Henry

Wo kuch din mere liye sabse mushkil the. Na kaam mein maan lag raha tha, na hi kisi baat mein sukoon mil raha tha.

Bas Heer ka mayus chehra reh reh kar meri ankhon ke samne aa raha tha.

Har pal wo bas main ghadi ki soiyon ko dekhta rehta hun, din ginta rehta hun, intezaar karta rehta hun... kab ye waqt guzre ga aur kab main wapas laut kar Heer se kahunga- ke chalo Amritsar chalte hain.

Aur bas jane ki baat sun kar uske hothon par jo muskurahat aaegi wo dekhni hai mujhe.

Sara kaam nipta kar main Lahore ke liye jitna jaldi ho sake nikla.

Sialkot se wapas aate waqt mere dil mein ek hi baat thi—Heer. Uski chhupi udaasi, woh thama hua dard… sab mere zehan mein goonj raha tha.

Mujhe bas jald se jald apni Heer ke paas Jana hai. Shaam ke taqreeban 7 baj rahe the jab main Lahore pohncha.

Aaj ke din mera dil kuch zyada bechain tha. Heer ki udaasi, uska chhup rehna, uske aansuon ka bojh… sab kuch mere saath wahan bhi tha. Har pal lagta raha jaise koi toofan aanewaala hai.

Ab bas jald se jald mujhe meri Heer ke paas jana hai aur khush karna hai use Amritsar leja kar.

Meri jeep ghar se kuch door hi thi jab meri gadi ke aage ek sipahi bhagta hua aya. Maine turant gadi roki.

Mujhe uski is harkat par gussa toh bahut aaya par uske chehre ki udi rangat dekh mujhe kuch ajeeb laga.

“What is going on?” Maine gadi se bahar nikalte hue us se pucha.

Sipahi ki sanse ukhdi hui thi. “Colonel Sahib…” usne hafte hue kaha. “Amritsar mein kuch bura hua hai…”

Mera dil ek pal ke liye ruk gaya.

Akhir aisa kya hua hoga jo iske chehre ke rang is trha se ude hue hai.

Aur sabse pehle mere dil mein ek hi khayal aya. Kahi Heer ke pariwar mein toh kuch nahi hua?

“What?” Maine pucha.

“Jallianwala Bagh…” usne thoda ruk kar kaha, “…firing hui hai. Kai log… kai log mare gaye hain. Bahut buri tarike se. General Dyer ne 10 minute tak bina ruke goli bari ki gayi hai nihathe logon par, colonel sahib.”

Uski baat sun kar mere toh paun tale se zameen hi khisak gayi. 

Maine kuch nahi kaha. Bas uske shabdon ne meri ragon mein thand si daal di thi. Mere kadam apne aap bhaag chal pade ghar ki aur wahi raste mein apni jeep chod.

Mere zehan mein bas ek hi baat thi.

Heer.

Amritsar.

Uska pariwar.

Uske sapne.

Mujhe sirf ek chehra dikh raha tha—Heer ka—aur main sirf dua kar raha tha ke ye sab us tak na pahuncha ho. Ke kisi tarah usne ye khabar na suni ho.

Aur Amritsar mein uske pariwar Wale sab sahi salamat hon.

Lekin jab main ghar ke gate par pahuncha… mera sabse bada dar samne tha.

Heer... badhawas haalat mein, na paon mein jooti thi, na dupatta sambhal pa rahi thi… seedha ghar se bahar bhaag rahi thi rote chilate hue.

Uska chehra safed pad chuka tha, aankhon mein toofan tha, aur hothon se sirf ek naam nikal raha tha—“Bebe… Bappu ji…”

“HEER!” maine puri taqat se cheekh kar usse pukara.

Wo nahi ruki. Jaise kuch sun hi nahi rahi thi. Jaise uske andar sab kuch toot gaya ho. Jaise uska bas khatam ho gaya ho.

Maine bhaag kar use roka.

Par wo royi ja rahi thi bina meri baat sune ya mere taraf dekhe.

“Sahib!” Usne sisakte hue kaha. “Mujhe Jana hai. Chodo mujhe! SAHIB! BAPPU JI!”

Apne haathon se uske kandhon ko pakad kar jhatka diya. “Heer! Wait! Listen to me!” 

Usne meri taraf dekha… aur uski aankhon mein jo dard tha, usne mujhe tod ke rakh diya. Wo dard kisi ek insaan ke jaane ka nahi tha—wo dard tha, apne pura wajood bikhar jaane ka.

Jo mujh se behtar akhir kon samjh sakta hai.

Lekin Heer bas roye ja rahi thi aur mere hatho se khud ko chudwane ko koshish kar rahi thi.

“Heer!” Maine uska chehra apne hathon mein liya par usne gusse se mujhe dhaka diya aur mein do kadam piche ladkhada gaya.

“SAB APNE KIYA HAI! SAB KUCH!” Heer gusse mein apne hathon ki muthiyan bna mere seene par mujhe marne lagi mujh par ilzam lgate hue- jaise har dard, har toofan ka zimmedar sirf main hoon.

“APKO PATA THA NA! ISILIYE MUJHE AMRITSAR JANE NAHI DIYA NA!” Wo roye ja rahi thi. “SAB AAPNE KIYA HAI! SAB KUCH! APNE AUR APKI HUKUMAT NE!”

Mere paas na hi koi jawab tha uske swalon ka main bas use chup karwane ki koshish kar raha tha par Heer kuch sunane ko taiyar nahi thi.

Usne mera gareban pakad liya aur jawab mangne lagi,“AB KYU CHUP HAI AAP COLONEL SAAB? AAPKO PATA THA NA! JAWAB DIJIYE ISLIYE MUJHE AMRITSAR NAHI JAANE DIYA! AAP JANTE THE! AAP SAB KUCH JANTE THE!”

Mere liye har ek shabd ek teer tha. Har ilzaam ek naya zakhm.

Main kuch kehna chahta tha. Batana chahta tha ke mujhe kuch nahi pata tha. Par us waqt Heer sunne ko tayyar hi nahi thi.

Wo roye ja rahi thi… cheekhti, gusse mein kapkapati, aur main… bas khamosh tha.

Ek Colonel tha main, par Heer ke dard ke aage sirf ek bekaar, laachar pati.

Uske liye main bhi isi hukumat ka hissa tha. Us zulm ka ek hissa jiske neeche uske apne kuchle gaye the. Uske liye main bhi unhi logon mein tha… jinhone bina kisi wajah ke logon par goli chalayee thi.

Aur main… main kuch nahi tha us waqt, bas ek bewakoof sa aadmi… jo Heer ko samajhane ki koshish kar raha tha jab uska poora dil chhanni ho chuka tha.

“Heer, please… I did not know anything,” maine dheere se kaha, uske haathon ko pakadne ki koshish ki, par usne jhatak diya.

“I swear. I was ready to take you there myself……. But I have to go because of that urgent work….”

“KYUN NAHI LIYA?” wo cheekhi, “KYUN ROKA MUJHE? MERE BAPPU JI… MERE BAPPU JI WAHIN THE! MERI BEBBE!”

Uski cheekh itni dard bhari thi ke meri rukh gayi saansein.

Main bejaan sa ho gaya. Har pal uske aansuon ke saath mera apna wajood bhi girta ja raha tha.

Main uska dard samajhne ki koshish kar raha tha… par us waqt Heer kisi samjhaane ke laayak hi nahi thi.

“Heer… Heer, listen to me love,” maine uske kandhon ko dhire se pakad kar kaha. “Nothing happened to them, nothing at all. They will be perfectly fine. Trust me. We'll go meet them right now.I’m here… I’ll take you… right now, this very moment.”

Par Heer ka dard itna gehra tha ke wo kuch bhi sunne ko taiyar nahi thi. Uski aankhon mein sirf ek hi tasveer thi—uske maa-baap aur bhai, unki muskurahat, unka pyar… aur ab unke na hone ka darr.

“I will take you to Amritsar,” maine phir se kaha, is baar thoda zor se, “Your Bebe and Bappu ji will be absolutely fine. I don’t lie to you, Heer. You do trust me, don’t you?”

Usne meri taraf dekha—ek aisi nazar se jo shayad bharosa karna chahti thi, par darr, gussa aur dard us bharose ke raaste mein khade the.

“Come on, wipe those tears. Compose yourself— is this how you want to go see them, hmm? What will they think? Wipe your tears. We’ll also take Sahib’s toys with us, he’ll be so happy.” Maine uske ansun pochte hue aur uske bikhare balon ko apne hathon se thoda sawarte hue kaha lekin Heer ki siskiyaan meri himmat tod rahi thi.

Jo darr use tha wo mujhe bhi baichain kar raha tha. Ab bas jaldi se Amritsar pohaunch kar Baldev Singh aur uske Pariwar se mil kar Heer aur apne dil ko tasalli deni thi mujhe.

Meri baat sun Heer thoda sa kaanp gayi. Uski aankhon mein aansuon ke saath ek pal ko vishwas bhi chamka… jaise uska dil keh raha ho ke main jhoot nahi bol raha.

“Let’s go,” maine uske haathon ko kaske pakad kar kaha, “Let’s go now. To your family. Right this very moment.”

Wo bas khadi rahi—thodi bhatakti si, aankhon mein do pal ke liye thama hua toofan. Fir usne dheere se sir hila diya.

Aur us pal… meri saansein wapas aayi. Maine uska haath pakda, apne seene se lagaya, aur turant jeep ki taraf le gaya.

Ab ye sirf ek safar nahi tha—ye uska bharosa wapas jeetne ka safar tha. Aur Heer ko uske apno tak le jaane ka vaada… jise poora karna meri zindagi ka maqsad ban gaya tha.

Hum usi waqt Amritsar ke liye rawana hue. Maine apne saath kuch sipahi bhi le liye, kyunki raat ka waqt tha, rasta lamba aur sunsaan.

Agar sirf meri baat hoti, toh mujhe koi chinta na hoti. Par is safar mein meri Heer bhi mere saath thi—aur uski suraksha meri zimmedari se kahin zyada, meri zindagi ka maksad thi.

Senikon ki ek jeep meri gaadi ke aage thi, ek peeche. Iqbal Ali bhi humare saath tha—har halat ke liye tayyar.

Ye safar meri zindagi ka sabse lamba safar ban chuka tha.

Heer poore raaste bas chup chaap baithi rahi, dono haathon se mauthiyan band kar ke, aankhen bandh kiye, har pal dua maangti rahi—ke uske Bebe, Bappu ji, aur har apna sahi salamat ho.

Uski aankhon se aansu ek pal ke liye bhi nahi thehre. Wo aansu uske gaal se behte behte mere dil par girte ja rahe the—jaise kisi ne tezab chhidak diya ho.

Uske har aansu ke saath meri bechaini badhti ja rahi thi.

Mujhe us takleef se nikaalna tha—usse bhi, aur khud ko bhi.

Jaise hi hum aadhi raat ke baad Amritsar pahunche, hamesha se bheed-bhaad se bhari rahne wali galiyan us raat ek khaufnaak khamoshi mein doobi hui thi. Har mod, har chaurahe par kuch na kuch jala hua tha—kahi tange, kahi dukano ke shutter, aur kahi logon ke sapne.

Poore sheher par curfew laga hua tha.

Humein Hall Bazar ke paas rok liya gaya. Do armed sentry ne humein torches se roka, rifles ready position mein.

“Stop! No vehicle allowed beyond this point!”

Main jeep se utar kar aage badha aur apna identification card dikhaya.

“Colonel Henry Caldwell,” maine kaha, “British Indian Army. I have orders to proceed.”

Unke chehre par ek pal ke liye jhalak aayi—pehchaan ki, izzat ki, aur shayad afsos ki bhi.

“Sir... Jallianwala ke aas-paas ka ilaaka sabse zyada affected hai. Hum aapko recommend karenge ki aap subah tak ruk jayein...”

“I can't stay,” maine kaha, aankhon mein ek thos jazba le kar, “My family is there.”

Unhone ek pal ko ek dusre ki aur dekha phir haan mein sir hila kar raasta chhoda.

Hum aage badhe.

Jeep ko maine khud chalana shuru kar diya tha. Heer meri bagal mein theek se bethi thi, lekin uske haath ab bhi dua mein jude hue the. Uski aankhen band thi, lekin aansu khule the.

Har gully, har nukkad se dard ka ek alag silsila bikhra tha.

Jab hum Heer ke ghar ke mohalla mein pahunche, to wahan ki hawa bhi alag thi— maut ki.

Haan, raat ke is pehar sanata toh tha hi, lekin har gali, har makan se uthti rone ki awaazein is sannate ko aur bhi zyada khaufnaak bana rahi thi. Har ek pukar, har ek dard bhari cheekh Amritsar ke gham ko zinda kar rahi thi.

Jaise hi jeep haveli ke bahar ruki, Heer turant darwaze ki taraf bhaagi. Darwaza khula hua tha, is baat ne mere dil mein ek ajeeb si ghabrahat bhar di.

“BEBE JI! BAPPU JI! SAHIB!” Heer chilai, uski awaaz mein bepanah ghabrahat thi.

Lekin... koi jawab nahi aaya.

Iss sannate ne mere dil ki dhadkan tez kar di. Kahi hamara darr... sach toh nahi ho gaya?

“No,” maine apne aap se kaha. “This can't be true.”

Main turant Heer ke peeche haveli ke andar dauda. Wo roti, bilakti, har kamre mein apne apno ko pukar rahi thi—ek se doosre kamre mein, poori haveli mein daudti ja rahi thi.

“Bappu ji… Bebe ji… Sahib…” uski awaaz tooti tooti si ho chuki thi.

Par ghar mein koi nahi tha.

Ghar ki wo deewarein, jinke beech Heer ne apna bachpan bitaya tha, aaj bas khamoshi se uski cheekhon ka jawab de rahi thi. Har kona khaali tha. Har darwaza khula tha, par unmein se koi zinda awaaz nahi nikal rahi thi.

Heer ke kadam thame nahi—usne ek pal bhi nahi socha. Jaise uska dil keh raha ho ke yeh ghar ab sirf ek khali makaan hai, usne palat kar seedha haveli ke bahar ki taraf daud lagayi.

Aur main... uske peeche peeche.

Ghar ki chhat tak ghoonjti uski pukar ab mere kaanon mein ek laachar shor thi—jo kuch kar nahi sakta tha, sirf sun sakta tha.

Heer aangan mein ghutnon ke bal gir gayi. Uski saans tham si gayi thi, aankhon mein sirf andhera, aur chehre par ek aisa dard jo lafzon mein bayaan nahi ho sakta. Uske honton se ab koi pukar nahi nikal rahi thi—sirf ek sannaata, jo sab kuch keh raha tha.

Iss se pehle ke main us tak pahunch pata, wo achanak se uth kar phir se ghar ke bahar ki taraf daud gayi.

Uski yeh halat mujhe darane lagi thi.

Raat ke is gehre andhere mein, wo Amritsar ki sunssaan galiyon mein nange paon, adhi raat ko, bina hosh-hawas ke bhaagi ja rahi thi—aur main, uske peeche, har kadam par bechain.

Thodi der baad usne kuch ghar chhod kar ek purani si haveli ka darwaza zor zor se peetna shuru kar diya.

“Nooran! Chacha ji! Darwaza kholo! Koi toh jawab do! Nooran!”
Uski cheekh mein bas ghabrahat nahi, ek tooti hui umeed bhi thi.

Lekin... koi jawab nahi aaya.

Meri jaan—wahi, us darwaze ke samne—bilakti, ghoont ghoont kar roti rahi. Tabhi pass wale ek ghar ka darwaza khula, aur ek budhi aurat bahar aayi.

“Heer beta... kya tum ho?” Usne poocha, awaaz mein pehchaan aur dard dono the.

Heer bina kuch soche turant uske paas dod gayi.

“Dadi! Nooran darwaza kyun nahi khol rahi?” Heer ne roti hui awaaz mein poocha. Uska chehra ashqon se bheeg chuka tha, saans phool rahi thi.

Aur main... main bas waha khada reh gaya—bebas, behaal.
Zindagi mein pehli baar khud ko itna majboor mehsoos kar raha tha.

Budhi aurat ke aankhon mein aansuon ka samundar tha.
“Nooran bhi waha gayi thi beta... Jahan sab gaye the. Uske maa-baap use shaam se dhoondhne nikle the. Abhi tak nahi laute...”

Uska gala bhar aaya. “Jo jo bhi mele mein gaya tha, beta... ab tak wapas nahi aaya.”

Heer ke kadam ladkhadaye.

Maine turant aage badhkar usse thaam liya.
Lekin... usne mere haathon se khud ko chhuda liya.

Aur bina kuch soche samjhe, Jallianwala Bagh ki taraf daud gayi aur main use pukarta hua uske piche bhag raha tha.

Raat ke is pehar kuch sipahiyon ne Heer ka rasta roka, “Aage jaana mana hai.”

Heer, jo apne gham mein doobi hui thi, kuch kehne hi wali thi ke maine use apni baahon mein rok liya aur sipahiyon ki taraf badh kar kaha, “I am Colonel Caldwell from the British Indian Army. We need to go inside.”

Maine apne shabdon mein ek thos hukm bhar kar unhe roop diya.

“Maaf kijiye ga, Sahib,” ek sipahi ne kaha, mujhe sar se paon tak dekhte hue, jaise tasdeeq kar raha ho, “kisi ko bhi andar jaane ki ijazat nahi hai.”

“KYUN NAHI HAI?” Heer gusse se chilla uthi, uske aansuon mein bhi ek aag thi.

“Let me talk to them,” maine use narmi se samjhaane ki koshish ki. Phir maine apna ID card dikhaya, unse baat ki, apne auhde ka zikr bhi kiya—lekin unhone humein phir bhi andar jaane nahi diya.

Heer ne rote, chillaate, har tarah se guzaarish ki, lekin unke dil par koi asar nahi hua. Unka farz unke jazbaat par bhaari pad raha tha.

Badi mushkil se maine Heer ko wahan se le aaya aur Iqbal Ali ki jeep tak laaya jo kuch door khadi thi.

Maine Heer ko samjhane ki koshish ki, lekin wo kisi baat ko sunne, samajhne ya sahne ke haal mein hi nahi thi.

“Listen to me. Calm down, my love,” maine uske chehre ko apne haathon mein le kar kaha. “Agar tum is tarah se rahogi, toh main kuch bhi nahi kar paunga. Mujhe kuch officers se baat karne do. I promise, ijazat milte hi hum Bebe ji aur Bappu ji ko dhoondhne jaayenge... saath mein.”

Kaafi der baad, jab wo thoda sambhli, toh maine use Iqbal Ali ke saath chhod kar kuch afsaron se milne ka rukh kiya.

Aadhi raat ke waqt kisi se milna asaan toh tha nahi, lekin apne kuch purane rishton aur military contacts ka sahara le kar maine koshish jaari rakhi.

Lekin... ijazat ab bhi nahi mil rahi thi.

Us raat, pehli baar mujhe apna auhda, apni uniform, apni naukri... sab kuch bekaar lagne laga tha. Kya faayda tha is post ka, jab main apni biwi ke liye hi kuch nahi kar pa raha tha?

Sari raat afsar ke darwazon par dastak dene ke baad, bade mushkil se subah se kuch pehle humein ijazat mili. Aur phir... hum Jallianwala Bagh pahunche—apno ki talash mein, ek toote dil ke saath.

Subah hone se zara pehle hum Jallianwala Bagh ke gate tak pahunche. Aasmaan pe abhi bhi andhera tha, lekin us andhere se bhi gehra ek sukoon tha—ek aisi khamoshi jo sirf maut ke baad rehti hai.

Gate par kuch sipahi mojud the—unmein se ek ne hume pehchaan liya. Maine unhe pass milne ka hawala diya. Iss baar unhone bina kuch puchhe sir jhuka kar raasta chhod diya.

Heer ne ek pal ki bhi der nahi ki. Wo turant andar daud padi—aur main, har kadam uske peeche.

Bagh ke andar kadam rakhte hi ek ajeeb si thandak mehsoos hui, jo sirf hawa ki nahi thi—wo thandak lahu ki sookhi hui boondon se uth rahi thi.

Zameen... har taraf khoon se lathpath thi.

Jahan tak nazar jaati, sirf laashen thi. Bachche, auratein, buzurg—sab ek doosre ke upar bikhre hue, jaise kisi ne insaniyat ka naam-o-nishaan mita diya ho.

Meri rooh kanp uthi thi ye manzar dekh. Deewaron par goliyon ke aise nishan jo saaf bayan kar rahe the ke ye sab mazlum log kya seh kar mare hain.

Akhir ye sab kyu?

Maine khud se sawal kiya.

Akhir kya mila hai crown ko ye kar ke? In bacho, buzurgo aur aurton ko mar kar? Na inke hathon mein koi hathiyar hai na kuch aur.

Toh akhir kis baat ka khauf tha hukumat ko inse, ke usne itni berahmi se inko mar diya?

Akhir ye sab kyu aur kis liye?

Heer ne ek pehla kadam rakha, fir dusra... lekin teesra kadam uthate hi wo ruk gayi. Uske pair ek chhoti si laash se takra gaye the. Uske pair kaanp gaye.

“Beb... Bebe ji…” uske hothon se phir ek naam nikla, bas ek fiza mein bahek gaya.

Wo har laash ke paas ja ja kar unhe palat kar dekhne lagi. Har ek chehra dekh kar “Bappu ji?” “Sahib?” “Nooran?” kehti ja rahi thi.

Lekin mujh mein to itni bhi himmat nahi bachi thi is khooni manzar ko dekhne baad.

Yeh kaisa insaaf hai?

Kaisa kanoon?

Akhir kyu?

Pehli baar mujhe khud se, apni is uniform se ghin aa rahi hai.

Mujhe lag raha tha jaise uska har sawal meri rooh ko cheer raha ho.

Ek laash ke paas wo ruki... fir dheere se jhuki, aur ro padhi.

“Bebe ji...” usne halki si awaaz mein kaha, lekin uske bolne se pehle hi uski awaaz dard mein doob gayi.

Wo uski maa nahi thi.

Ye sukoon tha ke dard uski awaaz mein main nahi janta tha par Heer ke sath sath aaj mein bhi tut chuka tha.

Mujhe mera farz ab baimana lagne laga tha. Kya ho main kar raha hu wo sahi bhi hai?

Maine turant aage badh kar Heer ko apne baahon mein le liya, lekin wo bas rote ja rahi thi, ek aisi cheekh ke saath jo har insaan ke dil ko chhed jaye.

Maine uske kaan ke paas bas itna kaha, “I’m sorry, Heer... I’m so sorry.”

Aasmaan ab laal hone laga tha... jaise roshni bhi iss khoon ka rang apna chuki ho.

Lekin abhi tak hum uske pariwar ko dhondh na sake.

Baag ke andar ka kuan lashon se bhara pada tha aur kuch lashen to deewaron par adhi latki hui thi.

Bicharon ne har mumkin koshish ki par khud ko is azab se bacha na sake.

Heer ki aankhon se aansuon ka silsila ruk hi nahi raha tha. Uske haathon mein ek chunni thi—laal phoolon wali, jise wo baar-baar har laash par daal kar dekhti, jaise uske dil mein ab bhi ek umeed zinda ho ke shayad koi apna mil jaye.

Main usse hata nahi saka. Sirf dekhta raha. Har pal uske dard ke saath apna dard gehra hota gaya.

Lekin wo ek pal bhi nahi ruki aur dhondhti rahi jab akhir meri nazar ek kone mein ek hath par padi.

Mere paun tale se zameen khisak gayi. Wo Baldev Singh ka hath tha. Maine use pehchan liya par mujh mein himmat na hui.

Na aage badhne ki aur na Heer ko btane ki. Meri aankhein bhar aayi par main roo nahi sakta tha.

Agar mein toot gaya toh ab Heer ko kon sambhalega.

“Heer!” Maine dheere se use pukara wo nahi ruki aur lashono ko dekhti rahi.

“Heer!” Maine use phir bulaya wo ruki jaise samjh gayi ho.

Usne mud kar meri aur dekha aur phir waha Jahan meri nazrein dekh rahi thi.

“Bappu ji!” Uske muh se yehi nikla aur wo bhagi.

Us hath ke upar Jo lash thi use jab Heer ne hathaya to meri Ruh kanp uthi. Wo Baldev Singh hi tha jiski peeth goliyon se channi hui padi thi aur uske wo safed kapde jin par maine kabhi dhol ka nishaan tak nahi dekha tha aaj wo surkh the.

Wo zameen par apni biwi aur Sahib ko apni bahon mein chupae yun baitha tha jaise khud ko kurban kar unhe bachane ke liye unki dhaal ho par uski ye kurbani kaam na aayi.

Sahib aur Heer ki maa bhi goliyon se bhune hue the.

“BAPPU JI!” Heer ki us dil dehlane wali cheekh se main kanp gaya.

“Bappu ji akhan kholo! (Ankhein kholiye bapu ji!)” Usne rote hue Baldev ka chehra thapthapya.

Lekin wo aankhen jo hamesha josh se bhari hoti thi aaj wo bejan thi.

“SAHIB!” Usne Sahib ke bejan sareer ko apne seene se laga liya aur use uthane ki koshish karti rahi par kuch na hua. “Bebe ji! Utho na!”

Uska vilap is maut ke sannate mein mujhe dehla gaya aur mein ladkhada kar uske pas zameen par baith gaya jo rote hue apne pariwar ko uthane ki minate kar rahi thi.

“Sahib uth ja meri jaan!”

Par kisi ne koi jawab nahi diya.

Maine kabhi apne aap ko itna bebas mehsoos nahi kiya tha. Heer apne parivaar ke jism se chipki hui thi, aur main... main sirf dekh raha tha.

Ek sipahi hokar main har jang jeeta tha—par aaj, Heer ki aankhon mein haar gaya tha.

Wo cheekhein, wo vilap—yeh sirf uska dard nahi tha, mera bhi tha.

Ek pariwar jo maine jahan banaya tha wo aaj mujh se mere hi logon ne cheen liya tha.

Har baar jab usne kaha, “Sahib uth ja…” meri chaati mein ek teer chubta tha.

Mere andar kuch toot gaya tha.

Main uss laash ko dekh raha tha jo kabhi Baldev Singh Virk tha—ek fakhar, ek imaan ka misaal.

Aur aaj... meri hukumat ke haathon mar gaya.

Main Heer ko kya keh sakta tha?

Kya bata sakta tha ke uske pita, uska bhai, uski maa sirf isliye mare gaye kyunki kisi General ne dar ke maare goli chalwa di thi?

Kya wo jaanti thi ke main uss General ke sath dining table par baitha karta tha kabhi? Ke maine usi Crown ke liye talwar uthayi thi jiska khoon ab uske gharwalon ke honton tak aa gaya tha?

Mujhe apne kandhon par wardi ka bojh mehsoos ho raha tha—ek aisa bojh jo meri himmat, meri insaniyat, sab kuch kuchal raha tha.

Maine Heer ki taraf dekha—jo uske kandhon se chipki chadar mein apni maa ke sar ko lapetne ki koshish kar rahi thi.

Uski ungliyaan kaanp rahi thi, lekin uski aankhon mein ab aansu nahi, sirf ek shunya tha.

Wo to jaise mar chuki thi... sirf saans le rahi thi.

Maine apne haath uske kandhe par rakhe, lekin usne mujhe dekha bhi nahi.

Mujhe uski aankhon mein nafrat dikh rahi thi—par us nafrat mein bhi thakan thi.

Jaise wo har ehsaas se pare ho gayi ho.

Maine dheere se kaha, “Heer... Please forgive me...”

Par us waqt mujhe khud bhi apni maafi pe yaqeen nahi tha.

Kya koi maafi itni badi ho sakti hai jo kisi ke ghar ka chirag, maa ka aanchal, bhai ki muskaan wapas laa sake?

Maine apni aankhon se wardi ke brass buttons ko dekha—yehi to the meri shaan ke nishaan.

Lekin aaj, mujhe laga jaise har button se khoon tapak raha ho.

Baldev Singh ka... Sahib ka... Heer ki maa ka... , yahan padi har lash ka aur meri Heer ka.

Kyunki maine uski rooh bhi maar di thi.