Heer

"Tu theek ta hai na, puttar? (Beta, tum theek toh ho na?)” Bebe ne mera sar pyaar se sehlate hue pucha. Unki awaaz mein chinta saaf jhalak rahi thi.

Maine dheere se haan mein sir hila diya aur unki godh mein sar rakh liya. Main jaanti thi unki fikr ka kaaran kya hai, par main unhe bata bhi nahi sakti thi ki hamare beech aisa kuch hua hi nahi.

Bebe ne hi toh samjhaya tha ki shaadi ke baad apne ghar ki kuch baatein kisi se nahi kiya karte. Aur jab woh insaan, jo mera dushman hai, meri izzat apne naukron ke saamne rakhne ke liye saari raat kursi par bitha sakta hai... toh main kya apni maa ke saamne dikhawa nahi kar sakti?

"Zyada dard ta ni hoya na, puttar? (Zyada dard toh nahi hua na, beta?)” Maa ne hichkichate hue pucha.

"Nahi." Maine dheemi si awaaz mein jhooth bol diya.

"Kuch khaegi?" Bebe ne pucha.

"Nahi, khaa ke aayi aan. Dupehre hi khaangi hun thode naal. (Nahi, nashta kar ke aayi hoon. Bas dopahar mein aap sab ke saath hi khaungi.)” Maine jawab diya.

Haan, subah jab maine unhe roka tha ijaazat ke liye, tabhi Bappu ji bhi aa gaye the mujhe le jaane ke liye, toh mujhe kuch poochne ki zaroorat hi nahi padi.

Bappu ji ne khud hi mujhe saath le jaane ki ijaazat maang li, unhein rasmein samjhate hue. Aur Henry ne turant haan kar di, bina kisi chhoti-badi riwaayat ki parwaah kiye.

"Bhaine! Chal na mere naal khed le. (Behen! Chalo na mere saath khelo.)” Sahib bhaagta hua kamre mein aaya aur mere saath khelne ki zid karne laga.

Sahib ke nanhe pairon ki thap-thap aur uske bechain haath meri chuni kheenchne lage. Uski aankhein umeed se chamak rahi thi, jaise bas ab main uth kar uske saath dodne lagungi jaise ke hamesha dodha karti thi.

Main muskurai bhi nahi thi ki maa ki sakht awaaz ne humein rok diya. "Sahib, tu apni bhehn nu tang na kar. Oh, thakki hoyi hai. (Sahib, apni behen ko tang mat kar. Woh thak gayi hai.)”

Sahib ke chhote se chehre par pehle uljhan aayi, phir naraazgi. Usne apni gol-gol aankhon se mujhe dekha, jaise keh raha ho ki main uski taraf hoon, par main chup rahi.

"Par tai ji, Heer bhain hamesha mere naal khed di si! (Par tai ji, Heer behen toh hamesha mere saath khelti thi!)” Usne masoomi mein kaha.

Maa ne gehri saans li aur pyar bhari narmi se uska sar thaam liya. "Puttar, hun teri bhain parayi ho gayi hai. (Beta, ab teri behen parayi ho gayi hai.)”

Sahib ne badi masoomiyat se maa ki baat samajhne ki koshish ki, par uski chhoti si soch is naye sach ko poori tarah apnane ko tayar nahi thi.

"Par oh te hun bi ghar aayi hai na? (Par woh toh abhi bhi ghar aayi hai na?)” Sahib ne pucha lekin Maa aur Sahib ki batein sun mera dil baithta ja raha tha.

Maa ki aankhon mein ek pal ke liye dukh chhupkar ubhra. Unhone pyaar se Sahib ke galo ko chuma aur dheere se samjhaya, "Haan, aayi hai. Par ab woh jitni der bhi rahe, mehmaan hai. Use aaram karan de, puttar."

Maa ki baat sunte hi, ek ajeeb si kasak mere andar bhi jaag gayi. Mehmaan?

Main toh yahan paida hui thi. Yahin khelti thi, yahin hans-ti thi. Yeh ghar toh mera tha… Phir ab kyun mehsoos ho raha tha jaise main yahan sirf kuch waqt ke liye hoon?

Sahib ne udaas hokar mujhe dekha, jaise meri taraf se koi tasalli chahta ho. Maine apni ungli uske haath mein fasa di.

"Main tere nal khedagi, Sahib. Bas thodi der baad." (Main tere saath kheloongi, Sahib. Bas thodi der baad.)

Uske chhote chhote haath ne meri ungli aur zor se pakad li, jaise darr raha ho ki main sach mein dur na ho jaun.

Aur shayad, main bhi yahi mehsoos kar rahi thi.

Isse pehle ke Sahib fir se zid kar pata Nooran aa gai mujhse milne.

Maa Sahib ko lekar kamre se bahr chali gai taki hum dono saheliyan kuch batein kar sake.

Maa ke bahr jate hi Nooran ne mera hath apne hath mein thama aur Maa ki tarah chinta mein wahi sawal puche aur na jaane kyun maine apni paki saheli se bhi jhooth bol diya.

Nooran ne age kuch pucha nahi, warna mein aur jhooth shayad na bol pati use.

“Ab se tu toh party meeting mein nahi aa sakegi toh mein tujhe tere hi milne aa jaya karungi sab khair saar dene lekin Lieutenant Colonel mujhe tujhse milne ki ijazat to de dega na?” Nooran ne pucha.

“Haa, wo inkar kyu karega bhala? Aur waise bhi usne mujhe kahin ane jane se to roka nahi hai, toh mein library ati rahungi.” Maine use ashwasan diya.

“Sach?” Nooran ne hairani mein pucha aur sach bataun to iss baat ko maine itni sanjeedgi se liya nahi tha, ab mujhe bhi hairani to ho rahi hai.

Bhala, wo mujhe yun ghoomne firne ki ijazat kaise de raha hai? Jaki yahan ke log to shadi ke baad ladki ko ghar se bahr paun bina ijazat ke jane nahi dete.

“Haan.” Maine dheere se jawab diya. “Main jald hi library aaungi.”

“Haa, theek hai. Vishav yudh khatam hone ke baad ab umeed hai ke jald humari mange puri hongi.” Nooran ne kaha aur maine bhi Khushi se haan mein sar hilaya. “Inshallah hum bahut jald Kamyab honge.”

Nooran ki aankhon mein ek chamak thi, ek umeed jo maine pehle bhi dekhi thi—hamesha dekhti aayi thi. Wo sirf meri saheli nahi thi, ek sapna dekhne wali ladki thi, jo azadi ke khwab bunti thi. Aur uske sapne mere sapne bhi toh the.

Main kuch kehne hi wali thi ki Bebe ki awaaz sunai di, "Heer puttar, tu zara bahar aa, tere Bappu ji tenu bula rahe ne! (Heer beta, zara bahar aao, tumhare bapu ji tumhe bula rahe hai!"

Mera dil ek pal ke liye tez dhadak gaya. Abhi toh aayi hoon, itni jaldi wapas jaane ki baat kyun ho rahi hai?

Nooran ne bhi meri bechaini mehsoos karli. Usne mera haath zor se daba diya, jaise keh rahi ho ki himmat rakh.

Main dheere se uth khadi hui aur darwaze ki taraf badh gayi. Dil mein ek ajeeb si khalish thi. Par jo bhi ho, mujhe jaana toh padega hi.

“Ji, Bappu ji!” Maine bahar angan mein aate hue pucha.

“Puttar, kuch khaya?” Unhone ne pyar se apne paas bithate hue pucha.

“Nahi, thoda hi intezar kar rahi si. (Nahi, aap hi ka intezar kar rahi thi.)” Maine muskurate hue jawab diya.

“Eh ta changa ho gaya hun main meri dhee rani nal hi roti kahawa ga. (Yeh to acha ho gaya ab main apni bitiya rani ke sath hi khana khaunga.)” Bappu ji ne haste hue kaha aur meri Muskan aur badi ho gayi.

Nooran jane hi wali thi ke usse jata dekh Bappu ji ne use hamare sath khana khane ke liye kaha lekin usne kaha use ghar jaldi jaana hai toh wo chali gayi.

Hum sab ne sath mein dupehr ka khana khaya, aur Bebe ne sara mera pasand ka khana bnaya tha.

Khana khane ke baad Sahib mujhe khelne ke liye khinch kar le gaya aur hum dono angan mein khelne lage.

Khelte khelte kab shaam ho gayi pata hi nahi chala. Sahib khilkhilata sare Ghar mein dodh raha tha aur mein uske piche use pakadne ke liye.

“Sahib! Hun ni tu bachda. (Ab tu gaya.)” Main uske piche bhaag rahi thi ke tabhi achanak se kisi se takra gayi.

Maine mud kar dekha toh wo khada tha Bappu ji ke sath aur mein abhi abhi usi se takrai thi. Bappu ji ka chehra dekh main thoda seham gayi kyu ke unka chehra sakht tha meri harkat se bilkul bhi khush nahi.

Maine turant apne sar par dupata liya aur isse pehle Bappu ji kuch keh sakte hain, main waha se bhaag gayi aur apne kamre mein jaa chupi.

Uske chehre par halki si muskan thi jaise ke pata nahi kya hi mil gaya ho. Ye insaan itna ajeeb kyu hai?

Haye Rabba!

Ye kaise admi ke palle bandh diya hai apne mujhe. Main apne khayalon mein khoi thi ke tabhi Bebe ji mere kamre mein aa gayi.

“Heer! Chal taiyari kar jaan di tera prauna tenu lain aya. (Chalo jane ki taiyari karo, tumhara Pati tumhe lene aya hai.)”

Bebe ji ki batein sun. Mera dil tham gaya. Haa jana to tha hi par itni jaldi kyu? Abhi to mera maan bhi nahi bahara tha aur ab jaana bhi hai.

Jane ki baat sunte hi meri akhein bhar aai aur ye dekh Bebe ji bhi akhein bhar aai. Unhone ne mujhe apni bahon bhar liya aur kaha, “Putter, eh ta duniya da dastoor hai. Hun tera ghar Henry nal hai. (Beta, ye to duniya ka dastoor hai. Ab tera ghar Henry ke sath hai.)”

“Kyu Bebe ji?” Maine unki bahon mein subkte hue pucha.

“Puttar khush ta main vi nahi si is rishte toon par tere Bappu ji nu bndeya di kini pehchan hai eh ta tu vi jandi hai. Te unha ne tere layi jeevansathi heera lbhya puttar. Eh gal main vi kal hi samjh saki aan. Bahut changa insaan hai Henry. Baki angrez afsran warga nahi hai. Usne daaj di panji ni lai puttar. Tera piyo kehnda reh gaya par us admi ne keha ‘mainu sirf Heer chahidi hai hor kuch nahi.’. (Beta, khush toh main bhi nahi thi is rishte se, par tere Bappu ji ko logon ki pehchan kitni gehri hai, yeh toh tu bhi jaanti hai. Aur unhone tere liye ek heere jaisa jeevansathi dhunda hai, beta. Yeh baat main bhi kal hi samajh pai hoon. Bahut accha insaan hai Henry—baaki angrez afsaron jaisa nahi hai. Usne daaj ka ek paisa bhi nahi liya, beta. Tera baap kehata reh gaya, par us aadmi ne kaha, ‘Mujhe sirf Heer chahiye, aur kuch nahi.’)”

Bebe ki baton ne mujhe hairan kar diya. Kya sach mein Henry ne dahej nahi liya? Par aisa kaise ho sakta hai? Ye angrez to lutere hai, bhala Usne ye moka kaise chod diya?

“Putter, ek gal hamesha yaad rakhi. Jis admi ne tere baap di izzat rakhan lai apne baap da sog nahi manaya tu usdi izzat te kade aanch na aa dai meri dhee. (Beta, ek baat hamesha yaad rakhna. Jis aadmi ne tere baap ki izzat banaye rakhne ke liye apne baap ka sog tak nahi manaya, tu uski izzat par kabhi aanch na aane dena, meri beti.)"

Bebe ki iss baat ne to mujhe sunn hi kar diya. Baap! Sog! Ye Bebe kya bol rahi hai mujhe to kuch samjh hi nahi aa raha.

“Bebe ki keh rahe ho? (Bebe kya kehne ki koshish kar rahi hai aap?)” Maine hairani mein pucha.

“Tenu ni pata? Henry da piyo ladai ch marya gaya te usnu eh khabar kal savere thode viyah to pehla hi mili si. Oh, fir v barat leke aya te tenu dasya tak nahi. Dekh teri zindagi di navi shuruwat lai oh apna gham chupa gaya puttar. Oh wakey ek changa insaan hai. (Tujhe nahi maloom? Henry ka baap ladaai mein maara gaya tha, aur usse yeh khabar kal subah, tumhari shadi se pehle hi mil chuki thi. Phir bhi, woh baraat le kar aaya aur tujhe bataya tak nahi. Dekh, teri zindagi ki nayi shuruaat ke liye usne apna gham chhupa liya, puttar. Woh waqai ek accha insaan hai.)” Bebe ne mujhe samjhaya aur bahr le aai.

Lekin mere dil mein to ek nai hi jang chid gayi thi. Kal raat jo kuch hua wo aur jo mujhe ab pata chala woh.

Kaise wo itni badi baat hone ke bawjood bhi itna shant tha aur mere bare mein soch raha tha?

Mujhe nahi maloom main kab bebe ke sath bahr aai aur jab hum bahr aae toh wo apni motor gadi ke paas khada mera hi intezar kar raha tha. Sahib uske andar baitha khel raha tha jo ke hairan karne wali baat thi kyun ke ye gore kisi ko bhi apni motor ke aas paas bhatkane jo nahi dete.

Meri nazar us par gayi, jo shaant khada tha, jaise kisi bhi jaldi mein na ho. Uska chehra hamesha ki tarah thehraav bhara tha, lekin ab jo mujhe pata chala tha—uske baap ki maut aur uska dukh—maine uske chehre ko ek naye nazariye se dekhna shuru kar diya.

Kya sach mein itna bada gham apne andar daba sakta hai koi? Aur wo bhi itni asaani se, bina kisi shikayat ke?

“Chal puttar.” Bebe ne mera hath thaam kar ek baar fir mujhe apne sine se lagaya, jaise meri yaad apne dil mein sama rahi ho. Phir mujhe dheere se alag kar diya.

Bappu ji ne mere sar par hath rakh mujhe ashirwad diya.

Main dheere kadam badhati us motor gadi tak gayi. Sahib mujhe dekhte hi khush ho gaya aur zor se cheekh pada, "Bhaine! Main tere naal chal sakda?" (Behen! Main tumhare saath chal sakta hoon?)"

Bebe ne turant uska hath pakad liya. "Nahi puttar, tu ure hi rahega. Heer hun apne ghar ja rahi hai. (Nahi beta, tu yahin rahega. Heer to apne ghar jaa rahi hai.)"

Sahib ne naraaz ho kar apni chhoti chhoti mutthiyan band kar li, "Par oh ta keh rahi si ke oh mehmaan nahi hai! (Par woh toh keh rahi thi ke woh mehmaan nahi hai!)"

Mujhe ek pal ke liye samajh nahi aaya ke kya kahun. Maa ki baat bhi sach thi, aur Sahib ki bhi.

Meri uljhan jaise usne bhi mehsoos kar li. Henry ne ek gehri nazar mujh par daali, phir Sahib ki taraf jhuka. "You may visit Heer whenever you wish." Usne itminaan se kaha.

Bebe ne use gusse se dekha, jaise kehna chahti ho, shadi ke baad ladki ka ghar bas uska sasural hota hai, par Henry ke lafzon ne Sahib ke chhote se dil mein khushi bhar di thi.

Usne khushi se mujhe dekha, "Sach, bhaine? Main aa sakda?" (Sach behen? Main aa sakta hoon?)"

Maine dheere se muskurate hue sir hila diya. "Haan, tu jado chahe aa sakda hai. (Haan, jab chahe tab aa sakta hai.)"

Sahib khush ho gaya. Bebe ne kuch kehna chaha, par Bappu ji ne unke kandhe par haath rakh diya, jaise keh rahe ho, rehne de.

Henry ne apna haath badhaya, mujhe gadi mein baithne ke liye. Maine hichkichate hue apna hath uske haath mein diya.

Mujhe laga, jaise ek baar fir ek daira band ho raha hai, aur ek naya raasta shuru ho raha hai.

Main apne bapu ji, bebe aur Sahib ko ek pal ke liye dekhti rahi, jaise unki yaad apni aankhon mein samet rahi hoon. Phir main dheere se gadi ke andar baith gayi aur Henry ne use chalana shuru kar diya.

Peechhe mud kar dekha, to Sahib haath hila raha tha, Bebe ki aankhon mein aansu the, aur Bappu ji ke chehre par sirf ek shaant si tasalli thi.

Henry ki aur dekha toh, Henry mujhe hi dekh raha tha.

Uski aankhon mein ek ajeeb si gehraayi thi, jaise wo mujhe padne ki koshish kar raha ho.

Aur main?

Main bas ek aur sawal ke jawab dhoondh rahi thi.

Kya ye aadmi waqai mera dushman hai?

Hum ghar pohnch gaye aur main apne kamre mein aa gayi. Raat ka khana maine akele hi kiya kyu ke unhe kisi zaruri kaam se General ke ghar jana pada.

Mere paas karne ke liye kuch bhi nahi tha par dimag mein sekhdo batein chal rahi thi.

Sabse bada sawal to yehi ke kya sach mein itna soch sakta hai ya fir ye sirf bas dikhawa hai?

Yehi sab sochte sochte kab meri aankh lag gayi mujhe pata hi nahi chala.

Agli subha jab akh khuli to dekha Henry usi kursi par so raha tha aaj bhi.

Main taiyar hokar jab niche aai aur table par rakhi wo kitab dekh padhne ka maan to hua par mere ahankar ne mujhe us kitab ki chune nahi diya.

Library se ye kitab mere hath se cheen kar Shafaq bhaijaan ne di thi isse aur to nahi padhungi isse.

“Good morning, Princess.”

Peeche se awaz aai aur main achanak se chonk gayi.

Ye insaan akhir mujhe mere naam se kyun nahi pukarta? Itna acha to naam hai mera ‘Heer’

Bhala Use lene mein kya hi dikat hai iss insaan ko?

“Good morning.” Maine jawab diya.

Nashta karne jab hum baithe to Henry ki gardan mein kuch dikkat thi. Wo dard mein tha par zahir hi nahi hone de raha tha.

Dard to hoga hi akhir kursi par jo so raha hai.

Humara nashta aa gaya aur hum dono shanti mein nashta karne lage.

Dil keh raha tha ke isse iske pita ka afsos karlu par dimag keh raha tha ke wo bhi to ek dushman hi tha.

Aur dimag dil par havi ho gaya. Maine kuch nahi kaha.

Nashte ke baad wo daftar chala gaya aur main library. Bahut si batein hui lekin Gurbaksh Singh ki nazrein mujhe bechain kar rahi thi.

Wo ek tak mujhe hi dekhe ja raha the jaise ki maine usse koi bewafai kar di ho par maine to aaj tak use koi umeed bhi nahi di toh ye aise kyu bartow kar raha hai?

Kuch sathiyon ko mera ana pasand nahi aya kyu ke ab mein ek angrez ki Biwi jo hun or jin ko koi apati nahi thi unhein sirf isi baat se matlab tha ke ab se main unhe British sarkar ki fauj ke raaz jo btaungi.

Library se nikalne par ghar pohnchi to Iqbal chaha aur Henry baithak mein kuch baat kar rahe the, lekin mujhe dekh dono chup ho gaye.

Aakhir kya baat kar rahe honge?

Mujhe dabe paun ana chahiya tha to kash kuch khabar hi mil jati.

Henry ne haath se isahata kiya aur Iqbal chacha chup chap bahr chale gaye.

"How was your day? It seems like you visited the library after a long time." Henry ne muskurate hue pucha mere haath mein kitaben dekh.

“Ji.” Maine bas itna hi jawab diya.

"I have a small library in my study as well. There are a few books there—you can read them whenever you like." Usne kaha aur mera to rom rom nach utha.

Aakhir yehi to chahti thi main. Iski study mein bina kisi rukawat ke iski study mein jana aur raaz chori karna.

Raat ka khana khane ke baad jab hum dono kamre mein aae to Henry ne wahi kitab mujhe dena chaha jo main aaj subha dekh rahi thi, "Here, read it. You wanted to read it, didn’t you?"

“Ab koi incha nahi hai.” Maine jawab diya aur let gai.

"Alright, don’t read it if you don’t want to. But I liked this book so much that I’ll read it a second time as well." Ye keh kar wo usi kursi par baith gaye aur kitab ko zor se bol kar padhne lage.

Rabba!

Maine padhne se mana kiya to ab ye admi mere liye padhne laga ye kitab.

“Mujhe nahi padhni….”

Unhone mujhe tokte hue kaha. "Alright, don’t read it, but at least let me read in peace.”

Yeh keh kar wo zor zor se padhta raha jab tak main so nahi gai.

I know the chapter was short because I planned more in this chapter but I am so tired and sleepy that I am posting a short chapter

And I have decided to increase a few chapters. Obviously if I write less then the chapters will increase.

Good night