Chapter - 2
“Chalo gaon me kuchh din is baar beetake aate hain”, Mamajine khaneke uparant bola.
“Sachhi me!” Main khusise uchhal padi aur Mami ke aur badi badi ankhein banake dekhne lagi.
Ye sach tha saal me ek do baar Mamajiko unke gaon jaana padta tha wahan ke kuchh property dekhbhal ke liye. Mami kabhi na jaati aur na mein - jiska karan samajhneka mujhe ayu-umar nahin tha. Haal hi me, 10th ki board exam samaparn hua tha aur saamne 4 mahineki chutti pade the.
“Arre mela laga hua hai is baar – Deepti jayegi to enjoy karegi”, Mamaji bola.
Maine Mamjise Mami ki taraf nazar daudai. “Chalona mami, please, pleeeeeese”, mein hathh lagyii.
“Jaise tumhari icchha”, Mami ne ek gehri saans chhodi aur mud gayee kitchen ki aur.
“Yaaaaaay”, mein khusikhusi chillayi aur Mamaji muskuratehue ek halka sa thappad mere gaal me de di.
Haftebhar baad humlog kuchh abhyantareen grameen ilakese gujarte hue Madhopur pahonche jahan Mamajike pushto purane makaanme daakhil hue. Raaste bhar mein pahadon aur junglelon ki sundartase bibhor ho gayee thi. Gaon kaisa hota hai – isika mujhe katahi pata nahin tha. Lekin, ek nazar gai-bail-bakri-bhainson ke paltono par – ek ajeebasa anandme sama gayee. Toh – yehi tha wo nazara jahan meri Maa pali thi. Achanak Maa ki yaad – jinhe mein kabhi na dekhi thi - mere man me ubhari aur aankhen bhar uthe. Unka to swargbas ho gaya tha. Gharki deewaron se haath fairate hue usi humumar ladki ko kalpana karne lagi jo inhi diwaron ke beech kabhi bhaagdaud ki hogi…
Deenukaka jo idharka dekhbhal karte the, pehle se hi sab ayojan kar rakha tha. Naha-dho kar humne khana liya aur uske uparant bishram ke liye apne apne kamre me chale. Lambi safar ke karan mujhe turant neend aagayee aur ankhen jab khuli to lagbhag 4 baje honge. Najdeek kamra – jo Mama-Mami ka tha – wahanse kuchh auraton ki hansikhusi awaz mere kaan pe lagi. Ankhein malte malte hue mein wahan pahunchi – aur dekhta hi rah gaya. Gaon ke auratonse sara kamra bhara hua tha jo Mami ko gher kar mandli banaye hue the. Saare ke saare gore-chitti. Sundar motiyon se design kiya hua lehenga-choli me sajjit – mujhe aisa anubhav hua jaise ki koi naatak mandali me mein aapahunchi hun. Dehati mazakiyn baatein mere kaanome gunjne lage.
Phir ek ne mere taraf ungli uthake chillayee “Ye to sakshyat Sohini hai.”
Meri gujri hui Maa ki naam kisi ke munh se sunkar mein stabdh ho gayee. Saare kolahal bhi tham. Isse pehle ki mein kuchh samjhun, mein khudko unke beech payi jahan mere naak-kaan-baal sabke nirikhyan me tha aur bibhinna pratikriya aane lage.
“Wohi ankhein - wohi madhosee nigahein” – ye rai aamtor per sabhi se nikla.
Mein thoda asamanj hoke Mami ki taraf dekhi. Lekin wo to yahan ki bahu thi aur thoda ghunghat bhi uthakar rakhi thi. Tab ek aurat uthi aur mere haath pakadkar Mami ko dekhte hue boli “Bhabhi, mein isko thoda sabko deekha kar le aaun – kitna khus honge sab …” aur mujhe kheenchte hue bahar li. Peechese Mamika dhimi awaz mujhe sunai di “Badon ko pranaam karna…”
Us Mausine mujhe gaonke lagbhag aadhe ghar ghumai. Mein sab badon ke paon chhuen aur ek sampoorna bhinna anubhiti payee. Mere sar pe bahot ashirwad fera aur dher saarene mujhe apnese chipkake pyar jataya. Makhhan-rabddi-sehad, meri munh me thosa gaya. Adhiktar logon ke munh se ek hi baat nikli … … “wohi chaal … … wohi chalan … … wohi gathan - bikul Sohini jaisi”. Ek ajeebsa sukun se mera dil bhar utha aur khusi ke aansu chillak pade. Meri Maa ko unke gaon me kitna pyar aur izzat mil rahahe aur swargse wo dekhti hogi to kitna aanand paati hogi …
Aakhir, Mausi mujhe ek ghar me sabse milaya jahan ek mere umar ki ek ladki thi. “Lo ye rahi Kamla, Deepti tu isske saath baatein kar, mein chali – bahot kaam padein hain … wo tujhe chhod ayegi …” aur ye batakar chal padi. Itne saaronse milne ke baad, mera sar chakra rahatha aur mein tham se Kamla ke paas baith gayee. Kamla kaafi khusmijajwali thi aur meri saharwala jindegi ki baarein me kaafi dilchaspi dikhayee. Pata nahin chala kab ek ghanta beet gayee baatchit karte. Phir uski ma ne awaz di ki wo mujhe ghar chhod de to ussne “Ji Mami” kehke uthi. Mein ashryachakit uski aur dekne laga par wo chup rahi.
Raasteme wo boli “Mein ek pehli hun…”
“Teri matlab tu ek pahelu hai?” Mein hanspada.
“Nahin nahin, mein pehli hun” … …. Aur thoda zor dekar …”Pahelu nahin … … Pehli matlab shaadi se pehle wali paida hua - theek tere jaisa.”
Mere neechese jameen phisalne laga. Mein khada reh gaya. Munh se kuchh nahin nikla.
Kamla bhi ruk gayee. Bikul sadharan dhang se kehne lagi “Maa to chal basi … Kaun jaane Baba kidhar … … Tabse Mama aur Mamine mujhe paal rakhe hain.”
“Bilkul meri tarah”, ek lambi saans chhodte hue mein boli.
“Teri tarah kaise”, uski awaz me thodi tezi agayi, “Sohini mausi to zinda hai – ye sabko maloom”
Mera charon aur andhera chha gaya.