Uljhe Dor (The Mehrotras book 1)

25. Jor ka Jhatka Jor se Laga

   Kunal nayi nahu ke saath apne Maa ka aashirvaad lene jaata hai jab achanak ek aurat jor se bolti hai, "Kunal, apni saas ka aashirwaad nahi loge?"

  "Shreeja?" Maya ko apni aankh par bharosa nahi hota hai, jaise use jor ka jhatka laga ho. "T-tum?"

  "Shreeja, tum yahan kaise? Tum to mar gayi- ham sab ne dekha tha, tum, yeh, phir yeh..." Ronit bhi chauk jaata hai apni patni ko jinda dekh kar. Dheere dheere use gusse aane lag jata hai. "Itne saal tum jinda thi lekin tumne sab ko dhokhe mein rakha, apne bacchon ko dukh diya. Pandraa (15) saal pehle tamasha karne ke baad bhi tum muh utha ke yahan aa gayi, besharam aurat!"

  "Ronit," Shreeja aaram se kehti hai, "Shaant ho jao, warna BP badh jayega. It's not good for your health, na. Tum to aise dar rahe ho jaise tumne koi bhoot dekh liya ho. Phir shayad tumne bhoot dekh hi liya." Shreeja pehle Maya ko dekhti hai, phir Sonia aur Raj ko, phir shaadi ke mandap par khade dono naye vyavahik jode ko. "Everyone, surprise!"

  "Shreeja, kamini, yahan kya kar rahi hai tu, dayan? Mari hi rehti."

  "Arrey Samndhan ji, aapko to gale milna chahiye, hamare bacchon ki shaadi ho gayi hai. Apne Samdhan ke liye asie shabd achhe nahi lagte." Shreeja dheere dheere chal ke, kamar matka- lachka ke Sonia ke paas jaati hai, lekin Raj ke saamne khadi ho jati hai. "Raj, I missed you. Apne Samdhan ke gale nahi lagoge?"

  "Behaya aurat, door reh mere pati se warna teri kasam tujhe isi havan kund mein swaha kar dungi!" Sonia gusse se kehti hai. "Main jaanti hoon tere lakshan sahi nahi hain. Ronit ji, aap shukar manaiye aapke bacche isse door rahe hain, kam se kam achhe sanskar to mil saka unhe."

  Shreej agla Maya ke paas jaati hai. "Maya, tumne to mujhe miss kiya hi hoga. Bacchon, pata hai, main aur Maya bachpan ke dost hain. Ham hamesha sab aapas mein share karte the, hai na Maya? Phir chahe wo-"

  "Shreeja! Bas karo apni besharmi aur chup ho jao. Tumne mere pariwaar ko pandraa saal pehle sharminda kiya tha, kam se kam aaj to tamasha mat karo. Main jaanta hoon beti ki chinta nahi hai tumhe, lekin aaj uski shaadi hai, thoda to-"

  "Maan ki shaadi hai isi liye to main aayi hoon, apni beti ki shaadi dekhne. After all, har maa ka sapna hota hai beti ki shaadi."

  "Bas karo, Shreeja, aur jhoot mat bolo. Baki maa ka hota hoga, lekin tum to apne janme bacchon ke liye maa tak nahi ban saki."

  Isse pehle ki behes aage badhe, Kunal ki patni behosh ho jati hai.

  "Arrey, ise kya hua? Yeh behosh kyun ho gayi? Maan, tum theek ho, beta?"

  "Sonia, ghabra mat. Ek to havan kund, upar se itna lamba ghoonghat, garmi ke maare behosh ho gayi hogi. Tu iska ghoonghat utha aur Maya, puttar Pani mangwa."

  Maan behosh ho gayi? Main to yahan hoon phir behosh- kahin Kunal ki shaadi...

  Maan apna ghoonghat uthati hai aur dekhti hai ki Kunal dusre mandap par hai, aur apne bagal mein dekhti hai to Anshuman bhi apna sehra hata chuka hota hai. Dono ek dusre ko dekh kar gussa hone lagte hain. Kisi ne unhe dekha nahi kyunki sab Kunal ki patni ko lekar ghabraye hue hain.

  Sonia ghoonghat uthati hai aur wahan Bela ko dekh kar lagbhag behosh ho jati hai. "Yeh ladki yahan kya kar rahi hai? Aur yeh behosh kyun ho gayi? Agar yeh yahan hai to Maan kahan hai? Kahin isne Maan ke saath kuchh kar to nahi diya? Jaroor isne Maan ko kuchh kar diya hoga taki yeh shaadi kar sake Kunal se-"

  "Maan theek hai, wo yahan hai," Anshuman apna sehra phekte hue kehta hai.

  Sab un dono ki ore dekhte hain aur unhe teesra jhatka padta hai. Pehle Shreeja aur phir Bela aur Kunal ki shaadi ke baad ab pata chalta hai sabko ki Adhij aur Aarohi ki jagah Anshuman aur Maan ki shaadi ho gayi.