Amit aur Shubha ek naye shehar me aaye the. Unki shaadi ko abhi do saal hi hue the aur Amit ek private company me naukri karta tha. Bahut zyada salary nahi thi uski aur bas guzara ho jaata tha.
Shubha ek khoobsurat aur padhi-likhi ladki thi. Usne bahut baar naukari karne ki peshkash Amit se ki thi, lekin Amit baar-baar mana kar deta tha. Shubha ke shaadi ko lekar bahut bade sapne the, lekin Amit ki chhoti si naukari me bas ghar hi chalaya jaa sakta tha, sapne nahi.
Shubha ki khoobsurti ka charcha dheere-dheere failne laga tha. Uska madak jism maano sangemarmar ko taraash ke banaya hua tha. Uski chaal me ek ajeeb si madakta thi aur jo usko dekhta tha, bas dekhta hi reh jaata tha. Uska kaamuk jism mardo ki pyaas ko jaga deta tha. Har koi uske jism se apni pyaas bujhana chaahta tha.
Lekin zindagi ki jaddo-jehad me shayad ab sab kuch khone laga tha. Har baar maheena ghoom kar aata tha aur chala jaata tha. Dheere-dheere Shubha bhi ab kunthit hone lagi thi. Shubha ka swabhav acha tha aur pados me rehne wali ab Shubha ki achi saheli ban gayi thi.
Us saheli ka Pati acha khaasa paisa kamaata tha. Aaj dopahar ko sabhi apne-apne ghar me the. Garmi bahut tez thi aur Shubha bhi apne ghar me kaam nipta kar tv dekh rahi thi. Tabhi kisi ne darwaza khatkhataya.
Shubha boli: Kaun hai? Aati hu abhi.
Aur ye kehte hue Shubha apne joode ko kaste hue darwaaze par pahunchi.
Baahar khada aadmi bola: Madam aapka bill jama nahi hua hai, isliye hum aapki line kaatne aaye hai.
Ye kehte hue wo bijli wala line kaatne laga.
Shubha: Lekin Bhaiya, hamne to jama kiya hai bill (Shubha ne gussa dikhaate hue kaha).
Baahar khada aadmi: Nahi madam jama nahi hai. Agar jama hota, to hame kya padi thi aapko pareshaan karne ki?
Ye kehte hue usne line kaat di. Line kat jaate hi ghar me garmi ho gayi. Wo aadmi chala gaya aur Shubha gusse me badbadaate hue Amit ko phone karne lagi.
Fir jab Amit ne phone uthaya, to Shubha Amit ko chillaate hue boli-
Shubha: Wo line wala bijli kaat gaya hai. Kya tumne bijli ka bill jama nahi kiya tha?
Amit: Haa wo abhi paise nahi mil paaye hai.
Ye kehte hue Amit ne jawaab diya.
Shubha: To fir ab kya hoga? Ab kya bina bijli ke rehna hoga?( Shubha ne gusse me pair patakte hue kaha)
Tabhi Shubha ki nazar farsh par pade bijli ke bill par gayi, jo shayad lineman de gaya tha. Shubha ne bill ka total kark dekha, to wo 2000 rupay ka bill tha. Fir Shubha ne tezi se apni almaari kholi aur ek dibba nikaala. Usne wo dibba khol kar dekha, to saare paise jod kar 2000 ho gaye the.
Lekin aane-jaane ka kiraya nahi ban paa raha tha. Shubha ne tezi se kapde badle aur bijli ke daftar ki taraf chal padi.
Chilchilaati garmi me har kadam jaise angaaro pe chalna tha. Dopahar ka suraj apne poore charam par tha. Kayi riksha waalo ne roka aur poocha, ki usko riksha chahiye kya. Lekin “nahi bhaiya” kehte hue paseene se lath-path Shubha bijli ke daftar me pahunchi.
Shubha ke paseene se uske kapde uske badan se chipak gaye the. Uske chamakta hua rang kehar dhaa raha tha aur uska madak jism kisi ka bhi lund khada karne ke liye kaafi tha. Aas-paas se jis bhi mard ki nazar us par pad rahi thi, wo usko aur uske jism ko ghoor-ghoor kar dekh raha tha.
Uska badan to jaise garmi se dhadak raha tha aur aag maano jism me lage jaa rahi thi. Counter lunch ke liye band ho gaya tha. Garmi se behaal Shubha ke paas paani peene ke paise bhi nahi the, kyuki ek rupya bhi 2000 ko kam kar deta. Pareshaan Shubha baar-baar behte hue paseene ko bhi ponch rahi thi. Fir Shubha ne counter par poocha-
Shubha: Bhaiya kitni der aur lagegi?
Saamne wala aadmi bola: Abhi lunch chal raha hai madam, thoda wait kijiye.
Fir Shubha ek taraf jaake baith gayi. Tabhi dhool udaati hui ek cham-chamati suv gate par aakar ruki. Shubha usko dekh kar hairaan reh gayi. Gori kalayi me cham-chamaati gold ki choodiyo me ek aurat gaadi se baahar nikli. Uske haath me mehanga mobile tha aur peeche se driver daud kar daftar ke andar daakhil hua aur kehne laga-
Driver: Shabnam madam aayi hai.
Uski baat sunte hi sab apni-apni seat par chale gaye. Shabnam ek nigaah mujhe dekhte hue andar chali gayi. Uske andar jaate hi “Namaste Madam” ki awaaze office me goonjne lagi. Fir Shabnam ne poocha-
Shabnam: Bade sahab office me hai?
Ek aadmi: Ji Madam.
Fir ek aadmi Shubha ki taraf aaya aur bola-
Ek aadmi: Laaiye madam, kya problem hai aapki?
Ye kehte hue wo Shubha ka bill dekhne laga. Fir Shubha ne paseena ponchte hue apne purse me haath daala. Tabhi wo aadmi bola-
Aadmi: Ji Madam, bas paanch minute wait kijiye. Mai karta hu jama.
Ye kehte hue wo seat se chala gaya. Jab wo wapas aaya, to bola-
Aadmi: Madam 3500 rupay jama kar dijiye.
Shubha: Kya! 3500 rupay? Lekin bill to 2000 ka hai Bhaiya ?
Aadmi : Haa wo is maheene ka bhi bakaya hai.
Ye kehte hue usne paiso ke liye haath aage badhaya. Tabhi Shubha boli-
Shubh: Bhaiya abhi to mere paas 2000 hi hai.
Aadmi: Madam Mai jama to kar leta hu, lekin aapka connection tabhi jud paayega jab poore paise jama honge?
Ye kehte hue usne Shubha ko raseed thama di. Shubha ko to maano saamp soongh gaya ho. Fir wo boli-
Shubha: Bhaiya light to chaalu karwa do please !
Ye kehte hue Shubha request karne lagi.
Tabhi peeche se ek awaaz aayi-
Awaaz: Kitna balance hai inka?
Shubha ne palat ke dekha, to wo hairaan reh gayi. Peeche Shabnam khadi thi.
Aadmi: Ji madam, kuch zyada nahi bas 1500 aur chahiye.
Ye kehte hue wo Shabnam ko dekh kar chair se khada ho gaya.
Shabnam: Theek hai, jaldi se karo aur inka connection chaalu karo.
Ye kehte hue Shabnam ne Shubha ke kandhe par haath rakha aur Shubha ne mann hi mann raahat ki saans li.
Aadmi: Ye lijiye madam, ho gaya bas.
Ye kehte hue us aadmi ne raseed Shubha ke haath me thama di. Shubha ne Shabnam ko dhanyawad diya. Fir Shabnam boli-
Shabnam: Koi baat nahi. Mera naam Shabnam hai. Tum yaha ki to nahi lagti ho?
Shubha: Ji mera naam Shubha hai. Hum abhi kuch din pehle hi yaha rehne aaye hai.
Ye kehte hue Shubha ne raahat ki saans li. Fir Shabnam boli-
Shabnam: Aao Mai tumhe drop kar deti hu.
Shubha: Ji nahi, Mai chali jaaungi.
Shabnam: Koi baat nahi, baahar bahut dhoop aur garmi hai.
Shubha ka gala pyaas se sookh raha tha aur usme paidal jaane ki himmat bhi nahi reh gayi thi. Isliye Shubha Shabnam ke saath car ki taraf chal padi. Aaj Shubha ke saamne wo car thi, jisme baithne ke sapne wo hamesha dekhti thi. Shubha andar hi andar bahut khush thi.
Car ke sheeshe band hote hi maano wo jannat me pahunch gayi thi. Shubha ko ye sab sapne jaisa lag raha tha. Lekin saath hi saath wo kuch darri bhi hui thi. Shubha ka shareer ab normal hone laga tha. Fir Shabnam boli-
Shabnam: Driver aage dhaabe me gaadi rokna.
Driver: Ji Madam.
Fir driver ne gaadi dhaabe ke gate par rok di. Dhaabe se ek ladka bhaag kar baahar aaya aur aake usne salaam kiya.
Shabnam: Kaise ho beta? Do thandi si shikanji bana ke lao.
Ye kehte hue Shabnam ne maano pyaasi Shubha ko khush kar diya. Wo ladka do minute me do thande glass shikanji ke de gaya aur Shubha bahut tezi se pee gayi. Fir Shubha ne mann hi mann tript hote hue kaha-
Shubha: Ahhhhhhh… baap re!
Tabhi Shabnam boli: Driver jao aur ek glass aur leke aao madam ke liye.
Driver: Ji Madam.
Fir driver utar ke chala gaya.
Shubha: Ji bahut thank you Madam aapka.
Aur ye bol kar Shubha ne Shabnam ka shukriya ada kiya.
Shabnam: Koi baat nahi. Ab kuch apne baare me batao. Kaha rehti ho tum?
Fir Shubha ne Shabnam ko apne baare me sab kuch bataya. Shabnam Shubha ko baat itminan se sunti rahi aur shikanji ka glass peeti rahi. Fir Shubha boli-
Shubha: Aap kya karti hai Madam? Matlab aapke Pati, matlab Sir kya karte hai? (Shubha ne apni zubaan ko sambhaalte hue poocha)
Ye sun kar Shabnam khilkhila ke hass padi aur boli-
Shabnam: Wo ab mere saath nahi rehte.
Ye kehte hue Shabnam apni angoothi ko ghumaane lagi. Fir car aage ki taraf chal padi. Tabhi Shabnam Shubha se boli-
Shabnam: Aao tumhe apne ghar le chalti hu Shubha.
Fir Shabnam ki gaadi kuch hi der me ek aalishan ghar ke gate pe jaa ruki. Guard ne salaam kiya aur gate khola aur gaadi us aalishan ghar me daakhil hui. Ek bade se swimming pool aur khoobsurat se garden se hote hue, gaadi ek ghar ke bade gate pe jaake ruki. Fir Shabnam boli-
Shabnam: Ye mera chhota sa ghar hai.
Shubha us aalishan ghar ko dekhti reh gayi.
Shabnam: Aur sun, tu mujhe madam mat keh. Mujhe Didi bulaya kar. Pata nahi kyu, teri aadat mujhe bahut achi lagi.
Ye kehte hue Shabnam bade se drawing room me daakhil hui. Shubha ke aankhon ne aisa aalishan ghar bas aaj tak filmo me hi dekha tha. Itne lambe aur bade ghar ko dekh kar Shubha bahut khush thi. Fir wo boli-
Shubha: Waah Didi! aap to bilkul rani ki tarah rehti ho( Shubha ne ghar ko dekhte hue kaha).
Shabnam: Aur ye sab maine khud banaya hai (Shubha ko halka sa pinch karte hue kaha). Pati ki chhoti si naukari me ghut-ghut kar jeene se acha hai, ye aalishan ghar. Fir chaahe iske liye kuch bhi keemat chukaani pade.
Ye kehte hue Shabnam jhoom uthi. Us aalishan ghar ke sukh aur vilasita ko dekh kar Shubha ki aankhen to maano chamak uthi thi. Fir wo boli-
Shubha: Didi mujhe bhi aisa hi ghar banana hai, aapki tarah (Shubha Shabnam ka haath pakadte hue boli)
Shabnam: Hehehehe! ye sab itna asaan nahi hai Shubha. Iske liye lohe ke chane chabaane padte hai Shubha.
Shubha: Ji Didi, wo to Mai samajh sakti hu. Didi aap jo kahogi, Mai wahi karungi.
Fir Shabnam ne haste hue Shubha ko glass diya. Shubha fir se paani pee gayi aur boli-
Shubha: Didi Mai ab chalti hu.
Shabnam: Haa Shubha, apna number de jao. Jab mera mann karega, tab Mai tumse baat kar loongi.
Shubha: Ji Didi, ye raha mera number.
Ye kehte hue Shubha aur Shabnam ne apne number badal liye. Shubha bahut khush thi Shabnam ka number lekar.
Fir Shubha ko Shabnam ki gaadi ne ghar pe drop kiya. Tab tak Shubha ke ghar ki bijli aa chuki thi.
Baaki ki kahani 2nd part me aayegi.