Shaam ka andhera dharti par phail chuka tha. Dewar gir khidkiyon ke parde doriyon mein bandhe hue the. Pandrahwin ka poora chand (Full moon) us ke aqab mein tha. Woh kuch der pehle Mrs. Shirazi ke hamrah ghar pahunchi thi aur ab dressing table ke samne khadi kuch be-dardi aur jhanjhalahat se apni jewellery utar rahi thi. Aankhon mein nami thi, chehra shiddat jazbaat se surkh ho raha tha. Walima reception ke dauran woh kitni pur-aetmad rahi thi aur ab jab tanhai maysar hui thi to kaise tukde tukde ho rahi thi.
"Zindagi phoolon ki sej kisi ke liye bhi nahi hoti Jannat...!"
Mrs. Shirazi ne kuch der pehle usse paas bitha kar kaha tha.
"Naye mahol, naye rishton mein adjust hone mein kuch waqt lagta hai. Woh waqt tahammul mizaji ki talab rakhta hai, sabr chahta hai....!"
Phir us ka haath tham kar apne haathon mein le kar mohabbat se us ki aankhon mein dekha tha.
"Duniya ka sab se haseen aur shafaf jazba mohabbat ka hai. Is jazbe mein salahiyat hai nafrat ki har chata ko paash paash kar dene ki...!"
Jannat ki aankhon mein ek karb thehra tha. Woh us ki muskurahat se uljha tha. Us ke chehre par bikhar tha. Goya Shirazi jaanti thin apne bete ko achi tarah se samajhti thi.
" Tumhari Faris se shadi meri wajah se nahi hui hai, na hi tumhari khala ki wajah se yeh tumhara naseeb hai jo tumhein yahan laya hai."
Baat ghoom phir kar ek baar phir us ke naseeb tak aa gayi thi. Har baar yeh lafz use dara deta tha. Har baar yeh sachai use tarpa deti thi.
Agar ab bhi naseeb hi yahan laya tha to... wehshat ka saanp gardan se lipta tha. Zaat ke aaine par pathar barse the. Woh tukde tukde ho kar bikhar gayi thi.
"Naseeb...!!"
Ulajhe mantashir khayalat ke saath us ne sar utha kar aaine mein us jannat ko talasha jo lahoo thi magar us ke saamne jo khadi thi, woh to kuch bhi na thi. Qadmon ki aahat ke saath kamre ka darwaza khul gaya tha. Us ki jhumke utaarti ungliyan sakt hui thin. Be sakhta nazar utha kar us ne aaine mein Faris ko hi dekha tha. Tie ki knot dheeli karta, coat utar kar stand par latka ta ab woh bed par baith kar apne jute utar raha tha. Wrist watch, cufflinks us ne side table par rakh diye the. Woh masroof mein apne kaam kar raha tha aur Jannat dressing table ke saamne patthar hui, apne jhumko mein hi atki khadi thi. Woh Faris Wajdan ko dekh rahi thi aur Faris Wajdan ne bhoole se bhi ek ghalat nigaah us par nahi dali thi. La be sakhta hi koi manzar zehn ke pardo par chhaya tha yaka yak us ki aziyat barh gayi thi haal aaina ban kar maazi ka aks dikhlaye to aziyat barh hi jaati hai.Yeh ehsas kitna aziyat naak hota hai ke aap mojood hon aur koi aap ko adham kar de. Aap mawaraai ho jaye nazar na aaye. Koi khayal chot ban kar zehn mein utar tha, Aankhein jal uthi thin.
Kapde badal kar woh attached bathroom se bahar aa gaya tha. Siyah trouser par safed rang ki dheeli dhaali si shirt mein
malboos woh apne aam se huliye mein bohat jazib nazar aa raha tha. Apne irtraf se yaksar be niyaz us ne kamre ki lights off kar di thin. Ab sirf neelgoon bulb hi tha; jo andhere mein madham si roshni ka tasur de raha tha. Mobile charge par lagaye woh sone ke liye let chuka to khud par tari is jamood ko todtay hue Jannat ne mudkar barah-e-raast use dekha. Ab aaine ka sahara dar karar na tha.
"Yeh tumhara naseeb hai jo tumhein yahan laya hai..."
Halq mein ubharti guilty ko bamushkil neeche utaarte us ne attach bathroom ka rukh kiya. Kapray tabdeel kar ke woh kafi kafgi se bahar aayi thi. Sofa par baith kar royi royi si surkh matoram aankhon ke saath kuch der tak woh usey hi dekhti rahi thi...
"Naseeb..!"
Safaid shawl khud par phailaye woh sakhtay huye sofa par neem daraz hogayi. Kuch thakawat ka asar tha aur kuch guzishta shab ki be khwabi thi ke aankhein band karte hi usey neend ne aaliya tha. Aur ek baar phir woh us be reham raat ke apni shikanjon mein jakri gayi thi jo bawajood koshish ke bhi us ke zehan se nikalti nahi thi.
---- â¢â¡â¢ ----
Ghar mein daakhil hote hi Saira ne sar utha kar apne bete ko dekha jo nidhaal qadam uthata un ke samne aakar ruk gaya tha. Aankhein surkh o matoram hi thi. Chehra surkh ho raha tha. Sidra ek Nazar bhai par daalti tez tez qadam uthai andar chali gayi thi magar Saira aisa nahi kar saki thin.
"Mein samajh raha tha usey saza mil chuki hai magar... us ki saza to jaise ab shuru hui hai mama"
"Ammar...!?"
Saira ka lehja kaat daar hua tha. Aankhein gham o gussa se phaili thin. Jannat ka walima end kar ke abhi woh kuch der pehle hi Lahore pahunchi thin aur abhi se Ammar ka yeh rawaiya aur baatein unhen ishtial dila gaye thin.
'Faris Wajdan ki biwi hai ab woh! Shirazi khandan ki behu.' Un ka lehja do tok tha.
'Usi Fares Wajdan ko Sidra ka rishta kyun nahi diya aap ne?'
Sidra ne besakhta mud kar apne bhai ko dekha. Deewana tha woh Jannat ke liye ab us ki deewangi ne jaise har had paar kar li thi. Apne bhi usey ab dushman nazar Aane lage the. Mrs. Shirazi ne Faris ke liye sirf Jannat ka haath manga tha. Saira ne tahammul se ek baar phir apne bete ki ghalt fehmi door karne ki koshish ki thi. Woh usey samjha samjha kar thak gayi thin, aur woh tha ke kuch samjhne ko tayyar hi na tha.
"Agar woh Sidrah ka haath bhi maanti to mein poore yakeen se keh sakta hoon ke aap inkaar kar deti...."
Saira ne lab bheench kar apne bete ko dekha.
"Shayad..? aap bhool rahi hain ke uske mutaliq kisi tarah ki khabrein gardish karti rahi hain...!"
"Woh sirf afwahen thin Fares aisa nahi hai..."
Ammar phis diya. Uski jinsi bhi tanzi thi. Peshani masalte hue uljhe bikhre balon mein haath chalate hue woh jaise zabt ke marahil par tha.
"Shirazi khandan ko dhoka de kar aap kaise mutmain hain mama? meri samajh se bahar hai."
Ammar ab ke unhon ne sakht pathrili nigahon se dekha tha.
"tumhein meri bhanji ke mamle mein padne ki zaroorat nahi hai, woh ab shadi shuda hai, yeh baat apne dimagh mein daal lo ke woh ab kisi ki izzat hai."
"Us ne jo kuch bhi kiya hai, usse zair-e-bahas lane ki zaroorat nahi hai, woh uska mazi tha, mein uski personal life Mrs. Shirazi ke samne kholne ka koi haq nahi rakhti thi aur na hi unhon ne mujh se is hawale se koi sawal poocha tha....."
Unhon ne ek lamhe ka tarruf karte hue dobara uski aankhon mein dekha...
"Mein ne jo bhi faisla kiya hai, soch samajh kar kiya hai. Tumhare dimagh mein yeh jo mohabbat ka chand rozah bhoot sawar hai, yeh utre ga to tumhein sab samajh mein aajaye ga!!"
"Haan mein to jaise bacha hoon, pagal hoon, na samajh hoon...!?"
Zair lab badbadate hue woh shadid gusse ke alam mein mez ko thokar maarta ghar se nikal gaya tha. Saira be basi se usey jata dekh kar reh gayi thin.
---- â¢â¡â¢ ----
Subah jitni roshan, saaf aur chamak daar thi, uske andar ki duniya utni hi tareek, veeran aur sunsaan thi. Surkh rang ka qadre halkay kaam wala nafees jora zaib tan kiye woh dressing table ke samne khadi kuch be dili se apne Baal bana rahi thi jab darwaze par dastak hui thi. Kamre mein us ne himmat mujtama kar ke kaha tha.
Darwaza khul gaya. Mulazma samne khadi thi.
'Begum Sahiba aap ka nashte par intezaar kar rahi hain....'
'Mein aa rahi hoon.'
Fresh nazar aane ke liye light sa makeup karke , dupatta saliqe se set kar ke woh neeche aa gayi thi.
Dining hall mein Mrs. Shirazi wheelchair par Faris Wajdan ke hamrah mojood thi. Unhon ne brown rang ka sada salwar kameez zeb tan kar rakha tha.
Safaid rang ki badi si shawl kandhon par thi. Makeup aur jewellery se aaruj woh is roop mein bhi bohot achi lag rahi thin. Un ki aankhen bohot narm sa tasur deti thin aur labon par bikheri shafiq aur meharban si muskurahat seedha dil mein utarti thi.
'Assalamualaikum,'
Mushtaqi sa salam kar ke woh bharpoor etmad ke sath Mrs. Shirazi ke paas aa gayi thi. Unhen salam kiya tha, un se dua bhi li thi, aur jab jhuki thi to unhon ne bohot pyar se us ki peshani ka bosa bhi liya tha. Phir unhon ne haath pakar kar use apne barabar mein hi bitha liya tha.
Faris Wajdan us ke ain samne jhuke sar ke sath apne tablet ki screen par headlines dekh raha tha.
Nashta shuru kar diya gaya. Desi aur videsi nashte ke lawazmaat se bhari table se mukhtalif dishes utha utha kar Mrs. Shirazi us ke samne rakhne lagi thin.
Jannat ne nazrain utha kar Faris ko dekha. Us ka chehra sapat zaroor tha magar tasurat sakht patharile nahin the. Mrs. Shirazi jab jab us se mukhatib hotin, woh bohot aram aur tasalli se mukhtasar jawab de kar apni nigahen tablet par jama leta tha. Nashta karte hue us ke andaz mein ajlat numayaan thi jaise woh jald az jald yahan se uth jana chahta ho, magar Mrs. Shirazi use aisa karne nahi de rahi thi. Woh use baton mein uljha rahi thi khabron se us ka zehan bhatka rahi thi.
"To phir honeymoon ke liye kya plan kiya hai tum dono ne?"
Unhon ne baton ke doran itna achanak poocha ke toast par jam lagate Faris ke hath ek dam ruk gaye. Jannat ne sar uthaya to nigah mein Faris se do-char hui. Bas ek lamhe ke liye phir woh nazrein jhuka gai.
"Abhi kuch socha nahi is bare mein toqeer" ke baraks us ne bohat muhtaat andaz mein jawab diya tha.
"To phir soch lo!"
"Ek mahine ka break le lo aur...!"
Faris ne apni maan ke hanste muskurate chehre ko dekha. Us ki shadi se woh kitni fresh aur sehat mand lag rahi thi. Jaise sare bojh un ke kandhon se utar gaye hon. Jaise sare qarz ada kar diye gaye hon.
"Haan kuch plan karta hoon.."
Us ne jawab de kar unhen bhi hairan kar diya. Andar hi andar shayad woh ye toqeer kar rahi thi ke woh taal matol se kaam le ga.
"Khush raho.." unhon ne dua di.
"Ab mein chalta hoon, apna khayal rakhiye ga." Kusri dhakel kar uthte hue us ne Mrs. Shirazi ki taraf jhuk kar un ki peshani ka bosa liya.
"Tum bhi apna khayal rakhna..."
Woh jane laga to Mr. Shirazi ke sath sath Jannat ki nigahon ne bhi us ka taaqub kiya tha.
"Shadi ke baad aaj iska office ka pehla din hai tumhein use see off karna chahiye." Jannat ne kuch ghabra kar un ki taraf dekha. Unhon ne muskurate hue chai ka cup utha liya. Woh uth kar bahar agai.
Samne hi woh safed pathron ki rosh par khada tha.. Ruk kar, mur kar usay dekhnay laga. Woh nervous ho kar ruk gayi. Aankhon mein iztirab thehar gaya.
Woh Fares se teen chaar steps ki bulandi par thi magar us ki aankhon ke haqarat ameez tasur se jaise zameen ki tehon mein utar kar reh gayi.
"Nafrat, Tahqeer, Dhitkar!"
Nazron ke mafoom janti thi woh nafraton ki pehchan thi usme. Tab hi us ka dil kata tha. Tab hi aankhein nam hui thin. Woh ek aise insaan ke samne khadi thi jis ki aankhon mein insiyat to door ki baat, us ke liye izzat bhi nah thi...
"A-Aunty ne kaha tha ke..." ungliyan masalte hue us ne apni mojudgi ki wazahat dena chahi.
"ke kya!?" Us ne sawaliya abro uthai lehja hatmi alamkan sakht hi raha.
"Kya main ne tum se yeh nahi kaha biwi ban kar mere sar par musallat hone ki koshish mat karna?"
Woh phunkara.Woh chup rahi. Eitraz aur shikway ka us ke paas koi haq nahi tha.
Usay tandehi se dekhte Fares ne ungli uthai....
Ain Lafz ada kiye baghair aankhon ke tasur se hi woh us par wazeh kar gaya tha ke aainda woh usay apne peechay sadar darwaze mein nazar na aaye.
Jannat nichla lab danton tale kuchalti, apni geeli aankhon ke saath yahan wahan dekhne lagi. Usay bohat rona aa raha tha. Halankah yeh rawaiya... yeh dhitkar aur nafrat... yeh kuch naya to nah tha..!!
Siyah shades aankhon par lagaye woh usi waqt jane ke liye mur gaya tha. Zabt kar ke us ne aansuon ko pi liye the. Nayi zindagi ka aaghaz bhayanak anjaam se jura hua tha, khof ke ahni shikanje mein jakri woh use bebsi se dekh kar reh gayi thi."
---- â¢â¡â¢ ----