Meri Pyaari Shikha

Dusre din subah main teyar hokar uska bus stand par uska wait kar raha tha. Wo aai aur hum dono bus me beth kar delhi ke liye nikal aaye. Main bahut khush tha meri shikha mere saath thi, magar wo thodi udaas thi. Maine usse pucha to usne kaha ki use apni mummy ki tension hai. Fir maine usse kaha ki hum shaadi karke 1-2 mahine baad aa kar unse milenge, Fir unki marzi ki wo hame apnaye ya na apnaye. Abhi hum chandigarh se baahar bhi nahi nikle the ki uska phone baja aur usne dekha to uski chhoti behan ka phone tha. Usne kaat diya, aisa 2-3 baar hua. Fir uski behan ka message aaya, message padh kar wo ghabra gayi aur roney lagi. Maine usse pucha, to woh kuch nahi boli aur bas roye ja rahi thi. Maine uska phone lekar message padha to usme likha tha ki uski mom ko heart attack hua hai aur woh hospitalised hain. Hame bus me bethe takriban 1 ghanta ho chuka tha aur use ghar se nikle hue takriban 2 ghante.

Shikha lagataar yahi keh rahi thi ki maine apni maa ko maar daala. Main uski baat sunkar shock ho gaya aur driver se bus rokne ko kaha. Fir shikha ko maine bus se utar kar ek dhabe pe chai pilai aur kaha ki hum wapis jaayenge. Wo heran hokar meri taraf dekhne lagi. Maine usse kaha ki jab tak tumhari mom thik nahi ho jaati hum shaadi nahi karenge. Wo meri baat sun kar chup ho gayi. Maine usse kaha ki apni behan ko phone karke keh do ki tum apni friend ke ghar chali gayi thi aur wapis aa rahi ho. Usne waisa hi kiya, aur fir hum sidhe hospital pahunche aur maine use gate par chhodte hue kaha ki, “Mera tumhare saath aana thik nahi. Main aaj ruk kar kal delhi chala jaunga.” Usne meri taraf dekhte hue kaha, “Vicky, main jaanti hoon ki main tumhare saath thik nahi kar rahi, magar main puri zindagi is dard ke saath nahi jee sakti thi ki maine apni maa ko maar diya. Ho sake to mujhe maaf kar dena.” Itna keh kar wo chali gayi.

Main bhi udaas sa hokar apne hotel aaya aur dusri subah wapis delhi aa gaya. Kuch hafte beet gaye, na maine shikha ko phone kiya na usne mujhe. Fir 1 din shaam ko uska phone aaya. “Kaise ho?” Shikha boli, “Ye sab kehne ya puchne ki koi zarurat nahi. Tum batao tumhari maa thik hai?” Maine thodi narajgi zaahir karte hue kaha. “Haan, ab wo thik hai. Aaj hi ghar aaye hain.” Wo subukte hue boli. “Thik hai tum, unki sewa karo, main abhi busy hoon” maine apne dard ko chupate hue kaha. “Main jaanti hoon, is waqt tum apne ghar par ho, aur akele bethe ho. Tum busy nahi ho.” Shikha ne rote hue kaha. Bas meri yahi kamzori thi ki main use rote hue nahi dekh sakta tha. “Dekho tum rona band karo main sirf tumhari khushi chahta hoon.” maine use chup karwane ki koshish ki magar khud ko sambhal nahi saka aur mere bhi aansu behne lage. Fir ek lambi khamoshi aur achanak usne kaha, “Teen mahine baad meri shaadi hai, usi businessman ke saath”. Mere muh se achanak ek zor ki karaah nikli, “Tum mere saath aisa nahi kar sakti, main tumhe bar-baad kar dunga”.

Main gusse main bol raha tha, “Main tumhare hone waale us pati ko jaa kar hamari sachai bta dunga aur agar tab bhi wo nahi maana to tumhe khatam karke khud ko bhi maar daalunga”. mera sharir guse me kaamp raha tha. Mujhe laga jese mera jism fat jaayega.”Main jaanti hoon tum aisa kar sakte ho, magar kya tum apni shikha ko itna dukh de paoge?” Usne pure confidence se ye baat kahi. “Mujhe kuch nahi sun na, main aisa hi karunga, agar tumhe meri parwaah nahi to main tumhari parwaah kyo karun?” Main use daraana chahta tha magar, main lagataar roye jaa raha tha. “Ye aansu kuch aur keh rahe hain Vicky, mujhse badnasib aur kaun hoga jo apne pati ko khushi dene ke bajaye dukh de rahi hoon.” wo rote hue boli. Fir dobara ek sannata cha gaya, Hum dono chup chap phone par the, Koi kuch nahi bol raha tha, bus ek dusre ki rone ki awaaz sun sakte the. Fir kuch der baad wo rone ki aawaaz bhi band ho gayi aur uski jagah aahon ne le li. Hum kuch nahin keh pa rahe the bas aane waale kal ke baare me soche jaa rahe the.

Aise hi subha ke chaar baj gaye, usne kaha ki abhi use jaana hai. “Main tumhe khona nahi chahta.” Maine usse kaha. “Hum dono ko ek dusre se koi alag nahi kar sakte” Usne kaha aur phone rakh diya. Agle do din tak phone nahi aaya. Maine phone kiya to uska phone switch off aaya. Fir agle 1½ mahine tak uski taraf se koi phone nahi aaya aur mere karne par uska phone off aata. Main puri tarha se tut chuka tha. Maine chandigarh jaake usse milne ki sochi, magar fir khud ko rok liya. Ek din Friday shaam ko usi waqt jab uska call aata tha, ek anjaane number se phone aaya. Maine phone uthaya to shikha ka hi phone tha. “Kya tum ek hafte ki chutti le sakte ho?” uska pehla sawaal yahi tha. “Kyo?” maine us se pucha. “Please koi sawaal mat karo, le sakte ho chutti ya nahi?” Shikha boli. Maine use haan keh diya. Usne mujhse kaha ki agle hafte ki chutti le kar monday subah chandigarh pahonch jaaun, fir usne phone kaat diya.Mujhe kuch samajh nahi aaya, magar maine teyari kar li. Mujhe kuch pata nahi tha magar ye umid thi ki main shikha se mil paunga. Main monday ko chandigarh bus stop pahunch gaya.