Pehli baar jab main usse dhyaan se dekha, to ek baat pakdi — uske maang mein sindoor nahi tha. Pati ke jaane ke baad vidhoba aurat sindoor chhod deti hai. Wo khaali maang uske chehre ko ek ajeeb si udaasi de deti thi.
Par udaasi ke neeche wo khoobsurat thi. Sach mein khoobsurat. Gori, patli, kamar mein narm moad. Aankhein badi-badi, par unme hamesha ek darr bhari hui thi — jaise duniya se thoda peeche hatti hui. Safed aur halke rang ki saree pehenti, hamesha sar dhake rakhti.
Main roz usse dekhta. Dukaan se saaman lene aati, sar jhuka ke, kuch bolti, chali jaati. Main bhi kuch zyada bolta nahi. Par wo chehre mein bas gaya tha.
Vidhoba Bhabhi
Ek din wo dukaan pe aayi. Namak aur chawal chahiye the. Main saaman nikaal raha tha, haath kaanp raha tha — kaise pata nahi.
Wo boli — "Bhaiya, tel bhi de do."
Main bola — "Kaunsa tel?"
Wo boli — "Sarson."
Main tel nikaal ke diya. Wo paisa rakha. Jaate-jaate meri taraf dekhi — pehli baar seedha, do second ke liye. Aur mere andar kuch hil gaya.
Us din ke baad wo thoda-thoda baat karne lagi. Kabhi "kaise ho", kabhi "dhoop tez hai". Chhote-chhote shabd. Par main har shabd jod ke rakh leta tha.
Ek din maine himmat karke poocha — "Bhabhi, aap akeli rehti ho?"
Wo ruki. Phir boli — "Haan. Do saal se."
Maine poocha — "Ghar walon ke saath nahi?"
Wo boli — "Saas-sasur the. Unke jaane ke baad…" usne baat adhoori chhod di.
Main samajh gaya. Wo sab taraf se akeli thi. Aur akelapan uske chehre pe saaf likha tha.
Pyar
Mujhe pata nahi kab hua — par ek din maine mehsoos kiya ki main usse pyar karne laga hoon.
Bas ye chhoti-chhoti cheezein. Subah uski taraf dekhna, shaam ko uske kamre ki roshni dekhna, wo silai ki machine chalati hai to uski awaaz sunna, aur jaan lena ki wo ghar pe hai — sukoon. Jab wo baahar hoti, meri nazar darwaze pe tiki rehti.
Ek din bimaar ho gayi. Do din usse dekha nahi. Teesre din main apni maa ke haath se khichdi banwa ke le gaya. Darwaza khatkhathaya.
Wo uth ke darwaza kholi. Chehra pila. Maathe pe paseena.
"Bhabhi, khana laaya hoon."
Wo dekhi, phir boli — "Tum kaise aaye?"
"Bas aaya."
Wo khichdi le li. Darwaze pe khadi rahi. Main jaane ko hua. Phir boli — "Andar aa jao. Baahar dhoop hai."
Main andar gaya. Uske kamre mein pehli baar. Chhota kamra, ek khidki, ek bed, ek silai machine, aur deewar pe ek tasveer — uske pati ki. Tasveer mein ek aadmi, muskuraata hua. Aur tasveer ke neeche uski shakal ka phool.
Maine tasveer dekhi. Wo boli — "Do saal ho gaye."
Main kuch nahi bola. Par us din mujhe samajh aa gaya — uske dil mein ek jagah tasveer ne bhar rakhi hai, aur uske peeche ek pura kamra khaali pada hai.
Mana
Kuch mahine yun hi nikal gaye. Baat badhi. Hum dost ban gaye. Wo mujhe apne kamre mein bulane lagi, chai banane lagi. Main uske liye bazaar se saaman laata, silai machine theek karta. Ek din usne apna haath kaata, main marham laaya, uske haath ko pakad ke lagaya. Wo kaanpi.
Us din ke baad main samajh gaya — ab bolo.
Ek shaam, uske kamre mein, main baith ke bola — "Bhabhi, ek baat kehni hai."
Wo boli — "Bolo."
Main bola — "Mujhe tumse pyar ho gaya hai."
Wo ruki. Silai machine chalti rahi, par usne haath rok diya. Chehra utar gaya.
Boli — "Arun, tumhe pata hai? Main vidhoba hoon."
Maine bola — "Pata hai."
Wo boli — "Vidhoba aurat se koi shaadi kare, ye kahan hota hai? Tumse paanch-chhah saal bhi chhote ho."
Maine bola — "To kya hua."
Wo boli — "Aur agar sabse bada bhi chhod do — mere pati ki yaad, unke logon ka darr, gali ke logon ki baat… Arun, main nahi kar sakti."
Maine bola — "Nahi kar sakti, ya nahi karogi?"
Wo kuch nahi boli. Sirf khidki ki taraf dekhne lagi.
Us raat main jaata-jata ruk gaya. Darwaze pe khada ho ke bola — "Bhabhi, ek baar soch ke dekho. Main wait karunga. Do saal se zyada."
Wo boli — "Kitna wait karoge?"
Maine bola — "Jab tak tum raazi na ho jao."
Wo muskuraayi — pehli baar poora muskura ke. Par "haan" nahi boli.
Pehla Sweekar
Iske baad maine zyada zor nahi lagaya. Bas chhoti-chhoti cheezein karta raha.
Subah uske ghar ke saamne paani daal deta tha, taaki dhoop mein dhool na ude. Uske aate-peete ka khayal rakhta. Garmi mein uske kamre ke liye pankha theek kiya. Jab wo bimaar hoti, dawaa laata. Raat ko uske aangan mein ek bulb laga diya, kyunki wo andhere se darti thi.
Wo sab dekh rahi thi. Kaise nahi dekhti.
Ek din halki barish ho rahi thi. Wo dukaan pe aayi, bheegi hui. Maine andar bulaya, tauliya diya. Wo baithi. Bahar barish ki awaaz.
Main bola — "Bhabhi, tum ghar kyun nahi laut rahi?"
Wo boli — "Barish ruk jaaye."
Dono chup baithay rahe. Phir wo boli — "Arun, tum itna kyun karte ho?"
Maine bola — "Kya?"
"Yeh sab. Mere liye."
Main bola — "Kyunki tum mere liye sab ho."
Wo kaanpi. Maine uska haath pakda. Usne haath nahi chhudaya. Main dheere se kheencha, wo paas aayi.
Phir main jhuka aur uske maang ke khaali hisse pe halka chumban diya. Wo aankh band kar li.
Boli — "Arun…"
Maine bola — "Haan?"
Boli — "Ek baat poochungi. Sacchai se jawab dena."
Maine bola — "Poocho."
Boli — "Kya tum mujhe sirf… bistar ke liye chahte ho? Ya zindagi ke liye?"
Main thoda hansa. Bola — "Dono ke liye. Bistar bhi, zindagi bhi."
Wo sharmayi. Phir boli — "Bistar to abhi dekh liya nahi."
Maine bola — "Dekhna hai?"
Wo dheere se boli — "Haan."
Pehli Raat
Us raat wo mere ghar aayi. Maa-baap gaon gaye the. Ghar khaali.
Wo darwaze pe khadi thi, safed saree mein, sar dhake. Andar aayi. Baithi. Chai pi.
Phir dono chup ho gaye. Kamre ki hawa bhaari lag rahi thi.
Maine khada ho ke uska pallu pakda. Usne sar jhuka liya. Maine pallu hataaya. Uska chehra saamne. Sindoor khaali maang. Aankhein badi, gili.
Maine bola — "Bhabhi."
Wo boli — "Mujhe Bhabhi na bolo. Naam se bulao."
Maine bola — "Shobha."
Wo kaanpi. Usnaam pe kaanpna uske liye bada theek tha.
Maine uske hothon pe hoth rakhe. Pehla chumban. Dheere. Phir gehre. Wo pehle ruki, phir pighli. Uske haath mere gale mein aa gaye.
Main uske blouse ke hook kholne laga. Ungliyan kaanp rahi thi. Wo khud madad ki. Blouse khula. Safed saree neeche sarki.
Aur mere saamne Shobha ki chhati khuli. Do saal se kisi mard ne nahi dekhi thi. Gori, bhari, bholi. Nipple safed-tumhare — jaise pehli baar.
Maine haath badhaya. Chhati pe haath rakha. Wo ek lambi saans chhodi, jaise do saal ki bhookh ek saath nikal gayi.
Maine usse bed pe lita diya. Chhati pe muh rakh ke nipple choosne laga. Wo sar peechhe daal ke gala bhar aaya.
"Arun… aaah…"
Ek chhati choosi, doosri daba pakdi. Wo kaanp rahi thi, poora badan. Maine haath neeche kiya. Saree sarki. Chut tak pahuncha. Ungli ghusi — garam, geeli, poori taiyaar.
Wo boli — "Arun, jaldi… koi aayega nahi na?"
Maine bola — "Koi nahi aayega."
Maine apna lund nikaala. Shobha ki chut pe lagaya. Ek dhakka — andar.
Wo muh daba ke cheekh li — pehli baar. Do saal ki khali chut mein pehla lund. Uska poora badan ek saath kaanp utha.
Maine thapana shuru kiya. Dheere, phir tez. Shobha dono haath se chadar mutthi mein daba liye. Uska chehra paseene se bhar gaya.
"Arun… ruk… ruk…"
Maine ruka. Bola — "Dard?"
Boli — "Nahi. Aisa lag raha hai… jaise… pehli baar…"
Maine bola — "Pehli baar hi hai."
Wo ro padi. Khushi ke aansu. Phir boli — "Chod… chod na…"
Maine choda. Aur us baar wo chup nahi rahi.
Chitkare
Shobha ke chitkare pehli raat hi gali mein goonj gaye.
Ghar ki deewarein patli thi. Uska kamra, mera kamra — sab paas. Aur us raat Shobha ne itni awaaz nikali ki saamne wale Gopal chacha ne subah dukaan pe poocha — "Arun, raat ko koi ro raha tha kya?"
Maine bola — "Kaun?"
Chacha bola — "Wahi, Shobha. Itni awaaz. Lagta tha koi dard mein hai."
Main hansa. Bola — "Dard nahi, chacha. Khushi."
Chacha samajh gaya. Muskura ke bola — "Achha. To theek hai."
Aur gali ke logon ki khushi ka theek yahi tha. Kisi ne kuch bola nahi, par sab jaante the. Vidhoba bhabhi ab akeli nahi rahi. Aur uske chitkare sun ke sab ke chehre pe muskaan aa gayi — jaise gali ka apna ghar bhara hua hai.
Ek baar Shobha ne khud poocha — "Arun, mera itna awaaz kyun nikalta hai?"
Maine bola — "Kyunki do saal ka daba hua nikla hai."
Wo sharmayi. Boli — "Gali mein sab sunte hain?"
Maine bola — "Sunte hain. Aur khush hote hain."
Wo boli — "Sharam aati hai."
Maine bola — "Sharam kaam, maza zyada."
Wo hassi. Phir boli — "Achha, to aaj raat phir wahi."
Main bola — "Wahi?"
Wo boli — "Wahi. Jisme awaaz nikalti hai."
Shaadi
Do mahine baad maine ghar mein baat rakhi.
Maa ne kaha — "Vidhoba hai re."
Main bola — "Toh? Vidhoba ka kya hua."
Baap ne kaha — "Umar bhi thodi zyada."
Main bola — "Chhah saal. Ye kya zyada."
Maa ne kaha — "Log kya bolenge?"
Main bola — "Jo bolna hai bolein. Ghar mein hum rahenge."
Baap chup ho gaya. Maa bhi. Phir maa ne poocha — "Ladki raazi hai?"
Main bola — "Haan."
Maa ne poocha — "Uske ghar wale?"
Maine bola — "Uske paas koi nahi. Bas hai."
Maa ne dekha, phir boli — "To theek hai. La."
Maine Shobha ko bataya. Wo ruki. Boli — "Arun, tumne socheya? Sabse ladna padega."
Maine bola — "Ladenge."
Boli — "Aur agar tum haar gaye?"
Maine bola — "To phir bhi jeetenge. Kyunki tum mere saath ho."
Wo rone lagi. Phir boli — "Theek hai. Tumhari maa ko bolo, mere ghar aayein. Baat karein."
Do hafte baad baat pakki hui. Chhoti si shaadi. Mandir mein. Pandit ji ne mantra padhe. Maa-baap, do-chaar padosi. Bas.
Aur us shaadi mein, jo cheez sabse zyada saaf thi — Shobha ki khaali maang. Shaadi ke baad maine khud uski maang mein sindoor bhara. Usne aankh band kar li. Sindoor bharte waqt mere haath kaanp rahe the. Aur uski aankh se ek boond giri.
Wo phir phusphusai — "Arun, ye sindoor do saal se khaali thi."
Maine bola — "Ab khaali nahi rahegi."
Pati-Patni
Shaadi ke baad Shobha mere ghar aayi. Wo ab vidhoba nahi thi — wo biwi thi. Maang mein sindoor, gale mein mangalsutra, aur chehre pe wo chain jo pehle nahi thi.
Pehle mahine humne bilkul naye-shaadi-jaisa kiya. Raat ko ek hi kamra. Wo sharmati, main hasaata. Phir dheere-dheere wo khulne lagi.
Wo bistar mein ab sharmati nahi thi. Wo maangti thi. "Aaj wahi karna", "aaj upar se", "aaj dheere". Wo seekh gayi thi ki uska badan kya chahta hai — aur mera badan uska kya chahta hai.
Aur jo cheez shaadi se pehle shuru hui thi, wo ab poori tarah khul gayi. Raat ho, aur hum dono ek doosre mein kho jaate. Uske chitkare pehle bhi aate the, par ab aur gehre, aur khule. Ab wo chhipati nahi thi.
Kabhi raat ko wo meri chhati pe sar rakh ke kehti — "Arun, ek baat."
"Maan."
"Shaadi se pehle jab tum paas aate the, main darti thi. Sochti thi, log kya kahenge, pati ki yaad kya kahegi. Par tum ruk gaye the. Zor nahi lagaya. Isi liye main aaj tumhari hoon."
Maine bola — "Aur ab?"
Ab wo hassi. Boli — "Ab? Ab chhodo mat."
Roz Ka Pyar
Shobha mujhse roz aur pyar karne lagi. Sirf bistar mein nahi — har cheez mein.
Subah chai banati, mera paani taiyaar rakhti. Dukaan pe jaate waqt ek baar dekh leti. Sham ko lauṭ ke aate, darwaze pe khadi hoti. Raat ko paas baithti, sir rakh ke baatein karti. Chhote-chhote lamhe — par usi mein poori zindagi bhar gayi.
Ek din wo boli — "Arun, tumne mujhe gali ki nazar se bachaya."
Maine poocha — "Kaisi nazar?"
Boli — "Vidhoba aurat ko log aise dekhte hain — jaise ab uska koi nahi. Koi aurat nahi, sirf ek sookhi hui cheez. Tumne mujhe phir se aurat banaya."
Maine usse kheench liya. Bola — "Tu pehle bhi aurat thi. Bas kisi ne dekha nahi."
Wo rone lagi. Phir boli — "Ab dekhta hai. Roz."
Aur raat ko phir wahi. Uski chitkare phir gali mein. Aur ab to gali ke log theek se jaante the — Shobha bhabhi ke ghar ab chudai hoti hai, aur khushiyan bhi.
Ek din saamne wali Sunita bhabhi ne usse poocha — "Shobha, tum dono raat ko itna karte ho? Awaaz aati hai."
Shobha sharmayi. Boli — "Tum bhi sunte ho?"
Sunita boli — "Poori gali sunti hai. Par bura nahi lagta. Aisa lagta hai gali mein koi khush hai."
Ek Saal Baad
Ek saal beet gaya. Shobha ab poori tarah badal gayi thi — chehre pe nur, badan pe bharpai, aur wo udaasi gayab.
Aur ek din wo subah uth ke ulti ki. Phir doosre din. Teesre din.
Maa ne dekha, muskurayi, boli — "Arun, kuch to hai."
Maine Shobha ko doctor ke paas le gaya. Doctor ne check kiya. Phir muskuraya. Bola — "Mubarak ho."
Maine Shobha ki taraf dekha. Uska chehra ek saath khushi aur darr se bhar gaya. Usne mera haath daba liya.
Ghar lauṭ ke wo chup thi. Phir boli — "Arun, ab to bas tum dono ho — tum aur ye."
Maine bola — "Hum teen honge."
Wo rone lagi. Boli — "Maine socha nahi tha ki mere pet mein kabhi phir baccha hoga."
Maine bola — "Ab hoga."
Maa Ban Gayi
Nau mahine baad beti hui. Gori-gori, Shobha jaisi. Naam rakha — "Pihu".
Shobha maa ban gayi. Aur maa banne ke baad uske badan mein ek nayi bharpai aayi. Wo pehle se zyada khoobsurat lagni lagi. Aur bistar mein pehle se zyada garam.
Log kehte hain bacche ke baad aurat thak jaati hai. Par Shobha ulta hui. Wo boli — "Arun, ab main poori hoon."
Aur wo poori thi. Pati ke liye, bacche ke liye, ghar ke liye — sab kuch.
Raat ko jab Pihu so jaati, hum dono phir wahi purane khel khelte. Ab thoda dheere, taaki baccha na jage. Par josh kam nahi hua.
Ek raat wo boli — "Arun, yaad hai jab pehli baar tum aaye the? Main darti thi."
Maine bola — "Yaad hai."
Boli — "Ab nahi darti. Ab bas chahti hoon. Jab tak saans hai, tum chodo."
Maine bola — "Itni bhookh?"
Boli — "Itni hi. Aur tumne hi to ye bhookh jagayi."
Ant
Aaj Pihu teen saal ki hai. Shobha ke maang mein sindoor hai — aur ab kabhi khaali nahi hoti. Gali ke log usse "bhabhi" bulate hain, par "Shobha bhabhi" bolte waqt chehre pe ek muskaan aati hai — kyunki sab jaante hain ye bhabhi ab kiski hai.
Ek shaam hum dono chhat pe baithe the. Taare dikh rahe the. Pihu neeche so rahi thi.
Shobha boli — "Arun, ek baat."
"Maan."
"Jab tum pehli baar aaye the — mujhe lagta tha ye ghar chhota hai, akela hai, khaali hai. Ab dekho. Poora hai. Ghar bhi, dil bhi."
Maine uska haath pakda. Bola — "Tumne bhara."
Wo boli — "Nahi. Tumne bhara. Tumne meri khaali maang mein sindoor bhara."
Us raat hum phir ek hue. Aur uski chitkare phir gali mein goonj gayi. Neend mein Pihu halki si hili. Bahar kutta bhaunkha. Aur saamne wali Sunita bhabhi ne halki si muskura ke apna darwaza band kiya — jaise keh rahi ho, achha hai, ye ghar khush hai.
Ek vidhoba bhabhi thi. Jo kisi ki nahi thi. Aaj wo ek biwi hai, ek maa hai, aur ek aise mard ki hai jo usse roz pyar karta hai.
Wo kehti hai — "Arun, tumne mujhe do baar zinda kiya. Ek baar jab dheere-dheere pyar se raazi kiya. Aur ek baar jab achhe se choda."
Aur sach ye hai — maine kuch nahi kiya. Bas ruk gaya tha. Bas intezaar kiya tha. Aur us intezaar ke sabar ne wo kaam kar diya jo zor kabhi nahi kar sakta.
Kyunki pyar jaldi nahi hota. Pyar dheere-dheere hota hai. Aur jab ho jaata hai — to phir wo chudai sirf chudai nahi rehti. Wo ibadat ban jaati hai.
Aur Shobha ki maang mein wahi sindoor aaj bhi hai — jo ek vidhoba ki khaali maang se shuru hoke, ek maa ki maang tak pahunchi.
