Uljhe Dor (The Mehrotras book 1)

34. Hadein Paar

  Rasmein khatam hote hote dopahar ho jata hai. Sab khane ke liye saath baithte hain. Kunal ko call aata hai aur wo uth kar chala jaata hai. Bela ko Kunal ke bina ajeeb lagne lagta hai. Dono ke beech bhale hi bohot matbhed ho, lekin uske bina saare ghar walon ke saamne use aisa lagne lagta hai jaise wo akeli pad gayi hai. Naye ghar mein anjaan logon ke beech rehkar dar sa lagne lagta hai.

  "Arrey Bhabhi, aap to kuchh kha hi nahi rahi ho," Veer kehta hai. "Agar aapko pata nahi yeh kya hai to main aapko bata deta hoon yeh palak aur zucchini ki sabji hai. Thoda wierd combination hai lekin Bhaiya aur Ansh, dono ka favourite hai. Aapko palak ki sabji pasand nahi hai kya? Mujhe bhi nahi pasand hai lekin khana padta hai, warna Mom gussa ho jaati hai."

  Ab zucchini kis chidiya ka naam hai? Mujhe pata tha ameer log sukha ghas-phus khate hain lekin itna ajeeb khana khate hain, mujhe nahi pata tha. "Nahi, aisi baat nahi hai. Hamein palak pasand hai, palak paneer to aur bhi gajab lagta hai."

  "To phir, puttar? Achha nahi bana? Kuchh aur banwa doon?" Dadi puchhti hai.

  "Ise itne achhe aur mehenge khane kahan pasand aayenge. Ise to oily, cholesterol se bhara middle class khana pasand hoga. Ise khane ki nahi dieting ki jaroorat hai."

  "Jahan tumhari jaroorat nahi hai wahan apna muh band rakho." Anshuman kehta hai.

  "Whatever."

  "Maan, Bela tumse rishte mein badi hai aur hamare ghar mein rishton ka aadar kiya jaata hai," Dadi kehti hai.

  "Apni jethani se kaise baat karna hai ise kaise pata hoga, Mummy ji? Isne aaj tak apne ghar mein kisi ek dusre ko respect dete kahan dekha hoga. Aur yeh sab shuru to ghar se hota hai."

  "Maya..."

  "Sorry, Mummy ji."

  "Kunal nahi khaye hain. Unke bina ham kaise kha sakte hain? Jab wo khayenge tab ham bhi kha lenge." Haan, yeh sahi bahana hai. Khana hamare gale se neeche utrega hi nahi, to jabardasti khaane ka matlab nahi hai. Ham yeh sab bahane ke liye nahi, sacche man se apne pati ke liye karna chaahte the. Lekin jab ham Kunal ko apna pati hi nahi maante to ham unke liye apna patni dharm kaise nibhaenge?

  Shayad ab ham yahan se ja sakte hain. Bela apne aur Kunal ke khane ki thali ko uthati hai jab Sonia kehti hai, "Yeh kya kar rahi ho?"

  "Aunty ji, main apna aur Kunal ka khana hata kar rakh rahi hoon. Jab bhookh lagegi tab nikaal dungi."

  "Yeh sab karne ki jaroorat nahi hai."

  "Lekin Aunty ji, khana barbaad ho jayega. Hamein khana barbaad karna pasand nahi hai. Ham jaante hain khana banane mein kitna mehnat lagta hoga-"

  "Kisi ne puchha? Jyada mahan banne ki jaroorat nahi hai. Yeh sab kaam karne ke liye staff hain hamare ghar mein. Aur hamare ghar ka rivaaj hai ki jab tak bahu ki pehli rasoi na ho jaye tab tak bahu ghar ka koi kaam nahi kar sakti hai."

  "Maaf kariyega, hamein pata nahi tha." Bela wapas Kunal ke kamre mein chali jaati hai. Yahan sab kuchh kitna alag hai. Kapde dhone ke liye bhi alag se log hain. Har din pehenne wale kapdo ko aur koi kyun sambhalega? Yeh sab to niji hota hai. Mali aur driver tak to theel tha, lekin yahan bistar par chadar bichhane ke liye bhi log hain. Hamein nahi lagta inke bathroom mein kapde dhone ka sabun hoga.

  Bela shaam ke liye kapde dekh rahi hoti hai. Kya pehnenge ham? Bade ghar ka aayojan hai, uske hisaab se hamare paas kapde nahi hain. Honge bhi kaise, hamare paas dher saare paise nahi hai kapdon par udane ke liye. Hota to ham Papa ka ilaaj na karwa lete? Usse yaad aya, hamein Papa ko call karna chaahiye. Tabhi darwaje par Sonia khatkhatati hain. "Sonia aunty, aapko khatkhatane ki jaroorat nahi hai. Aapke bete ka kamra hai, aapka ghar hai."