Update 7
Priya meri secretary thi. Use maine koi 6 mahine pehle kaam par rakha tha Rukmani ke kehne par. Vo kehti thi ke agar secretary ho to clients par impression achha padta hai. Priya koi 25 saal ki mamuli shakal soorat ki ladki thi. Rang halka sawla tha. Uske baare mein sabse khaas baat ye thi ke vo bilkul ladko ki tarah rehti thi. Ladko jaise hi kapde pehenti thi, ladko ki tarah hi uska rehen sehan tha, ladko ki tarah hi baat karti thi aur baal bhi kandhe tak kata rakhe the. Kehti thi ke kandhe tak bhi isliye kyunki isse chhote uski maan use katane nahi deti thi.
"Good Morning" Usne meri taraf dekhkar kaha aur phir saamne rakhi novel padhne lagi
"Good Morning" Maine jawab diya "Kaisi ho Priya?"
"Jaisi dikhti hoon vaisi hi hoon" Usne munh banate hue jawab diya
Main muskurate hue apni table tak pahuncha aur bag neeche rakha
"Mood kharab hai aaj. Kya hua?" Maine usse puchha
"Kuchh nahi" Usne vaise hi novel padhte hue jawab diya
"Are bata na" Maine phir zor dala
"Kal dekhne aaye the mujhe ladke wale. Kal shaam ko" Usne novel niche rakhte hue kaha
"To phir?" Maine puchha
"To phir kya. Vahi hua jo hona tha. Mana karke chale gaye" Vo gusse mein uthte hue boli
"Kyun?" Maine puchha
"Kehte hain ke main kisi ghar ki bahu nahi ban sakti" Vo meri table ke kareeb aayi
"Aur aisa kyun?" Maine phir sawal kiya
"Unke hisab se jo ladki ladkiyon ki tarah rehti hi nahi vo kisi ki biwi kya banegi. Kehte hain main ladki hi nahi lagti" Uski aankhe gusse se laal ho rahi thi
"Aap hi batao" Usne mujhpar hi sawal daag diya "Kya main ladki nahi lagti"
Maine usko aur chidane ke liye inkar mein sar hila diya. Usko yun gusse mein dekhkar mujhe maza aa raha tha.
Meri is harkat par vo aur aag babula ho uthi.
"Kyun nahi lagti main ladki. Kya kami hai?" Usne apne aapko dekhte hue kaha. Maine jawab mein kuchh nahi kaha
"Bolo. Kya nahi hai mujhmen ladkiyon jaisa?" Kehte hue usne apne dono haath se apni chhatiyon ki aur ishara kiya "Aapko kya lagta hai ke ye mujhe machchar ne kaat rakha hai"
Uski ye baat sunkar main apni hasi chahkar bhi nahi rok saka.
"Vo baat nahi hai Priya" Maine use apne saamne rakhi kursi par bethne ka ishara kiya."Dekh jo baat main tujhe keh raha hoon shayad tujhe thodi si ajeeb lage par yakeen maan main tere bhale ke liye keh raha hoon"
Vo ektuk mujhe dekhe ja rahi thi
"Jabse tu aayi hai tabse main tujhe ye baat kehna chah raha tha par tu nayi nayi aayi thi to mujhe laga ke kahin bura na maan jaaye. Phir ham dono ek doosre ke saath boss aur employee se zyada dost ban gaye tab bhi maine socha ke tujhe ye baat kahun par phir koi aisa mauka hi haath nahi laga."
"Kya keh rahe ho mujhe kuchh samajh nahi aa raha" Usne apna chashma theek karte hue kaha
"Batata hoon. Achha ek baat mujhe sach sach bata. Kya tera dil nahi karta ke teri zindagi mein koi ladka ho, jo tujhe chahe, tera dhyaan rakhe. Zindagi bhar tere saath chale" Maine usse puchha
"Haan karta to hai" Usne apni gardan hilate hue kaha
"To tu hi bata. Kya tu ek aise ladke ke saath rehna chahegi jo ladkiyon ke jaise kapde pehenta ho, make up karta ho aur ladkiyon ki tarah rehta ho?" Maine thoda serious hote hue kaha
Kuchh pal ke liye vo chup ho gayi. Neeche zameen ki aur dekhte hue kuchh sochti rahi. Maine bhi kuchh nahi kaha.
"Main samajh gayi ke aap kya kehna chah rahe ho" Usne thodi der baad kaha
"Bilkul sahi samjhi. Main ye nahi kehta ke tu ladki nahi. Ladki hai par ladkiyon jaisi ban bhi to sahi" Maine muskurate hue kaha
"Kaise?" Usne apne uper ek nazar daali"Main to hamesha aise hi rahi hoon"
"Hmmmm" Maine use uper se neeche tak dekhte hue kaha "Tere paas saare kapde aise ladkon jaise hi hain?"
"Haan" Use apna sar haan mein hilaya
"To kapdo sehi shuru karte hain" Maine kaha "Aaj shaam ko tu kuchh ladkiyon wale kapde khareed jaise salwar kameez ya saree"
"Theek hai" Usne muskurate hue kaha "Shaam ko office ke baad chalte hain"
"Chalte hain ka kya matlab?" Main chaunkte hue bola "Apni mummy ke saath jaake le aa"
"Are nahi" Usne fauran mana kiya "Mummy ke saath nahi varna vo to pata nahi kya bada adam ke zamane ke kapde le dengi. Aap please chalo na saath"
Vo bachcho ki tarah zid kar rahi thi. Main kaafi der tak usko mana karta raha par jab vo nahi mani to maine haar kar haan kar di.
Dopahar ke waqt main court se apne office mein aaya hi tha ke phone ki ghanti baj uthi. Priya office mein nahi thi. Shayad khana khane gayi ho ye sochkar maine hi phone uthaya.
"Ishaan Ahmed" Maine phone uthate hue kaha
"Ishaan main Mishra bol raha hoon" Doosri taraf se aawaz aayi "Kya kar raha hai?"
"Kuchh nahi bas abhi court se office pahuncha hi hoon. Khana khane ki taiyyar kar raha tha." Maine jawab diya
"Ek kaam kar police station aa ja. Khana yahin saath khate hain. Tujhse kuchh baat karni hai" Mishra ne kaha
"Kya hua sab khairiyat?" Maine puchha
"To aa to ja. Phir batata hoon" Vo doosri taraf se bola
Ranjit Mishra mera dost aur ek policewala tha. Usse meri mulaqat aaj se 2 saal pehle ek case ke silsile mein hui thi aur uske baad ham dono ki dosti badhti gayi. Iski shayad ek vajah ye thi ke takreeban zindagi ke har pehlu ke baare mein ham ek hi jaisa sochte the. Hamari soch ek doosre se bilkul milti thi. Vo mujhe umar mein 1 ya 2 saal bada tha. Sach kahun to mere dost ke naam pe vo shayad duniya ka akela insaan tha. Police mein inspector ki post par tha aur apni duty ko vo sabse aage rakhta tha. Rishwat lene ya dene ke sakht khilaf tha aur apni vardi ki pooja kiya karta tha. In short vo un policewalo mei se tha jo ab shayad kam hi milte hain.
Uska yun mujhe bulana mujhko thoda ajeeb laga. Priya ab tak vapis nahi aayi thi. Maine uski table par ek note chhod diya ke main Mishra se milne ja raha hoon aur office lock karke police station ki taraf chal pada.
Shamla bai hamare desh ki vo aurat hai jo har shehar, har gali aur har mohalle mein milti hai. Ghar mein kaam karne wali naukrani jo ki agar dekha jaaye to hamare desh ka sabse bada chalta phirta news channel hoti hain. Mohalle ke kis ghar mein kya ho raha hai unhen sab pata hota hai aur us baat ko mohalle ke baaki ke ghar tak pahunchana unka dharam hota hai. Ghar ki koi baat inse nahi chhipti. Biwi agar bistar par pati se khush nahi hai to ye baat bhale hi khud pati dev ko na pata ho par ghar mein kaam karne wali bai ko zaroor pata hoti hai aur kuchh din baad poore mohalle ko pata hoti hai.
Aisi hi thi Shamla Bai. Vo mere ghar aur aas paas ke kai ghar mein kaam karti aur unmen se hi ek ghar Bungalow No 13 bhi tha. Vo roz subah takreeban 10 baje Manchanda ke yahan jaati aur ghar ke 2 kamro ki safai karke aa jati thi. Manchanda ke baare mein jitni bhi baaten colony wale karte the unmen se 90% khud Shamla Bai ki kahi hui thi. Vo aadhi behri thi aur kaafi ooncha bolne par hi sunti thi aur jab baat karti to vaise hi chilla chillake baat karti thi. Vo jab mere yahan kaam karne aati to main aksar ghar se bahar nikal jata tha aur tab tak vapis nahi aata tha jab tak ke vo safai karke vapis chali na jaaye. Aksar ghar se kai cheezen mujhe gayab milti thi aur main janta tha ke vo kisne churayi hain par phir bhi main kabhi uske munh nahi lagta tha. Vo un auraton mein se thi jisne jitna door rahi utna achha. Par jo ek baat mujhe uski sabse zyada pasand thi vo ye thi ke vo time ki badi pakki thi. Uska ek schedule tha ke kis ghar par kitne baje pahunchna hai aur vo theek usi waqt us ghar ki ghanti baja deti thi. Na ek minute uper na ek minute neeche.
Vo rozana subah 7 baje Manchanda ke yahan safai karne jaati aur 8 baje tak sab khatam karke nikal jaati thi. Jaate waqt vo paas ke ek hotel se Manchanda ke liye nashta pack karate hue le jaati thi aur phir dobara dopahar 12 baje use dopahar ka khana dene jaati thi. Rukmani ne mujhe bataya tha ke sirf itne se kaam ke liye Manchanda usko zaroorat se kahin zyada paise deta tha. Shayad vo un paiso ke badle mein usse ye ummeed karta tha ke vo Manchanda ke baare mein colony mein kahin kisi se kuchh nahi kahegi. Par Shamla Bai theek uska ulta karti thi. Vo usse paise bhi leti aur usi ki burai bhi karti. Jab uske paas batane ko kuchh na bachta to apne aap nayi nayi kahaniyan banati aur poore colony ko sunati phirti.
Kaha jaaye to Shamla Bai ek behad khatarnaak kism ki aurat thi jisko shayad aaj se 400 - 500 saal pehle chudail batakar zinda jala diya jaata.Vo asal mein Manchanda ki sabse badi dushman thi jo khud uske apne ghar mein thi. Agar usko zara bhi pata chal jaata ke vo uske baare mein kaisi kaisi baaten karti hai to shayad use agle hi din chalta kar deta. Shamla Bai ko poora yakeen tha ke Manchanda ne kahin kuchh kiya hai aur ab vo apne gunaah se chhipne ke liye yahan is bhoot bungalow mein chhup kar betha hua hai. Vo shayad khud bhi lagatar is koshish mein rehti thi ke Manchanda ka raaz malum kar sake par kabhi is baat mein kaamyaab nahi ho saki.
Manchanda ne usko apne ghar ke ek chaabi de rakhi thi taaki agar vo kabhi subah ghar par na ho to Shamla andar jaakar safai kar sake. Aur aksar hota bhi yahi tha ke vo rozana subah 10 baje jaakar Manchanda ko neend se jagati thi.
Us subah bhi kuchh aisa hi hua tha. Shamla Bai hotel pahunchi. Hotel ka malik pichhle 6 mahine se Manchanda ke yahan khana bhijva raha tha isliye ab vo Shamla Bai ke aane se pehle hi breakfast pack karva deta tha. Us din bhi Shamla Bai hotel pahunchi to breakfast pack rakha tha. Usne packet uthaya aur Bungalow No 13 mein pahunchi. Apni chaabi se usne darwaza khola aur jaise hi drawing room mein ghusi to uski aankhen hairat se khuli reh gayi.
Poora drawing room bikhra hua tha. Koi bhi cheez apni jagah par nahi thi. Table par rakhe saman se lekar almirah mein rakhi books tak bikhri padi thi. Khidki par pade parde toot kar neeche gire hue the. Shamla Bai ne breakfast table par rakha aur hairat mein dekhti hui drawing room ke beech mein aayi. Tab uski nazar kamre ke ek kone ki taraf padi aur uske munh se cheekh nikal gayi.
Vahan kamre ke ek kone mein Manchanda gira pada tha. Aankhen khuli, chehra safed aur chhati se behta hua khoon. Usko dekhkar koi bachcha bhi ye keh sakta tha ke vo mar chuka hai.
"Main abhi vahin se aa raha hoon" Kehte hue Mishra ne khana meri taraf badhaya "Uski chhati par kisi chaaku ka dhaar wali cheez se vaar kiya gaya tha. Vo cheez sidha uske dil mein utar gayi isliye ek hi vaar kaafi tha uski jaan lene ke liye."
To be continued....
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