Julian aspatal ke maternity room ke bahar apne biwi ke delivery ka intezaar kar raha tha. Julian ka shakal ab aur bhi utar gaya tha jab usse pata chala uske biwi ko ladki hui hai. Thodi der baad uski biwi Hemlata ko general ward mein bhej diya jaat hai. Julian ke sasur Rajendranath apne poti ko dhekhne ke liye khuch rishtedaaron ke saath aate hain. “soorat toh maa jaisi hai, thodi sawanli hai, par kitni pyaari hai”. Rishtedaaron ne kaha. “Tabhi Hemlata muskurakar boli “nahi mere jaisi nahi apne pita jaisi dekhne mein hai” yeh sunte hi Julian ne Hemlata ko gusse bhare nazar se dhekta hai……
CONGO, CENTAL AFRICA ( 26 saal pehle)
Kivu nadi ke dakshini tat par stith Goma namak jagah ko padosi desho se raksha karne ke liye bhartiya sena ki ek tukri ko sayunkth rashtra sangh (United Nations) ke dwaara shaanty banaye rakhne ke mission mein tainath kiya gaya tha.
Iss tukri mein se ek jawan Raghav dilli ka rehne wale mein se tha, yahan Congo mein is sena ki tukri ke saath usse kareeb cheh mahine ho gaye the… “ Raghav aa bhaith hamare saath,” Use ek saathi ne poocha. Raghav wahan jaa ke bhaith gaya. “ aur kaisa lag raha hai yahan?, beta Congo ki rakhwali toh kar rahe ho, apne chothe bhai ka khuch khayal hai?” Uske saathi ne aankhon se Raghav ke patloon ki taraf ishaara karte hue kaha. Raghav chup tha. “ sun yahan manoranjan ke naam pe ghanta khuch hota hai. Bus seena taan ke khade raho do do bandookon ke saath. Ek jo barood bhari goli chore aur doosri jo”… kehte hue dusre jawan ne aankh maari aur muskurane laga. Tabhi wahan se ek baccha guzar raha tha, ek jawan ne use haath se ishaare karte hue apni taraf bulaya aur phir uske kaan mein khuch kaha, bachcha khuch ek der ghante baad ek aurat ko le aaya. Badlein mein uss bachche ko double roti aur kuch sabji dekar chalta kiya. Raghav ko yeh sab pata tha ki yahan kya hotha hai. Jab uske saathiyon ne kaha ki chal tent ke andar toh ussne jaane se mana kar diya aur apne tent mein chala gaya.
Yahan auroton ko katti hui khuch murgiyan, chawal aur khana banaane ke liye tel ka laalach dekar bahla phuslakar bulaya jata tha aur sahwas kiya jata tha.
Chaliye hum Raghav ki kahani par wapas laute hain. Raghav ne bhi issi beech ek aurat ke saath sambhand banaye, usse bhi yeh aurat uss bachche ne dilwaya tha. Raghav apne tent mein har do din baad iss aurat ke saath sahawas karta. Kabhi kabaar jab woh dere(camp) mein nahi mil paate toh bahaar kahin dur chothe se hotal mein raat guzaarte. Is aurat ka naam Maria tha “ you will take me back to India baby?. I so want to start a life with you. Tell me na?” “ yeah yeah sure why not, but wait, need to fix the conditions here and then we can think about it” “ How much time will it take?” “ don’t know…. But you don’t worry honey. We are soldiers, we never break our promises” Aise hi khuch raaton ke baad ek raat ko Maria ne kaha “ honey I am pregnant so….” “ what???what the fuck you are saying. You are pregnant…… hold on lady, I am……I am married and have a wife in India. I can’t cheat her…..abort the child….. do it otherwise I’ll get fucked big time by my seniors. Shit yaar lag gayi meri, bhainchod” “ relax Raghav don’t freak out” “ how the fuck I can relax man! You screwed my life,” “excuse me! I screwed your life Raghav? You only told me that you will take me to India and we will settle down." “hey chill baby. C’mon. You know its not possible. Look, think practically, ok take these 200 dollars and leave, and please abort this child. Warna meri gaand lag jayegi.” “ I give a fuck about your money, I love you Rah….gav!” Maria roti hui paise Raghav ke muh par marti hui hotal ke kamre ke bahar chali jaati hai. Khuch saath aath mahine baad Raghav ko wapas desh bhej diya jata hai.
Maria ne bachcha giraya nahi, ussne ek ladke ko janam diya. Jiska rang Congolese(citizens of Congo are called Congolese) jaise kaala nahi tha thoda gora tha. Congolese apne samaaj mein aise auroton ke saath thik tarah se pesh nahi aate the jinka ek toh shaadi se pehle bachcha hona aur jisnke baap koi dusre desh ka ho. Maria ko bahaut pareshaniya hui. Kahin koi kaam nahi milta tha, Usse majburan bachche ko paalne ke liye apne aapko deh wapar se jodna pada ….Jab uska beta bada hua toh apne baarein mein jaankar apne aap se bahaut nafrat karne laga. Par kismat ne bhi aisa rang dhikhaya ki jab woh ladka 23 saal ka hua aur usse naukri mila toh naukri usse bharat le aaya. Khuch mahino ke naukri ke baad Congo mein uske maa ka dehant ho gaya. Iske baad woh puri tarah boria bistra uthake bharat chala aaya. Yaan pe ek niji company mein kaam karte hue ek ladki se jaan pehchaan badaane lagta hai aur phir shaadi ho jata hai‘ Hemlata weds Julian’ shaadi Hindu aur Isaai dharm ke anusaar hota hai.
KHUCH MAHINO BAAD
Julian aspatal ke maternity room ke bahar apne biwi ke delivery ka intezaar kar raha tha. Julian ka shakal ab aur bhi utar gaya tha jab usse pata chala uske biwi ko ladki hui hai. Thodi der baad uski biwi Hemlata ko general ward mein bhej diya jaat hai. Julian ke sasur Rajendranath apne poti ko dhekhne ke liye khuch rishtedaaron ke saath aate hain. “soorat toh maa jaisi hai, thodi sawanli hai, par kitni pyaari hai”. Rishtedaaron ne kaha. “Tabhi Hemlata muskurakar boli “nahi mere jaisi nahi apne pita jaisi dekhne mein hai” yeh sunte hi Julian ne Hemlata ko gusse bhare nazar se dhekta hai……….aur kamrein ke bahar aakar cigarette pine lagta hai aur poorani baatein yaad karta hai. Ek din baad doctor ne Julian ko bulakar kaha ki Hemlata ki tabiyat achanak se kharab hogayi hai aur shayad usse bachachaya nahi ja sakta. Juliyan Hemlata ke kamrein mein jaata hai aur paas pade jhoolein mein apni ladki ko dhekhta hai. Phir apne aankhon ko pochte hue bahar chala jata hai.
Agle din dophar mein Hemlata guzar jati hai. Hemlata ke pitaaji Rajendranath aur rishtedaar wagera aspataal mein Hemlata ke partiv shareer ko lene aate hain, tabhi Julian jhoolein se bachchi ko utha ta hai aur aspatal ke bahar bhaagta hai. Uske aankhon mein ek ajeeb sa pagalpan tha, yeh dhekhkar Rajendranath bhi uske peeche bhaagta hai, Julian uss bachche ko lekar khuli sadakon ke beecho beech bhagne lagta hai…..phir khuch duur jaate hi usse sadak ke kinaare khuch majdoor mithi khodhe hue nazar aate hain. Woh unka phawda(shovel) cheen leta hai aur thodi dur jakar ek bageechein mein ghus jata hai. Phawde se bageechein ke ek kone mein ek chotha sa gaddha banata hai aur usmein is bachchci ko zinda dafna deta hai. Uske peeche peeche Rajendranath aa jata hain aur khuch der tak Julian ke saath sangarsh karne ke baad bachche ko gaddhe se nikaalta hai. Tabhi Julian cheek cheek ke bolta hai. “ why don’t you let this thing die, I hate this thing. Can’t you see that it has killed my wife? And on top of that the colour , the features resemblace me and my mother. I hate it. I don’t want to remember my past looking at this piece of shit, kill this thing.” Tabhi Rajendranath bolta hai us bachche ko apne hatho mein lekar “ first of all this is not a thing, do you get this thing in your fuking head, and if u are taking about her resemblance and colour which my friend is because of you.” Julian zameen par phawda patkata hai aur wahan se chala jata hai. Hemlata ke pitaaji ne iss bachche ko palna shuru kiya, kuch mahino baad pata chala ki Julian ne dusri shaadi karli hai. khuch do saalo baad Rajendranath ke dusre doston ne kaha ki isse akele woh nahi paal payega. Kyun na khuch din ke liye woh usse Julian ke paas chor aaye. Ab tak itne saalon mein toh shayad Julian bhi thanda par gaya hoga. Uski biwi iski maa banke paal legi. Rajendranath ke dost ne Julian se baat karne ko kaha.
Julian ne bachche ko dhekhe kaha “ kya naam hai isska?” “ Maithli” Rajendranath ne kaha. Julian ladki ko upar se neeche tak dhekhta hai aur usse rakhne ke liye raazi ho jata hai. Uski dusri biwi ko yeh pasand nahi aaya. Julian ke ghar mein teen kamrein the par phir bhi Maithli ko rasoighar mein sulate the. Khane ko kabhi adha roti ya kabhi double roti hi milti thi. Aur maar phatakaar kar kehte the ki agar yeh sab apne naanaa ko bataya toh acha nahi hoga. Julian ko dusri biwi se ek aur ladki hui par iss baar usne khuch nahi kiya. Juliyan ka yeh bartav Maithli ko bahuat dhukh pahaunchati thi. Uske saamne dusri beti ko ache kapde rahane ke liye ek kamra aur sab suvidhaye mile hue the. Jab kabhi Maithli kahti ki usse naanaa ke ghar chor aaye toh woh mana kar dete. Ab Maithli ko marna phatkaarna Julian aur uski biwi ke liye ek adaat ban gaya tha. Juliuan ke dusri beti bhi isko dhutrhkarti, maarti. “ tu mar kyun nahi jaati, Maithli, khuch kaam nahi karti sirf haram ki roti khaathi hai….” Maithli ab chauda saal ki ho gayi thi. Ek din woh ghar ke kaam se bahar bazaar gayi hui thi, jab woh ghar aati hai toh Julian ki biwi kehti hai “ jaa harmkhor rasoighar mein roti paadi hai muh maar le” Jab Maithli rasoighar mein jakar mez pe do bade bade roti dhekhti hai toh usse thoda ajeeb lagta hai. Usse laga ki usse itni badi badi do rotiyan achanak se kyun khaane ko diya. Aise toh hota nahi hai. Usne roti todi toh usmein chuhe marne ki dawai milai hui thi. Woh uss roti ko lekar rone lagi. Usne turant boria bistra bhandha aur naanaa ke paas laut gayi
12 saal baad….
Maithli ke naanaaji Rajendranath ne bade pareshaniyon ke saath usse padaya likhaya aur phir naukri ke liye tayar karwaya. Maithli ek niji company mein ache audhe par kaam kar rahi thi, bada makaan, gaadi sab khuch tha. Ek din Julian ki biwi aur uski beti Maithli ke ghar aayi “ Beti humein thoda sa aasra dedo, tumhaare pitaji toh humein jeene nahi de rahein. Sirf din raat daaru peetein hai aur isse maar te hain. Yeh tumhaari behen hai issko apne paas rakh lo beti warna yeh mar jayegi….? Tumhare naanaaji jab tumhe hamaare paas layi thi toh humne bhi tumhe rakha tha uske khaatir rakhlo isse” Maithli ek lambi saans bharte hue kehti hai “ thik hai” “ bahaut shukriya, thoda paani milega beti?” phir paani pikar Julian ki biwi phir kehti hai. “Aur…aur dhekho bhagwaan ne humein saaza toh diya. Dhekho kya haalath hai humaari …” Maithli yeh sab chup chap sunti hai....
Khuch Mahino baad
Julian ke ghar ke darwaaze par dastak hoti hai. Julian ki biwi darwaaza kholti hai aur dhekhti hai ki uski beti ro rahi hai aur bilak bilak ke keh rahi hai…… “ Maa sab khatham ho gaya ….” “ kyun kya hua beti?” “ aap logo ke jhagro mein main loot gayi. Maithli didi ne mera operation karke garvshay(Uterus) nikalwa diya..” “ par kaise?” “ Mujhe khaane nahi deti thi thik se, kahin nikalne bhi nahi deti thi. ek din achank se bahaut naram swabh se mujhe khane ko rotiyaan aur saabji diya, main usse khaathe hi behosh ho gayi aur phir jab hosh aaya toh apne aap ko aspatal mein paya.” tabhi Juliyan ki biwi apne beti ka haath pakad ke kehti hai “chal hum log police ke paas jaate hain?” “ kya hoga jaake maa koi saboot nahi hai aur hoga kya ab toh sab khatam ho gaya………”
