Vishwajeet ab uth khada hota hai.
**Vishwajeet (gambhir swar mein):** "Yeh dekhkar man ko santosh hua ki aapke aapsi matbhed ab samaapt ho chuke hain."
Itne mein Nirjala ki balika neend se jaagkar rone lagti hai. Maharani Kadambari apni poti ko dekhkar ek anoothe anand ke saath-saath nirasha bhi anubhav karti hain.
**Maharani Kadambari (aankhon mein nami liye):** "Nirjala, kya hum is balika ko apni god mein le sakte hain?"
**Nirjala (mridu swar mein):** "Yeh aapki hi potri hai, maa. Kyun nahin?"
Yeh drishya dekhkar Yuvaraj ke chahre par prasannata jhalak uthti hai.
**Yuvaraj:** "Bhabhi maa, yadi aapko hamari maa se itni hi ghrina thi, to aapne apni putri ka naam Kadambari kyun rakha?"
**Nirjala (gambhirata se):** "Vachan, Yuvaraj. Woh vachan, jo pyaar aur dushmani ko bhi jhuka deta hai. Aapke bhrata ne hume vachan diya tha ki unke rehne athva na rehne par bhi yadi putri hui to uska naam keval Kadambari hi hoga."
Maharani Kadambari balika ko apni god mein leti hain. Use dekhkar unki aankhon se aansu bahne lagte hain.
**Maharani Kadambari (bhavuk hokar):** "Vishwas nahin hota ki hamari ek poti bhi hai aur hum ab tak usse anjaan rahe. Iska arth hai ki hum ab dadi ban chuki hain."
Sab log halki swar mein hasne lagte hain.
**Nirjala ke sainik (chintit swar mein):** "Nirjala, humein adhik samay tak yahan andhkar mein rukna uchit pratit nahin hota."
**Nirjala:** "Haan, shayad sabhi ko bhookh lag rahi hogi. Humein ab nikalna chahiye. Hamara gaon nikat hi hai."
**Yuvaraj:** "Shayad yeh uchit samay nahin hai. Humein pehle hi vilamb ho chuka hai. Sambhav ho to lautte samay aapse bhent kar lenge, Bhabhi maa."
**Nirjala (sankalppoorvak):** "Yeh aap kya keh rahe hain, Yuvaraj? Hum aapko is prakar nahin jaane de sakte. Aur jo kuch ghata hai, uske pashchat to bilkul bhi nahin. Hum apne parivaar ko bhookhe pet nahin bhej sakte."
Maharani Kadambari aur Yuvaraj yeh sunkar atyant prasanna hote hain.
**Yuvaraj:** "Kintu..."
**Nirjala (muskurate hue):** "Yadi aapne hume Bhabhi maa svikar kar hi liya hai, to humein bhi apne rishte ka kartavya nibhane dijiye, Yuvaraj."
Yuvaraj kuch nahin kah paate. Nirjala ke tarkon ke samaksh ve maun ho jaate hain aur haami bhar dete hain.
Kaalpuri samuday janglon ke beech nivas karta tha. Unka gaon jangl ke bheetar meelon door sthit tha.
Ab sabhi us gaon ki or prasthan karne lagte hain.
**Yuvaraj:** "Vaise Bhabhi maa, aapne gaon ka naam to bataya hi nahin."
**Nirjala:** "Gaon ka naam? Nahin, hamare gaon ka koi naam nahin hai. Hum ise ek 'samuday' kehte hain. Kai shatabdiya pehle hamare logon ne bahari duniya se sampark tyag diya tha. Kintu yadi aap chahein to ise 'Kaalpuri gaon' keh sakte hain."
**Yuvaraj:** "Shayad yahi uchit hoga. Vaise, kya Bhaiya is gaon mein kabhi aaye the?"
**Nirjala (muskurate hue):** "Aaye the? Ve to kai baar yahan aakar thahre the. Jab pehli baar mere pitaji ne unhe hamare gaon mein dekha, to ve mujh par krodhit ho uthe the. Kintu antatah unhe hamare sambandh ko svikar karna hi pada."
**Yuvaraj:** "Unke aur aapke sainikon ke beech kabhi to manmutav hua hoga, hai na?"
**Nirjala:** "Kabhi nahin. Ve kisi bhi vyakti ko sahaj hi mana lete the. (Haste hue) Shayad yahi karan hai ki hum bhi unke premjal mein phans gaye."
**Yuvaraj (gambhir swar mein):** "Haan, bas ve apne pita ko..."
Yuvaraj yeh kehte hue gahri nirasha mein doob jaate hain.
**Maharani Kadambari:** "Yuvaraj, ab un baaton ko yaad karne ka koi labh nahin."
Maharani Kadambari, Yuvaraj ke saath ghode par baithi thi aur Nirjala ki balika ko god mein thame hue thi.
**Yuvaraj:** "Vishwajeet, kintu tum achanak yahan kaise aaye? Aur tumhe kisne bheja?"
**Vishwajeet:** "Yuvaraj, kuch din pehle Sultan se ek sandesh-patra aaya tha. Use padhkar aisa pratit hua mano woh Sultan ka nahin, kisi aur ka sandesh ho. Usmein Maharaj ko marne ki dhamki di gayi thi.
Senapati Jaydeep ne hume kaha ki ve is sthiti ko sambhalenge. Kintu kahin na kahin unhe pratit hota tha ki iske peeche Bhabhi maa (Nirjala) hongi, jo sambhavat: Maharani Kadambari ke peeche padi thi.
Main marg mein aa raha tha, tab maine apne saathiyon ki asthi-kalash dekhe jo aapke ghode par tange hue the. Unhe dekhkar mujhe aapki aur adhik chinta hone lagi. Aisa laga ki yadi aur deri ki, to sab anarth ho jayega. Sambhavatah Ishwar ne hum par kripa banaye rakhi aur hum aapko khoj sake."
**Nirjala (dhairyapoorvak):** "Achha hua aap aa gaye. Anya tha aaj ek bada paap humse ho jata."
**Yuvaraj (mazakiya swar mein):** "Vaise bhi Bhabhi maa, aapki gardan to hamari talwar mein fase hui thi. Lagta hai paap humse ho jata, aapse nahin."
Sabhi hasne lagte hain.
Itne mein Kaalpuri gaon aa jata hai. Yuvaraj aur Maharani Kadambari pehli baar Kaalpuri samuday ko dekh rahe the. Jab unhone use dekha, to unki aankhon mein ajeeb-sa anubhav umadta hai. Yeh gaon unke liye mano ek nayi duniya tha, jahan sab kuch anokha tha. Yeh gaon naam-maatr ka gaon tha, jaise Nirjala ne kaha tha. Janglon ke unche-unche ped raat mein dikhayi bhi nahin de rahe the ki ve kitne vishal aur ghane the.
Ab sabhi us jangl mein base gaon mein pahunche. Gaonvaalon ne Nirjala aur unke saathiyon ko dekha. Ve aashcharyachakit ho gaye ki inke saath yeh Rajparivar ki hasti kaun hai. Ve samajh nahin pa rahe the.
Tabhi wahan ek vriddh vyakti aate hain.
**Vriddh (aashankit swar mein):** "Yeh kaun hain, beti Nirjala? Aur tum inhe yahan kyun laayi ho? Kahin aisa to nahin ki tum firse un Vikramapurvasiyon ko yahan le aayi ho?"
**Nirjala:** "Aapne sahi kaha, Pitaji. Yeh mere devar Yuvaraj Vikramaditya aur meri Saasu Maa Maharani Kadambari hain."
Nirjala ke is parichay ko sunkar Maharani Kadambari bhaav-vihval ho jaati hain. Kintu gaonvaale krodhit ho uthte hain. Ek akrosh unke chehron par spasht jhalakta hai.
Yuvraj aur maa Kadambari ne haath jodkar unhe abhivadan kiya.
**Nirjala** - "Aur ye hain unke sainik Vishwajeet, inhe to aap jaante hi honge. Aur ye hain mere pita, *Narhari*."
**Narhari** - "Yeh tum kya kar rahi ho, beti? Yeh tumhare devar aur saasuma hain... lekin..."
Nirjala ne apne gaonwalon aur pita ko sab kuch bataya.
**Nirjala** - "Main jaanti hoon, aapka akrosh bhi samajhti hoon, parantu yahi satya hai. Main chahti hoon ki aap inka man se swagat karein."
Gaonwale yeh satya jaankar maun reh gaye. Ab unhe Yuvraj aur unki maa se koi ghrina na thi.
Maa Kadambari ka hriday bhar aaya jab unhone dekha ki Kalpuri samuday ke log unka swagat kar rahe the.
Gaonwalon ne unka sammanpurvak swagat kiya. Raat bhi kaafi ho chuki thi, atah sabhi apni-apni kutiya mein chale gaye.
Maa Kadambari aur Yuvraj dono Nirjala ke ghar mein pravesh karte hain. Ghar mein pravesh karne se pehle ve dekhte hain ki ghar lakdi ka bana hai aur uspar patton se chhat banayi gayi hai. Yuvraj aur maa ko yeh dekhkar bada bura laga.
**Yuvraj** - "Bhabhi maa, aakhir aap kaise rehti hain yahan?"
**Nirjala** - "Aapne abhi thik se dekha nahi... yahi jagah kal aapko sabse sundar lagegi, Yuvraj."
**Yuvraj** - "Kya sab ke ghar aise hi hain yahaan par?"
**Nirjala** - "Haan, Yuvraj. Yeh ghar aise hi banaye jate hain kyunki har baar aane wali baadh mein sab kuch aise doob jata hai jaise yahaan kabhi kuch tha hi nahi. Isliye hum aise ghar banate hain taaki yadi ghar toot bhi jaye to asani se phir bana saken."
**Yuvraj** - "To aap us samay kahaan rehte hain?"
**Nirjala** - "Aapko kal swayam samajh aa jayega, Yuvraj... abhi pehle bhojan kar lete hain. Baaki sab aap subah dekh lijiye ga."
**Yuvraj** - "Jaisa aap kahe, Bhabhi maa."
Bhojan ka samay hua. Nirjala ki maa sab ke liye bhojan lekar aayi.
**Nirjala** - "Yuvraj, kya aapko machhli pasand hai?"
**Yuvraj** - "Vaise hum adhik nahi khate, parantu humein aisi koi vipatti nahi hai."
Nirjala ne mitti ke bartan samne rakhe. Saara bhojan Kalpuri log mitti ke bartanon mein hi khate the.
Maa Kadambari ko yeh dekhkar kuch ajeeb laga.
**Nirjala** - "Maa, shayad aapko aise bartanon mein khane ki aadat na ho, parantu yadi ek baar aap khayengi to dekhna, baad mein yahi khana pasand karengi."
**Maa Kadambari** - "Haan beti, aadat nahi, parantu hum kha lenge."
Vishwajeet ne pehla nivala liya.
**Vishwajeet** - "Wah! Kya bhojan hai... hai na, Yuvraj?"
Yuvraj ne bhi machhli ka swad chakha.
**Yuvraj** - "Bhabhi maa, humein nahi pata tha ki machhli ka swad itna behtareen lag sakta hai."
**Nirjala** - "Yeh sab meri maa ke haathon ka kamaal hai."
**Yuvraj** (Nirjala ki maa se) - "Vaise Maharani ji bhi bahut swadisht bhojan banati hain, maaji, parantu yeh sach mein lazeez hai."
Yuvraj ki "Maharani" kehne par Maa Kadambari sharma gayin. Yeh bhav Nirjala spasht roop se dekh pa rahi thi.
**Nirjala ki maa** - "Bahut-bahut dhanyawad, Yuvraj. Aapko aur chahiye to bina sankoch maangiyega."
**Yuvraj** (muskurate hue) - "Maaji, apne hi ghar mein kaisa sankoch? Humein avashyakta hui to bina sankoch batayenge."
Yuvraj ke is kathan ne Narhari aur Nirjala ki maa ka dil jeet liya. Nirjala ko bhi bheetar hi bheetar badi prasannata hui.
Sabne bhojan samapt kiya. Ab sone ki taiyari ho rahi thi. Yuvraj, Vishwajeet aur Nirjala ke pita ghar ke bahar ped ke neeche baithe hue the.
Ghar ke bheetar...
**Nirjala ki maa** - "Maharani ji, aap yahaan so jaiye. Yeh is jungle ke pedon ki sabse komal pattiyon se banaya hua bistar hai. Aapko ispar aasani se neend aayegi."
**Maa Kadambari** - "Dhanyawad. Aap aur kasht mat uthaiye. Hum so jayenge."
Nirjala ke man mein na jaane kya chal raha tha... shayad vah kisi rahasya ko janana chahti thi.
**Nirjala** - "Maa, kya aap in aabhushanon aur itne vastaron mein so paayengi?"
**Maa Kadambari** - "Haan, hum koshish karenge. Koi baat nahi."
**Nirjala** - "Aap chinta mat kijiye. Aap kuch aur vastra pehan lijiye. Ab aap Kalpuri logon ke beech hain, to unki sanskriti ko apnana chahiye."
**Maa Kadambari** - "Parantu ab hum kya pehnein, beti?"
**Nirjala ki maa** (muskurate hue) - "Beti, lagta hai tumhare pita humein bula rahe hain. Hum jaakar so jate hain. Aap dono saas-bahu jo uchit lage, vah kariye."
**Nirjala** - "Ab hum aapko ve vastra denge, jo Kalpuri samuday ki mahilayein pehanti hain."
**Bahar ka drishya:**
**Narhari** - "Yuvraj, ab humein jaana hoga. Aapke liye aur aapke sainik mitra ke liye bistar bana diya gaya hai. Aap us kutiya mein jaakar so lijiye."
**Yuvraj** - "Ji, aap jaiye. Hum subah milenge."
Narhari wahan se chale gaye.
**Vishwajeet** - "Yuvraj, hum bahut pravas kar chuke hain. Ab is thakaan ko aur nahi jhel sakte. Humein aagya dijiye, hum chalte hain."
**Yuvraj** - "Koi baat nahi, Vishwajeet. Tum jao. Hum kuch der yahin baithenge. Humein yahan accha lag raha hai."
**Vishwajeet** (hanste hue) - "Aisa lag raha hai, Yuvraj, aapko yahan ka vatavaran bahut accha lag raha hai."
**Yuvraj** - "Pata nahi... abhi tum jao. Hum bhi kuch der baad so jayenge."
Vishwajeet wahan se chala gaya. Yuvraj kuch der wahi ped ke neeche baithe rahe. Shayad vah kisi gahri soch mein the.
Bahar halka andhera tha, parantu ek mitti ka deepak jal raha tha.
**Nirjala** - "Yuvraj, aap abhitak soye nahi?"
Yuvraj peeche mudkar dekhte hain. Nirjala wahan khadi thin. Lekin unki nazar Nirjala ke paas gayi... aur unhone dekha ki unki maa Kalpuri logon ke vastaron mein thin. Apni maa ko dekhte hi Yuvraj ki aankhein khuli ki khuli reh gayin.
Un stano ka wo ubhaar unhe Mohit kar gaya. Nirjala yuvaraj ko dekh man hi man muskurane lagti hai
Agla bhaag jald hi...
