" thakurain ek baat puchein " manju khadi thi, malini ne khate hue hami bhari.
" subah vo daroga kiske bare mein puch rahe the ? mera matlab hai ki vo kiski laash mili thi unhe ? "
" hume kya malum " malini ke ek tuk jawab ne manju ki aage puchne ki himmat hi khatam kar di. Khana khane ke baad vo malini ko haweli ka kuch kaam saunp karke nikalne se pehle ye keh kar nikli ki vo kheton mein jaa rahi hai koi jaruri kaam ho to bata degi.
Thand ka mausam tha, dhup aaj kuch khas nikli nahi thi, malini jis sadak se chalte hue kheton ki taraf badhi us sadak par logon ki afjai ab kam ho gayi thi. Kheton mein thoda chalne ke baad vo us kamre ki taraf badhi jahan se kheton par pani chhoda jata tha. Uske bahar tala laga tha, malini ne kamar mein dali chabiyun ke gucche ko bahar nikala aur usme se ek chabi ko chunn kar tala khol dia. Andar dhul mitthi aur sukhi ghans ka ek taraf dher pada tha. Malini ne darwaja band kar dia aur wahin ghans par ek kone mein ja baithi. Baithte sath hi uski nazar samne bani choti si khidki par ja padi aur use dekhne lagi.
Khidki thodi unchi thi, par andar se aa rahi awazon ko dhang se sunne ke liye vo aage badh gayi. Vo kamre ke pas ayi aur vahan khadi ho gayi, andar se awazein aa rahi thi par samajh kam aa rahi thi, bas bich-bich mein jab awaz unchi hoti to use sunai de jati.
" sawal karne ke liye tujhe mana kia hai na to phir kyun karti hai "
" bapu ki awaz ? " malini thodi asmanjas mein thi ki uske bapu kise baat kar rahe hain. Use ab andar dekhne ki jigayasa badh gayi, vo kamre ke bane darwaje par gayi aur use kholne ki kosish karni lagi par vo khula nahi. Andar kese jaun ? sochte hue vo kamre ke dusri taraf ayi to usne vahan ek choti si khidki bani dekhi. Usne apna sar utha kar uppar ki taraf dekha vo choti si khidki uppar thi aur uski lambai vahan tak pahunch nahi sakti thi par dekhne ki jigasya itni thi ki usne vahan se jana sahi nahi samjha. Usne apna school bag utar kar niche rakh dia aur phir vahan rakhe pathar par khadi ho gayi par samsya ye thi ki vo pathar us khidki ke niche nahi balki kuch duri par rakha tha, lekin kisi tarah usne apne sharir ka wajan sambhala aur apni ungliyun ke bal par khade hokar usne andar jhakne ki kosish ki jise use kuch jhalkiyan mil gayi.
Malini chehra nahi dekh sakti thi kyun ki vo pith ki taraf khada tha. " aur tuje kya lagta hai mujhe kuch nahi pata " itna sunne ke baad malini ne kuch aisa dekha jise vo zehan se na nikal payi. Usne apni dhoti khol kar niche gira di aur chaddi halki si niche kar ke kuch pal yun hi khada raha phir apni kamar aage piche karne laga. Malini ko samajh nahi aa raha tha lekin use acha bhi nahi lag raha tha, par kuch hi pal baad use ek aur awaz ane lagi jo ki ek aurat ki thi vo ajeeb ajeeb si awazein nikal rahi thi.
" ye bapu kya kar rahe hain kiske sath ? " man mein sawal aya par sawal ka jawab nahi. Aurat ki awaz mein siski thi jo vo samajh nahi paa rahi thi. Jis tarah vo khadi thi use uske sharir mein dard hone laga tha par janne ki jigasya bahut jada thi isliye vo khadi rahi aur eka-ek samne bhi hilna tez ho gaya use laga jese bapu kisi ko maar rahe ho zor-zor se.
" dhire chilla na " siskiyan tez sun vo chillaya, " malini.. " apna naam zor se sun kar vo ghabra gayi aur pakad chhutne ke karan vo niche gir gayi. Niche girte hi use dar baith gaya ki andar uska naam na sun lia ho isliye usne apna bag fat-fat uthaya aur uska hath pakad kar vahan se tezi se bhag khadi hui.
" malini, malini.. sun to malini.. " thodi dur bhagte-bhagte vo thak gayi thi lekin malini bhage jaa rahi thi uski ankhon ke aage abhi bhi wahi sab tha jo usne dekha tha aur dil mein dar uske pakde jane ka " malini " is baar vo jor se chillai.
" thakurain.. " awaz aur rutba agle hi pal dono badal gaye. Malini khayalon se bahar ayi aur bahar se aa rahi awaz ko sun kar khadi ho gayi. " thakurain " usne nazre niche karte hue kaha.
" andar aao " malini ne vapis us darwaje ko laga dia.
" ab ye mat kehna ki tum khali hath aye ho " malini ne turant pucha.
" maaf kijyega thakurain lekin mein ye kehne wala tha " malini ko gussa aya par vo kuch keh na saki.
" theek hai, kosish karte raho, mujhe jald se jald us kaam ko pura karwana hai tum samajh rahe ho na ? "
" ji.. " malini afsos mein mudi aur usne kamre ka darwaja khol dia. Dophar ka samay tha par asman mein badal garaz rahe the, thandi hawa chal kar shayad abhi hi band hui thi, baarish kabhi bhi aa sakti thi.
" thakurain.. " ise pehle malini jati usne toka.
" kaho " usne bas apni gardan piche ki.
" aisa kya hai vahan, na koi jane ko tayar hota hai na hi koi meri madad karne ko "
" tumhe aur koi chahie to mujhse keh dena mein intezam kar dungi " malini ko laga bas use itna hi puchna tha vo mud kar jane lagi.
" kehte hain vahan koi bhut-pret ka saya hai thakurain . " itna sun kar malini ke kadam ruk gaye. " aur usi pret ne bade aur chote thakur ko bhi mara hai " bolte hue uska chehra kanp raha tha. Malini ye sun kar phir mudi.
" kisne kaha tumse ? "
" gaon wallon ne ... " vo abhi bhi dara hua tha.
" tumne kuch dekha, aaj tak "
" ji. nahi.. "
" to kaam par dhayan do, kaam ho jaye to batane aa jana yahin milungi, tumhe tumhare pese mil jayenge, iske alawa aur kuch chahie to bata do "
" nahi.. " vo bas itna hi keh paya ki malini vahan se chal di aur is baar nahi ruki. Soch ne uske dimag mein bar-bar wahi batein khadi kar di thi ki jese .... itne mein tez baarish shuru ho gayi, usne shol le rakhi thi par haweli abhi dur thi aur itne badalon ne roshni kam kar di thi, vo jitne tez kadmo se chal sakti thi utne tez kadmo se chalte hue haweli pahunchi lekin tab tak vo bhig chuki thi. Usne darwaje par dastak di aur kuch hi pal mein manju ne use khol dia.
" thakurain hume apke hi chinta ho rahi thi " darwaja lagate hi usne kaha.
" pochne ke liye kuch do, hume bahut thand lag rahi hai " thand mein kanpte hue usne kaha aur malini ne bina waqt zaya kiye use tolia de dia pochne ke liye. Malini ne khud ko pocha aur apne kapde utarne shuru kar diye aur blkul nangi ho gayi. " mera badan ponch do manju, aisa lag raha hai ab hamare hathon mein jaan na bachi ho " manju ye sun kar ek pal ke liye kanp uthi. Usne apni thakurain ko nangi avastha mein pehle bhi dekha tha lekin use chunne ka mauka kabhi nahi mila tha. Lekin thakurain ka kehna tha to karna bhi tha, usne toliya uthaya aur thakurain ke badan ko pehle piche se ache se pocha phir vo dhire dhire niche ayi, kitni komal twacha hai ye sochte hi usne man mein ajeeb si lehar daud gayi, par asli chiz to aage thi jese hi usne malini ki chaityun ko chua to use laga uske badan se jese kuch nikal gaya ho.
" bas rehne do " malini ke itna kehte hi uske jaan mein jaan ayi. Usne bistar ke andar razai odh kar let jane ka faisla kia, manju ne uski madad ki aur kuch pal uske pas baithi uska sar sehlane lagi. Thand ki vajah se uska pura sharir nila sa padh gaya tha jese khun zam gaya ho.
" mein apke lie garam dudh lati hun " manju kitchen mein jakar dudh garam karne lagi, usi dauran uske dimag mein bar-bar malini ka chehra aa raha tha. Uska vo sundar badan, vo chaityan, vo komal badan.
" thakurain.. " dudh table par rakhte hue manju ki awaz ne malini ki ankh khol di. Lete lete uski ankh lag gayi thi, " dudh pii lijeye aram milega, mein bahar hun kuch kaam hoga to awaz laga dena.
" sun.. " malini ki awaz se manju ruk gayi, " piche se koi humse milne aya tha ? "
" nahi.. " manju kuch sochne lagi, " han yaad aya, apke liye khat aya hai " vo bahar gayi aur usne khat lakar malini ke hath mein de dia. Malini ne khat liya aur use padne lagi, jese jese vo padti gayi uske chehre par pareshani jhalakne lagi. Pura padte hi usne vo khat apne bagal mein rakh dia.
" thakurain ... " manju se ruka nai gaya, " kya vakai haweli mein koi bhoot hai ? "
