Ek choti si lekin pyaari si dikhnewali primary school ke
samne Sailesh ne car ko rok diya tha. Arohi aur woh car se utre aur school ki
taraf badhne lage. Arohi gate ke baahar hi ek lamhe ke liye ruk gayi, issi
school mein woh apne pure saal ka sabse khubsurat 1 mahina bitane wali thi. Arohi
ke liye har saal ka summer holidays khaas hota tha, uska NGO har saal nayi nayi
jagaho pe cultural workshop kiya karte the. Arohi ko gate ke bahar khara hua
dekh Sailesh ne aawaz lagaya, "Kya yaar, wahan kya kar rahi hai . . . Jaldi aa."
"Haan aayi . . ."
Summer camp ke programs shuru ho chuke the, Arohi apne
family problem ki wajah se 2 din late se pahunchi hai. Sara school chahak raha
tha, bachon ke hasi majak ki aawaz se Arohi khush ho uthi. Sailesh jo NGO ka head
tha, woh Arohi ko music ke room main le gaye. Aur waha Arohi ne jo suna woh
uske sapno se pare tha. Ek 5 saal ka ladka flute pe wohi dhun baja raha tha jo Arohi
ka ek zamaane mein sabse favorite hua karta tha, aur shayad abb bhi hai.
"Aaj Jaane Ki Zidh Na Karo . . ."
woh ladka apni aakhein band kiye, flute pe aise dhun bitha raha tha, jaise uske
dhun spane bun rahe the aur woh uss sapne se bahar nahi aana chahta tha.
Arohi, darwaje pe khare huye jaise ek hi pal main 5 saal
piche chali
gayi . . . uss insaan ki baahon mein jis se woh abb khudh se bhi zayada nafrat karti
hai . . . Arjun . . . woh ladka jo, jab bhi Arohi ghar jaana chahti, to uske kaano
main dhire se gata, "jaan jaati hai jab uthke jaate ho tum," aur hamesha
Arohi ek smile deke kahti, "kitne besure ho tum, ache khaase gaano ko barbad
kar dete ho." Arjun jawaab deta, "to jaane ki baat karte hi kyu ho? Jab bhi tum
mujhe chodke jaana chahogi na main yehi gaana ga ga ke tumhe rok lunga . . ."
Taliyon ki aawaz ne jaise Arohi ko ek jamane ke baad, neend se
jaga diya . . .
"Unbelievable, " Sailesh ne kaha.
Arohi jaise abhi bhi un suron ke jaadu mein khoyi hui thi, "its
like magic.
Itne sharp notes lagana aur woh bhi iss umar mein, ye to heera hai."
"Aur ye heera tere paas hi rahega agle 2-3 hafto tak. Chal abhi
usse milwata hun."
Arohi ko dekhke jaise ek pal ke liye uss 5 saal ke bacche ke
aakhon mein bijli si chamak uthi, uske chehre mein khushi ka jaise baad aa gaya
tha. Lekin jaise hi woh Arohi ke ekdam paas pahuncha woh khushi woh chamak
gayab ho chuki thi. Uss chamak ki jahag uske aakhon main ek ankaha dard bas gaya.
"Beta, aapka naam kya hai?" Arohi ne pucha.
"Raj."
"Sirf Raj?" Arohi ne fir pucha.
"Raj Singhania."
"Raj aap to bahot acha flute bajate ho, kisne sikhaya aapko?"
Raj ne ek pal ke liye Arohi ke chehre ko dhyan se dekha. Thodi
der baad
kaha, "Mere dad ne," aur woh Arohi ke agle sawal ka wait kiye bina hi apni jagah
pe chala gaya. Thodi der baad jab class ka time khatam hua, tab saare bacche
jane lage. Woh baccha bhi jaane laga, fir thoda sa ruka aur Arohi ke paas ake pucha,
"ma'am can I say you something?"
"haab bolo."
"Aap bilkul meri mom jaisi dikhti hai. Par mujhe pata hai
aap meri mom nehi ho."
Arohi ek pal ke liye khamosh ho gayi. Usne dhire se
muskurate hua
pucha, "aapki mom kaha hai?"
"Dad ne kaha hai mom abhi apne kaam se nanu ke ghar pe hai
jab main bada ho jaunga tab woh ayengi,"
Arohi ne jaise ek pita ke jhuth ke piche ke raaz ko jaan
liya ho, usne Raj ko apni baahon mein bhar liya. Arohi Raj ke dukh ko khud
mehsus kar rahi thi, akhir apne ko khone ka gum to usne bhi paya hai. Usne Raj
ke taraf haath badha kar kaha, "aaj se aap mere friend ho."
"Friend," Raj ne bhi apna hath badha kar kaha.
Arohi ne muskurate hue kaha, "aap ki mom jarur ayegi, aap
itne ache jo ho. Waise aap ki mom ka nam kya hai?"
"Prateeksha . . ."
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