Akas-e-Mustaqil

Chapter7 : Chashm-e-Talab

Haveli ka aangan aaj kisi rang-birangay gulistan mein tabdeel ho chuka tha. Mehndi ki peeli roshni, phoolon ki mehak aur dholak ki thap ne fiza mein ek ajeeb sa jadoo ghol diya tha. Har taraf qehqahay aur geeton ki goonj thi, magar wahan maujood har kirdar ke dil mein kahani ka ek alag hi silsila chal raha tha.

Dua aur Zarvan Khan ki aankhein jab pehli baar takrayin, toh waqt jaise apni raftaar bhool gaya. Wo pal—ek gehri khamoshi ka pal—jismein sirf nazron ki zuban thi. Dua ka dil, jo sine mein kisi pinjre mein qaid parinday ki tarah pharphar raha tha, usne ek gehri saans li aur khud ko sambhala. Usne apne ladkhadate hathon se dupatta durust kiya aur nazarain chura kar, tez kadmon se lawn ki taraf barh gayi jahan mehndi ka function apnay urooj par tha.

Zarvan Khan, jo abhi tak apni jagah pathar bana khara tha, usne apne phone par phir se call milayi aur khamoshi se haveli ke andar ki gehrayiyon mein ghum ho gaya. Uski peshani par bal thay, shayad us anay wali uljhan ki wajah se jo wo mehsoos kar raha tha.

Lawn mein, Dua aur Fajar ne Ayat ko sahara de kar laya aur mehmanon ke darmiyan saji hui kursi par bitha diya. Ayat, jo aaj kisi zard phool ki tarah nazuk aur haseen lag rahi thi, uski aankhon mein khamosh aansuon ki jagah ek nayi umeed ki chamak thi. Charon taraf larkiyan dholak ki thap par luddi daalne lagi thin. Mahool mein khushi ka dhuan tha.

Zarvan Khan, jo durr khara in sab manzar ko dekh raha tha, uski nazrein bheer mein us larki ko dhoond rahi thin jisse abhi kuch pal pehle uska takrao hua tha. Usko bachpan ki woh masoom aur choti si Dua yaad aayi, jo kabhi uske peeche bhaga karti thi. Aaj wahi Dua itni bari aur sanjeeda lag rahi thi. Zarvan ke dil mein filhal koi aisi gehri chahat ya jazba nahi tha, bas ek ajab sa tasalsul tha—ek pehchaan thi jo use apni taraf kheench rahi thi. Uske liye Dua abhi bhi wahi bachpan ki saheli thi, us se zyada kuch nahi.

Isi asna mein, Farjhad Khan apne purane dost ke sath Zarvan ke paas aaye.

"Zarvan, idhar aao! Inse milo, ye mere boht purane aur qareebi dost hain," Farjhad Khan ne fakhr se kaha.

Zarvan ne unse haath milaya, lekin uska zehen abhi bhi kahin aur tha. Wo dono buzurg apni hi dhun mein purani yaadein taza karne lage, aur Zarvan apni hi soch mein gum raha. Use pata hi nahi chala ke uske aas paas kya ho raha hai. Woh aur Dua, dono ek hi bheer ka hissa thay, magar dono ke darmiyan ek an-dekhi deewar thi. Zarvan ko Dua ka khayal nahi tha, aur Dua uske wajood se bachne ki koshish kar rahi thi.

Lekin kismat ne kya socha tha? Yeh koi nahi janta tha. Zarvan ki nazrein baar-baar bheer ko cheerte hue Dua ki taraf ja rahi thin, jo durr khari mehndi ki rasam mein masroof thi.

Haveli ka sehan ab dholak ki thap aur geeton ki goonj se sarshar ho chuka tha. Mehndi ki peeli roshni, phoolon ki mehak aur charon taraf phele huye haseen rangon ne ek samah baandh diya tha. Sab larkiyan zameen par bichhe huay qeemti qaleenon aur takiyon par gol ghera bana kar beth gayi thin. Har chehra khushi se damak raha tha.

Dua, jo aaj apni gehri yellow frock mein kisi chamakte huye sitaray se kam nahi lag rahi thi, wo bhi dholak bajane wali larkiyon ke beech mein baithi thi. Uske lambe reshmi baal uske kandhon par bikharay huye thay aur honton par bikhri hui muskurahat ne uske husn ko aur bhi char chand laga diye thay. Wo puri tarah is mehfil mein khoyi hui thi. Jab usne dholak ko thap di aur sur mein gaana shuru kiya, toh poora sehan uski awaaz ki mithas mein kho gaya:

"Jitaa kukr banere de...

Kasni dupatta waliye...

Munda sadqay tere te!"

Dua ki awaaz mein ek aisi lay thi ke har koi jhoom utha. Wo hans rahi thi, ga rahi thi, aur uski aankhon mein woh be-fikri thi jo shayad uske dil ki gehrayiyon se nikal rahi thi.

Zarvan Khan, jo kuch doori par ek kursi par betha tha, usne apni nazrein phone ki screen par gari rakhi thin. Wo dikhne mein toh busy lag raha tha, magar uski samaatein (hearing) baar-baar Dua ki us khilti hui hansi aur gaane ke suron ki taraf khinch rahi thin. Wo jaan-boojh kar anjaan banne ki koshish kar raha tha, magar uski baayi aankh ki koshish thi ke kisi tarah us bheer mein Dua ki ek jhalak dekh le. Zarvan ko samajh nahi aa raha tha ke ye mahol usay itna be-chain kyun kar raha hai.

Kuch der baad, jab geeton ka shor barha aur larkiyan thumke lagane lagin, toh Zarvan ne phone ko apni jeb mein dala aur apni jagah se uth khara hua. Usne ek gehri, thandi saans bhari, jaise wo is khushi aur shor-o-ghul se nikal kar kisi pur-sukoon jagah jana chahta ho. Wo bina kisi ki taraf dekhe, apni shaan-o-shaukat aur pur-asrar andaaz mein haveli ke andar ki gehri khamoshi ki taraf barh gaya.

Zarvan ke jane ke baad, Dua ne ek pal ke liye us taraf dekha jahan wo betha tha. Kursi khali thi. Usay ehsas hua ke wo wahan se ja chuka hai, aur na janay kyun, uske dil mein ek halki si kashmakash paida hui—kya use uske rukne ki umeed thi? Ya phir wo dar rahi thi ke Zarvan ki gehri nigahain use phir se apni girift mein na le lein?

Lekin phir se dholak ki thap goonji, aur Dua ne apne dil ke darwazon ko band kar ke phir se apni doston ki mehfil mein khud ko kho diya.

Mehndi ki mehfil raat gaye tak chalti rahi. Jab dholak ki thap khamosh hui aur mehman apne-apne thikano ki taraf rawana huye, toh haveli mein ek gehri khamoshi utar aayi. Dua thaki hari apne kamre mein aayi. Usne woh chamakti hui yellow frock utaar kar sadah (simple) cotton ke kapre pehne aur bed par nidhal ho kar beth gayi.

Khamosh kamre mein sirf uski apni saansein sunayi de rahi thin. Uska zehen baar-baar us lamhay ki taraf ja raha tha jab uska paon phisla tha aur usne Zarvan ka baazoo pakra tha. Uski aankhon ke samne Zarvan ki siyah, gehari aankhein aa rahi thin. Dua ne foran apna sar jhatka, "Ye... ye main kya soch rahi hoon?"

Usne apni nazron ko sheeshe ki taraf ghumaya. Uska chehra sangeen tha. "Is haveli mein pehle hi itni uljhanein hain, Ayat ki zindagi ka faisla ho raha hai, aur main? Main kya fazool khayalaat mein par gayi hoon?"

Dua ne apne dil par zor dala. Usne faisla kiya ke wo khud ko in jazbaat se door kar legi. "Nahin, Dua! Ye mahol, ye rishte, sab boht sakht hain. Mujhe aisi soch apne qareeb bhi nahi aane deni. Main us shakhs se itni door rahungi... itni door ke uski nazar mujh par pare hi na. Main uske liye ek anjaan saaya ban kar rahungi."

Dosri taraf, shehar ke kinare bane us aali-shan farm house par, Zarvan Khan bed par leita hua chat ki taraf ghoor raha tha. Kamre mein dim light thi, magar uske zehen mein roshni aur andheron ki jang jari thi.

Usne karwat badli aur apne baazoo ko dekha jise Dua ne kuch der pehle pakra tha. Usay wahan ab bhi uske chhone ka ek halka sa ehsas baqi lag raha tha. Zarvan ne gusse se apne sar ko takiye par mara.

"Main... main usay kyun baar-baar dekh raha tha?" usne khud se sawal kiya. Uski awaaz kamre ki tanhai mein gunji. "Ye kitni ajeeb aur buri baat hai mere liye. Ek Khan-daani ladke ko ye sab suit nahi karta. Ye ghutan, ye be-chaini... ye sab be-waqoofi hai."

Usne apni aankhein band kar lein, magar Dua ka woh yellow libaas aur uski kaajal lagi aankhein uski palkon ke peeche musalsal ghoom rahi thin. Zarvan ne danton mein daant pees kar khud ko tasalli dene ki koshish ki, "Wo aur koi nahi, dushman ki beti hai! Rishta jud gaya hai, magar nafrat aur raabtey ka mizaaj wahi rahega. Woh meri dushman ki family ka hissa hai, aur mujhe apni had mein rehna chahiye."

Dua apne kamre mein khud ko "door" rehne ka faisla suna rahi thi, aur Zarvan apni "nafrat" ko mazboot karne ki koshish kar raha tha. Dono ajnabi, kismat ke ek aise dhaage se bandh chuke thay jise ab todna kisi ke bas mein nahi tha.

Barat ka din tha. Haveli mein har taraf ek ajab si afra-tafri aur raunak thi. Aaj ka din Ayat ki zindagi badalne wala tha, aur is mauqay par Dua ne aaj kuch alag hi muntakhab kiya tha. Usne gehray surkh (red) rang ki saree pehni thi, jis par baareek sunehri kaam tha. Saree ka pallu uske kandhe se ho kar neeche gir raha tha, aur uski saaz-o-samaat mein wo itni haseen aur dil-kash lag rahi thi ke kisi ki bhi nazar uth kar wapis na jati.

Haveli ke sehan mein sab ke nikalne ki taiyariyan mukammal thin. Mehmaan Hall ki taraf rawana hone ke liye jama ho rahe thay. Zarvan Khan wahan majood tha—wo aaj mukammal siyah (black) shalwar kameez aur matching waskat mein kisi shah-zaday se kam nahi lag raha tha. Uski shakhsiyat mein wahi purana roab aur gehrayi thi, magar aaj uski aankhon mein ek ajeeb si be-chaini thi.

Dua jab apne kamre se nikli aur seedhiyan utarne lagi, toh use apni saree ko sambhalne mein mushkil pesh aa rahi thi. Usne apne balon ko ek jhatke se peeche kiya aur saree ke pallu ko mazbooti se pakra. Sehan mein kharay Shaban aur Fajar ne ye dekha toh foran chilla uthay, "Dua! Araam se! Sambhal kar utro, gir na jana!"

Dua ne halka sa muskura kar unhein an-dekha kiya aur seedhiyan utarti rahi. Lekin tabhi, Zarvan Khan ne apni nazrein upar ki taraf uthayin.

Jaise hi Dua ki nazar Zarvan par pari, uske kadam wahin thamm gaye. Dono ki nazrein ek dusre mein uljh gayin. Zarvan ki nazar toh jaise Dua ke chehre par hi jam kar reh gayi thi; wo apni palak jhapkaana tak bhool gaya tha. Uska wajood, jo abhi tak pur-sukoon tha, ek pal mein hi be-chain ho gaya. Dua ka surkh libaas aur uske chehre ki masoomiyat Zarvan ke liye kisi naye imtehaan se kam nahi thi.

Dua ba-mushkil ladkhadati hui seedhiyan utri aur sehan mein aa gayi. Usne apne balon ko hath se durust kiya, jo hawa mein lehra rahe thay. Jab wo Zarvan ke bilkul qareeb se guzri, toh uske khule baal halki si hawa ke jhonkay ke sath Zarvan ke kandhon aur baazuon ko chhu gaye.

Us pal, Zarvan ko aisa mehsoos hua jaise kisi ne uski saansin rok di hon. Dua ke guzar jane ke baad bhi uske balon ki mehak wahan fiza mein tair rahi thi. Zarvan ne apni nigahain Dua ki peeth se hatane ki koshish ki, magar wo naakaam raha. Usay laga ke aaj ka ye din, jo sirf Ayat ki shadi ke liye tha, wo uske liye bhi koi naya raasta kholne wala hai.

Sehan mein khamoshi thi, magar dono ke dilon mein shor boht tha. Dua ne nazrein jhuka kar tez kadmon se Hall ki gaari ki taraf rukh kiya, jabke Zarvan wahin khara reh gaya, uske kaanon mein aaj bhi wahi jhumkay aur churiyon ki chhan-chhan goonj rahi thi.

Hall ke andar raunak aur jhalak apne urooj par thi. Jab barat pohnchi toh Dua ne phoolon ki pankhuriyan un par nichawar ki. Roshniyon ke is jhurmat mein Dua aur Zarvan dono mojood thay, magar dono ke darmiyan ek an-dekhi khamoshi ki deewar thi. Nazrein jab bhi takrati thin, dono ke andar ek ajeeb si be-chaini aur dhadkanon ki raftar tez ho jati thi, jaise koi gehra raaz dono ke dil mein dab gaya ho.

Phir wo lamha aa hi gaya. Nikah-e-Ayat ki rasam shuru hui. Molvi sahab ki awaaz hall mein goonj rahi thi. Jab Ayat se pucha gaya, "Kya aapko ye nikah kabool hai?", toh pure hall mein sannata chha gaya. Ayat ki kanch jaisi aankhon mein aansu thay, usne ahista se sar jhuka kar "Kabool hai" keh diya.

Ayat ka nikah ho gaya tha. Dua ki khushi ka thikana nahi tha, magar uske dil ka ek hissa bujh sa gaya tha. Wo khush thi ke uski behn ko naya jahan mil gaya, magar udas is liye thi ke aaj Ayat rukhsat ho kar chali jayegi. Kya pata ab wo kabhi mil saken ya na mil saken? Uski udasi uske chehre par saaf ayaan thi.

Ayat stage par baithi sab ke liye tawajo ka markaz bani hui thi. Zarvan Khan, jo durr khara ye sab dekh raha tha, achaanak uske zehen mein bachpan ki wo purani tasveer ubhri jab Dua aur wo aksar khela karte thay. Ek ajeeb si chahat uske dil mein paida hui—ye janne ki ke kya Dua ko wo bachpan yaad hai? Ya wo sab bhool chuki hai?

Zarvan ne ek gehri saans li aur dhire-dhire Dua ki taraf barhna shuru kiya.

Dua ka rukh stage ki taraf tha, jahan Ayat baithi apni nayi zindagi ke liye dua kar rahi thi. Dua khamoshi se wahin khari apni behn ko dekh rahi thi, jabhi usay kisi ke kadmon ki aahat mehsoos hui.

Phir ek gehari, raub-daar awaaz uske kaanon mein goonji, "Dua."

Dua ka wajood ek jhatkay se thithak gaya. Uski tarbiyat mein na-mehram se baat karne ki gunjaish nahi thi, aur na hi uske andar itni himmat thi ke wo Zarvan Khan jaise pur-asrar shakhs se aankhein mila kar baat kar sake. Wo foran murri, aur samne Zarvan ko khara dekh kar uski saansein seene mein atak gayin.

Zarvan wahan, uske bilkul kareeb khara tha, uski nazrein Dua ke chehre par thi. Dua ko ek pal ke liye gussa mehsoos hua. Ye... ye kyun mere peeche khara hai? Aur iski himmat kaise hui mujhe pukarne ki?

Dua ne bina ek pal zaya kiye, apna sar jhukaya aur apne surkh pallu ko sambhalti hui wahan se side se guzrni lagi. Usne Zarvan ko mukammal taur par "ignore" kar diya, jaise wo wahan maujood hi na ho. Uska ye andaaz boht saaf tha—wo is rishte mein koi dilchaspi nahi rakhti thi.

Zarvan Khan, jo apne haveli ke roab aur apni personality ka aadi tha, uske liye ye ek naya tajurba tha. Wo wahan khara reh gaya, uski aankhon mein hairat aur ek halki si jalan thi. Dua ka is tarah ignore karke guzar jana Zarvan ko boht ajeeb laga. Uski pur-ghuroor shakhsiyat ko Dua ka ye rawaiya ek challenge sa laga.

Zarvan ne apne baazuon ko seene par bandha aur Dua ko jate huye dekhta raha. Use samajh nahi aa raha tha ke ye larki us se door bhaag rahi hai ya phir sahi maano mein use nafrat se dekh rahi hai. Hall ki raunak apni jagah thi, magar Zarvan ke zehen mein ab sirf wahi red saree mein lipti hui larki ghoom rahi thi, jisne bina kuch kahe use itni bari baat keh di thi.

Zarvan ne honton mein hont daba liye. Uski ananiyat (ego) ko ye rawayya chubha tha. Wo wahan khara khara sochna par gaya ke aakhir us larki ke dil mein kya hai? Aur kya wo sach mein itni sakht mizaj hai jitni dikh rahi hai?