“Bolo hori, hori bol. Bolo hori, hori bol…..” log Rai babu ke parthav shareer ko shamshaan ghaat le jaa rahe the.
Shamshaan ghaat…..
“Are woh lakdiyaan le aao, uss thele mein rakhe hain. Ghee ka dabba aur haan baaki inke rishtedaar ek ek karke lakdi inke shav ke upar rakhiye” ….shamshaan ke purohit ne Rai babu ke saath aaye hue logon ko kaha. “ namaskaar Ganguli ji kaise hain? bahaut din baad milen hum log” Chatterji babu ne kaha. “ haan bhai aakhri baar 1975 mein jab Banerjee sahab guzar gaye the aur aaj 1986, pure gyarah saal. Bahaut ajeeb baat hai par sach hai ki hum log o ka milna yeh shamshaan ghaat mein hi hota hai.” Dono has pade. “ suna liver fail ho gaya tha?” Ganguli ji ne kaha. “ haan sirf dawai mein jee rahe the.
Kuch din baad……
Ganguli ji apne makaan ke chath par bhaithe hue hukka pee rahein the ki unke naukar ne aakar Rai babu ke shraadh ka nimantran patra unke haath mein thamaya. Us nimantran patra mein Rai babu ke tasweer ke saath unke baarein mein khuch shabd aur unke kareebi rishtedaron ke naam chappe hue the. Bahaut der tak Ganguli ji us Rai babu ke tasweer ko dhekhte rahe aur phir……
“Raghu main taoji bol raha hun Dum Dum se. shaam ko tu yahan aa sakta hai? Kuch zaroori kaam hai……… Acha kisi ko batana mat ki tu yahan aa raha hai …………arre aa toh sab bataunga…..” Ganguli babu ek sarkari daftar mein afsar the ab retire ho chuke hain. Inki umar lagbhag paisath ki hai. Inke do betein hain jo apne parivaar ke saath alag rahte hain, Bade beta Lucknow aur chothe beta Aurangabad, saal mein do baar Dum Dum aate hain kabhi baccho ke garmiyon ke ya phir Durga Puja ki chutthyan par. Ganguli ji ki biwi ko gujre hue aath saal ho gaye hain, Ek maali aur ek bawarchi ke saath apne ek manzila makaan mein rahte hain.
Shaam ko darwaaze pe dastak hoti hai aur darwaza kholte hi Raghu jhukke Ganguli ji ke paar pakad kar pranam karta hain. “ aa mere chamgadaar ke sher.” “ are chachu chamgadaar kyun?” “ tera baap ishitihaar ke daftar mein jab kaam karta tha toh raat raat bhar wahin pada rahta that oh isiliye hum usse ghar par chamgaadar bulate the.
Chaie aur pyaanz ke pakode bawarchi mez mein rakh jata hai. “ acha sun main apna shraadh karwana chahata hun.”…….. “doctor ne jawab de diya?” Raghu pooch bhaitha “ doctor kahan se aa gaya” Ganguli saahab pooch bhaithe…. “baba bolto tomar mathaye cheeth aache, mera matlab pitaji kehthe the tumhara thoda sar mein gadbar hai. Maine kabhi mani nahi yeh baat par ab samaj raha hun kyun?” Ganguli ji thoda haske bole haan woh bachpan mein sar pe choth lagi thi mujhe, khair baat yeh ki main dhekhna chahata hun mere marne ke baad log mere barein mein kya kehte hain,.mere kareebi dost, mere gharwale ityadi…” “ wah kya vichaar hai chachu. Retire hone ka acha fayda hai par kaise karoge yeh sab” “ pahle pakode kha phir bata hun,”….
Chaaye peene ke baad Ganguli ji aur Raghu rasoighar ke taraf gaye “ Hariya store ki chaabi lana?” “ par chachu yeh store mein tum rahoge kahan aur andar aao ge kaise?” “ woh dhekh woh jo khirkhi dhekh raha hai us deewar par, unke sariyen nikal ke ander aa jonga peeche se shraadh waale din, deewar ke ustarf toh khali maidan hai.” “ aur shraadh ke pehle ke barah din kya karoge?” “ tu sabko batyega ki main Haridwar jaa raha tha toh raaste mein accident hua aur main mara gaya. sharir itni buri tarah jalgaya tha ki shav ka khuch aatapata nahi.yeh ghadhi aur yeh chappal rakh le. Koi pooche toh batana yeh do cheez baramad hue the. Aur kuch paise de jaonga jisse shraadh ke kharche bhi nikal jayenge. Aur main yeh barah din, Lilua mein ek dost hai uske guest house mein rahunga naam badalkar. Shraadh wale din aa jaonga . aur phir main store room ke roshan dan se chup ke dhekhunga log kya kya karte hain aur kya baatein karte hain mere barein mein.” yeh bolke Ganguli ji ne Raghu ki taraf muskuraate hue aankh maari “ chachu tum kya aafim ka sewan karte ho jo aisi behki behki baatein kar rahe ho?” “ are nai re bus aise hi dhekhun toh kya kamaya maine itne saal. dhekh tuje karna padega ”
Chalo abhi khana khaate hain raat bahaut ho gayi hai.” “ are chachu ek tasweer toh do. Shraadh ke nimantran patra mein chapwana bhi hai aur deewar par tangwana bhi hai.” “ mere paas achi tasweer nahi hai tangwane ke liye. Kal tasweer kichwane jaonga dukaan par aur wahan se chala jaonga. Tu baad mein le aayio.”
Tasweer kichwane ki dukaan…..
“Haan ji boliye” tasweer kichne wale ne poocha “ ji shraadh ka tasweer kichwana hai” Ganguli ji apne aap ko sambhalte hue “nahi mera matlab…” “ haan sab khich dunga. Apka kismat acha hai. Main shamshaan ghat specialist hun. baaki log toh zinda logo ki tasweer lete hain. kabhi bolte hain hasso toh kichwane wala has deta hai yeah khuch bhi bolo woh karte hain jisse tasweer achi kheech jati hai. Par zara sochiye murdo ka kya karein. Jab unki tasweer khichni padti hai?” Ganguli ji tasweer khichne wale ka shakal bahaut achabhe bhare nazar se dhekhne lage “ aap samaj nahi payenge sahaab. Kaise murde ko tasweer mein zinda karna padta hai. Matlab koi agar usse murde ke tasweer ko dus saal baad bhi dhekhe toh lage ki abhi mara ho. Warna tasweer toh koi bhi kheech leta hai jiske haath me camera ho. Tasweer mein jaan dalni hi badi baat hai… kya samjhe aap?” “sau take ki baat. Kyunki maine bhi dhekha hai shraadh waale tasweerein toh koi kehlwake kichwata nahi hai wahi marne wale ke pehle khiche weh tasweer ko hi istemal karte hain aur un tasweer o mein bhi log aise shakal banate hain ki mano pehle hi mar gaye ho”
“dhekho dhekho tasweer mein pitaji kitne hass rahein hain. kise pata tha yeh sab ho jayega” Ganguli ji sirf nahi par Raghu bhi man mein has raha tha. Ganguli ji ne tasweer hi aise khichwayi thi mano koi swarn padak mili ho unhe….logo ki bhir badti rahi. “ pitaji ke antim sanskaar bhi nahi kar paye hum log kitne abhaghe the pitaji, mera….. mera… matlab hum abhaage hain….” Ganguli ji ke bade bete Horipodo ne kaha. Ganguli ji ke chothe bete ko uski biwi haath pakad kar ek kamre mei le jakar poochti hai “ suno ab to pitaaji nahi rahein isss ghar ko kya bech doge? Matlab bechke paisa kitna aayega? Humein barbar hiissa toh karna padega na?” “ yeh lo paani piyo” Ganguli ji ke chothe bete ne kaha “ itni jaldi kya hai khuch din jaane do phir dhekhte hain.”
Khuch din baad….
“ dada yeh raha chachu ke shraadh ka nimantran patra jo chapke aaya hai. Kal humein sabko nimantran karne jana padega.” Raghu ne kaha. “ ye kya hai re? nimantran patra mein yeh niche rishtedaron mein mere naam ke baad chothe ka naam kyun hai,? ismein tere bade bhabhi ka naam anaa chaiye tha uske baad chothe aur uski biwi ka.?” Horipodo ne apne janaioo ko dono hatho se theek karte hue kaha “ are dada jane do na saare patra chap gaye, kya farak padta hai.?” “are margayi main” Ganguli ji ki chothi bahu barande mein phisalkar girgayi thi aur awaaz paate hi sab log us taraf duade “ kitne dino se bolta tha pitaji ko ki yahan phislan hai thik karao par meri kaun sune.” Horipodo ne kaha. “ sabhi log chothi bahu ko uthake kamre mein le gaye. “ yehan se chalo main kehti hun yeh pitaji ke bhoot ne mujhe dhakka diya hai uske wajah se gir gayi hun main, lagta hai woh batwarein walli baat sun li unki bhooth ne? kehte hai pura pind daan jab tak nahi karo tab tak marnewale ka bhoot bhatakta rahta hai. Main yahan nahi rahoongi” apni pati ko kaha.
Shraadh ke ek din pehle ….
Raghu shraadh ke ek din pehle store kamre mein dhekhne ke liye jaa raha tha ki Ganguli ji aaye hain ki nahi tabhi usne dhekha ki Horipodo bhi ghar ke bahar kuch dhekhne ke liye nikla hain. Raghu ne uska peecha kiya. Horipodo ke haath mein ek kagaz aur kalam tha. aur woh ek baar ghar ko dhekhte aur kalam se kuch likhte. Tabhi uski biwi bhi agayi. Raghu ek deewar se satak kar khara ho gaya aur yeh sab dhekhne laga. “ aji kya karte ho?” “ are main dhekh raha hun ki agar yeh ghar bechenge toh kitna paisa milega. Hissab laga raha hun ki kitna bada hai yeh ghar. Pura bech dein ya khuch kirayein par bhi de dein” “ are par dewarji bhi khuch soch hi rahein honge ekbaar tum dono saath mein bhaith ke faisla kyun nahi kar lete.” Raghu yeh sab sun ke thoda muskurarkar ghar ke andar chala gaya.
Shraadh…
“ Raghu Purohit ji kab aayenge?” “ aa gaye dada bahar intezaar kar rahiein hain. aap log jaldi se tayaar ho jaiye.” Thodi der mein shraadh ke widhi sampan ho jate hain. Jab tak khana parosa nahi jaa raha tha tab tak log apne mein baat kar rahe the…. “are aapne kal ka akhbaar pada phir se chauda ghante bijli nahi thi. logo ne sadak par aakar hungama kiya. Buse jala di. yeh sarkar bhi pata nahi kab badlegi. Wohi ekhi party har jagah laal mein laal. Logo ke deewaron ko apne posteron se lal karte hain toh kabhi zindigiyon ko. Yeh karenge woh karenge… pata nahi kya hoga.” “Logo ko khuch farak nahi padta. Chamde sabke saale Gainde wale janwar ki hogayi hai yeh sab sahte sahte. Apni zindagi kat raha hai na bus.”……. “ are kal ka football match kya hua?” “ har gaya East Bengal par acha khela tha, good fight.” “ are mere ghar mein toh bijli hi nahi thi.” Raghu ek jagah chup chap bhaithke in logon ki baatein sun raha tha aur soch raha tha ki chacha kya soch rahein honge
“ arre Raghu yeh chaaye zara raghav da ko deke aa?” Raghu Ganguliji ke dost Raghav banerjee ko chai dene gaye. “ aapki chaaye” “are Raghu babu kaise ho. Baahut kaam kar rahe ho Taoji ke shraadh mein, achi baat hai, beta punnya kamaoge, acha tumhari mataji kaisi hain?” “ ji who toh ghar par hi hain aa nahi paayi.” “ aur aaj kal kya kar rahe ho?” “ ji Tula Ram company mein head clerk hun.” “ acha hai” yeh kehte hue Raghav babu phir se kisi se baat karne lag gaye “ haan toh main kya keh raha tha Bob Dylan ke gaane sunke dhekhiye. Unke gaano mein ek ajeeb sa josh hai. 1965 mein unke bahaut saare gane jaise Blowing in the wind, The times they are a changing bazaar mein aaye the. Yeh gane aap manenge nahi par yeh America mein civil rights ke anthem ban gaye the. Kya gaane the janab kya baton. Gaane ho jo kuch dil mein jasba piada karein. Angrezi gaano ki baat hi alag hai”
Raghu kadha hokar yeh sab batein sun raha tha. thodi der mein khana parosa gaya “ baap re baap itna kaun khayega dal chawal , shuktho, begun bajha, allo posto, payash mithai mein rajbhog,?” “ khalijiye na Ganguli ji ke jeete ji toh unhone khuch khilaya nahi aabhi kha lijiye” tabhi Raghu bol pada” aisa mat boliye chachaji ne ekbaar jab hum football khel rahe the aur jeet gaye toh sabko mithai ki dukaan lejakar garama garam rasgulle khilaya tha unhone” thodi der baad jab log baton mein mashgul the toh Raghu mauka pate hi store room ke darwaze ke saamne aakar chacha ko pukarne lage “ are chacha theek ho, batein sun rahein ho inki? Woh khuch aur bol paye ki tabhi Ganguli ji ke chothe bete ne pukara “ Raghu tujhe pata hai pitaji sandook ki chaabi kahan rakhte the kuch cheeze nikalni hai?” “nai chothe dada mujhe nahi pata. Aap baad mein dhekh lijiye. Ek baar yeh sab log chalein jaye uske baad.
Kareeb shaam ke 6 baje Raghu baraande mein bhaithkar akhbaar padh raha tha ki ek khabar padte hi woh uth khara hua. akhbaar mein ek tempo dhurghatana ke baarein me likha tha. Tempo Lilua aur Dum Dum ke beech raaste mein truck se takrakar hui thi. Usmein sabhi yatri ki maut ho gayi thi aur unmein se ek yatri ka naam Harindranath Ganguli tha. Raghu ke chacha ji. Raghu daurte daurte ghar ke peeche walle jagah mein jakar khirki se store kamrein mein dhekha wahan koi nahi tha. Raghu sar pakad ke wahin baith gaya aur ek lambi saans lete hue bola " acha hua chachu tum shraadh wale din pahaunche nahi aur durghtna mein tumhaari maut ho gayi kyunki ,log shraadh jaise jagah chale toh aate hain par apna thoda man bahalne. aise mauko par unko bahana mil jata hai logo se milkar apne dhukh sukh ki baat karne ka, unke ghar mein kya hua, duniya kaisi chalegi ityaadi.acha hai tum jaisa koi befkoof nahi hai jo marne se pehle apna shraadh karwaye aur pata lagaye ki marne wale ke baarein mein kya kehte hain log."
