Teessri qabr khudi ja rahi thi... Woh zuhr ki jama'at ke baad janaza le kar qabristan aaye thay... Ab sooraj bhi thak kar naranji ho chuka tha aur kuch hi deer mein surmayi chaadar mein chehra chhupane ki soch raha tha... Aasmaan par cheelen aur kaway yun mandla rahe thay jaise moqa milte hi utar kar laash par jhapat parein gay... Churay aur laliyon ke shor se lagta tha kisi na ghani aafat ke toot parne se khofzada hun... Hawa bilkul band thi... Qabr ke saray par aage hue peyr ka saya bhi doosri janib lamba ho gaya tha... Janaze ke saath aik jam ghafir bhi qabristan mein aaya tha lekin ab bas mathee bhar hi rahe gaye thay... Aas paas ke gaon walay tau asr ke waqt hi nikal le... Lekin issi gaon ke kuch buzurg aur chand nojawan thakawat ke bawajood maujood thay... Kuch aurtein qabristan ki chaar dewari se andar jhankti thi aur taasuf se sar daayin baayin hila deti... Chughli aur gheebaten bhi ab dilchasp nahi rahi thien aur sab ke chehron par bezari barsne lagi thi kyun ke woh asal baat jan'ne ke liye bechain thay lekin khare khare paon patthar ke aur kamar takhta ho chali thien... Aik aik kar ke unho ne bhi khiskna shuru kar diya... Imam sahib ki bewah aur betiyan chehre chhupaye khari rah gayin...
Borhay gorkan ke dono betay arz gard se be naiza yeh teesri qabr khodne mein jate hue thay... Gorkan lardkpan hi se issi gaon mein qabrain khod raha tha lekin aisa pehle kabhi nahi hua tha... Woh iss qabristan ke chhupay chhupay se waqif tha... Iss ne khud hi Imam sahib ke liye yeh maqam chuna tha kyun ke un ke ajdaad bhi issi tukre mein dafn thay... Qabr hamesha ki tarah baghli banai gayi thi... Iss ke betay bhi acha kaam karte thay lekin Imam sahib se apni khaas aqeedat ke paish nazar pehli qabr ki paimaish iss ne khud ki thi aur baghli bhi Imam sahib ke bhari jisht ke mutabiq khaasii khuli thi ta ke woh apni aakhri araamgaah mein tangi mehsoos na karein...
Janaza ane se pehle qabr bilkul taiyar thi... Woh uss par kai baar paani ka chhidkao bhi kar chuka tha... Kuch bhi to aisa nahi tha jo aam halat se hat kar hota... Siwaye... aik halki si, intehai nagawaar badbu ke... Woh bhi iss waqt mehsoos hui jab janaza qabr ke bilkul saath utara gaya... Kafoor ki shayad kai sheeshein khaali kar di gayi thien laash par... Phir bhi uss ke borhay nathanon mein woh badbu ghusi chali gayi thi jo aisi laashon se aati thi jo ganday naale se nikali gayi thien... Woh buri tarah ulajh gaya... Imam sahib ka wafat un ke ghar par hui thi... Aik raat bhale changay soye magar subah jagane par bhi na jaage... Mahalle ka doctor 5 minute hi mein aa gaya tha... Iss ke andaazay ke mutabiq maut raat barah se ek baje ke darmiyan hui hogi... Mausam garam tha lekin itna bhi nahi ke laash fori tor par galne lagi... Aur fajr ke baad hi se afsos ke liye aane walon ka tanta bandha gaya tha... Zuhr tak uss ki sab se badi beti bhi apne 5 bachon samet aa gayi thi jis ka sasural yahan se chauthe zila ke aik gaon mein waqaa tha... Garmi aur dour se aaye logon ka khayal karte hue jald hi laash ko qabar mein utara jaane laga... Gorkan mitti ki aik dheeri ko hamwar karne ki koshish mein laash mein lapti kafan mein lapti laash ke qareeb hawa... Badbu shadeed ho gayi aur woh mazeed ulajh gaya... Imam sahib ka koi beta to tha nahi... Un ka sab se bara daamad, jo un ka shagird bhi tha, laash ke sarhaane tha aur Imam sahib ka bhanja... Paennti ki jaanib... Jabke masjid ka khadim aur gaon ke number daar ka beta qabr ke andar thay ta ke laash ko baghal mein utaar sakein... Imam sahib ka wazan zyada hone ki wajah se charon jawan laash sanbhale pasine mein nahaa gaye thay... Arz gard khare hue buzurgon ke mashware alag naak mein dam kiye hue thay... Sab ke chehron par halki ki nagawaari ki jhalak thi jo yaqeenan badbu ke sabab thi... Qabr mein khare dono larkay koshish ke bawajood laash baghal mein na utaar sake... Teesri koshish bhi nakam ho gayi to unho ne pehle aik doosre ko aur phir gorkan ki taraf dekha... Gorkan neeche hue honth danton mein dabaaye qabr ke oopar saans roke khara tha aur us ka chehra bilkul safaid tha...
Yeh uss ki zindagi mein us ki apni khodi hui pehli qabr thi jo uss ne apni aankhon se tang hotay dekhi... Jaise hi laash baghal mein utari jane lagi usse mehsoos hua ke baghal ka khala tang ho gaya hai... Us ka woham ki tasdeeq fori tor par ho gayi... Laash kisi soorat us tang khala se nahi guzar sakti thi... Larkon ne dehaye di to un ko bahar aane ka keh kar 2 adheer umr aadmi bikte jhukte qabr mein utar aaye... Woh bhi laash baghal mein utarne mein nakam ho gaye to un mein se aik ne apne saafay se baghal ka khala naapa aur phir laash ka naap liya...
"Dar fate munh, karam dena" woh gorkan ki taraf dekh kar chatka... "Puray 3 fut sohri (tang) aa qabr, mere hisaab naal!!!"
"Abbey di kaddi peemaysh aj tain ek sootar wai aagay peechay nahi hoi, theekedar..." gorkan ka beta apne baap ke dafaa mein bol utha...
Karam deen gorkan apni kanpti hui tangon par mazeed khara na rah saka... Us ke beton ne usse girne se bachaya aur us ko sahara de kar bitha diya... Cheh maguian hone lagi har koi apni aqal ke mutabiq mashwara dene laga...
"Chaudhry saab" gorkan numberdaar ko mukhatib karte hue haath jor kar bola... "Lagda koi ghalti ho gayi... mein nawee qabr kad dena waan"
Numberdaar ne aankh ke ishaare se usse ejazat di... Aur logon ko hosla aur sabr ke sath intezar karne ki talqeen karne laga... Log idhar udhar chhoti chhoti toliyon mein bat gaye aur marhoom ki zindagi ka az sar-e-no post mortem karne lage... Jab tak doosri qabr khulti, woh aasani se marhoom ke jannati ya dozakhi hone ka faisla kar sakte thay!
Gorkan ne apne beton ko saath liya aur pehli qabr se kuch hat kar zameen ke ek tukray ki taraf ishaara kartay huay bola ... "8 x 8"
"Hain... Inni waddi, aba????" us ke bete herat se bole ...
Gorkan ne jawab dene ki bajaye phaawra liya aur pehli zarb lagayi ... Uski dekha dekhi ... Woh dono bhi jaldi jaldi haath chalanay lagay ... Gaddha gehra hone laga ... Gorkan ko mitti kuch zyada naram mehsoos ho rahi thi... Usne beton se kaha ke gaddha khodne ke bajaye qabr ki lambai aur choraai pehle barha li jaaye ... Muqarrar hadd tak dono atraaf mein khodne ke baad unho ne phir se gaddha gehra karna shuru kiya ... 2 foot mazeed khodne ke baad mitti mazeed naram ho gayi ... Kadal aur phaawra bohat gehrai tak maar karne lagay ... Chand hi lamhon mein un ke ozaaron ke sirhon par khoon dikhayi dene laga ... Woh thhat kar ruk gaye ... Ehtiyaat ke saath mitti hatate huay unho ne gaddhe ka jaiza lena shuru kiya ... Ek kaafi bara saanp kayi tukron mein nazar aaya ... Teenon ne ek doosre ki taraf dekha ... Yeh bhi nayi baat thi ... Is se pehle kabhi qabr khodte huay unko koi saanp nahi mila tha ... Woh bhi itni gehrai mein ... Gorkan ko apne dil ki dhadkan apne kaanon mein mehsoos ho rahi thi ... Woh qabr ki deewaron ko dekhne laga jin mein chhote chhote sorakh se nazar aa rahe thay jaise kisi keeday ka bill ho ... Koi cheez reengti hui sorakh se bhar aayi ... Us ke peeche to jaise poora fauj ... Chhote chhote saanp, bichhoo, na jaane kitni qisam ke reengne waale keeday... Woh teenon uchhal kar qabr se bahar nikle ... Gaddha tezi se un ke keedon se bharta ja raha tha ... Ek doosre ke upar kalbalaate, machalte, qabr se nikalne ki koshish mein upar se upar chadhe ja rahe thay ...
Woh teenon kuch deer sun kar qabr ko ghoorte rahe ... Phir Gorkan hi ko hosh aaya ...
"Band karo... band karo qabr" woh kanphti hui awaaz mein bola
Woh paagalon ki tarah mitti qabr mein bharne lage ... Log unko qabr band karte dekh kar un ke ird gird jamay hone lage ... Bohat se kide, saanp aur bichhoo nazar aaye ... Lamhon mein gaon bhar ko pata chal gaya ... Kamzor dil log to asar ki namaz ka bahana kar ke jaane lage ... Gorkan ne apne beton ko teesri qabr khodne par laga diya aur khud woh yeh qabr achhi tarah se bharne laga ... Us ke haath kanp rahe thay magar woh musalsal mitti qabr mein bharata raha ...
Ab to number daar pareshan ho gaya ... Imam Sahib saari zindagi usi gaon mein rahe thay ... Bazahir koi kharabi nahi thi lekin ab soch raha tha ke kuch na kuch aisa zaroor hai jis ki wajah se un ki tadfeen mein masail ho rahe hain ... Laash se ane wali boo barhne lagi thi aur us ke qareeb khade rehna do bhur ho raha tha ... Laash jis charpai par pari thi us ke charon paon ke neeche dhaat ke piyalay rakh kar un mein paani bhar diya tha kyun ke chontiyon ki yalghar charpai par kaafi deer se jari thi ... Aur ek baar chontiyan laash se chumt jaati to un se jaan chhudana, na mumkin ho jata!
Andhera cha chuka tha jab teesri qabr tayyar hui ... Street light ki peeli kamzor roshni mein qabristan yarqan zada lag raha tha ... Gorkan ne yeh qabr bhi zarurat se zyada khuli rakhi thi ... Jo gunay chanay log reh gaye thay woh soch rahe thay ke ab to Imam Sahib nihayat aasani se is qabr mein sama sakte hain ... Number daar ne mobile ki torch ki roshni mein qabr ka jaiza liya ... Saaf suthri, kushada qabr ... Usne laash ko qabr mein utaarne ka ishara kiya ... Imam Sahib ke damaad aur bhanje samet sabhi log peechay hat gaye ... Aksar ne naak par rumal ya haath rakhe hue thay ... Number daar ne Gorkan ki taraf dekha to usne apne beton ko ishara kiya ... Un dono ne bohat mushkil se laash utha kar qabr mein utari... Andar Gorkan aur number daar khade thay ... Unke laash baghal mein utarne ki koshish ki ... Qabr ek baar phir tang ho chuki thi ... Gorkan ne ek chhota auzar utha kar baghal ke kinare chheilne shuru kiye ... Jounhi kuch jagah bani.. Unhone laash is khala mein thons di ... Zabardasti... Poora zor lagakar us ko baghal mein ghassa diya ... Kafan ragar kha kar jagah jagah se phat gaya... Laash buri tarah phans gayi... Yun lagta tha ke dohri ho gayi ho ... Woh dono buri tarah hanp rahe thay ... Lekin poori jaan laga rahe thay ... Unko wazeh tor par mehsoos hua ke laash maskh ho gayi hai jaise us ki haddiyan ek doosri mein ghass gayi hoon... Gorkan ne baghal ke khala ko band karne ke liye takhte lagane shuru kiye ... Chehre wala hissa band karte huay usay laga ke usne saanp ki phunkaar suni hai... Woh uchhal kar bahar nikla... Number daar jaane kab qabr se nikal kar door ja khada hua tha ... Gorkan ne bad hawasi mein haathon hi se qabr mein mitti bharne shuru ki... Us ke beton ne bhi saath diya aur yun woh isha ke baad tadfeen se farigh hue ...
Qabristan se bahar aate hi Numberdaar ne apni biwi se kaha ke kar, Imam Sahab ki biwi ko bulaya... woh apni sab se badi beti ke saath ayi thi... Numberdaar ne gorkan ko bhi bulaya tha jo ek kone mein khoya khoya sa baitha tha... Dono maan-beti logon se kuch na kuch to sun hi chuki thi... Magar hairat ki baat yeh thi ke dono ke chehre par ek sukoon sa tha... Koi udasi nahi thi jo shohar ya baap ki wafat par chehron par nazar aana lazim thi... Numberdaar kuch deer unke chehre dekhta raha... Phir usne gorkan ko ishaara kiya... Usne koi lagi-lapeti rakhe baghair sab ko sunaya... Kaise pehli qabr usne tang hotay dekhi... Kis mushkil se usne sanp, bichho aur doosre khatarnak keeron se bhari hui doosri qabr band ki... Aur kis museebat se usne Imam Sahab ko teesri tang qabr mein zabardasti ghaseeta... Aur yeh bhi kehne laga ke usay yakeen hai ke teesri qabr mein bhi sanp thay aur hain... Aur usne yeh bhi kaha ke sab jaante hain ke Imam Sahab ko unki qabr qabool karne ke liye taiyar nahi thi lekin uski wajah kya hai yeh shayad sirf woh dono hi bata sakte hain... Gorkan ke khamosh hone par kamre mein qabristan jaise khamoshi chha gayi...
Imam Sahab ki biwi kuch deer bilkul khamosh baithi khala mein ghoorti rahi...
"Aap jaante hain Chaudhry Sahab... yeh meri sab se badi beti hai," woh boli to awaaz saaf aur hama-waar thi... "Iski shadi Imam Sahab ne mahaz choda baras ki umr mein apne hi ek shagird se kar di thi."
Yeh koi nayi baat nahi thi... Is liye koi kuch nahi bola... Sab ko pata tha ke Imam Sahab ne raaton raat rishta kar diya ladki ka... aur pehle 2 saal ladka bhi ghar damad raha...
"Meri beti ka shohar ek acha insaan hai... lekin woh shagird hone ke baa'is Imam Sahab ke bohot zeyada zair asar raha... unki marzi ke khilaaf woh kuch nahi karta tha... shayad ab bhi nahi kare."
Numberdaar aur uski biwi ne ek doosre ki taraf dekha... Dono hi kuch nahi samajh pa rahe the ke baat Imam Sahab se hat kar unke damad ki taraf kyun chali gayi...
"Mera damad qadri taur par baanjh hai... woh baap nahi ban sakta."
Kamre mein mojood tamam afraad chonk gaye... Sab jaante the ke Imam Sahab ki beti ke paanch bachay hain...
"Lekin... phir aap ki beti ke bachay??? Woh kis ke hain?"... Numberdaar ki biwi hairat se boli...
Imam Sahab ki biwi ne jawab dene ki bajaye sar jhuka liya...
Imam Sahab ki beti, jo kaafi deer se sar jhukaye bethi thi, sar utha kar sukoon se boli:
"Woh sab abba ke bachay hain!!!"
Kamre mein mahiyb sunaata chha gaya... Youn lagta tha ke jaise qabr se sab sanp, bichho nikal kar kamre mein rengne lage hon... Sab dam sadhe bethay rahe gaye!!!
Khatam shud
