Author 

Bechaini, ghabrahat, nafrat ki aag, aur in sab se zyada badle ke junoon ne use andha kar diya hai ke wo apni sabse pyari behn jaisi saheli ki hi dusman ban baithi hai.

Nooran jo Heer ke liye kuch bhi kar sakti thi, apni jaan tak nyochawar kar sakti thi, aaj Henry ko chot pohnchane ke liye usi saheli ki khushiyon ki ahuti tak daine ko taiyaar hai.

Badla aur nafrat ab sirf jazbaat nahi rahe the Nooran ke liye; ab ye uske jeene ka maqsad ban chuke the jo use har waqt jalate rehte hain.

Jallianwala Bagh mein jo kuch hua tha us din usne Nooran ka wajood hi badal diya hai.

Wo Nooran jo hamesha khilkhilati rehti thi usne us khooni manzar mein sirf apna sheher, apne log, ya ek parivaar nahi khoya tha; usne apna sab kuch gava diya tha.

Uski mohabbat Shafaq jiske jiye wo jiya karti thi wo use bachane mein to Kamyab raha par wo khud us khooni baisakhi mein saheed ho gaya lekin uske saath hi Nooran ne apna ane wala bacha bhi khoya tha.

Haa, Nooran garbhwati thi aur ye baat Shafaq aur uske ilawa koi nahi janta tha isi liye wo jald se jald uski rukhsati chahta tha par kismat ko kuch aur hi manzoor tha.

Jab Shafaq ne use deewar fand kar bagh se bahr nikala to Nooran apne pait ke bal giri aur usne apna bacha kho diya.

Takleef mein wo apne ghar ki aur hi badh rahi thi jab usne apne Ammi-abbu ko bhi apni aankhon ke age marte dekha.

Wo to Gurbaksh ne use dekh liya tha jab wo apni jaan bacha kar bhag raha tha aur use apne saath ek surakshit jagah le kar gaya.

Us din Nooran sirf ek aurat, beti ya mehbooba nahi reh gayi thi; wo ek jinda laash ban gayi thi. Jisme apna ek hissa gawa diya tha.

Uska bacha.

Jiske ane ke na jane wo kitne khwab bun kar baithi thi aur wo hamesha hamesha ke liye use chodh kar chla gya.

Uske andar kuch toot kar bikhra tha aur uski jagah kuch aur panap aaya tha, nafrat.

Beintehaa nafrat.

Aisi nafrat jo har angrez ko dekhte hi chingari ban jaati thi, jise sirf inteqam ka dhooa hi thanda kar sakta tha.

Uske kano mein baag ke andar marte logon ki cheekhe aur wo lagatar chalti goliyon ki awaz gunjti hi ja rahi thi jo use pagal bna rahi thi.

Us din se Nooran ke liye dharma, dosti, rishtedari sab moh maya ban gaye. Ab sirf ek lakshya tha uska, badla.

Agle din jab use khabar mili ke Heer apne pariwar ko dhondh unki lashe baag se bahr le aayi hai aur wo Nooran ko bhi dhoondh rahi hai.

Toh Gurbaksh ke mana karne ke bawajood bhi Heer ke ghar gayi aur waha ja kar jo usne dekha use yakeen nahi aya apni aakhon par.

Wo to gayi thi apni saheli ka gham bantne aur apna dukh halka karne, par waha toh Heer pehle hi apna dukh ek dushman ki bahon mein byan kar rahi thi.

Heer ko apni bahon mein thame Henry ko dekh Nooran gusse aur nafrat mein pagal hui ja rahi thi.

Use Henry ke haathon par sirf Shafaq aur apne bache ka khoon hi nahi balki har us insaan ka khoon nazar aa raha tha jo Jalianwala Bagh mein mara tha aur unki lashe baag mein gidh kha rahe the aur yahan ye log kaise apne rutbe ka istemal kar apne pariwar ko waha se utha laye the.

Us ek hadse ne us chulbuli si ladki ko mar diya tha aur jo reh gayii, woh to bas ek janooni thi jise kise bhi hal mein har Britisher ka khoon chahiye tha.

Usne kasam kha li thi apne mare hue bache ki aur Shafaq ki mohobbat ki ke is badle ki raah mein ab agar Heer bhi khadi milti hai, to Nooran ko usse hataane mein bhi koi kasak nahi hogi.

Wo Heer ko dhoondhti hui Lahore pohnch gayi par Heer Lahore nahi thi aur Gurbaksh use Kolkata le gaya apne sath jahan Nooran ne kuch mahino ke prashikshan ke baad bahut kuch sikha aur wo krantikariyo ki jasoos ban gayi.

Jab wo Lahore wapis lauti apne maksad ke sath, pehle toh usne bahut koshish ki Heer ko behla fusla kar Henry ko uske hathon se marwane ki.

Par Heer ne jitni bar inkar kiya utni baar Nooran ka yakeen pura hota gaya ke Heer ab badal chuki hai jab ke aisa kuch nahi tha bas Nooran ne jo kuch saha tha us se uska nazariya badal chuka tha.

Aur rahi sahi kasar Gurbaksh se ye pata chalne ke baad ke Siyalkot mein Henry ki goli ke nishane se usne Shafaq ko bachaya tha, uski nafrat ki aag mein aur ghee dal diya.

Ab bas use inteqam chahiye aur us inteqam ki rah mein jo aega wo Nooran ka dushman hai.

Jis ladki ke liye wo kabhi apni jaan bhi de dene ko taiyar rehti thi, usi Heer ko aaj wo sirf ek angrez ki patni ke roop mein dekhti hai.

"Wo Heer nahi rahi," Nooran ke dil ne usse samjha diya tha, "Wo ab Henry Caldwell ki begum hai. Ek aise insaan ki, jiski wardi ne meri god khali ki, mere Ammi Abbu cheene aur meri mohobbat ko mara.”

Uske liye ab Heer ki muskurahat tak ek khanjar ban gayi thi. Jab bhi usne Heer ko Henry ke saath khush dekha hai, uske seene par sanp lautte the.

Aur ab Heer ki sukhad garbhavastha Nooran ke apne bache ki maut ka tamasha lagti hai. Wahin Henry ki chhaya Heer ke sar par Nooran ko angaron si lagti hai.

Ab uske dil mein koi jhijhak nahi thi.

Agar Heer ko dukh de kar Henry ko chot pahuncha sakti hai, toh wo bilkul bhi hichkichae gi nahi; agar uske sapno ki jannat mein zeher ghol kar us angrez ke dil ko jala sakti hai, to Nooran us ahuti ke liye taiyaar thi.

Nooran woh andhi aandhi ban chuki thi jise ab sirf tabahi sukoon de sakti thi.

Par wo apna har kadam phonk phonk kar rakh rahi thi kyu ke Heer ke sar par saya sirf Henry ka hi nahi balki Gurbaksh ka bhi hai jo dur se hi Heer ki suraksha kayam rakhta hai. Usne Heer ko ab kisi bhi tareeke ke jokhim bhare kaam karne se bhi mana kar diya hai.

Par Gurbaksh ki ek galati ne Nooran ke liye raste khol diye hain.

Wo sarkari khjana jo ye log lutne wale the us ki suraksha ke liye Henry ki duty tainat hui thi par Gurbaksh ke paigam par Heer ne apni tabiyat kharab hone ka jhooth bol Henry ko chuti lene par majboor kar liya tha.

Ab Nooran ke haath turup ka ika lag chuka hai. Aisa moka jis ki use kab se talash thi. Isi baat par khush hote hue wo apne agle kadam ki aur badh rahi thi.

“Adab mere sarkar.” Nooran kamre mein gayi jahan koi uska intezar kar raha tha. “Kaise hain aap?” Nooran ne uske kareeb baithte hue pucha.

“These bloody revolutionaries have become a real nuisance; yesterday they looted our government treasury entirely. Since I was on duty, I’m the one being interrogated now. But tell me, what fault is it of mine in all this?” Usne apni wardi ke button kholte hue kaha. “If only I hadn’t been assigned duty at the last moment, if only the colonel’s wife hadn’t suddenly fallen ill, then none of this would have happened at all.”

Nooran uske aur kareeb aayi aur khud uske button kholne lagi. Uski aankhon mein aisi narmi thi jisme ek ajeeb si thandak chhupi thi, jaise zeher gulab mein lapeta gaya ho.

Usne dheere se uske kandhon par haath rakha, aur ek baar phir uske button suljhaane lagi.

"Aap jaisa zimmedaar afsar, itni badi chook? Ajeeb baat hai," Nooran ne halki muskurahat ke saath kaha, jaise mazaak kar rahi ho, par uski aankhon mein kuch aur hi chal raha tha.

Woh afsar kuch aur uski taraf khisak kar bola, "Those revolutionaries had planned everything very thoroughly. I don't think it would have been possible without some help from the inside."

Nooran ne use jaam ka ek gilas pakdaya aur apni ungli se uske uniform ka medal chhoo kar kaha, "Andar ki madad? Hmmmm... ho bhi sakta hai. Kabhi kabhi madad wardi mein hoti hai, aur kabhi wardi ke peechhe chhupi kisi aur niyat mein."

Woh afsar thoda chokha, "What do you mean?"

Nooran ne uski aankhon mein dekhte hue thoda haste hue kaha, "Sirf itna keh rahi hoon ke jo aadmi khajane ki duty se achanak chhutti le aur jab usi din khajana lootta jaye toh ya toh kismet ho sakti hai, ya phir koi samjhauta."

Us afsar ki bhavayein sikud gayin aur usne apne jam ka gilas samne rakhe mez par rkhte hue pucha, "Are you talking about a specific officer?"

Nooran ne apna sir halki si nakar mein hilaya, "Main toh sirf keh rahi hoon ke kuch log apne unche rutbe aur Rajneetik sambandhon ka faayda utha kar kaam se piche hat jaate hain, aur hum jaise masoom log unki galtiyon ki saza bhugat te hain."

Phir woh uske aur kareeb jhuki, uske seene par anguliyan chalaate hue dheere se fusfusa ke boli, "Aur aap jaise zimmedaar afsar unke liye bali ka bakra ban jaate hain."

Afsar ab uski baaton mein ghulne laga tha, par shanka uski aankhon mein dikhne lagi thi. Akhir yehi to wo chahti thi.

"You're saying that someone deliberately removed themselves from duty and left all of us stuck in that mess?"

Nooran ab uske bilkul kareeb thi, uski ungli uske hothon par aayi, "Shhh! Main kuch nahi keh rahi. Bas itna keh rahi hoon, kuch baatein boli nahi jaati bas mehsoos ki jaati hain." Nooran ne dheere se apna hath uske honthon se hata uske seene par le ayi.

Phir usne halki si muskan ke sath jhuk kar uske kaan mein kaha, "Aap jaise log aksar rajneeti ka shikar ban jaate hain aur kuch log apne vyaktigat aram ke liye dusron ki kurbani se apne mahal sajate hain."

Us afsar ke chehre par ek saaya sa chhane laga tha, wo naam nahi le rahi thi, par har teer ek hi nishane ki taraf ja raha tha aur wo afsar ye ache se samjh raha tha ke akhir wo ishara kis ki aur kar rahi hai.

Nooran ne uske haath apne kamar par rakh diye aur kehti chali gayi, "Aap jaise wafadar afsaron ke saath aisa bhedbhav hona anyay hai, mere sarkar. Shayad waqt aagaya hai ki aap bhi thoda soch samajh kar apni wafadari jagah-jagah na baant kar sirf un tak simit karein jo uske laayak ho."

Woh afsar ab uske nashe mein doob chuka tha; shaq aur Nooran ke sulagne wale sparsh ka asar us par puri tarah se ho chuka tha.

Aur Nooran?

Woh to sirf uske kaano mein zeher ghol rahi thi aur Henry ka naam liye bina us par har shaq ka teer chala chuki thi.

“I’ll see for myself who truly deserves my loyalty. For now, you show me yours.” Aur inta keh usne Nooran ko apni bahon mein jakad liya.

Uski aankhon mein ab bas ek pyaas thi jise use bujhana tha aur wo Nooran ka jism hi bujha skta tha.

Wo use utha kar bistar par le gaya aur Nooran ki choodiyon ki khankhar ke sath sath uski sanse bhi ghul gayi.

Wo Nooran ke jism ke nashe mein duba hua tha aur Nooran ke honton par sirf ek vijay ki muskan thi.

Ab jung sirf zameen ki nahi rahi thi, dilon, yaadon, inteqam aur wafadariyon ki bhi thi, aur Nooran ne wo pehla patthar chala diya tha.

Ab wo Nooran ko apne agosh mein liye uske reshmi balon ko sehla raha tha aur wo gehri saanse le rahi thi par ek pal ke liye bhi usne us afsar ke zehn mein zehar gholna band nahi kiya tha.

Nooran ke lafzon mein ab sirf shararat nahi, ek visheli chaal chhupi thi. Uska har andaaz, har muskurahat, har nazar us afsar ke zehan mein shaq ka beej bone ke liye tha, aur wo beej ab jam chuka tha.

Woh afsar, jiski aankhon mein pehle Henry ke liye izzat hua karti thi, ab sankoch aur shak saaf dikh raha tha. Nooran jaanti thi usne apna kaam bakhubi kar diya hai.

Agle kuch dinon mein woh afsar khud Henry Caldwell ke khilaaf saboot talash karega jo wo khud paida karegi aur tab milega use sukoon.

Ab ye afsar uske isharon mein hai aur bas wahi to Nooran chahti thi, ek aisi andaruni chingari jo angrezon ke hi gumbad ko andar se dhwast kar de.

Heer ka to sirf dil toote, lekin Henry Caldwell ka karkidari, uska rutba, uska sab kuch usi ke logon ke haathon se mitti mein mil jaye.

Nooran ke dil mein ab shanti thi, thodi der ke liye hi sahi. Usne ek bada kadam uthaya tha apne Shafaq se bewafai kar kisi aur ko use chune ka haq diya tha, par ye sab usi Shafaq ki maut ka badla lene ke liye tha.

Ab bas use jald se jald apna agla kadam uthana hai.

Nooran ne us afsar ke haathon mein jaam ka doosra gilas thamaya aur khud apni chaadar theek karte hue uthti hai, jaise kuch bhi na hua ho.

"Main chali, sarkar. Dubara jald mulakat hogi." Usne kaha, ek nazar uski aankhon mein dalte hue.

“Stay with me, just until morning.” us afsar ne uska hath pakad apni aur khinchte hue kha.

“Apki begum uth jayengi.” Nooran ne halki si muskurahat ke sath apna hath uske hath se khinchte hue kaha aur waha se nikal aayi.

Woh afsar ab bhi uske jaane ke baad chup tha. Jaise koi tez toofan uske dimaag mein goonj raha ho.

Wahi dusri aur Nooran to muskurati hui andheron mein kho gayi, lekin uske kadmon ki aahat Lahore ke neev mein ek nayi tabahi ka sur ban chuki thi.

Bisat to wo kab ki bichai baithi thi ab Henry ke khilaf pehla mohra chaal chal chuka tha.

Ab bas deri hai to pura khel palatne ki jo ab wo Radha ke zariye churai hui gupt jankari se karegi.

Kuch dino baad sab sathi Rawalpindi mein mile aur Nooran ke kahe mutabiq Radhe ne ek kagaz Gurbaksh ke haath mein diya.

“Ye kya hai?” Gurbaksh ne pucha.

“Gaddaron ke naam.” Radha ne kaha. “Ye sab hukumat ke jasoos hai jo hum Krantikari bhai behno ko dhoka de rahe hai.”

“Kaha se aaye ye naam?” Farooq ne pucha.

“Heer jiji ne Colonel ki kisi file se chura kar diye hai.” Radha ne jhooth bola.

Gurbaksh ne us panne ki likhawat ko gaur se dekha. Yakeenan wo Heer ki hi likhawat thi. Jise wo ache se pehchanta hai par wo ye nahi janta tha ke asal mein ye likhawat Radha ki hai jo ke kisi ki bi likhawat ki hoobahu nakal utar skti thi.

“Pata lagao in sab gaddaron ka aur dur dur tak apne saathiyon tak ye pegaam faila do taki hum in badzat kido ko masal sake.” Jenab Bibi ne gusse mein apne dant kiste hue kaha, aur sab ab is naye kaam mein lag gaye jo shayad unhe bahut pehle kar dena chahiye tha.

Nooran ki khushi ka toh koi thikana hi nahi tha. Teer sidha wahi ja kar laga tha jahan wo chahti thi.

Kuch hi dino mein pehla jasoos mila aur use khud Gurbaksh ne apne hathon se mara.

Kuch hi dino mein… 

Jab ek ek kar ke kai jasoos alag-alag jagahon par mare jaane lage, toh angrez fauj mein halchal mach gayi. Har maut ke saath kuch raaz chhup jaate, par kuch nishaan chhod jaate the, aise nishaan jo sirf ek baat ki taraf ishara karte the ke andar hi koi gaddar hai aur woh shaq aake thama, Henry Caldwell par.

Kyun?

Kyu ke jasooson ke naam ke dastavej uske ilawa kisi aur ke pass nahi the.

Aur us se bhi badi baat uski Heer se shadi to use kisi bhi shaq ke dayre mein bahut aasani se le aai thi.

Woh afsar, jise Nooran ne zehar ke jaam pilaye the, ab chhup chhup ke Henry ki har harkat par nazar rakh raha tha. Usne apne upar ke adhikaarion ko bhi Henry ke upar shaq karne par majboor kar diya.

Khajane ki chori ki tehkikat ki commission mein Henry se bakhayda swal jawab bhi hue aur us par bhi inquiry bithai gayi kyun ke jasooson ke naam ki file sirf uske pass thi toh shak to us par yakeenan banta tha.

“Colonel Caldwell, can you tell us how it happened that on the very day the treasury was looted, your wife’s health suddenly took such a serious turn?"

“Sir, my wife is pregnant, and in such a condition, illness doesn’t write a letter in advance to inform us that it's about to come at a specific time.” Henry ne badi hi narmi se jawab diya.

“Your wife is of Indian origin. Her past connections are our matter of concern.” Ek senior afsar ne kaha.

Yeh sunkar Henry ka rang ud gaya. Heer ka naam aate hi uski aankhon mein aag si bhadak uthi.

“Then just because she is an Indian, you are accusing me of something that I haven't done is utterly ridiculous.” Henry ne kha.

“We’re questioning the pattern, Colonel. Everything happened with such perfect timing, all too suddenly, and now, one by one, our own men are dying. Your sanctioned leave, your proximity to highly confidential documents, and, let’s not forget, the file containing our informants’ details only you had access to it. Then how did it end up in someone else’s hands? All of this looks suspicious.”

“That file never reached anyone else apart from me, and as for my loyalty, my father laid down his life serving this very Crown. Do you really think I, his son, could betray the same empire? If so, then that speaks volumes about your disgraceful assumptions, not my actions.” Henry ne apni chaturai aur sooj bujh se har jwab yun diya ke samne wale ke pass kuch raha bolne ko.

Kyu ke Henry bilkul nirdosh tha aur usne apni begunahi ke sare saboot bhi pesh kiye. Heer ke doctor ko bulaya gaya jisne byan diya ke wo sach mein gambhir roop se bimar thi.

Use yakeen hi nahi ho raha tha ke jis fauj mein usne apna khoon paseena bahaaya, aaj wahi us par shaq kar rahi hai. Par wo chup nahi raha.

“And who’s to say the file wasn’t leaked before it ever came into my hands? What proof do you have that it wasn’t already compromised before I even touched it?”

Wo file jisme jasooson ke naam the wo bhi pesh ki gayi ke wo kabhi Henry ke alawa kisi aur ke pass nahi gayi.

“As for proving my innocence, I’ll do it not with words, but by clearing the stain on my uniform. I will hunt down these revolutionaries, and I will expose the traitor hiding within. You have my word.” Is ek wade ke sath Henry ne apna paksh rakha aur inquiry mein uske khilaf kuch nhi mila to wo baat age nahi badhi.

Par ab sab kuch sirf vichar aur ilzaam tak nahi raha. Us afsar ne, jo Nooran ke vash mein aa chuka tha, ek secret report file ki, jisme kaha gaya tha ki Henry Caldwell ki wafadari ab questionable hai aur use temporarily investigation ke daayre mein laaya jaana chahiye.

Henry ko yun toh ilzamo se riha kar diya gaya par gupt taur par uspar nigrani rakhi jane lagi.

Wahi dusri aur Henry ne faisla kar liya tha ki wo apne upar lage har ilzaam ko khud hi mitayega. Ab wo khud nikal pada tha un krantikariyon ki talash mein, jinke saath uska naam joda ja raha tha.

Par wo kha janta tha ke ye talash kha le jaegi use aur uske liye age kya intezar kar raha hai.