UPDATE 223
Janu: "Aap yahi ho naa?"
Main apna sar hila kar: "Haan, yahi tha. Thanks, Arav. Accha, ab chalein gaav aur filhal yeh sindoor saaf kar lo."
Itna kehna tha ki sab ekdum zor se chilaye, jaise maine koi badi baat bol di ho. Main aur Arav toh dar ke maare gir pade.
Main apne mann mein sochne laga: "Dad sahi kehte the—'Beta, shaadi kar le, tab pata chalega ki baatein soch-samajh kar boli jaati hain.'"
Shikha (ghusse se): "Kya bola aapne? Aapne hamesha mujhe ignore kiya, par maine kabhi kuch nahi bola. Par yeh baat dubara mat bolna."
Main: "Arre baba, toh kya ghar par aise hi chalega kya?"
Devika: "Yeh sahi keh rahe hain. Itna toh karna hi hoga."
Main aur Arav khade hue aur apne kapde jhaadte hue ek dusre ko aankhon hi aankhon mein samajhne ki koshish karne lage.
Main: "Abbe, ek baat bata doon. Yeh jo abhi kiya hai na, dubara mat karna."
Komal: "Kya?"
Main (thoda taunt maarte hue): "Kya yahi sikhaya hai tumhare maata-pita ne? Apne pati se itni uchi awaaz mein baat karte hain?"
Tabhi Masoom mere paas aayi aur mere pair pakad kar gir gayi: "Maaf kar do, mere praan-naath! Maine galti se yeh kiya. Mujhe shama kar dijiye."
Main (shock mein): "Arey, Masu, yeh tum kya bol rahi ho?"
Masoom uth kar mere gale lag gayi: "Mujhe maaf kar do. Aage se aisa nahi karungi."
Main (uski peeth thapthapate hue): "Theek hai, theek hai, tension mat lo."
Lekin mera mann ab alag hi thoughts mein chala gaya. Jab maine Masoom ke dad ko dekha tha, toh unmein mujhe apne guruji ki jhalak dikhi thi. Maine socha:
"Yeh kya? Kya Masoom guruji ki beti hai? Aur kya guruji hi Govind ji hain? Par yaar, yeh sab chhodo. Aaj ke sawaalon ka jawaab nahi mila, toh kal ka kya sochna? Govind ji mere guru nahi ho sakte. Bas, jo bhi ho, mujhe ab ghar ja kar sona hai. Tak gaya hoon. Aur ab toh gala bhi baith gaya hai."
Main ne thoda hasa aur bola: "Masoom, yeh sab chhodo. Chal ab ghar chalte hain. Aur sabse pehle ek baat fix karni hai—tum log mujhe yeh nautanki mein mat uljhao."
Sab hansne lage, lekin mujhe ab bas apni taange stretch karni thi aur so jaana tha.
Main (andar hi andar): "Kal ka din dekh lenge. Par haaye, mere haathon ka dard aur yeh taange toh ab jawab de rahi hain!"
Sab mil kar gaav ke liye nikal pade. Lekin main abhi bhi andar hi andar yeh soch raha tha ki "Yeh guruji aur Masoom ka connection kya hai?" Lekin yeh jawab toh ab mujhe agle din hi milega kaya pata naa mile.
(Raaste Mein Shiv Ka Phone Aaya)
Mai: "Haan bhai, kaisa hai? Aur Sandhya kaisi hai? Maa aur Lakshmi kaise hain?"
Shiv: "Aram se bhai, aram se. Sab theek hai. Aap jahan hote ho, wahan sab theek hi rehta hai."
Mai (halki si hansi ke saath): "Accha, kab aa raha hai ghar?"
Shiv: "Bas Shiv Ji ke mandir ke paas se guzra hoon. Thodi der mein pahuncha."
Mai: "Toh aa ja, mai bhi aage hi thodi door par hoon."
Shiv: "Accha, milta hoon."
Maine apni car wahi rukwa di. Main, Masoom, aur Komal ek car mein the, aur baaki log peeche the. Kuch der baad Shiv ki car bhi aayi. Gate khula aur Lakshmi bhagte hue mere paas aayi.
Lakshmi (mere gale lagte hue): "Bhaiya, aap mil gaye! Ab nahi chhodungi aapko!" (Mere kaan kheenchte hue).
Mai (hans kar): "Haan, bilkul mat chhodna! Arre, apni bhabhiyon se nahi milogi kya?"
Lakshmi mere gale se alag hui aur Masoom ko dekhne lagi.
Lakshmi: "Aap wahi hain na?"
Masoom (confused): "Kaun, gudiya?"
Lakshmi: "Arre, jinka photo inke purse mein rehta tha."
Mai (thoda sharminda hote hue): "Chup kar, gudiya!"
Lakshmi: "Aur aap woh hain jinka tattoo inki peeth par tha!"
Komal (mujhe teasingly dekhte hue): "Haan, ab toh sach saamne aa gaya."
Lakshmi: "Ab batao, bhabhi kaun hai inmein se?"
Mai: "Dono hain."
Lakshmi muh khol ke: "Aaaawwwhhh!"
Mai (baat badalte hue): "Accha, Shiv, maa kahan hain?"
Shiv: "Arre bhai, woh gaav gayi hain. Zaruri kaam tha."
Mai: "Chal, koi nahi. Tu aa peeche-peeche."
Lakshmi ne aage badhkar Komal aur Masoom ke pair chhu liye.
Komal: "Arre gudiya, kya kar rahi ho? Itni chhoti umar mein yeh sab seekh liya?"
Lakshmi: "Maa kehti hain ki kisi ko izzat dene mein umar ka koi kaam nahi hota. Bas dil mein sacchai honi chahiye."
Masoom uske gaalon ko pyar se sahlate hue boli: "Shiv bhai, Lakshmi humare saath chalegi. Aap aayein."
Lakshmi ka chehra khil utha. Sab phir car mein rawana hue ghar ki taraf.
(Ghar Ki Raah Mein)
Masoom aur Komal Lakshmi se baatein kar rahi thi, aur mai car ke sheeshe se bahar dekh raha tha. Ped, pahaad, aur mausam ka nazara mujhe sukoon de raha tha. Dheere-dheere meri aankhein band hone lagi. Thakaan jo thi puri shaadi aur safar ki.
Sapne Ki Duniya
Jab aankhein band hui, toh main ek alag hi jagah tha. Har jagah roshni thi, ekdum saf aur sundar. Itni khoobsurat jagah ki main uss khoobsurti mein kho sa gaya.
Tabhi peechhe se ek pyaari si aawaz aayi: "Beta, tu aa gaya."
Main turant palta aur dekha, meri maa—Sumitra—bethi thi. Main bhaagta hua unke paas pahunch gaya.
Mai (khushi se): "Maa! Maa! Aap yahan?"
Sumitra (pyar se): "Arre beta, pehle baith toh jaa."
Main zameen par unke samne baith gaya aur unki goad mein apna sir rakh diya. Maa mere baalon ko pyar se sehla rahi thi.
Sumitra (halke se muskuraate hue): "Kya hua beta? Tu khush toh hai na?"
Main unki goad mein aur chipak gaya, jaise zindagi bhar ka sukoon chahiye ho. Lekin uske baad jo hua, usne meri duniya hila di…
Dev (Main):
"Haan maa, main bahut khush hoon aaj. Aap se mil liya, sab kuch mil gaya."
Sumitra:
"Kayaa wahan tujhe maa ka pyaar nahi milta?"
Dev:
"Nahi, aisa nahi hai maa. Bas woh thodi alag hai. Hamesha chinta mein rehti hai, ki kahin mere saath kuch galat na ho jaaye."
Sumitra:
"Unka darna sahi bhi hai beta, aakhir teri shaktiyaan toh hain hi aisi. Pehle bhi main hi jaanti hoon, tujhe maine khatre se hamesha dur rakha tha."
Dev:
"Akheer aap sab kyun darte hain mujhse?"
Sumitra:
"Aree beta, tujhse nahi, tere gusse se! Jab tu joker banata hai, tab tu bhi jaanta hai, ki tu kitna khaufnaak ban jaata hai. Mere samne woh saari ladaaiyaan, unki cheekhein, unke haath-pair, behrahmo ki tarah todna..."
Dev is visibly shaken, as his anger from the past is reflected in Sumitra’s words.
Dev (softly):
"Maa, mujhe hila kar... Kaha kho un palloo mein mat jaa beta. Accha bata, kab milayega mujhe meri bhabhi se, aur meri teenon betiyon se?"
Dev:
"Mila dunga maa, par kya aap naraz ho, ki maine Saloni aur Neha ke saath jo kiya..."
Sumitra:
"Nahi beta, yeh toh hona hi tha ek din."
Dev (surprised):
"Kyun maa? Aisa kyun?"
Sumitra:
"Beta, woh asli mein teri behenein nahi thi, par ab hain."
Dev (shocked):
"Iska kya matlab hai?"
Dev:
"Kya hai maa, aap pehle hi mat bujhao."
Sumitra:
"Tujhe nahi lagta ki in teenon se tera alag sa rishta hai? Jaise koi chiz inke paas tujhe chhup rahi ho?"
Dev (reluctantly):
"Haan maa, aisa hamesha hota hai."
Sumitra:
"Asal mein beta, jab tere pita ek shaitaan se jhagde par gaye the, tab mar-kat mein woh bahut kuch kho gaye. Teen saal tak ladte rahe the."
Dev:
"Toh maa, kya hua?"
Sumitra:
"Jab woh ghar aaye, toh hamesha gusse aur ladaayi mein hi rehte. Tere pita ki tabiyat bahut kharaab ho gayi thi."
Dev (upset):
"Yeh toh galat hua!"
Sumitra:
"Haan, jab tuh mere pet mein tha.
Ek din maine unse poochha, par unhone mujhe dhakka de diya aur main gir gayi. Mera pet thoda nuksaan hua."
Dev (shocked):
"Maa..."
Sumitra:
"Shh, beta. Chup. Abhi toh thodi gir gayi thi. Aage bata rahi hoon."
Dev (more softly):
"Phir kya hua maa?"
Sumitra:
"Thodi der baad, jab unka gussa thoda shaant hua, unhe apni galti ka ahsaas hua. Par tab tak kaafi der ho gayi thi, aur main behosh ho gayi."
Dev:
"Pita ji ne sahi nahi kiya, yeh."
Sumitra:
"Unki bhi galti nahi thi. Phir woh mujhe Raj Vaidya ke paas le gaye. Unhone haath uthaye, aur kuch nahi kar sakte the. Phir Rajguru ne bataya ki agar tere pita ji 10 din ka maha yagya karein aur apne gusse aur shaktiyon se ek herre ka nirman karein, toh tum dono ko surakshit kiya ja sakta hai."
Dev:
"Par maa..."
Sumitra:
"Haan, ruk batati hoon. Tum chhup jao. Jab tere janm ka samay aaya, toh mujhe apni shaktiyon se us herre ko banwana tha. Maine wahi kiya, par Bhagwan ki vidhambana ke karan, woh herre ke tukde hue aur ek tukda tu bana, baaki chaar mein woh sab."
Dev:
"Maa, chaar kon?"
Sumitra:
"Aree, Shikha aur kon, pagal!"
Dev:
"Par maa, woh toh chacha ki beti thi na?"
Sumitra:
"Nahi beta, tere pita ji ne unhe de diya tha, kyunki teri chachi ko unse bahut pyaar tha. Main bhi mana nahi kar sakti thi."
Dev:
"Maa, yeh sab aap mujhe ab bata rahi ho? Aur aap mujhe bich majhdhaar mein chhod kar chal gayi, na main pariwaar sambhal paya, na Rajaya ko."
Sumitra:
"Beta, jo tune kiya, shaayad us waqt koi aur karta. Par tujhe yaad hai naa, Mahakaal ne kya kaha tha?"
Dev:
"Haan maa, ussne kaha tha ki mujhe kai saalon tak narak mein rakha jayega."
Sumitra:
"Beta, shaayad kuch saalon mein woh tujhe chhod de, kyunki ab tere aur tere pita ji ka banaya hua kavach usse rok nahi paayega."
Dev:
"Maa, agar aap uss waqt mujh par vishwas kar ke ruk jaati, toh woh aapko maar nahi pata tha. Aur aapki kasam ki wajah se, maine kabhi uska peecha nahi kiya."
Sumitra:
"Main nahi chahti thi ki tu badle mein apni zindagi barbaad kare. Par beta, ab tujhe majboot banna hoga. Apni shaktiyon ko ujagar karna hoga."
Dev:
"Haan maa, main kar lunga. Bas thodi der tumhare god mein rehna chahta hoon... Phir sab kuch apne haath mein hoga."
Aaaaaiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii huuuuuuuffffff... Kon hai? Kon hai?
Meri nazar Masoom ke gaale par thi, aur uski gardan se khoon nikal raha tha. Main ne apne khanzar ko fekh diya aur apne hoth uski gardan par laga diye. Uski aankhon mein aansu bhar aaye the.
Maine uska khoon dheere dheere chusa, jab khoon ruk gaya toh maine apne hoth usse hata liye.
Dev (softly, remorseful):
"Maaf kar do, baby. Main sach mein bahut bura hoon."
Masoom apne aansu ko saaf karte hue mere seene se lag jaati hai.
Masoom (gently):
"Nahi, aisa mat kaho. Shayad maine hi galat waqt par aapko uthaa liya."
Dev (in pain):
"Par phir bhi, maaf kar do. Mujhe... main bhi apni galti par aansu nahi roka paaya."
Masoom meri aankhon mein dekhte hue, halka sa muskurati hai.
Masoom (calmly):
"Bus kariye, kaha na kuch nahi hua. Bas thoda sa khoon hi toh nikla hai, aur woh aapke hothon ne chuka diya. Waise kaha kho gaye the aap?"
Dev (deep in thought):
"Main apni maa ke paas tha... Sumitra maa ke paas."
Masoom (surprised):
"Achha, pichle janam mein?"
Dev (nodding slowly):
"Haan, wahi thi."
Masoom (curiously):
"Kya keh rahi thi woh?"
Dev:
"Wahi ki meri baby se kab milaa raha hoon."
Masoom (teasing):
"Aap naa... bigad gaye ho bahut! Maa se bata diya, kya bulate ho mujhe?"
Dev (chuckling softly):
"Maa sab jaanti hai, pehle se hi."
Masoom (with a smile):
"Accha, ab bas... kya keh rahe ho? Kaha jaa rahe ho?"
Dev (playfully):
"Achha, tabhi jaagani aayi thi."
Masoom (playfully):
"Haan, waise bahut mazaa aa raha hai safar mein. Mujhe toh lag raha hai apni baarat lekar jaa rahi hoon."
Dev (teasingly):
"Aare baba, tum khush toh main khush. Ab chalo, warna koi aayegi aur kahegi, 'Abhi tak romance chal raha hai!'"
Masoom halki si jhuk kar Dev ko ek pyaari si kiss deti hai aur phir uske haath ko pakad kar sabke paas le chalti hai, unke saath ek naye safar par.
baki faltu scene to kuch laga nahi mere ko sab gajab ke hi lage mere ko waki aapki marzi 
