Short Stories | افسانے


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Lakshmee Poojaa
LAKSHMEE POOJAA

maiN us itvaar naashteh se uTh`aa hee th`aa keh chapraasee Abdul Qadir kee aavaaz ne chauNkaa diyaa: "hujoor! Pandit Beni Prasad salaam karne aaYe haiN".

itvaar kee SubH kisee Th`ekedaar kaa is t^araH aanaa a'jeeb see baat th`ee. kaam kaa koyee sawaal naheeN th`aa aur aisaa bh`ee naheeN th`aa keh voh mujh` ko "dastooree" dene aaYe hoN, jo hamaare i'laaqeh meN rishvat kaa doosraa naam th`aa. sab jaante th`e keh mere haath` ab tak is gaNdagee se paak th`e. maiN ne Qadir se kahaa: "achh`aa! baahar do kursiyaaN Daal do. maiN abh`ee aataa hooN."

Fatehpur Z^ila' Public Works Department meN maiN koyee saat maah pehle engineer ho kar aayaa th`aa aur isee muddat meN is department kee rishvat aur be-eemaanee se gh`abraa kar naukree ch`oRne kaa faiSilah kar chukaa th`aa. yahaaN kee har cheez un baatoN ke Khilaaf th`ee jin kee ta'leem mere seedh`e-saade maaN baap ne u'mr bh`ar dee th`ee. yahaaN bh`alaa meraa guZar kaise mumkin th`aa?

Pandit Beni Prasad Fatehpur ke sab se baRe Th`ekedaar th`e. darmiyaanah qad, varzishee jism, saaNvalee raNgat, aur gol chashme ke peech`e muskuraatee huyee aaNkh`en! yeh th`e Pandit Beni Prasad. voh hameshah haNs kar baat karte th`e. lekin maiN ne dekh`aa th`aa keh daftar kaa har aadmee un se kuch` Daraa Daraa rehtaa th`aa. maiN ne kayee baar baRe baaboo Ram Bihari se pooch`aa th`aa keh: "hamaare yahaaN ke sab baRe Th`eke aaKhir Pandit jee ke hee paas kyoN haiN?"', to unhoN ne baRee gambh`eertaa se kahaa th`aa keh: "Saaheb! Pandit jee bohat tajrube-kaar aadamee haiN. in kee Takkar kaa Th`ekedaar yahaaN door door tak naheeN hai!" lekin yeh baat meree kabh`ee samajh` meN naheeN aayee th`ee.

maiN baahar aayaa to Pandit jee ne kh`aRe ho kar pranaam kiyaa. unkee Soorat se pareshaanee Saaf z^aahir ho rahee th`ee. maiN ne baiTh`te huYe pooch`aa: "Pandit jee! kaise aaj SubH hee SubH takleef kee? koyee KhaaS baat hai kyaa?"'

unhoN ne dh`otee ke palloo se maath`aa poNch`te huYe kahaa keh: "hujoor kyaa kahooN? gajab ho gayaa! aap ne mujh` par Bhitora ke Th`eke par jurmaana kar diyaa? yeh to achh`aa naheeN huwaa sarkaar!"

un kaa is t^araH Toknaa mujh` ko achh`aa naheen lagaa. aaKhir maiN engineer th`aa aur voh mere Th`ekedaar. ph`ir mere faiSileh par unko e'tiraaZ^ karne kaa Haq kaise mil saktaa th`aa? kuch` garm ho kar maiN ne kahaa: "Pandit jee! kaam agar aap Kharaab kareNge to maiN jurmaana Z^aroor karooN gaa! mere i'laaqeh meN dh`aaNdh`lee naheeN chalegee!"

Pandit jee Topee seedh`ee karte huYe bole: "hujoor! aap yahaaN naYe aaYe haiN. ma'loom hotaa hai keh Rastogi baaboo overseer ne bh`ee aap ko naheeN bataayaa hai. sarkaar! yeh i'laaka Thakur Jugraj Singh kaa hai. mere paas jo Th`eke haiN sab un ke hee haiN. un kaa raaj hai yahaaN! police tak un se Dartee hai. aap yeh jurmaana vaapas le leejiye, saaheb! Thakur saaheb ko naaraaj karnaa Th`eek naheeN hai!'

maiN ne dimaaGh meN bajtee huyee Khatre kee gh`aNTee ko naz^ar-andaaz karte huYe pooch`aa: "yeh Th`akur Jugraj Singh kaun haiN? koyee dakait haiN kyaa?"

Pandit Beni Prasad meree baat par apnee muskuraahaT rok naheeN sake, aur unhoN ne kahaa:

"aap yooN hee samajh` leN, hujoor! Thakur saaheb yahaaN ke raajaa haiN saaheb! jis ko chaaheN jaan se marvaa deN. jis kaa chaaheN gh`ar jalaa deN! meraa kahaa maaniYe aur jurmaana vaapas le leejiye aur ph`ir aage aisee galtee kabh`ee na keejiye gaa, saaheb!"

maiN ab buree t^araH gh`abraa chukaa th`aa, aur mujh` ko apnee maut saamne kh`aRee dikh`aayee de rahee th`ee. haklaa kar bola:

"Pandit jee! jurmaana vaapas lene meN ab meree baRee be-i'zzatee hai. aap Thakur saaheb se keh deN keh is baar to jurmaana hogaa, haaN aa.indah aisaa naheeN hogaa."

Pandit jee meree t^araf Hairat se dekh` rahe th`e. shaayad unheN is se pehle koyee aisaa sar-ph`iraa engineer naheeN milaa th`aa. voh aik Th`anDee saaNs le kar kursee se uTh`e: "achh`aa saaheb! aap kee marjee. kal bataa,ooN gaa keh Thakur saaheb kyaa kehte haiN".

yeh keh kar voh to chale gaye aur meraa saaraa din aur pooree raat is fikr meN kaTee keh dekh`o kal Thakur Jugraj Singh jee meree kyaa durgat banaate haiN!
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doosre din Pandit jee aaYe to maiN ne rasmee a'lek-salek ke ba'd pooch`aa : "Pandit jee! kyaa kahaa Thakur saaheb ne?"

voh ik dam se muskuraa diYe, aur dh`otee saNbh`aalte huYe bole: "are saaheb! gajab ho gayaa! aap kee baat sun kar to Thakur saaheb ke haath` se Th`aNDayee kaa gilaas ch`ooT gayaa! kehne lage keh :yeh kaun maayee kaa laal, jiyaalaa javaan aayaa hai jo ham par jurmaana kartaa hai aur ph`ir is ko vaapas naheeN letaa hai!?"

udh`ar voh yeh keh kar zor zor se haNs rahe th`e aur idh`ar is :maayee ke laal, jiyaale javaan: kee siTTee gum ho rahee th`ee! maiN ne gh`abraa kar kahaa : "yeh to kaheN keh unhoN ne aaKhir ph`ir kahaa kyaa?"

Pandit jee bole: "jee hujoor! Thakur saaheb ne kehlaayaa hai keh :chalo is baar jurmaana bh`ar deN ge. lekin hamaaree bh`ee ek shart^ hai keh engineer saaheb ham se milne ko aayeN aur hamaare saath` chaaYe-paanee kareN".

yeh sun kar mere to ch`akke ch`ooT gaYe! kyaa patah keh jaa,ooN to voh meree kyaa gat banaayeN. zindah vaapas aa,ooN bh`ee keh naheeN!

siTpiTaa kar Pandit jee se pooch`aa: "mujh` ko kyoN bulaa rahe haiN voh? kyaa maare-peeTeNge mujh`e?"

Pandit jee meree ma'Soomiyat par haNs paRe: "are naheeN saaheb! Thakur saaheb aise aadamee naheeN haiN. aap be-ph`ikr hamaare saath` chaleN aglee shaneevaar ko. Lakshmee poojaa kaa din bh`ee hai, achh`aa rahegaa. saaheb! jaroor chaliYe gaa. Thakur saaheb ko naaraaj karnaa Th`eek naheeN hai!"

ph`ir voh mujh`e der tak Thakur saaheb ke qiSSe sunaate rahe keh un kee dh`aak kahaaN kahaaN baNdh`ee huyee th`ee. "saaheb! aap bataaiYe kis ko jaan se marvaanaa hai, kis kaa gh`ar jalvaanaa hai, kis kee laRkee uTh`vaanee hai? Thakur saaheb sab intijaam kar deN ge, aur har kaam kee alag alag ph`ees bh`ee leN ge!"

aur maiN sochtaa rahaa keh dekh`o agle shaneevar ko jaan bachtee bh`ee hai keh naheeN!

maiN ne ek baar ph`ir jaan bachaane kee koshish meN kahaa : "Pandit jee! maiN sarkaaree naukar hooN. Th`ekedaar se milne jaa,ooN gaa to bad-naamee ho gee. Thakur saaheb hee idh`ar kyoN naheeN aa jaate?"

Pandit Beni Prasad muskuraaYe aur unhoN ne kahaa: "saaheb! aap kisee Th`ekedaar se naheeN, Thakur Jugraj Singh se milne jaa rahe haiN! kis kee himmat hai keh aap ko Toke gaa? dekh`iYe! aap jid nah kareN aur chale chaleN. Thakur saaheb ko naaraaj karnaa Th`eek naheeN hai saaheb!"

aur maiN ne maree aavaaz se un kee raaYe maan lee keh aglee shaneevar ko saath` chalaa chalooN gaa. ab aap yeh nah pooch`iYe keh shaneevaar aane tak maiN kitnee raatoN ko neeNd bh`ar kar so sakaa!
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mere paas baiTh`e huYe Pandit Beni Prasad rickshe vaale ko raasta bataate jaa rahe th`e. aaj ph`ir voh pareshaan naz^ar aa rahe th`e. aur meree Haalat to yeh th`ee keh jaise dh`aRakte dh`aRakte dil seene se nikal paRe gaa! t^araH t^araH ke Khayaalaat aa aur jaa rahe th`e. rickshe ke peech`e do cycle-savaar javaan kandh`oN par lambee laaTh`iaaN sajaaYe chal rahe th`e. Pandit jee ne bataayaa th`aa k yeh javaan Thakur saaheb ne hamaaree Hifaaz^at ke liye bh`eje th`e. th`oRee der ba'd ricksha ek darvaaze par jaa kar ruk gayaa jis ke saamne eik kaalaa-kalooTaa pehalvaan saa aadamee laaTh`ee liYe pehraa de rahaa th`aa. Pandit jee ne us kee :Ram Ram: ke javaab meN :Ram Ram: kahaa aur mujh`e liYe huYe gh`ar meN daaKhil ho gaYye.

makaan ke andar pohaNch kar unhoN ne saamne hee aaNgan meN ek moNDh`e par baiTh`e huYe shaKhs se haath` joR kar kahaa: "Ram Ram, Thakur saaheb! yeh engineer saaheb bh`eNT karne aa gaYe haiN."

"Ram Ram, Pandit jee! aaiYe engineer saaheb, aaiYe!" Thakur Jugraj Singh ne muskuraate huYe mujh`e paas kee kursee kee t^araf ishaarah kiyaa. maiN ne Darte Darte un se haath` milaayaa aur kursee par baiTh gayaa.

Thakur saaheb ke aas-paas teen chaar aadamee baiTh`e th`e aur sab mujh`e a'jeeb naz^roN se dekh` rahe th`e. sochte hoN ge k yeh baNgRoo kahaaN se ph`aNs gayaa! door ek kone meN baiTh`aa ek aadamee ek bartan meN jhamaa-jham kuch` gh`oNT rahaa th`aa. Thakur Jugraj Singh chaalees-bayaalees saal aur maZ^boot kaaTh`ee ke Khush-shakl aadamee th`e. chehre par baRee baRee talwaar-kaaT mooNch` th`ee aur qareeb hee deevaar se lagee ek do-naalee kee baNdooq rakh`ee huyee th`ee. voh meree taraf muRe aur muskuraa kar bole:

"engineer saaheb! aap se milne ko dil kar rahaa th`aa. ham ne sochaa keh ham bh`ee to dekh`eN keh kaun aisaa jiyaala hai jo ham par jurmaana karne kee himmat rakhtaa hai! bh`alaa aap ne jurmaana kyoN vaapas naheeN liyaa th`aa, saaheb?"

"Thakur saaheb! is se daftar meN meree baRee be-i'zzatee hotee! jaise aap kee i'zzat hai vaise hee meree bh`ee hai." :meN ne mar-ghillee aavaaz meN javaab diyaa.

"haaN, ijjat kee baat to ham samajh`te haiN. magar aage kh`ayaal rakh`iYe gaa keh aisaa nah hone paaYe!", Thakur saaheb ne baRee gambh`eertaa se kahaa. ph`ir kone meN baiThe aadamee ko aavaaz dee: "Ram Bhulaavan! engineer saaheb ke liYe ThaNDaayee to laa."

aur muR kar mujh` se bole: "Pandit jee kehte haiN k aap rishvat bh`ee naheeN lete haiN. aisaa hee saadh`oo sant rehnaa th`aa to PWD kee naukree kyoN kee th`ee saaheb?"

maiN ne kahaa: "Thakur saaheb! mere maaN-baap ne aisaa hee sikh`aayaa hai, kyaa karooN. vaise mujh` se yeh PWD kee naukree chalne vaalee naheeN hai. maiN is ko jaldee hee ch`oRne vaalaa hooN."

voh Hairaan ho kar bole: "aiN! log mare jaate haiN aisee naukree ke liYe, aur aap ch`oR rahe haiN? Ram Ram! kalyug aa gayaa hai. ab engineer log bh`ee eemaandaar hone lage haiN!"

aas paas baiTh`e sab log is par zor se haNs paRe. ek maiN hee th`aa keh gh`igh`iyaa kar reh gayaa kyoN.k galaa us vaqt bilkul sookh` rahaa th`aa! Ram Bhulaavan itne meN bh`aaNg kaa gilaas le kar aa gayaa to maiN ne mana' kar diyaa: "Thakur saaheb! mujh` ko is kaa shauq naheeN hai."

Thakur saaheb ne mujh` ko taras kh`aane vaalee naz^roN se dekh`aa: "vaah engineer saaheb, vaah! sharaab aap naheeN peete, bh'aaNg se shauq naheeN hai, rishvat bh`ee naheeN lete! saaheb, aap jindigee meN ph`ir majaa kaise lete haiN?"

abhee maiN javaab dene ko soch hee rahaa th`aa keh Pandit jee bol uTh`e: "Thakur saaheb! der ho rahee hai. Lakshmee poojaa kar leejiye. ph`ir baat hotee rahegee."

ham log Thakur saaheb ke peech`e verandeh kee doosree t^araf gaYe jahaaN sandal kee chaukee par laal reshamee kapRe pehne, sar par mukuT lagaaYe aur haath` aasheervaad ko uTh`aaYe Lakshmee Devi kee sundar moortee biraajmaan th`ee. Pandit Beni Prasad jee ne kuch` shlok paRh`e, chaaNdee kee gh`aNtee uTh`aa kar bajaayee aur baRee shriddh`aa se Lakshmee Devi kee aartee utaaree. ph`ir unhoN ne Lakshmee Devi jee ke saamne apnaa mastak Tek diya, uTh` kar paas kee Tokree se ek gaiNde kee maalaa Devi jee ke gale meN Daalee aur peech`e haT gaYe. baaree baaree sab ne Lakshmee Devi ko ph`ool chaRh`aaYe aur dekh`te dek`hte un kaa galaa maalaa,oN se bha`r gayaa. Pandit jee ne prashad baaNTaa aur sab log vaapas Khaamoshee se kursiyoN par aakar baiTh` gaYe. us vaqt sab t^araf ek a'jeeb see shaantee aur sukoon kaa maaHaul ch`aayaa huwaa th`aa aur maiN in logoN kee muHabbat aur a'qeedat dekh` kar bohat Hairat meN th`aa.

Thakur saaheb ne Zaraa der ba'd Ram Bhulaavan ko aavaaz dee: "'jaao! saaheb ke liYe jo khaas cheez ham ne mangvaayee hai woh le aao."

maiN abh`ee soch hee rahaa th`aa keh yeh KhaaS cheez kyaa ho gee keh chooRiyoN kee jh`aNkaar ne mujh`e chauNkaa diyaa. naz^ar uTh`aa kar dekh`aa to dekh`taa hee reh gayaa!

teekh`aa naak-naqshah, champayee raNg, sar se pair tak saaNche meN Dh`alaa huwaa badan, haath` kuhniyoN tak haree chooRiyoN se bh`are, badan par gulaabee saaree! sar jh`ukaaYe ek naujavaan KhoobSoorat laRkee mere paas hee kh`aRee saare badan see th`ar-th`ar kaaNp rahee th`ee! us kaa chehra Dar aur sharm se tamtamaa rahaa th`aa aur aaNkh`eN aaNsoo ch`alkaane par tulee huyee th`eeN. maiN ne gh`abraa kar Thakur saaheb kee t^araf dekh`aa to voh muskuraa kar meree bad-Havaasee kaa tamaashah dekh` rahe th`e.

"engineer saaheb! yeh hamaaree t^araf se aap ke liYe bh`eNt hai. ham ko aap kee t^araH ke jiyaale log pasand haiN. is ko chaaheN to apne saath` le jaayeN aur aap kaheN to yaheeN kamre kaa intijaam kar dooN."

"Thakur saaheb! yeh aap kyaa keh rahe haiN aur yeh laRkee yahaaN kyoN kh`aRee hai?" meree zabaan se baat nikal naheeN rahee th`ee aur gale meN sookh`e kaaNTe chubh` rahe th`e.

Thakur saaheb ne mujh` ko a'jeeb naz^roN se dekh`te huYe kahaa: "ham ne kahaa naa keh yeh hamaaree t^araf se aap ko bh`eNT hai, engineer saaheb! Th`ukraai,Ye gaa naheeN! Thakur Jugraj Singh kee i'jjaat kaa savaal hai!"

maiN ne Lakhshmee Devi kee bh`ejee huyee is bh`eNt kee t^araf dekh`aa jis ke aaNsoo ab us ke gaaloN se ph`isal kar us kee saaree meN gum ho rahe th`e. aur mujh`e aisaa lagaa jaise meraa dil TooT kar us ke aaNsu,oN meN gh`ul gh`ul kar beh rahaa ho.

maiN ne jaltee huyee aaNkh`oN se Thakur saaheb ko dekh`aa aur raNj se th`ar-th`araate huYe gale se bolaa:

"Thakur saaheb! aap yeh kyaa keh rahe haiN? aap ko apnee i'zzat kaa to Khayaal hai lekin is ma'Soom kee i'zzat kaa kaun rakh`vaala hai? aur mere maaN-baap kee i'zzat ko kaun dekh`e gaa? aap kee bh`ee itnee hee baRee koyee beTee ho gee, us kaa hee Khayaal kiyaa hotaa! aap mujh` se jo karne ko keh rahe haiN voh soch kar hee mujh` ko sharm aatee hai. Thakur Jugraj Singh jee! mujh` ko itnaa neechaa nah giraa,iYe keh ph`ir apne aap se bh`ee aaNkh`eN nah milaa sakooN."

yeh keh kar maiN kursee se uTh` kha`Raa huwaa. Thakur saaheb kaa ek aadamee meree t^araf baRh`aa lekin Thakur saaheb ne haath` ke ishaareh se us ko vaapas baiTh`aa diyaa. maiN ne Pandit jee se kahaa:

"Pandit jee! meree vaapasee kaa intiz^aam kar deejiYe." unkaa muNh kh`ulaa kaa kh`ulaa reh gayaa th`aa. "achh`aa Thakur saaheb! maiN ab jaataa hooN. namaste!"'

Pandit jee ne Thakur saaheb ko savaaliya nigaahoN se dekh`aa. Thakur saaheb kaa chehraa kajlaa saa gayaa th`aa aur voh Khaalee Khaalee naz^roN se mujh` ko dekh`e jaa rahe th`e. ph`ir un kee aavaaz ne Khaamoshee ko toRaa. yaa to mere kaan baj rahe th`e yaa ph`ir un kee aavaaz hee bh`arraa rahee th`ee:

"Pandit jee! aap engineer saaheb ko in ke gh`ar le jaaiYe! aur Ram Bhulaavan! tum kal is laRkee ko is ke gaa,ooN bh`ej denaa. ab is ko aNdar le jaao."

Ram Bhulaavan ke peech`e peech`e voh laRkee kamre kee t^araf baRh`ee. achaanak voh ruk kar palTee aur tez tez qadmoN se chal kar Lakhshmee Devi kee moortee tak poNhchee. us ne jh`uk kar Devi jee ke gale se gaiNde kaa ek haar utaaraa aur mere paas aakar us ko mere qadmoN meN Daal diyaa. ph`ir us ne rotee huyee aaNkh`oN ke saath` haath` joR kar mujh` ko pranaam kiyaa aur siskiyaaN letee huyee bh`aag kar kamre ke aNdh`ere meN gum ho gayee.

gaiNde kaa haar haath` meN liYe makaan se baahar nikalte huYe palaT kar maiN ne jab Thakur Jugraj Singh ko aaKhiree baar dekh`aa to voh sar ooper uTh`aaye patah naheeN aasmaan meN kyaa Dh`oonDh` rahe th`e, aur baar baar palkeN jh`apkaa kar un aaNsu'oN ko pee jaane kee koshish kar rahe th`e jo ma'loom naheeN kyoN un kee aaNk`hoN meN umaND aaye th`e!