayi, balki mujhe hamesha sambhala, mujhe ek mazboot buniyaad di, aur har kadam par mera saath diya. Unhone mujhe sikhaya ki zindagi ke har toofan se ladna hai, aur maine unki wajah se hamesha apne pairon par khada hona seekha.
Hospital Corridor, Pune.
Main apni jagah par jaise jam sa gaya tha. Maa. Wohi Maa, jinki yaadein mere dil ke kisi purane, dhool bhare kone mein chhupi hui thi, ab mere samne khadi thi. Unki aankhon mein wahi pyar tha, par usme ek ajeeb si bebasi bhi thi, jaise woh bhi usi dard se guzar rahi ho jo main mehsoos kar raha tha. Hospital ka sannata ab aur gehra lag raha tha, jaise waqt bhi ruk kar hum dono ko ek doosre ke samne dekhna chahta ho.
“Sujay…” unhone phir se pukara.
is baar unki awaaz mein ek thartharahat thi. Main unki taraf dekhta raha, par mere muh se ek shabd bhi nahi nikla. Dil mein ek toofan sa uth raha tha—gussa, dard, pyar, aur ek anjaan si chubhan, sab ek saath. Main unhe dekh raha tha, par andar se ek sawal baar-baar uth raha tha—yeh kaise ho sakta hai? Itne saalon baad, aaj, yahan?
Maa ek kadam aur aage badhi, aur unke chehre par ek halki si muskan thi, jo shayad meri aankhon ke aansuon ko chhupane ki koshish thi. “Sujay, beta…” unhone dheeme se kaha, par maine unhe rok diya.
Main- aap?” Meri awaaz mein ek sardi thi, jo shayad main khud bhi nahi chahta tha.
Main- “Aap… aap yahan kyun? Ab kyun?”
Mere shabd jaise teer ki tarah nikle, par unme dard zyada tha, gussa kam.
Main- “Itne saal… koi khabar nahi, koi sandesh nahi. Aur aaj, jab Pitaji…” Meri awaaz toot gayi, aur maine apna chehra haathon mein chhupa liya.
Maa chup rahi. Unki aankhein bheeg gayi thi, par woh meri taraf dekhti rahi, jaise mere har sawal ka jawab unki aankhon mein ho.
Maa---- “Sujay,” unhone dheeme se shuru kiya, “main jaanti hoon, maine tumhe bahut dard diya hai. Par mere jivan ke kuch lakshya the. Shayad usme main itna doob gayi ki....
Maa---- lekin main hamesha tumhe yaad karti thi sujay..
Main unhe dekhta raha, par dil ab bhi unhe samajhne se inkaar kar raha tha.
Main- “Toh aaj kyun? Jab Pitaji is halat mein hain, jab main khud toot raha hoon, aap aaj kyun aayi?”
Meri awaaz mein ek bechaini thi, jo shayad hospital ke corridor mein bhi goonj rahi thi.
Maa ne ek gehri saans li, aur phir dheeme se boli.
Maa---- “Mujhe pata chala ki tumhare pitaji… unki tabiyat…”
Unki awaaz toot gayi, aur unhone apni aankhein jhuka li.
Maa---- “Main nahi chahti thi ki tum akele is dard se guzarre. Main jaanti hoon, maine tumhe akela chhoda tha, par aaj main yahan hoon, Sujay. Tumhare liye. Tunhare pitaji ke liye.”
Unke shabdon mein ek sachchai thi, jo mujhe chhoo rahi thi, par dil ab bhi maan nahi raha tha. Itne saalon ka dard, woh khali pan, woh yaadein jo dhire-dhire dhundli ho gayi thi—sab ek saath mere dil mein uth rahe the. Main unhe dekhta raha, aur ek pal ke liye laga jaise woh paanch saal ka Sujay phir se unki god mein sar rakhna chahta hai. Par main ab woh baccha nahi tha. Main woh Sujay tha, jise Pitaji ne apne haathon se sambhala, jise unhone har toofan se ladna sikhaya.
Main- “Main nahi jaanta, ki aapke shabdon par bharosa karun ya nahi. Par aaj… aaj mujhe apki nahi, Pitaji ki zaroorat hai. Woh meri duniya hain. Aur main unhe khona nahi chahta.”
Maa ke chehre par ek halka sa dard ubhra, par unhone kuch nahi kaha. Woh meri taraf dekhti rahi, aur phir dheeme se boli,
Maa---- “Main yahan hoon, Sujay. Jab bhi tumhe meri zaroorat ho, main yahan hoon.”
Tabhi doctor ka helper corridor mein aaya aur mujhe bulaya. “Sujay ji, doctor aapko bula rahe hain. Aapke pitaji ki condition ke baare mein kuch baat karni hai.”
Meri saansein phir se ruk si gayi. Main Maa ki taraf dekha, aur unki aankhon mein ek ummeed thi, par saath hi ek darr bhi. Main utha aur doctor ke cabin ki taraf chala, par dil mein ek ajeeb si bechaini thi. Maa bhi mere peeche-peeche chali, par ek do kadam ki doori banaye rakhi.
**Doctor ke Cabin mein**
Doctor ne mujhe baithne ko kaha, aur unki file mein kuch likhte hue bole, “Sujay, main achhi khabar aur thodi chinta wali baat dono batane ja raha hoon. Achhi khabar yeh hai ki aapke pitaji ki condition ab stable hai. Unka dil ab behtar response de raha hai, aur humne unhe ek naye treatment plan par daal diya hai. Par chinta ki baat yeh hai ki unhe abhi bhi ICU mein hi rehna hoga, aur recovery ka raasta lamba ho sakta hai.”
Meri aankhon mein ek ajeeb si chamak aayi. Stable. Yeh shabd jaise meri jaan mein jaan daal gaya.
Main- “Toh… toh woh thik ho jayenge, doctor?” Meri awaaz mein ek bacche jaisi ummeed thi.
Doctor ne mujhe dekh kaha,
Doctor- “Hum poori koshish kar rahe hain, Sujay. Woh lad rahe hain, aur yeh ek achhi baat hai. Par abhi unhe rest ki aur dhyan ki zaroorat hai. Aap ho sake to unhe mil sakte hai. Lekin jyada baate nahi ok.
Hospital Corridor, 11:40 PM
Main aur Maa doctor ke cabin se nikal kar ICU ki taraf chal rahe the. Corridor ka sannata ab bhi mujhe chhoo raha tha, par dil mein ek chhoti si ummeed jagi hai—Pitaji stable hain. Maa mere peeche-peeche chal rahi thi, ek do kadam ki doori banaye hue, jaise woh meri manzil ka hissa banna chahti ho, par mujhe apna waqt dena bhi jaanti ho. Main unhe ek baar palat kar dekha—unki aankhon mein wahi dard aur pyar tha, jo meri dhundli yaadon mein basa tha. Par abhi bhi dil mein ek sardi si thi, ek sawal jo jawab maangta tha.
Sujay (dheeme se, Maa ki taraf dekhte hue): Aap… aap sach mein Pitaji se milna chahti hain? Itne saalon baad?
Maa rukti hain, ek pal ke liye apni aankhein jhukati hain, phir mujhe dekhti hain.
Maa (naram awaaz mein): Tumhe lagta hai main yahan kisi aur wajah se hoon, Sujay? Tumhare pitaji… woh meri zindagi ka ek hissa hain, chahe waqt ne kitni bhi doori daal di ho. Main unhe dekhna chahti hoon, tumhare liye bhi, aur… apne liye bhi.
Main kuch nahi bolta, bas sar jhukaye ICU ke darwaze ki taraf badhta hoon. Nurse humein andar le jati hai, aur woh pal, jab main Pitaji ke bed ke paas pahunchta hoon, dil jaise ek baar phir se ruk sa jata hai. Pitaji bed par letay the. unke chehre par thakan thi, par unki saansein ab bhi chal rahi hain, har dhadkan meri ummeed ko zinda rakh rahi thi. Machines ka halka sa shor, unke aas-paas wires, aur woh sannata—sab mujhe ek ajeeb si duniya mein le ja raha tha.
Maa mere bagal mein khadi thi, unki aankhein Pitaji par thami hui thi. Main unhe dekhta hoon, aur unki aankhon mein aansoon chamak rahe the. Pitaji ki band aankhein ek pal ke liye khulti hain, aur jab unki nazar Maa par padti hai, unke chehre par ek halka sa bhaav ubharta hai—dard, pyar, aur shayad ek purani yaad ka milan.
Pitaji (halki, tooti hui awaaz mein): Komal… tum… tum aayi?
Main chonk jata hoon. Komal. Maa ka naam, jo maine saalon se nahi suna tha, Pitaji ke muh se aise nikla, jaise woh hamesha se unke dil mein thi. Maa ka chehra ek pal ke liye thama sa jata hai, phir woh dheeme se Pitaji ke bed ke paas jati hain.
Maa (aansuon ko rokti hui, dheeme se): Haan, main yahan hoon…
Pitaji ki aankhon mein ek chamak si aati hai, par woh thake hue hain, unki awaaz mein ek halki si kamzori hai. Woh meri taraf dekhte hain, phir Maa ki taraf, aur dheeme se bolte hain.
Pitaji (halki awaaz mein): Main hi… maine hi Komal ko bulaya tha, Sujay. Mujhe laga… shayad yeh waqt… hum sab ke liye zaroori hai.
Main sunn pad gaya. Pitaji ne Maa ko bulaya? Yeh baat mere dil ko ek ajeeb si chot deti hai, par saath hi ek sawal bhi—kyun? Itne saalon baad, unhone aisa kyun kiya?
Sujay (hairani aur thodi si narazgi ke saath): Pitaji, aapne… aapne unhe kyun bulaya? Aapko pata hai, unhone humein chhoda tha… aapko chhoda tha, mujhe chhoda tha.
Pitaji ek lambi saans lete hain, unki aankhein ab bhi Maa par thami hui hain. Woh dheeme se bolte hain.
Pitaji: Sujay… zindagi mein kuch faisle galat nahi hote, bas waqt galat hota hai. Komal… tumhari maa… udme apne sapne chune, par iska matlab yeh nahi ki usne humein bhulaya. Main jaanta hoon, woh hamesha se tumhe yaad karti thi.
Maa apni aankhein jhukati hain, unke haathon mein ek halka sa kampan hai. Woh dheeme se bolti hain, jaise har shabd unke dil se nikal raha ho.
Maa (aansuon ke saath): Sujay, tum… tum shayad mujhe kabhi maaf na karo, par main sach kehti hoon. Pichle kuch saalon se, mujhe har pal parivaar ki yaad sataati thi. Main apni azadi, apne safar mein khushi dhoondh rahi thi, par har nayi manzil mujhe tum dono ki yaad dilati thi. Main… main himmat nahi juta paayi, tumse milne ki, tumhare saath wapas judne ki. Par pichle ek saal se… main tumhare pitaji se kabhi-kabhi baat karti thi, mahine mein ek-do baar. Woh mujhe batate the, tum kaise bade ho rahe ho, tumhari safalta, tumhari zindagi… main sunti thi, par milne ki himmat nahi hui.
Main unhe dekh raha tha, aur dil mein ek ajeeb sa bhaav uth raha hai. Ek taraf gussa, par doosri taraf ek chhoti si ummeed bhi, ki shayad yeh sach hai. Maa ki aankhon mein woh dard, woh pyar, mujhe jhooth nahi lagta.*
Sujay (dheeme se, par thodi si sakhti ke saath): Aap baat karti thi? Pitaji se? Aur mujhe… mujhe kyun nahi bataya, Pitaji?
Pitaji ek halki si muskan dete hain, jo unki thakan ke bawajood chamakti hai.
Pitaji: Sujay, main nahi chahta tha ki tu apne dard mein aur ulajh jaye. Teri maa… Komal… woh hamesha se tera parivaar thi, chahe woh door hi kyun na rahi ho. Maine socha, shayad yeh waqt… yeh dukh… humein phir se ek saath la sakta hai.
Maa ek kadam aur aage badhti hain, aur Pitaji ke haath ko dheeme se chhooti hain. Unki aankhein ek doosre se milti hain, aur ek pal ke liye laga jaise waqt wapas laut aaya ho—jaise woh purana ghar, woh chhota sa aangan, sab phir se zinda ho gaya ho.
Maa (bhaavuk hote hue): Main… main wapas parivaar ka hissa banna chahti to thi sujay. Lekin is tarah ...
Maa ki aankho me aansu aajate hai..
Maa---- mujhe nahi laga tha ...
Nurse- sorry aapka time ho chuka hai. Aap please bahar chaliye.
Maa ne pitaji ke haatho ko kaske pakda aur bhaari man se bahar aane lagi. Maine pitaji ki tarah dekh unhe hausla dene ki koshish ki. Ek shaant avastha me main ICU se bahar usi chair ki taraf badha kaha maa baithi thi
Hospital Corridor, Pune, 2025, 11:50 PM IST
Main aur Maa ICU se bahar nikal kar wapas corridor mein aa gaye the. Nurse ke kehne par hum dono usi khaali bench par baith gaye, jahan main pehle baitha tha, Pitaji ka chashma haathon mein pakde hue. Hospital ka sannata ab bhi tha, par ab woh mujhe dara nahi raha tha. Doctor ke shabdon—ki Pitaji stable hain—ne mere dil mein ek chhoti si roshni jaga di thi. Maa mere bagal mein baithi thi, ek do kadam ki doori ab bhi thi, par shayad woh doori dil mein thodi si kam ho chuki thi. Main unhe ek pal ke liye dekha, aur pehli baar unhe ek anjaan aurat ki nazar se dekha—na sirf meri Maa ke roop mein, balki ek aisi shakhsiyat ke roop mein, jinhone apne jeevan ke safar mein apni pehchaan banayi thi.
Maa ka chehra, jo corridor ki roshni mein saaf dikh raha tha, ek ajeeb si sundarta liye hue tha. Unke baal, jo ab thodi si safedi ke saath lambe aur sada andaaz mein ek loose bun mein bandhe hue the, unke chehre ko ek maasoom si chamak de rahe the. Unhone koi bhari-bharkam makeup nahi kiya tha—bas ek halki si kajal ki lakeer aur thodi si lip balm, jo unke chehre ki asli sundarta ko aur ujaagar kar rahi thi. Unki aankhein, jo thakan ke nishaan liye hue thi, phir bhi ek gehri kahani kehti thi—ek aisi aurat ki kahani, jo duniya ke kone-kone ghoom chuki thi, har naye tajurbe ko apni kalam mein samet chuki thi. Unke chehre par ek halki si jhurri thi, jo waqt aur zindagi ke sangharsh ka nishaan thi, par woh jhurriyan bhi unki sundarta ka hissa ban chuki thi, jaise har ek jhurri ek nayi kahani ka panna ho.
Unhone ek sada sa kurta pehna tha—halke neele rang ka, jismein chhoti-chhoti phoolon ki embroidery thi, jo unke sadgi bhare jeevan ko darsha rahi thi. Kurte ka gala unki gardan ke aas-paas naram se chipka hua tha, aur uska fabric unke vaksh par ek shalinta ke saath lehraya, jo unki maasoomiyat aur sundarta ko aur gehra kar raha tha. Unka vaksh, jo kurte ke neeche ek naram si chamak ke saath ubhra hua tha, ek aisi sundarta ka prateek tha jo na sirf sharirik thi, balki unke dil ke pyar aur balidaan ka bhi prateek thi. Woh ek travel writer thi, ek aisi aurat jo apne sapnon ke peeche chali thi, par uske bawajood unki har ada mein ek maasoomiyat thi, ek aisa jadoo jo dil ko chhoo gaya.
Sujay- to aap ghar wapas kab jaayengi, Yaa aap kahi rukne wali hai?.
Maa---- filhaal maine kuch nahi socha hai, lekin abhi to yahi rahungi. Kal tumhare pitaji se ek baar phir milungi to thoda accha lagega.
Main samajh nahi paa Raha tha ki itne saalo baad wo bas aise hi hamare jindagi me wapas aagayi. Wo aakhir kya chahti. Kyun wo wapas humse judna chahti thi. Mere man me dhero sawaal the lekin filhaal mujhe pitaji ki chinta thi. Maine kuch nahi kaha. Main apne hi khayalo me Kai der aisehi baitha tha. Jab Mera dhyan wapas maa ki taraf gaya to laga ki wo ab so usi chair par so gayi thi. Lekin unhe dekh kar Aisa lag raha tha ki unhe thand lag rahi hai.
Naa jaane kyun firse us aurat ke liye jinke liye mere man me koi bhaav bhi nahi tha. Aaj achanak halka sa hi sahi kuch alag mahsoos tha. Ye sach tha ki main inhe abtak maa ki jagah to de nahi sakta tha.
Maine utha aur apni jacket utar dhire se maa ke sharir ke upar dhak diya. Main wapas unke us chahre ko dekhne laga. Main us bhaav ko samajh nahi paa Raha tha.
Main ab wapas ICU ke us shishe wale darwaze jitna andar jhaank kar dekh sakta tha uthna dekh to liya. Lekin pitaji ko thik se dekh nahi paaya. Wapas usi nirasha me main chair par aa baitha aur apni aankhe band kar deewar ka sahara lekar baith gaya.
Update 2 end.
