Satranga Ishq

xi.

" Aap dono hamare agyaat hi mandir me gaye the? " Lekha's question remained unanswered.

Geetanjali insisted, as she could see how frightened the woman look, " Aapko kisi se darne ki avashyakta nahin hain. "

The woman kept repeatedly glancing at the thin man, pleading him with her eyes. He shook his head and said again, " Hum bol rahein hain, hum apraadhi hain. Dand humein milna chahiye. "

The husband and wife had a triumphant look on their faces, but Geetanjali kept staring at the feeble woman, " Hum aapke saath hain. Koi kuch nahin karega, aap bas boliye. " the woman nodded meekly.

" Shanti, nahin. " the skinny tried to use a hard tone, but end up whispering, " Tum janti ho hum yeh kyu- "

" Toh kar lene dijiye woh kya kartein hain. Nahin darte hum unse. Maar bhi dalenge toh maarne dijiye, waise bhi toh hamari santaan ke saath hamari bhi mrityu ho chuki hain. " she broke into sobs, the man too had tears trickled down his cheeks. He came towards her and hugged her tight, making everybody shocked since, open display of affection was not usual.

" Yeh kaisi ashleelta ka pradarshan hain maharaj. Iss tucch- " Kamala pointed her finger at the crying couple, but Shanti interrupted her.

" Aur tumne jo kiya hain, woh ashleel nahin hain? Pata bhi hain meri bacchi bhookh ke karan ro rahin thi? Pata bhi hain kaise usne aakhri saans tak humse anna manga hain? Pata bhi hain tumhe? Nahin na- " she cried uncontrollably, " -hain hum apsagun, phir dand dijiye humein. Ek choti bacchi ne aapka kya anisht kiya tha, ki aapne usse itne nirday prakar se maut ke muh me jaane diya? "

" Yeh kya bol rahin ho tum? Tumhari bacchi? Woh jo mandir me aayi thi- " Mrityunjay gulped.

" Haan wohi rajkumar. Hamari santaan, jiski dirghayu ke liye humne bhagwaan se prarthana ki thi, woh ab- ab iss duniya mein na- nahin rahin. " Shanti sniffed and sobered a little, " Bohut ro chuke hum maharaj, aansu bhi sookh chuke hain, ab humein nyay chahiye, hamari bacchi ki liye. Kya aap ek ma ka dard sunenge? "

Adhiraj nodded while everyone present there, prepared themselves to hear the heart-wrenching incident.

" Aapko shayad pata hoga maharaj, ke aapke aadesh ke baad bhi nagar mein bhed-bhav ki pratha chali aa rahin hain, aur hum unhi abhaagon mein se hain, jisko nagarwasiyon ne amanglik naam de kar nagar se niskashit kar diya tha. Phir hum chalein aaye dur, koi samasya nahin thi humein maharaj, hamare liye hamari beti hi kaafi thi, aur koi sukh humein nahin chahiye tha. Par din jaate hi, bhed-bhaav ki pratha aur badne lagi, aur ek kshan aaya jahan, humein apsagun bolkar anna bhi nahin diya jata tha. Naresh seth ke ration ki dukaan se hum anna-dal laate the, pet paalte the, par baad me unhone bhi humein anna dene se mana kar diya. Bole ki hamari kaali kismat ki wajah se unki dukaan ka anisht ho rahan hain. " the other husband and wife glared at Shanti, " Hum bina kuch khaaye bhi reh lete maharaj, par hamari bacchi kya karti? Aayushi bhookhi thi, humne binti ki unse, hamare swami ne haath joda, per pakda, par yeh nirday vyakti- " she controlled her sobs, " -inhone bhari bazaar mein hamare pati ka tiraskaar kiya, unhone maara, par woh chup rahein kyuki, humein anna chahiye tha. Par aaghat jab unhe sar par laga, tab unhe vaid ke baad le jaya gaya. Hum vipada mein the, par koi nahin aaya, koi nahin aaya. " not able to control anymore, Shanti fell on her knees and bellowed.

Geetanjali too was sniffing and hugged the woman to give her support.

" Issi dauraan Aayushi ki mrityu- woh humein chhod kar chali gayi. " the thin whispered to himself, the others hadn't heard if the court-room hadn't been dead silent.