Maano jaise abhi kuch dino pehle ki hi baat ho, badhri si chaayi hui thi, mere purane kamre ke deewaro ki seelan aur thori zyada seelee-seelee ho gayi thi.
Bhaagte hue gayi main aangan mein, ek badi si pital ki thaal mein aam ke achar ko dhoop dikhaya tha. Meri taath ki saree mein dhaak kar le ayi uss chikni thaal ko. Aanchal mein ek khushboo si rehgayi..
Iss mausam ke badalte jhoke ne yaad dilaya; waqt bhi badal jata hai. Par kabhi-kabhi iss waqt ko badal ne ke liye bhi ek aise insaan ka hona zaruri hota hai jo apne aapse thoda zyada sune humari.
Ek waqt woh bhi tha jab iss saree ki aanchal mein chup ke aansu pooche hai, aur aaj ek waqt yeh bhi hai jab main apni aansuon se ubhar chuki ho. Sawan ke jhule the aur sab ke haatho mein haari chudiyan. Par main hi toh bas akele khadi thi uss bade se khidki ke samne bhari dopeheri mein..
Phir na jaane kaha se tum agayi, maine kabhi raaton ke tim-timate taro ko dekh ke nahi socha tha ke ek aisa lamha bhe aayega.
Tum aise ayi mano jaise koi thandi hawa ki leher thi, na sawan, na bhado. Bas garmi ki tapti reth pe thandi boond sukoon ki.
Main toh mano ek manjha leke intezaar hi kar rahi thi ki ab ayegi. Ab ayegi woh thandi purwai jo iss haare hue patang ko upar, bohot upar le jaye. Phur-Phur karti meri patang udne lagi tumhare aane se.
Maanlo ek bar, agar main ek purani rajbari hoon tho mere in deewaro ne bhi bahut kuch suna hai, dekha hai. Kabhi ek insaan ko dusre insaan se majduri karwate hue dekha. Kabhi baaje-baaraatein dekhe. Kabhi ek haseen mehfil ko sajte hue dekha aur dekha ek parde ke peeche baithi rani ko.
Nahi dekha tha toh tumhe. Nahi suna tha toh tumhari baaton ko. Inn deewaro ko tut ke girne se roka hai tumne, ek choti si rajkumari jaise apni hi dhun mein rehti ho, haan, haan bilkul waise hi, tum waisi ho. Waise hi rehna.
Aam ke aachar se sil chuki thi meri saree.
Par mera kehna manogi ?
Aaj bhi tumhare ankho ki seeleypan mein apni azaadi ko dekhti hoon, khandhar hote hote reh gayi main.
Iss aam ke aachar se sil chuka hai meri saree ka aanchal …