Chapter 84: ּ ֶָ֢.CH83

•••

Imarat se nikal kar woh andha dhund bhagta raha. Daye, baye bina soche samjhe, anjaan raasto par phir woh chalne laga tha. Raftaar qadray taiz thi. Phir uski raftaar mein susti aa gayi thi. Us ke baad thake hare nidhhaal qadmo ki baari thi. Baraf baari shadeed thi.

Traffic jam, london barfani toofan ki zadd mein tha. Dukane band, sab gharo mein muqid night life mukammal disturb woh fiza mein mard bar leela hawaon ki rawani ko apni haddiyo mein ghusta hua mehsoos kar sakta tha. Uske kapde garm the magar is sardi ka muqabla karne ke liye phir bhi kam the.

Chalte chalte woh ruk gaya tha. Andhere mein har jaanib dhund mein kahin kahin street lights, street light ka mubhim sa gumaan ho raha tha. Jis jagah par woh tha. Us se aage marham hi roshniyo mein railing nazar aa rahi thi. woh bag ke bojh se jhukte kandho ke saath deewar ke saath panjo ke bal beth gaya tha. Aankhe ragar kar saaf kar daalein. Zabt karne ki koshish phir muffler ko honto se naak ke upar tak kheench liya ke sard fizaye saanson par bhaari pad rahi thi.

Samne ghair wazeh sa board tha. Us board par aage jheel ki nishan dehi ki gayi thi. Raaste alag ho gaye to ab kya? Woh kaafi dair tak usi jagah par usi position mein usi tarah bhaari kandhon aur bhaari dil ke saath betha raha. Us ke barabar mein park ki gayi gaadi mukammal taur par baraf mein dhak chuki thi. Us ka wujood baqaida kapkapaa raha tha. Uski aankho ke kinare surkh aur nam ho rahe the.

Dhundh mein muhim roshniyo ke saaye mein koi chalta hua reling phalang kar us paar khada ho gaya tha. Woh taweel ul qamat tha. Lambe coat mein poshud kuch dair tak khada raha. Phir us ne ek chhota sa pathhar door kahin Bulandi se neeche phenk diya tha.

"Bhaad mein jao tum izza bella" chilla kar kaha. Phir kamal maharat se Poole ka sahara lete reling par panjho ke bal baite kar chand lamho tak doosri taraf dekhta raha. Phir usi poole ke hi sahare khud ko tawazun mein late uth khada hua. Poole ki roshni mein us ka sara pa qadre numaayan hua tha. Woh Raahim tha.

Us par inkishaaf hua woh wahan is liye jheel mein koodne ki tayyari kar raha tha. Uski aankhon mein ek dam se takhti utar aayi.

"Pagal kar kya tha?"

Woh khada raha. Phir cheeka qadre zor se uski aawaz tez hawaao ke shor mein dab gayi.

Phir woh ghoom kar poole cross karta doosri railing par aa gaya.

"Tumhare dada ne mujhe fire kar diya hai." Sanjeedgi se ittila pohnchayi. To sabit hua. Woh uski mojudgi se ghafil nahi tha.

"Aadhi payment woh kar chuke the. Aadhi baad mein karni thi lekin ab woh keh rahe hain sab khatam!"

"Aaise kaise khatam?"

Faris ne koi jawab nahi diya.

"Haider keh raha hai ab mujhe sangeen nataij ke liye tayar ho jana chahiye." Us ka sar jhuka raha.

"Rokoge nahi. Main yahaan se chhalang lagane ka soch raha hoon?" Intahi sanjeedgi se poocha gaya. Masle iske chal rahe the. Chhalang usey lagani thi bhanwe sukad kar nafi mein sir hila diya. Raahim ne Ek taweel gehri saans li.

"Main hamesha be-hiss logo mein kyun phans jata hoon?" Wahin khade khade irade multawi karta ulti kilah baazi khaate hue neeche utara. Aur phir uske barabar main jam kar baith gaya.

"Main jaanta hoon, is waqt tum bohat hi mushkil waqt se guzar rahe ho. So do I?" ek lamhe ke tawakuf kar lehje me sanjeedgi bharne ki koshish ki

"magar kisi ne kya khoob kaha hai. Zindagi agar tumhein mauqqa dikhaye to tum usay taang maardo"

Faris ne gardan morh kar uski shakl dekhi.

"Kis ne kaha?"

"Izza bella ne"

"Woh kaun hai?"

"James ke novel mein aik jadoo garni hai!"

"Wohi novel jo reject hua?"

"Bilkul wohi"

"Theek, reject hua!"

Raahim ne has kar usey dekha.

"James ko pa chale to woh tum se hafta baat nahi karega."

Faris ne hathoiliya ragarte sar uthaya. Zehan mein koi khayal ujagar Hua. Dhundh chhut gayi. Hawas taza huay. Barabar mein raahim afaq baitha tha. Wohi jo Azam Shirazi ke liye kaam karta tha. Aur jise kisi bhi baat par usey ab yakeen nahi karta tha. Qissa phir se sawar hua to apni jagah se uth gaya.

"Ab kahaan ja rahe ho" Raahim uska raasta rok kar khada ho gaya.

Faris ne usey sakht pathrili nazro se dekha tha.

"Tumhare sahab ke saath mein apne tamam mamlaat khatam kar ke aaya hoon..." Is liye ungli utha kar warning di.

"Tum aur Haider ainda mere aas paas bhi bhatke to main sach sach mein qatal kar doonga!"

"Wow" Raahim ne bade hi mutasir kan andaaz mein uski dhamki ko saraha.

"Maza aa gaya, Kisi film ka scene hai?"

Woh pehle se ghusse mein tha. Uski baato se mazeed tap gaya. Zabt kar ke qadam uthata aage barha.

"Ghar chalo. Mausam theek ho jaye to be shak par kahin chala jata. Ab agar tum is sardi mein kahin mara

dar gaye to Azam sahab se itni badi takkar lene ka kya faida hoga?"

Faris ne ruk kar khoonkhwar nazro se usey dekha.

Woh jebon mein haath daale uske peechay aarha tha. Ruk kar honton par rangi kheench kar zip band ki keh bas ab kuch nahi kahega. Phir modabaana andaaz mein jhuk kar bazoo phaila kar gaadi ki taraf ishara kiya.

"Your majesty"

"Get lost!"

Badhak kar woh wahan se chala gaya. Woh nazro se ojhal hua to Raahim ki muskurahat bhi simat gayi.

"Is qadar shadeed barfani mausam mein woh bahar kahan raat guzarega?" Jo baat Azam Shirazi ne nahi sochi thi, woh Rahim Afaq Soorchi raha tha. Aur dhand mein us ke wajood ko mitte hue dekh raha tha.

•••

Nashte ki maiz par mamool ki chahel pehal thi. Mulazim mukhtalif lawazmat pesh kar rahe the. Chhuri aur kaanto ki aawaaz dining hall mein goonj rahi thi. Parde simte hue the. Shishe ki deewaro se sooraj ki roshni safed tiles par muneqis ho rahi thi. Lawn ka manzar bhi numaya ho raha tha.

Khoobsurat aur nafees piyali mein chai daal kar Jameela Daood ne Azam Shirazi ko pesh ki thi. Pant coat mein malboos Haroon Shirazi office ke liye mukammal taiyar baitha tha. Tahaam, sadar kursi par brajman Azam Shirazi hairat angez tor par aaj mamool ke jalse mein thay. Unki aankhon mein phaili hui surkhi rat jage ki gawahi de rahi thi. Haal hi mein woh London se lote thay. Jab se unhone office join nahi kiya tha, kuch khaamosh bhi the.

Hammad nashta khatam karke university ke liye nikal gaya tha. Kuch zaroori aamoor discuss karne ke baad Haroon office ke liye rawana huay to Jameela unke paas aa gayi. Woh lounge mein akhbar khol ke baite the.

"Meri Faris se baat nahi ho pa rahi. Us ka mobile band hai. Rahim ka bhi."

Unhone nazar uthakar bahu ko dekha. Woh bohat fikar mand nazar a rahi thi. Yakeenan jan'na chahti thi ke us ke mamlay ka kya bana tha lekin Azam Shirazi ne abhi tak unhein tafseelaat se aagaah nahi kiya tha. Jo baat Faris Wajdan se hui thi, woh unki zaat tak hi mehdood reh gayi thi. Woh us ladke ke faislay ko abhi tak theek se samajh nahi paaye the.

"Kuch din tak intezaar kar lo!" keh kar unhon ne dobara akhbar par nazar daali. Kuch bekaraari se ungliyaan marorhte unhone lab kaat kar Azam Shirazi ko dekha.

"Kya sab theek hai Baba?"

"Hmm!" Unhone sar nahi uthaya. Akhbar ke safhay ulat diye.

"Kya aap ne Haroon se baat ki thi Fars ke silsiley mein?" Woh khud se kuch nahi bata rahe the to kurdne ki koshish ki.

"Nahi."

"Magar aap to keh rahe the, baat karenge."

"Hum ne zaroori nahi samjha."

Jameela Daood dheere dheere unhein dekhte rahi. Kuch to hua tha jise woh chhupaa rahe the ya phir jiski zed mein woh unhein bahut khaamosh nazar aa rahe the. Mumkin hai yeh unka sirf wahm ho. Woh unse ijazat le kar uth gayi.

"Haider ko andar bhej do!"

Mulazim orange juice ka glass rakhne aaya to Azam Shirazi ne hukum saadar kiya. Chand hi lamho ke baad Haider haazir hua tha.

Kuch zaroori mamlat discuss karne aur kuch naye hukmat saadar karne ke baad unhone mamool ki tarah is se Faris Wajdan ka poocha. Yoon hi be-dhiyaani aur be-khyaali mein jaisa keh woh aamuman puchha karte the, Haider ne chonk kar apne sahab ko dekha.

Woh bhi apni jagah lamhe bhar ke liye thatkay the. Guzishta kai dinon se woh is tarah ka sawaal us se kai baar kar chuke thay. Khud hi faasla ka hukum diya tha aur khudi istifsaar karne lage the. Kai saalon ka aik mamool tha. Yun achanak aik dam se khatam nahi ho sakta tha. Magar Haider ne dekha tha. Uske sahab ki bhawe aik dum se skad gayi thi. Ghaliban unhone is tarah iska khayaal aane par khud ko mulaamat kiya tha.

"Kya woh wapis nahi aaya?"

"Nahi sahab!" Aage ko haath bandhay Haider adab se goya hua.

"Kahan hai ab?"

"Croydon mein hai. Store par job kar raha hai."

"Aur university?"

"Woh nahi ja raha!" jawab diya gaya.

Ghair mehsoos andaaz mein unki muthiya sakhti se band gayi thi. Yeh ladka to jaise apni zid par ud gaya tha. Woh jaante the us ki zid kaise todni thi aur usay is ki aukaat mein wapis kaise lana tha.

Haider apne sahab ko dekh raha tha. Aur apne tafziyo mein khud hi uljhta ja raha tha.

•••

Shift khatam hone ke baad woh store se nikal kar qareebi restaurant ki taraf ja raha tha. Jab us ne Raahim ko raste mein light poles ke saath khada dekha. Mukammal tor par usay nazar andaaz karte hue daaye taraf mud gaya.

"Ab to ghussa Chhorh do ab to mein azam Shirazi ke liye kaam bhi nahi karta"

Suni an suni kiye, jebo mein haath daale chalta raha. Us se job ke baare mein poochne laga. Pay kitni mil rahi hai, zindagi kaisi guzar rahi hai waghera waghera....

Usne samne hi ek restaurant mein ja kar khane ka order diya aur chup chaap khata raha. Raahim ko sine par bazu baandhe usey dekh raha tha.

"Lahaz aur murawwat bhi koi cheez hoti hai!"

"Mere paas zaya karne ke liye paise hain." Keh kar plate se salad uthayi.

Raahim ne lab wa kiye. Kuch hisse se. Phir waiter ko bula kar apna order diya.

"Mrs. Grande tumhara puchhti rehti hain..."

Khana pesh kar diya gaya to khate hue kaha. Woh chup raha, goya kuch suna hi na ho. Raahim ne baghor uske kapdon ko dekha. Uska saman abhi tak ho ya house mein hi tha.

Uske branded kapde, jootay, coat jackets, sweater, ghadiyan usne bator faaris ki shakal dekhi. Uski aankho mein thakaan utri hui thi. Bal bhi kuch bikhre bhare hue the. Chehre par samajhdagi ke saath saath ek fikr bhi nazar aa rahi thi. Usne woh bhoj apne kandho par daal liya tha jise uthana ki usey aadat thi.

"Begonia house tumhara apna ghar hai. Tum kam az kam rehaish par to koi zidd mat karo. Be shak apne kharche ke liye job karte raho."

Woh khamosh raha.

Suna hai ke Croydon mein crime rate bohot barh raha hai.

"Choriya wahan hoti hain jahan kuch ho. Mere paas kuch nahi hai.” keh kar masroofiyat bhare andaz me khata raha.

"Mujhe yahan ka mahaul bhi kuch khaas pasand nahi..." Yahan wahan dekhte us ne apni fikr mandi ka

"Tumhein kya pasand hai, kya nahi, is se mera kya lena dena?" Raahim khud ko uska bara bhai tasavvur karta tha, bhanwe sakeere usay dekhte hue.

"Pore London mein tumhein job karne ke liye kya sirf yahi ilaqa mila?"

"Aur tumhein bhi sar khane ke liye sirf mein hi mila hoon?" Sawal kar ke lajawab kiya to gehri saans le kar, us ne maiz par kehniyan lagayi.

"Mere saath chalo. Begonia House mein nahi rehna to mil kar kahin aur intizam kar lete hain. Job ka koi hal dekh lenge baad mein tum pehle university...." Faris ne chammach rakh diya. Kursi ki pusht se kamar lagaye baitha gaya. Chehre par na-gowari ke asraat numayan hone lage.

"Tumhein kis ne bheja hai?"

"Tum jaise akdu aur badtameez ladke ke peeche kaun bhej sakta hai?" Itminan se sawal kiya.

"Wahi jinhone pehle bheja tha."

"I Impressed? Tumhein to lagta hai tumhare dada ko tum se nafrat hai. Woh mujhe bhala kyun bheje ge?"

"Nazar rakhnay ke liye. Zara pata kar kahin koi qatal ke mansube to nahi bana raha!"

"Yani tum Azam Shirazi ko qatal kar sakte ho?"

"Bilkul," Rahim hash diya.

"Qatl aur tum se ha-ha-ha, pehle tum apni allergy se to nimat lo. Us ke baad hi aisi soch rakhna."

Cat Allergy ka zikar usey taanay ki tarah laga, aisi sakht nazro se ghira ke Raahim ne haste hue haath uthakar shikast tasleem kar li.

"Yaqeen karlo. Main khud aaya hoon. Mujhe kisi ne nahi bheja."

"Kyoon?"

"Mujhe lagta hai jo hua us mein meri ghalti thi. Alizeh ko photography ke liye maine bulaya tha. Agar woh nahi aati to yeh sab nahi hota..." Lehja Jara sa narm gumgeen sa.

"Agar main tumhein na jaanta hota to foran yaqeen kar leta." Faris ne can uthakar labon se laga liya.

"Halaanke yeh haqeeqat hai." Us ne zor diya.

"Main is waqt sach mein bohot serious hoon aur tumhari wajah se beinteha gumgeen hoon." Apna moh latka liya. Duniya jahan ki masoomiyat chehre par thehrali.

"Tum diora miniature mein apna waqt barbaad kar rahe ho. Acting mein kaafi scope hai tumhare liye."

Woh qadray shararat se hasa.

"Thank you so much sir, I will consider your suggestion!"

Khane ke baad us ne bahar ka rukh kiya to Raahim jebo mein haath daal ke us ke peeche chalta raha. Pandrah minute ka safar paidal hi tay hua. Rehaishi imarat ko ooper tak dekhte us ne hairat se aankhain phailaayi.

"Tum tum yahan reh rahe ho?" Chehre par haras thehr liya.

"Yeh to wohi jagah hai jahan chaar saal pehle aik athara saal ke larke ka qatal hua tha." Suspense ki inteha karte us ne zara sa khauf mein mubtala ho kar bola.

"See I'm having goosebumps now!" (Mere rongte khaday ho rahe hain)

"Bohut hi khaufnaak waqia tha. Abhi tak qatal ka suragh nahi mil sakay. William to is haunted building mein video shoot karne bhi aaya tha. Tumhein nahi pata!"

"Bilkul nahi pata Ab agar tumhari baat khatam ho gayi ho to kya main ja sakta hoon?" Us ne daant pees kar puchha

"Haan, haan! Jao," Aage se hat kar apna haath daraz kiya.

Faris samne waali imarat ke andar jane ke bajaye daayein taraf mud gaya. Us ka kamra is imarat mein tha hi nahi jisme us ne kisi ka abhi abhi qatal karwa diya tha. Be-sakhta peshaani ko choo kar us ke peeche bhaga. Ab ke inkishaaf karne se pehle imarat ki tasalli ki. Phir moun khola.

"Is waali building mein to itne log laapata hue hain ke poochho hi mat!" Faris suni un suni kiye Darwaza dhakel kar andar chala gaya.

"Main ne to yeh bhi suna hai, is ki jo lift hai yeh kabhi kabar aise floor par ruk jaati hai jahan se koi zinda wapas nahi aaya. Mara huwa bhi nahi."

"Nonsense!" Faris bur-burate hue lift mein daakhil hua. Darwaza barabar hone tak baar baar button dabata raha ke woh sawar na ho sake. Raahim itna khof-naak inkishaaf kar ke kis moun se sawar hota? Apni jaan bachanay ki acting karte faasle par ruk gaya.

"Dhiyaan rahe. Kahin tumhara samna professor Mughal se na ho jaaye, woh bhi is soorat mein jab woh billi bani hui ho?" Saath hi qahqaha lagaaya. Aur Faris wajdan bamushkil hi zabt kar saka tha.

Lift ke darwaze barabar ho gaye the.

❏❏❏