Hey, Ganga Maiyya, ab ham kya karenge? Aarohi ki shaadi kaise todwaenge? Koi hamari baat pe vishwaas nahi kar raha hai. Jaise hamein ghar se aaj nikala gaya, ham besharmo ki tarah wapas nahi jaa sakte. Koi hamari baat pe vishwaas bhi nahi karega. Lekin is shaadi ka tootna zaroori hai.
"Bela, tum itni jaldi wapas kyun aa gayi?"
"Kyun, Papa? Ham bahar jaake kaam kya karne lage, aap to chahte hi nahi ham ghar aaye. Yeh hamara ghar nahi hai kya? Abhi hamari shaadi nahi hui hai. Abhi to yahi hamara ghar hai."
"Kaisi baat kar rahi ho. Aaj shaam mein to mehendi hai na. Bohot tayyari hoga. Tum yahan ho to wahan kaam kaise hoga?"
"Papa, aapko apni beti se zyada un logon ki fikar hai. Hamara tabiyat theek nahi lag raha tha to thoda aaram karne aa gaye. Saari tayyari ho chuki hai aur jo bhi bacha hai wo baaki teeno sambhaal legi."
"Kya hua?"
"Wo, hamare sir mein dard ho raha hai. Thoda kamzori sa bhi lag raha hai."
"Jo Bela ek sau ek ke(101) bukhaar mein padh ke apni pareeksha ki tayyari kar sakti hai wo aaj sir dard ke kaaran us kaam se chhutti le li jise karna use sabse zyada pasand hai? Jis company ko mein kaam karne ke liye bohot mehnat karke apna portfolio tayyar ki, uske pehle project mein hi kamzori ke wajah se beech din wapas ghar aa gayi? Kya baat hai, Bela?"
Ham kisi se bhi jhooth bol sakte hain lekin Papa se jhooth hamse nahi bola jaata hai. Abhi bhi pakde gaye. Ham unse nazar kaise milayenge jab ham unhe yeh batayenge ki hamein Kunal ne kaam se nikaal diya hai? Lekin batana to hoga. Hamari zindagi ka usool hai kisi se baat nahi chhupana chahiye, khas kar ki tab jab wo baat usi ki zindagi se judi ho. Hamein Papa ko batana hoga. Kal jab ham Mehrotra Mansion nahi jayenge to unhe pata chal hi jayega. Hamein unhe batana hoga.
Lekin hammein himmat nahi ho rahi hai unhe batane ki. Pehle thoda himmat juta lete hain, phir baad mein bata denge. Main Papa ko kursi pe baithake kursi ke pichhe jaake unhe gale lagati hoon. "Kya Papa, aap hampar shak kar rahe hain? Hamari tabiyat theek nahi lag rahi thi to ham ghar aa gaye. Aur phir aapki yaad bhi aa rahi thi."
"Tumhare Papa hain ham, hamein pata chal jaata hai kab hamari bitiya pareshaan hai aur kab hamse jhooth bol rahi hai. Koi baat nahi agar tum hamein nahi batana chahti ho to-"
"Aisa nahi hai, Papa. Ham aapko bataenge. Bas hamein thoda wakt dijiye sab samajhne ka."
"Bela, bitiya, hamesha yaad rakhna ham tumhare saath hain. Koi pareshaani ho to hamein batana."
"Sabse pehle. Ham aapke paas nahi aayenge to kiske paas jayenge?"
"Chalo, haath muh dho lo. Khana garam kar diye hain ham, laga dete hain. Jao."
Hamne Papa ko batayi bhi nahi hai baat, lekin phir bhi aisa lag raha hai jaise hamare dil se thoda bojh utar gaya Papa se baat karne ke baad.
Bela tauliye mein muh pochhte apne kamre se bahar aati hai. "Bela, tumhare company se phone aaya hai."
Bela phone Prof. Narayan se phone leti hai. Dusri taraf Glam Events ki receptionist bolti hai, "Bela Narayan?"
"Ji, ham hi hain."
"Aapka phone switched off aa raha tha to aapke alternate number pe call karna pada. Yeh call apko yeh soochit karne ke liye kiya gaya hai ki aapko Aruna Chwala ma'am ne khud is company se nikaal diya hai. Aapki abhi tak ki salary aaplo mil jayegi. Aap aake apni salary lengi ya apne bank account mein transfer karwana chahengi?"
"Ek minute rukiye. Mujhe Aruna Ma'am se baat karna hai."
"Mrs. Chawla se main aapki baat nahi karwa sakti hoon. Aapko unse office mein aake milna hoga."
"Theek hai, ham aate hain."
"Koi fayda nahi hai." Bina darwaze ki ore dekhe hi Bela ka muh utar jata hai. Kunal yahan kyun aaye hain? Pata nahi kyun hamein bharosa nahi ho raha hai ki Kunal hamse maafi maangne aaye hain. Ab kya karna baaki reh gaya hai jo wahan Mehrotras ke ghar mein nahi hua? "Ab to bhagwan ke dwaar bhi chale jao to kuchh nahi hoga kyunki hota wahi hai jo Kunal Mehrotra chaahta hai, aur Kunal Mehrotra aisa nahi chahta hai."
"Aa- aap yahan?"
"Bela, kaun hain yeh?" Prof. Narayan puchhte hain, Kunal ki kahi gayi baat unhe achhi nahi lagi.
"Namaste, Uncle. Main Kunal Mehrotra hoon. Bela meri hi shaadi ka kaam kar rahi thi. Actully, meri behen Aarohi ki shaadi ka."
"Aap yahan kyun aaye hain?" Prof. Narayan puchhte hain.
"Arrey Bela, ghar aaye mehmanon se koi aise baat karta hai kya? Chai- pani to puchh lo. Kya tumhare UP mein aise mehmanon ka swagat karte hain?"
"Aapko jitna taana maarna hai maar lijiye, lekin pehle yeh bataiye ki aap yahan kis liye aaye hain?"
"Glam Events jaane ka ab koi fayda nahi hai. Wo log tumhe wapas nahi lenge kyunki Glam Events se maine tumhe nikalwaya hai."
"Kya? Nikalwaya hai? Bela, yeh Kunal kya keh raha hai?"
"Main sach keh raha hoon, Uncle ji. Main Bela nahi hoon jo sabko apni baaton mein uljhaunga aur unke diye gaye pyaar aur sammaan ka galat faida uthaunga. Maine hi Bela ko company ne se nikalwaya hai."
"Dekho beta, agar hamari bacchi se koi galti hui hai to use maaf kar dijiye, lekin us galti ki aisi saza mat dijiye."
"Koi chhoti-moti galti hoti to maaf kiya ja sakta tha, lekin galti hi kuchh aisi thi ki-"
"Kunal," Bela tokti hai Kunal ko. Uske paas jaake uska haath pakad leti hai. "Aap hamare saath bahar chaliye. Papa ko mat pareshaan kariye."
"Pareshaan? Tumne Uncle ji ko bataya nahi? Ab baatein chhupane bhi lagi? Kitne paap karogi tum? Saare bure kaam hi aata hai kya tumhe? Chalo, koi baat nahi, main Uncle ji ko bata deta hoon. Uncle ji, aapki beti jo hai, usne-"
Bela Kunal ka haath pakad ke use bahar kheech leti hai. "Aap hamse gussa hain, ham samajhte hain. Lekin aap jaldbaazi kar rahe hain. Aapki naarazgi hamse hai, hamare Papa ko beech mein mat laiye. Unki tabiyat kharab hai, aur bigad jaayegi."
"Mera haath chhodo!" Kunal ki awaaz sunke Prof. Narayan bahar aa jaate hain. Kuanl apna haath zor se chhudata hai aur Bela jhatke ki wajah se pichhe ho jaati haoi. "Yeh tumhe wo sab karne se pehle sochna chahiye tha ki tumahre harkaton ka kaisa farak padega tumhare Papa par." Kunal Bela ke baanh zor se pakadta hai. "Tum mujhe kheech ke bahar layi ho taaki main tumhare Papa ko kuchh na bataun, hai na? Tumne mera kaam rokne ki koshish ki, pachhtaogi. Ab sirf tumhare Papa ko hi nahi, pure muhalle ko pata chalega."
"Kunal, aisa mat kijiye. Isse kuchh nahi milega-"
"Milega, mujhe santushti milega."
"Kunal, please, ham akele mein baat kar sakte hain. Sab ko batane ki zaroorat nahi-"
"Sab koi, suniye. Dekhiye apne hi muhalle mein rehne wali ladki ka asli chehra. Iska asli roop dekhiye, aur ho sake to apni behen- betiyon ko isse bacha ke rakhiye."
"Par hua kya hai?" Ek raah- chalta aadmi puchhta hai.
"Batata hoon, aap sab ko sab batata hoon. Yeh ladki jise aap dekh rahe hain, ek number ki laalchi aur dhokhebaaz hai. Yeh mere ghar meri behen ki shaadi ki wedding planner ban ke aayi thi. Lekin iska maksad kuchh aur hi tha. Yeh meri behen ki shaadi todwana chahti thi. Ab pata nahi kis liye, paison ke liye ya khud hi iska dil aa gaya meri behen ke mangetar par?"
"Par iski sagai ho chuki hai, shaadi hone wali hai." Tamasha dekh rahe darshakon mein se ek autny bolti hai.
"Usse kya hota hai, Aunty ji? Aise logon ke liye rishton ka koi maan nahi hota hai. Jahan faida milta hai, uske pichhe bhaagne lagte hain, phir chaahe bezatti ho na naak kat jaaye. Aisi characterless aur besharam ladki se bach ke rahiyega. Ispar bharosa mat kariyega. Kisi ka rishta todwa degi to kisi ke paise lekar bhaag jayegi. Bach ke rahiyega sab." Kunal Bela ki ore mudta hai aur use rote hue dekhta hai. "Yeh aansoo mat bahao, inka koi faida nahi hai. Main inmein nahi aane wala hoon aur na yeh log. Sabko tumhara asli roop dikh gaya."
"Iske baare mein to main jaanti thi. Isne mere pati par bhi aankh gadaya hua tha." Ek aurat bolti hai.
"Aise masoom chehre wale log sabse bada dhokhebaaz hote hain."
"Main ise apni beti se door rakhungi."
"Main ise apni beti ki shaadi ki tayyari karwane bulane wali thi. Achha hua mujhe yeh pehle hi pata chal gaya, warna yeh meri beti ki shaadi todwa deti aur ham kuchh nahi kar paate."
Kunal Bela ke paas jaata hai. "Dekho, Bela, sabko pata chal gaya tumhari asliyat ke baare mein."
"Yeh aapne achha nahi kiya. Aap bohot pachhtayenge, yeh tamasha karne ke liye bhi aur hamari baat nahi manne ke liye bhi. Aapko afsos hoga lekin ham maaf nahi karenge."
"Pachhtaogi to sirf tum. Pachhtaogi mujhse panga lene ke liye. Lekin main tumhe itne mein nahi chhodunga. Aage dekho main kya karta hoon."
"Itne mein man nahi bhara aapka jo aur tamasha karna chahte hain?"
"Bas, Bela! Ghar ke andar chalo, abhi!" Prof. Narayan zor se kehte hain lekin jaise hi kadam ghar ke ore lete hain unka pair ladkhada jaata hai aur wo girne wale hote hain lekin apne pichhe ki railing pakad lete hain.
"Papa!" Bela bhaag ke apne Papa ke paas jaati hai. "Papa, aap theek hain?" Prof. Narayan kehne wale hote hain lekin unka gala bhar aata hai aur wo rone lagte hain. "Papa, ghar chaliye." Bela apne Papa ko lekar andar jaati hai aur unhe kursi par baitha deti hai. Unke liye glass mein pani dhaarkar unhe deti hai.
"Papa..."
"Bela, yeh sab kya ho gaya? Pandraa(15) saal ho gaye tumhari Maa ko gaye, lekin in pandraa saalon mein bhi wo ghao puri tarah nahi bhare. Apni patni ke saath jo hua wahi apni beti ke saath hote dekhkar koi baap kaise nahi tootega? Pandraa saal pehle isi tarah, ghar ke bahar, Aisha ka mazak bana tha. Uske saath saath hamari izzat bhi uchhali gayi thi." Bela bhi rone lagti hai.
"Papa, hamein maaf kar dijiye. Hamari wajah se aaj aapki itni bezzati hui. Ham jaante hain ham dono ka kya haal go gaya tha jab Maa hamein chhodkar chali gayi thi. Ham aisa kuchh nahi chahte the, lekin aaj wahi hua. Hamein maaf kar dijiye, Papa."
"Pata hai, Bela, us din aur aaj mein kya farak hai? Tumhari Maa galat thi, uske sir lagaya saara ilzaam bilkul sahi tha. Lekin tum Aisha jaisi nahi ho. Tumko ham paale hain, hamne tumhari parwarish ki hai, hamne tumhe sanskaar diye hain aur hamare sanskaar aise nahi hain. Hamari parwarish mein aisi khot nahi hai. Kya hua, Bela? Hamein batao."
"Papa, ham aapko batane wale the, aaj shaam hi batane wale the kyunki ham himmat nahi juta paa rahe the aapko batane ke liye. Baat yeh hai ki hamne Adhij, Aarohi ka mangetar, ko kisi se baat karte sun liya tha ki wo kisi tarah ka badla lena chahta hai Mehrotras se. Unhe barbaad karna chahta hai, Aarohi ko barbaad karna chaahta hai. Ham sabse pehle jaa ke Kunal ko bataye, lekin unhone hamari baat par vishwaas nahi kiya. Ham us badle ki khel ke baare mein Kunal ko batane ke alawa kuchh nahi kar sakte the kyunki usse hamara koi matlab nahi hai. Lekin us badle ki wajah se ham Aarohi ki zindagi barbaad nahi hone de sakte the. Uski puri zindagi ka sawaal tha. Agar uski shaadi galat insaan se ho jaati to wo zindagi-bhar jhelti rehti. Ham to dekh chuke hain ki galat insaan se shaadi mein bandhkar zindagi kaisi nark ban jaati hai. Ham use shaadi kaise karne de sakte the?
Kuchh din baad hamne use Shaivi, Kaamini Chachi ki bhatiji, ko daraate- dhamkate dekha. Ham jab Shaivi se mile to usne hamari madad karne se inkaar kar diya. Phir kal hamne har kamre mein camera lagwa diya taaki uske khilaaf kuchh aisa mil sake jisse Kunal ko hamari baat par vishwaas ho. Lekin usne hamein pakad liya aur hamein darane ki koshish ki. Phir pata nahi us lafandar ne Kunal ke kaano mein kya bhar diya. Aaj hamne unhe video dikhaya to pata chala ki kisi ne wo video badal diya. Us video mein kuchh aisa tha jise dekhkar sab ki hawa tight ho gayi. Usi video ki wajah se Kunal itne gusse mein hain. Uhone hamein company se nikalwa diya."
"Is liye company se call aaya tha. Tumhara phone kahan hai?"
"Unhone gusse mein tod diya."
"Bela, zamana aisa hi hai. Jiski madad karne jao, wahi sabse pehle tumpar ungli uthayega. Hamne ye dekha hai. Ham apni patni par bharosa nahi kar paye, wo to phir bhi bahar wala hai. Hamein nahi lagta hamein tumhe batane ki zaroorat hai ki tum us ghar mein wapas-"
"-Nahi jayenge. Jisne hamari izzat uchhali uske ghar nahi jayenge. Hamein bura bas is baat ka lag raha hai ki in sab ke wajah se Aarohi ki zindagi barbaad ho jayegi. Wo hamein 'Didi' kehkar bulati hai, hamari izzat karti hai, hamein maanti hai. Usi ke naate ham uski madad karna chahte the. Hamein nahi pata tha ki yeh sab hampar hi bhaari pad jayega."
"Shayad bhagwaan ki yahi marzi thi. Jo likha hai wo hoga. Main chahta hoon ki us bacchi ko bhagwaan shakti de isse ladne ki. Ab chalo, chalke khana kha lo."