Shehar ke puranay hissay mein aik haveli thi jis ka naam kisi ko yaad nahi tha.
Log usey naam se nahi, isharay se pehchantay thay.
“Woh wali,” kehte thay.
“Jo khari hai… magar zinda nahi.”
Din ke waqt haveli sirf purani lagti thi. Utri hui deewarein, chhat ke neechay jamay hue saaye, aur khirkiyan jin ke sheeshay hamesha andar se gande lagtay. Magar raat ko… raat ko woh haveli kuch aur ban jaati.
Log kehte thay raat ke teesray pehar us haveli ki khirkiyon mein roshni jalti hai. Kabhi kabhi sirf aik khirki mein. Kabhi kabhi do mein. Aur jo shakhs bohot dair tak us roshni ko dekhta rehta… woh phir theek nahi rehta.
Is darr ki shuruaat aik waqiya tha.
Barson pehle aik naujawan ladka raat ko shortcut lete hue us haveli ke paas se guzra. Subah uski laash gali ke mor par mili. Jism par koi zakhm nahi tha. Chehra bilkul sakoon mein tha—
uske hont par halki si muskurahat thi.
Jaise kisi ne usey galay laga kar sula diya ho.
Us raat ke baad logon ne qiyas-araaiyan shuru kar dein.
Koi kehta woh haveli bhoton ka garh hai.
Koi kehta raat ko koi aurat khirki se awaaz deti hai.
Koi kehta jo palat kar dekh le… woh wapas nahi aata.
Par aik baat par sab ko yaqeen ho gaya tha—
ke woh haveli kisi buray saaye ke qabzay mein hai.
Woh bus se utra tha jab subah ki dhoop abhi naram thi. Asad ne apna bag kandhe par theek kiya. Zyada wazni nahi tha—kuch kapray, aik purani diary, aur kuch aise sawal jo woh apne peeche chhor aaya tha.
Usay kamray ki zarurat thi.
Sasti jagah.
Sawal kam hon.
Is liye jab usne usi haveli ke bilkul saamne wala ghar dekha, usne zyada socha nahi.
Makaan maalik ne chaabi dete hue aik pal ke liye usey dekha.
“Raat ko khirki band rakha karein,” usne kaha.
Asad ne muskurate hue sirf sir hila diya.
Pehli raat, sab kuch khamosh tha.
Phir usne dekha.
Raat ke qareeb do bajay thay jab Asad ne be-iradah khirki ki taraf dekha.
Haveli ki upar wali manzil par aik khirki roshan thi.
Aur us roshni ke bilkul qareeb…
woh khari thi.
Safed libaas. Be-had saada. Jaise kisi aur waqt se uth kar aa gayi ho. Uski rangat chandni jaisi thi—lekin thandi. Baal kaalay, bohot lambay, bilkul seedhay. Ajeeb baat yeh thi ke hawa chal rahi thi… magar uske baal hile nahi.
Uski aankhen gehri siyaah thin, jo roshni wapas nahi kar rahi thin. Jaise andhera un mein jama ho.
Asad ka dil zor se dharka.
“Yeh wahi hai,” uske zehan mein aaya.
“Log theek kehte thay.”
Us raat uski neend urr gayi.
Kabhi lagta koi khirki ke paas khara hai.
Kabhi uske kaanon mein uska naam goonjta, jaise koi usey pukar raha ho.
Aur phir kamray ki light khud-ba-khud band ho gayi.
Phir darwazay par halki si thap-thap hui.
Subah hone par hi uski jaan mein jaan aayi,
aur woh so gaya.
Jab aankh khuli to dopehar ke teen baj rahe thay.
Woh utha. Usey bhook lag rahi thi. Woh khana khanay bahar chala gaya.
Khane ke dhaabay par malik sahab ne usey ghour se dekha.
“Tum wahi ho na… jo haveli ke paas rehtay ho?”
Asad ne haan mein sir hila diya.
Malik sahab ke chehre par khauf ke asaar aa gaye.
“Shaam ko khirki band rakhna,” usne dheemi awaaz mein kaha.
“Warna… woh aa jaye gi.”
Asad ke haath kaanp gaye.
Woh jahan bhi jata, log usey us haveli ke baray mein ajeeb ajeeb baatein batate.
Kisi ne kaha:
“Wahan koi tantrik rehta tha jo apne jaadu se kaali roohain bulata tha.”
Koi kehta:
“Wahan kaale jaadu ka asar hai.”
Asad din bhar ajeeb aur khaufnaak qissay kahaniyan sunta raha.
Us raat Asad ka ghar jaanay ka dil nahi tha. Magar jaana para.
Woh khirki ke paas se nazar jhukaye guzra.
Woh jaldi se sona chahta tha.
Usne ghar ki koi light band nahi ki, aur sone ke liye let gaya.
Ke achanak…
Aik awaaz aayi.
Sureeli, narm, madham si awaaz.
Aisi jaise kisi ne uske kaan ke bilkul qareeb pukara ho.
Us awaaz mein kashish thi.
Asad khud ko rok na saka.
Woh khirki ke paas gaya aur darte darte khirki ka parda hata diya.
Woh samne khari thi.
Is dafa aur zyada khoobsurat.
Jaise kaali raat mein poora chaand.
Asad ne saans li.
Usne Asad ki taraf dekha.
Uski thaki hui aankhen.
Be-tarteeb kaalay baal jo maathay par gir aaye thay.
Gehri gandumi rangat, jis par shehar ki dhool aur raaton ki neend ki kami saaf likhi thi.
Hont sukhe hue. Jaw par halki si be-tarteebi.
Woh dono aik doosray ke saamne thay.
Woh muskurayi.
Aur us pal Asad ko mehsoos hua…
ke yeh mulaqat nahi hai.
Yeh pehchaan hai.
Aur kahin na kahin…
yeh pehli dafa nahi ho rahi.
Asad us raat aik ajeeb kashmakash mein raha.
Dil ke aik kone mein khauf tha—khamosh, gehra, bina awaaz ke.
Aur doosray kone mein lagao—aisa lagao jo logic ko dheere dheere kha jata hai.
Usay lagne laga tha ke shayad woh koi bhoot nahi…
sirf aik tanha larki hai.
Shayad kisi ne usey chhor diya ho.
Shayad woh kisi ke intezaar mein wahin reh gayi ho.
Magar phir sawal uthta tha:
agar woh zinda thi… toh sirf raat ko hi kyun?
Agli subah Asad ne shehar mein pooch-gach shuru ki.
Woh aik aik shakhs ke paas gaya—
chai ki dukaan, sabzi mandi, gali ke kone par baithay buzurg.
Har kisi se usi aik haveli ka zikar kiya.
“Wahan kaun rehta hai?”
Jawab hamesha aik jaisa hota.
“Haveli?”
“Woh toh pichlay kai sau salon se khaali hai.”
Har martaba yeh jumla Asad ke seene mein chubhta.
Usay yaqeen nahi aa raha tha.
Magar woh raat ka poora waqiya batate hue ghabra jata—
kahin log usey pagal na samajh lein.
Dopehar ko woh chai ki aik chhoti si dukaan par baith gaya.
Cup se uthti hui bhaap uski aankhon ke samne dhund si bana rahi thi.
Zehan sawalon se bhara tha—
magar jawab kahin nahi thay.
“Asad, kaise ho?”
Shakeel ki awaaz ne usey gehri soch se jaga diya.
Kandhay par haath rakha gaya.
“H-han… main theek hoon,” Asad ne jaldi se kaha.
Shakeel ne uski aankhon ko dekha—
neend ki kami, chehray par thakaan, aur awaaz mein larzish.
“Kheriyat hai?”
“Itna sehma hua kyun lag raha hai?”
Asad ne nazar chura li.
“Bas… us haveli ke baray mein soch raha tha.”
Shakeel ki bhonwen uth gayin.
“Kyun? Kuch hua hai kya?”
“Aisa kuch nahi,” Asad ne jhoot bola.
Magar jhoot uski awaaz se tapak raha tha.
Shakeel kuch lamhay usey ghour se dekhta raha.
Phir achanak bola:
“Kya tum ne… usey dekha?”
Asad ka jism jaise jam gaya.
Aankhen phail gayin.
“K-kisay?” usne poocha.
Shakeel ne halki si muskurahat ke saath kaha,
“Tumhara chehra sab bata deta hai, larkay.”
Asad se aur bardasht na hua.
Usne sab kuch bata diya—
roshni, khirki, woh khamosh khari hui shakal.
Shakeel ka chehra sakht ho gaya.
“Us jaga se door raho,” usne dheemi magar wazeh awaaz mein kaha.
“Yeh theek cheez nahi hai.”
“Woh koi larki bhi toh ho sakti hai,” Asad ne bechaini se kaha.
“Jis ke saath shayad kuch bura hua ho.”
Shakeel ne tanziya andaaz mein sar jhukaya.
“Acha?”
Phir uski aankhon mein seedha dekha.
“Toh phir woh kabhi din mein kyun nazar nahi aati?”
“Aur agar wahan koi zinda insaan rehta hai…
toh us haveli ki haalat itni buri kyun hai?”
Asad khamosh reh gaya.
Is dafa…
uske paas koi jawab nahi tha.
Suraj doob chuka tha aur raat dheere dheere shehar par apna bojh rakh rahi thi.
Asad thaka hua ghar ki taraf chal para. Qadam bojhal thay—jaise har qadam usay peeche kheench raha ho.
Aankhon ke andar bas aik hi soorat thi. Wohi chehra jo pichli raat uske dil aur dimagh mein bas chuka tha.
Woh jaan’na chahta tha ke woh kaun hai. Aur sach yeh tha ke shayad woh apna dil haar chuka tha.
Ghar ke qareeb pohanch kar uski nazar be-ikhtiyar haveli ki taraf uth gayi.
Upar, pehli manzil par… aag jalne jaisi halki roshni.
Asad wahin ruk gaya.
Roshni hil nahi rahi thi. Jaise kisi ne waqt ko wahin thaam liya ho.
Tab achanak usay mehsoos hua—
koi uske bilkul peeche khara hai.
Uski reedh ki haddi mein thandak daur gayi.
Asad ne dheere se peeche dekha.
Wahan koi nahi tha.
Jab usne dobara samne dekha…
woh wahan thi.
Bilkul uske qareeb.
Aankhen bohot siyaah—aisi ke un mein apni parchai bhi gum ho jaye.
Baal hadd se zyada lambay, kandhon se neeche girte hue, jaise raat ne khud apna libaas pehan liya ho.
Asad aik pal ke liye saans lena bhool gaya.
“Aakhir tum aa hi gaye.”
Uski awaaz narm thi. Mohabbat se bhari hui.
“Main?” Asad ne larazti awaaz mein poocha. “Tum kaun ho?”
Larki halki si muskurayi.
“Tum ne mujhe kitna intezaar karwaya,” usne kaha—shikwa bhi tha, chahat bhi.
Us awaaz ne Asad ke seene ke andar kuch hila diya. Darr ke bawajood, usay mohabbat ki shiddat mehsoos hui.
“Tum kaun ho?” Asad ne phir poocha, is dafa hamdardi ke saath.
“Kya tum mujhe nahi pehchante?”
Uski muskurahat gehri ho gayi.
“Itni sadiyan beet chuki hain,” usne dheere se kaha. “Main Zara hoon.”
Naam sunte hi Asad ka zehan jaise phisal gaya.
Woh un siyaah aankhon ki gehraiyon mein gum hota ja raha tha.
Zara ne uska haath pakra.
Uski thandak seedhi Asad ke seene tak utar gayi.
“Ao,” Zara ne pyar se kaha. “Andar chalte hain.”
Asad ne kuch nahi kaha.
Uski aankhon se mohabbat tapak rahi thi.
Woh uske peeche chalta chala gaya.
Haveli ke andar qadam rakhte hi hawa badal gayi.
Jali hui lakri ki boo, tooti hui seedhiyan, aur deewaron par siyah nishaan—jaise kisi ne cheekh-cheekh kar apni kahani yahan likhi ho.
Zara usay upar wali manzil par le gayi.
Aik kamray mein purani tasveerein bikhri hui thin.
Asad ki nazar aik tasveer par ruk gayi.
Shaadi ka libaas pehne aik larki.
Uska chehra… Zara ka chehra.
Asad ne peeche mud kar dekha.
Zara wahin khari thi.
Lekin ab woh muskurah nahi rahi thi.
Usne haath barhaya.
Jab uski ungli Asad ki kalai se lagi, garmi bilkul khatam ho gayi.
Zara ne uska chehra apne haathon mein liya.
Haath barf se bhi thanday thay.
Hont jab mile… toh laga jaise saans kisi aur ne le li ho.
Asad aik hi lamhay mein apna sab kuch qurban karne ko tayyar tha.
“Tum aa gaye ho,” Zara ne kaha. “Ab kahin nahi jaoge.”
Tab Asad ki nazar aik purane akhbar par padi.
Tareekh: 2 May 1877
Surkhi: “Dulhan ne shaadi ke din khudkushi kar li — dulha mauqay par chhor kar bhaag gaya.”
Naam: Zara Ahmed
Asad ka saans ruk gaya.
“Tum bhaag gaye thay,” Zara ne kaha. Uski awaaz mein shikwa nahi tha—sirf yaqeen.
“Main tumhein jaanta bhi nahi,” Asad ne larazti awaaz mein kaha.
“Har janam mein tum naya naam rakh lete ho,” Zara ne qadam aagay badhaya. “Lekin rooh aik hi rehti hai.”
Kamray ki hawa bhaari ho gayi.
Deewaron se jali hui lakri ke tukray girnay lagay.
“Main ne intezaar kiya,” Zara ne kaha. “Pehle khirki ke paas. Phir darwazay par. Phir aag mein.”
Asad peeche hata.
“Tum mar chuki ho.”
“Mohabbat nahi marti,” Zara ne muskurate hue kaha. “Sirf intezaar gehra ho jaata hai.”
Zara ne uska haath pakra.
Is dafa uska haath aur zyada thanda tha.
Uski aankhen bilkul siyah.
Chehra jala hua.
Awaaz ab wehshatnaak.
Asad ne socha: Agar main ne pehli raat khirki band kar li hoti…
Phir khayal bhi khamosh ho gaya.
Asad cheekhna chahata tha, magar awaaz nikal nahi rahi thi.
Haveli ki deewarein band hoti ja rahi thin.
“Tum ne mujhe tanha chhora tha,” Zara ne kaha. “Ab main tumhein tanha nahi chornay dungi.”
Asad ki cheekh haveli ne pee li.
Roshni bujh gayi.
Subha haveli phir khamosh thi.
Upar wali khirki par do saaye kharay thay.
Aur har raat, jab andhera gehra hota hai, shehar ke log kehte hain:
“Woh jo intezaar karti thi… ab akeli nahi rahi.”