"रामनगर का किला"

(एक लघु कथा) 

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Ramnagar k ek ghar me dhoom machi thi. Sehnaai  ki pipadi ki awaaj dusre gaav tak aa rahi thi. Ji haan aaj nagar k ek ladke Sudama ka vivaah tha jisne apne kheto se bahar k jeevan ka swaad kabhi chakha hi nahi tha. Lekin aaj ek ladki k saath gathbandhan karne ko taiyaar tha. Sudama mandap me apni hone wali patni ka intejaar kar raha tha tabhi achanak ek murchha si chha jaati hai. 

"Aree ye kya hua.. Babuna ko... Dulhe raja to behosh ho gaye", aas paas k mehmaan batein karne lage. 

Sudama k aadhe parivaar wale use sambhalte hai Or aadhe aas paas k muhh ko band karne ki koshish kar rahe the jo ulti sidhi baatein karna kar diye the 

"Ye ladke ko kya hua", Dulhan k pita chintit huye. 

"Kuch nahi kuch nahi... Thodi si tabiyat sahi nahi hai... Sudama abhi sahi ho jayega", Sudama k pita ne baat ko sambhala. 

Sab use jagane ki koshish kar rahe the lekin wo na jane kis duniya me soya pada hua tha.. 

Ek din bita.. Do din bita lekin uski haalat me koi parivartan aata najar na aaya. 

"Suniye Ji... Do din se Sudama behosh hai ab to mujhe darr lag raha hai... Hume purohit Ji ko bula hi lena chahiye", Sudama ki maayi ne uske pita se kaha. 

"Purohit Ji kyu... Vaidhy ko bulaiye", Ladki ke pita ne vichar kiya. 

Sudama ki maayi Or pita dono bilkul chup the jaise kuch chhipa rahe ho unki chuppi ladki k pita ne bhaap li thi. 

"Aap log kuch bolte kyu nahi... Aisa kyu lag raha jaise aap log kuch chhipa rahe hai. " Ladki k gharwalo ne keh diya. 

"Ab kya bataye aap logo ko... Hume ye baat pehle bata deni chahiye lekin hum darte the k ye rishta bhi tut gaya to Sudama ka kya hoga", unke chehre se lag rha atha jaise wo bahut bada raaj chhipa rahe hai. 

"Aakhir Baat kya hai?", Sabne puchha. 

"Dekhiye... Sudama ko ye murchaa aaj se pehle kabhi nahi aayi", ye baat jaan kar sab dang reh jaate hai. 

"Kya ladka bimaar hai... Ya ladka pagal hai",nagar k log kanafusi karne lage. 

"Nahi nahi... Aisa mat sochiye Sudama bimar nahi hai na hi wo pagal hai" Sudama k pita ne sabko samjhaya. 

Lekin ladki ki ghar wale ye baat samjhne ko taiyar nahi the wo apni beti ka vivaah ek aise ladke se nahi karna chahte the jo do din se kisi or duniya me pada hai

"Hume maaf kijiye...Hume aapki naam katha nahi sunni... Hum apni beti aapke bete ko nahi saup sakte..", Ladki k pita haath jod lete hai or unhe barat wapas le jaane ka nivedan karte hai. 

Haare huye Sudama k pita or maayi use usi halat me wapas le aate hai. 

"Suniye Ji... Purohit Ji ka kuch sandesh aaya", uski maayi ne chinta jatayi.

"Maine taar bhej diya hai jald hi sandesha aata hoga", Uske pita ne dilasa diya 

Tabhi ek baba k bhesh me ek shaksh unke ghar pe kadam rakhta hai. 

"Aaiye aaiye....baba", Sudama k pita ne bhaag kar un baba ka swagat kiya. 

" Parnaam Baba", Sudama ki maayi ne unka aaobhagat kiya

"Sudama kaha hai.... Hum use dekhna chahte hai", Purohit ji ne kaha. 

Wo dono unhe bheetar le jaate hai jaha Sudama besudh pada tha. Purohit ji uski dono aankhe khol kar dekhte hai. 

"Hmmmm....Fir se wahi haal... Sudama ki haalat theek nahi hai.. Mere kehne par aap aaj tak ise Rajwadi kothi nahi le gaye.. Dekhiye aap logo k aisa na karne se kya hogaya.", Purohit ji unhe samjhate hai

"Lekin waha to jhaak foonk karane log jaate hai bhala Sudama pe kisi ka kya aaya", maayi ne khud ko tasalli di

"Kabhi kabhi jo dikhta hai wo hota nahi hai... Isse pehle bahut der ho jaaye aap dono ko ise Rajwadi Kothi le jana cahiye... Mai aap ko wahi milunga", Itna keh kar Purohit ji chal diye. 

Bahut vichar karne Or koi rasta na dikhne k kaaran Sudama k pita kr maayi use Rajwadi Kothi le jaane k liye majboor the. 

Rajwadi Kothi jise Ramnagar ka qila naam se bhi jana jata tha.. Bahut purani imaarat thi jo nagar se 20 mil ki doori par thi. Or  jaha jhaad foonk ka kaam chalta tha. Log waha apna dukh dard karm karne aaya karte the. Lekin aisi dharna bani huyi thi k waha paglo ka or mansik rogiyo ka ilaaj hota tha isliye us jagah ko acchi najar se nahi dekha jata tha. 

Agle din hi Sudama ko lekar Uske pita or maayi Rajwadi Kothi pahuche jaha purohit ji pehle se upasthit the. 

"Sudama ko leta dijiye", purohit ji k kuch chele Sudama ko unke saamne leta dete hai. 

Sabse pehle to wo Sudama k maathe par bhasm or Haldi ka lep lagate hai or fir morpankh se uska jyada shuru karte hai. 

Uske pita or maayi ye sab dekh k achambhit bhi the or darr bhi rahe the. 

Kintu wo ye dekhne k liye majboor the

Fir Purohit ji uske maathe pe apna haath kar rakh mann me kuch budbudate hai... Jaise unke bol Sudama k kaano me padte hai Sudama k shareer me kuch harkate hoti hai. 

Wo tej gati se hilne lagta hai. Use dekh uski maayi Or pita darr jaate hai. 

"Ye kya ho raha hai mere bacche ko?", maayi darr chuki thi

Lekin Purohit ji ne unhe shaant rehne ka aadhesh diya or aankh band kar dhyaan magan ho gaye. 

Unhe kuch kuch abhaash hone laga tha or ye abhaash kisi kahani ki taraf ishara kar raha tha jo kabhi pehle ghatit huyi thi. Akhir kya thi ye kahani Rajwadi kothi me sabhi janne k liye utsuk the. 

Purohit ji dheere se aankh kholte hai. Sudama bhi shant mudra me pada tha jaise so raha ho

"Kya hua mere bete ko", Sudama k pita ne haath jodte huye puchha. 

"Aapka beta bilkul theek hai..aaj k baad ise koi murchha nahi aayegi, Aap ise ghar le jaa sakte hai", Purohit ji ne shanti se kaha. 

 

Sudama k maayi or pita use apne saath wapas le jaate hai. Lekin Purohit ji k mann me kuch hulchul thi. 

"Kya hua Purohit ji?", Unke ek sahayak ne puchha. 

Wo bina kuch kahe apne ghar teji se chal dete hai. Ghar pahuch kar wo ghar me kisi ko dhundne lagte hai. Ghar chhota tha but itna bhi nahi... Kamre numa ghar me kayi darwaje the wo har ek darwaje ko khol khol kar dekh rahe the. 

Tabhi ek kamre ka darwaja kholte waqt wo ruk jaate hai. Samne bistar pe ek 30 saal ki mahila  unki taraf peeth kar baithi huyi thi jo apne me magan hokar dheere dheere hil rahi thi... 

"Kumari.... Kumari...", wo unki taraf aage badh kar use pukaar rahe the lekin wo unhe ansuna kar apne me khoyi thi. 

Wo use jaa kar aalingan se bhar lete hai or foot foot jar rone lagte hai lekin unke rone tak ka asar us ladki pe nahi ho raha tha. 

"Mujhe maaf kar de meri beti... Meri wajah se teri ye haalat huyi hai... Maine us din tujhe to bacha liya lekin teri ruh ko nahi bacha saka. 

Kuch saal pehle... 

Ram nagar k ek chhote se ghar me bahut ladayi jhagde ki awaaj aa rahi thi... Ek ladki apne pati Nivedan se kisi baat pe behes kar rahi thi. Haan ye Kumari thi jo dekhne se bhi kumari lag rahi thi. 

"Aap ne meri zindagi barbaad kar di... Ye sab dekhne se pehle mai marr kyu nahi gayi", Kumari k aansu beh rahe the. 

"Mujhe maaf kar dena Kumari  mai jaanta hoon maine tumhare saath accha nahi kiya lekin mai kya karta mai majboor tha", uske pati ne maafi maangi. 

"Majboor nahi darpok ho tum... Chhi mujhe to sochte huye bhi ghinn aa rahi hai mera Pati... Kisi or mard k saath." Uske saamne koi chhipi sachai saamne aa gayi thi. 

"Jo hua use bhool jaao... Mai kuch  pal k liye behek gaya tha warna jab se tumse meri shaadi huyi maine khud ki bhavanon pe kaaboo paane ki nakaam koshish ki hai", Nivedan ne usse vinati thi. 

Lekin Kumari k liye ye sab swikar  karna bahut mushkil tha ho bhi kyu na apni gair haziri me apne pati ko kisi dusre mard k saath nagna avastha me sote huye pana kisi bhi shadi shuda ladki k liye pairo tale zameen khisakne or aakash toot padne jaisa tha.

"Meri shaadi suda zindagi barbaad kar k mai tumhe bhi chain ne nahi rehne dungi... Mai tumhara ghar chhod k jaa rahi hoon or tumhari ghinoni asliyat ab sabko bataungi ab sab tumhari is harkat ka faisala karenge", Itna kehte huye Kumari ghar chhod jaati hai. 

Nivedan ne use laakh rokne ki koshish ki lekin wo use na rok paya aaj wo apni hi najaro me gir gaya tha. 

"Mai apne sach ko chhipane k liye ek maasoom ladki ki zindgi barbaad kar accha nahi kiya... Kyu mai behek gaya kyu mai khud ko na rok paya ye sab karne se ", Wo mann hi mann khud ko kos raha tha. 

Use darr tha k agar Kumari ne sabko uske samlingi hone ki baat bata di to wo pure nagar me kisi ko mujh dikhane layak nahi rahega. Isliye usne sharm me jeene se jyada maut ko gale lagna saral laga isliye bina soche samjhe apne hi ghar me faansi k fande se jhool gaya. Uske pran pakheru udd gaye. 

Jab Kumari apne pita Purohit ji or nagar k baaki lekar wapas Nivedan k ghar aayi tab waha ka najara dekh kar dang reh gayi... Nivedan ki latakti laash ko dekh kar uska sara gussa chhu mantar ho gaya. Jald baazi me usse bhi kahi ma kahi galti ho gayi. Wo sadme me behosh ho gayi. 

Purohit Ji ko samajh nahi aaya k wo apne beti ko sambhaale ya fansi me latakte Nivedan ko. 

Ek galti ne do zindgi barbaad kar di thi. Lekin marne k baad sabke saare karm barabar ho jaate hai yehi soch k saath Purohit ji Kumari ko apne saath le gaye.  Jab use do dina baad hosh aaya to sab kuch badal chuka tha. Nivedan ka dhokha dena or uski wajah se uska atmahatya karna kahi na kahi Kumari k dimag me ghar kar gaya tha or wo besudh si ho kar jeevan jine lagi jise sabhi ne pagalpan karaar de diya. Purohit ji  chahte huye bhi kuch na kar sake. 

Ek raat... 

Purohit ji k sapne me Nivedan ka agamann hua. 

"Mujhe maaf kar dijiye Purohit ji... Mai aapki or aapki beti ki is halat ka gunehgaar hoon. Maine apne swaarth or samaj k darr se Kumari se shaadi to kar li lekin jaisa socha tha us tarha khud ko badal na paya... Meri maut k baad se ab kisi Nivedan ki wajah se kisi Kumari ki zindgi barbaad nahi hone dunga... Ye mera prayshchit hoga", 

Purohit ji ek dum sapne se jag jaate hai. Or lambi lambi saans lene lagte hai. 

Us raat k baad me aksar gaav me ek jaisi ghatnaye hone lagi... Aksar gaav me hone wali shaadiyon me dulhe ki murchhit hone k khabre dheere dheere failane lagi. Purohit ji ko iska pata chala to unhe apne sapne me aaye Nivedan ka kaha yaad aa gaya. 

Aaj ka din. . . 

Ab Sudama k saath bhi yehi hua tha. Wo bhi apni shaadi me behosh ho gaya tha jis wajah se uski shaadi na ho payi. 

"Mai bahut pehle se samajh gaya tha Nivedan jo galati tumne ki us samay ki thi ab tum wo galati kisi or nahi karne dena chahte shayad isliye 

Nagar me jitne bhi samlingi kisi ladki se vivaah karne jaate hai tum kaisi bhi tarha unke vivaah me vighn daal dete ho jisse kisi Or Kumari ki zindgi barbaad na ho sake", wo mann hi mann soch rahe the. 

Itna hi nahi kahi na kahi unhone use maaf bhi kar diya tha. Kyuki dulho k murchhit hone ka raaj Purohit ji k alawa or koi nahi jaanta tha isliye tab se Purohit ji vaidya ki tarah un sabka ilaaj Rajwadi kothi me karne lage.

Sudama usi shreni k agle kram ka naam tha.  Jab unhone aankh band kar besudh Sudama ko chhua  unke saamne Nivedan sakshaat  aakar khada ho gaya or wahi baat dohrane laga jo usne apni jaan lene se pehle or sapne me kahi thi. 

 Sabko lagta waha bhoot pret se grasit logo ka ilaaz hota tha lekin asaliyat Purohit ji hi bhali baanti jaante the. Wo apni beti ki zindagi barbaad hone se nahi bacha paaye lekin unhe is baat ki khushi thi k nagar ki baaki ladkiyo ki zindagi dohra vyaktitva jeene wale ladko k haatho se barbaad hone se bach gayi jo kabhi khul kar khud ko swikar nahi kar paaye. 

Agle din... 

Purohit ji Sudama k ghar aate hai... 

"Ab kaisa Sudama? ", unhone Sudama ki khabar li

"Kya bataye aapke haatho me jaadu hai Purohit ji... Aapke chhute hai Sudama ki murchha chali gayi or ab to wo bilkul theek hai", Maayi ne haath jod kar kaha. 

"Hume usse akele me milna hai", Purohit ji kehne pe wo use bhitar le gaye. 

Purohit ji ne Sudama k pita ko jaane ka ishara kiya. 

"Kaiso ho beta? " unhone usse puchha

"Theek hoon Purohit ji... Pata nahi kyu ye shaadi wale din mujhe behoshi kaise aa gayi lkin jo hua accha hua... Mujhe waise bhi ye vivaah nahi karna tha ye maayi or baba hi jabardasti kar rahe the ", Sudama ne apne dil ki baat kahi. 

"Mai jaanta hoon Sudama... Tumhe kuch kehne ki jarurat nahi hai. Tum bas apne dil ki suno or jaisa tumhara dil kehta hai waisa jeevan jiyo... Agar sabki sunoge to apne saath saath or logo ki zindagi bhi barbaad kar baithoge", Purohit ji ne uske khande pe thaptahpaya or chup chaap bahar aa gaye. 

"Inhe kaise pata k mai ek ladke se pyaar karta hoon isiliye kisi ladki se vivaah nahi karna chahta tha", Sudama mann hi mann sochne laga. 

Lekin Purohit ji Sab samajh gaye the... Wo saant muskurate chehre k saath chale jaa rahe the aaj unhone Nivedan ka ek or karishma apni aankho se dekh liya tha... Or ab wo Ramnagar or uske aas paas k ilako me agle Sudama ki khoz karne nikal pade the jo Nivedan ban samaj k dikhave k liye kisi aur Kumari ki zindagi barbaad karne jaane wala tha. 

........The End........ 

Writer - Nits