November adha guzar chuka hay. sardhi kuch kuch barh chuki hay. aur raat k pichlay pehr tu khasoosan khunki aur bhi barh jati hay. yehi wo waqt hay jb meri ankhain neend se is qadar bojhal ho jati hain k koshish k bawjood main apna kaam jari nahi rakh pata. bil-akhir main batti bujha deta hoon aur bistar main lait jata hoon. bas phir kb neend apni aghosh main aa leti hay aur kb nia din shuru ho jata hay kuch pta nahi chalta.
koi raat k do swa do bajay ka waqt ho ga. main ooper ki manzil main apnay kamray main abhi kaam kr he rha tha k bahar main gate k pas kuch khatka sa mehsoos hua. yahan ooper ki manzil se neechay ka gate aur lawn saf nazar aata hay mgr is k liay kamray se nikal kr terrace pr jana parta hay. main nay aik tu kam main masroof honay ki waja se aur doosra bahar thund ki waja se is ghair mamooli awaz ko bilkul nazar andaz kia aur badastoor laptop pr jhuka kam krta rha. usi lamhay wohi awaz dubara sunai di. ab ki baar awaz ziada saaf thi. jis ki waja se main ba-qaida andaza laga paya k koi main gate pr charh kr ander anay ki koshish kr rha hay. main chokanna ho gya. aur us awaz pr ghor krnay lga. achanak dharram se koi cheez lawn main aa kr giri. main ahista se baghair shor paida kiay bahar terrace ki taraf lapka. yahan kharra main buhat daer tak lawn ka jaiza leta rha magar kuch hasil hasool na hua. main wapsi k liay murra he tha k mujhay kisi janwer k ronay ki awaz sunaii d. ye aik dil dehlanay wali cheekh thi, aik faryad, aik sisak, aik karb. main uski taraf mutawaja huay baghair na reh ska.
main seerhian utar kr lawn main jharrion k paas aa gya jahan wo kaalay rang ki ghaleez si kuttiya parri thi. wo buri tarha zakhmi thi. uski khal jaga jaga se udhri hui thi aur gosht numaya ho rha tha. zakhmo se khoon ris raha tha. wo thori thori daer baad sisakti aur munh se cheekh numa awaz nikalti. wo be-sudh aur be harkat apni charoN taangoN ko pait se chipkaye aik taraf ko leti parri thi. meray qareeb janay pr bhi us ne zarra harkat na ki. main wahin lawn main beth gya. kuch daer ko mera dil mom sa ho gya. lekin main nahi janta tha mujhay us kuttiya k sath kesay paish ana chahiay.
main wahan say uth jana chahta tha mgr mujhay yun laga jesay meray qadam mera sath nahi detay jesay meray dil ko kisi nay jakarr liay ho. mujhay aesa laga k jesay ye rona tu buhat jana pehchana hay, jesay ye awaz jani pehchani hay. shayad is say pehlay bhi mainay kisi zakhmi kuttiya ko kahin rotay, bilaktay, sisaktay suna hay. tab mainay us ko is trha zakhmi dekha nahi tha. suna hay wo mar gayi thi. uff,.. mera dimagh bhi kahan se kahan puhanch jata hay. main wapis apnay kamray main aa gya. ab main sona chahta tha.
sardion ki raaton main door door tk hr awaz saaf sunai deti hay. aur ye awaz.... ye awaz tu yun lagta tha aur bhi qareeb ho gayi thi. aur ziada oonchi. aur ziada dard nak. main chahta tha wo rona band kr day. meri neend ka waqt tha aur wo kitni nahoosat phaila rhi thi. magar wo bechari tu dard se karah rhi thi. meray kaan main hichkion ki awaz sunai denay lagi. jesay koi bilkul kaan k paas betha ro rha ho. jesay koi kehta ho "main waqai mar jaoongi"...
"tu mar jaao!" meray munh se be ikhtiar nikla.
bass phir main uth betha. pta nahi main kisi baat ka azaala krna chahta tha ya kia tha mainay garm doodh kotoray main dala aur bahair lawn main aa gya. wo wahan nahi thi. wo kuttiya nahi thi. wo bemar thi. wo mehman thi. thori daer dhoondnay pr jhaarion k doosri taraf wo mujhay mil gayi. be his o harkat. be sudh. aik taraf ko lurkhi hui gardan. aur aankh k kinaray pr paani ka thehra hua qatra.
koi chupkay say phir kan main kenay lga, "main kehti thi na, main waqai mar jaoongi".
main hathon main pakrray huay is kattoray ko dekhnay laga. "tip tip" paani k do qatray doodh main mil kr sufaid ho gaye. main nahi jaan paya k mainay aaj ye ansoo kis ki moat pr bahaye hain.
Sobia
