UPDATE 2
Samay Ka Faisla
Mai bola – “Aacha, yeh baat hai… chalo, main thoda bahar ghum ke aata hoon.”
Maine muskurake kaha – “Aree, bas idhar-udhar ka haal-chaal dekh ke aata hoon. Dekho, khoon bhi ruk gaya hai. Theek ho gaya sab.”
Phir maine socha… sach bhi toh hai – kisi ke liye bhi ek nayi family milna, aur unke saath dil se baat kar paana, itna aasaan nahi hota. Mere life ke alag-alag daur mein maine bahut safar kiye hain… har jagah rehna, har situation se jharna… isliye mujhe adjust hone ki aadat ho gayi hai. Lekin phir bhi… dil kabhi bilkul khula nahi rehta.
Neha ne meri baat suni, phir haath chhoda aur bola – “Theek hai… par sambhal ke jaana. Jaldi wapas aa jaana.”
Maine haa mein sar hila diya, phir slowly gate khol kar bahar nikal gaya.
Bahar aate hi, mere mooh par jor-jor se hawa ki thappad lagne lage. Hawa itni tez thi jaise koi mujhe rukne ke liye keh rahi ho. Main dono haath aankhon ke aage karke aage badhne laga.
Raaste mein soch raha tha… kya sach mein woh talwar yahi hai jisko maine pehle use kiya tha? Wohi jo meri thi… ya sirf ek yaad hai?
Main dheere-dheere toofan ki taraf badhne laga. Duri se ek ajeeb si roshni dikhai de rahi thi… jaise koi energy ka center ho.
Kuch der chalne ke baad, kuch log dikhe jo gaaon ki taraf ja rahe the. Unki aawazon mein darr tha.
Ek aurat ne mujhe dekhte hi bola – “Arre beta! Abhi mandir mein mat jao… wahan bhoot hai! Bahut kharab cheez hai wahan!”
Maine unki baat suni, lekin kuch nahi kaha. Bas sar jhuka kar aage badhta raha.
Tabhi… achanak… ek aawaz aayi –
Meri saans ruk gayi.
Yeh… yeh toh Saloni ki aawaz hai!
Phir doosri aawaz – “Bhaiya… aao na yahan!”
Maine jhat se apna sar ghumaya. “Pari… Pari… Saloni? Tum log yahan ho? Main yahi hu!”
Bina soche maine tez kadam badhaye aur mandir ki taraf daudne laga.
Andar ghusa… ek pandit ji ne rukne ki koshish ki, lekin maine unhe side mein dhakka de diya aur seedha uss jagah ki taraf bhaaga jahan woh talwar pada hua tha.
Jaise hi maine uski taraf dekha… haan! Yehi meri talwar hai! Yehi toh hai woh jismein sab kuch tha – awaazein, yaadein, taqat…
Main jaise hi us ghere ke paas pahuncha…
DHHAAAAAAAANNNNNGGGG!!!
Ek itna tez jhatka laga jaise koi blast ho gaya ho! Main hawa mein uchal gaya… na jaane kahaan tak udta raha… phir ek jhatke ke saath zameen par gira.
Dhool udhi… main dheere se utha. Apne haath-pair check kiye… kuch tootaa nahi, lekin dimaag ghoom raha tha.
Jab nazar aas-paas ghumayi… toh shock mein aa gaya.
Main… mandir ke bilkul dusri taraf tha!
Gaaon ke paar… jungle ke kinare…
Kaise?
Main toh mandir ke andar gaya tha… aur ek pal ke andar… yahan aa pahuncha?
Kya… kya yeh sab ho hi sakta hai?
Is duniya mein toh koi magic nahi hai na?
Phir yeh talwar… usme itni shakti kaise bachi hai?
Aur kya ab main usse chhune ke bhi kabil nahi raha hoon?
Soch hi raha tha ki achanak… saamne se ek chamak aayi.
Koi aaya… lekin koi aam insaan nahi.
Uski shakal… jaise koi pari ho. Na bilkul insaan, na bilkul spirit. Roshni se bani hui jaise.
Uske haath mein ek scroll tha… purana sa, jisme kuch likha hua tha.
Usne aate hi mujhe dekha… aur dheere se bola –
Maine ek lambe saans liya… aur bina darr ke puchha –
Kaalnari ne sar hila diya, aankhon mein ek gehri jyoti chamki –
Maine apni aankhein band kiye… phir khuli.
Kaalnari ne sar hila diya –
Maine jhat se puchha –
Maine halka sa muskuraya –
Phir awaaz thami… aur poocha –
Kaalnari ne dheere se kaha –
Maine halki si hasi di –
Kaalnari ne sar jhuka liya –
Maine aasman ki taraf dekha… hawa thami… aur boli –
Kaalnari ne scroll ko thoda aage badhaya –
Maine haath aage badhaya –
Kaalnari ne ek gehri saans li… aur aakhri baat keh di –
“Karm hi yogyata hai… aur yogyata hi karm hai.”
Aur phir… jaise koi prakash ka dhuaan ho… woh chamak dheere-dheere ghoomti hui hawa mein ghul gayi.
Scroll jameen par pada reh gaya… lekin maine use uthaya nahi.
Main wahan khada reh gaya… jungle ke kinare… Aasmaan dekhta raha… Aur sochne laga –
Bas muh se bus yehi nikal saka –
“Hum kabhi ek the… aur ek hi rahenge…”
