Aab-e-Hayat

Chapter--6

Shaam ko Salaar isko khushgawar mood me dekh kr heran hua tha. Yeh khilaaf tawaqqo tha, khaas tor pr dupahar vaale waqiye ke baad. Lekin uss raat vo isse dinner ke liye bahar le gya tha. Vo behad nervous thi lekin behad excited bhi. Vo kitne saalo baad kisi restaurant ke open air hisse me bethe tu barbecue kha rhi thi.
Khaane ke baad dono window shopping ki niyat se market me chale aaye. Salaar ne badhi narmi or itminaan se isse khudko sambhalne ka mauka dia. Aur isse halki phulki baate krta rha. Khana khatam hone tk vo normal ho chuki thi.
Eid ki kharidaari ke vajah se market me iss waqt bhi kaafi gehma gahmi thi. Vo bohot arse baad vaha aayi thi, market ki shakal hi badal chuki thi. Vo behad herat se in new brands or dukano ko dekhte hue guzar rhi thi jo aath-no saal pehle vaha nhi the. Dr Sibt Ali ki betiya ya Saeeda Amma ke bête apni familiyo ke saath jab bhi outing ke liye bahar nikalte, vo isse bhi saath le jaane ki koshish krte, lekin inke saath bahar na jaane ka faisla iska apna hota tha. Vo unme se kisi ke liye mazeed kisi musibat ka baiz banna nhi chahti thi. Shaadi ko vo sirf rehne ki jagah ki tabdeeli smjh rhi thi, halaat ki tabdeeli ke baare me isne kabhi nhi socha tha....lekin mojzat hote hai....sha va nadar sahi lekin hote zaroor hai.
"Kuch logi?" Salaar ki awaaz pr vo beikhtiyaar choki.
"Haa....coffee" isne jhijhak kr kaha.
"Mai shopping ki baat kr rha tha" usne kaha.
"Nhi mere paas sab kuch hai" Imama ne muskura kr kaha.
"Vo toh ab mere paas bhi hai" iske chehre pr beikhtiyaar surkhi dodhi thi.
"Tumhe meri tareef acchi lagi....?"
"Salaar! Baaz aao, maine tumhe yaha tareef krne ko kaha tha" vo be sakhta jhenpi.
"Tumne jagah nhi btayi thi sirf yeh kaha tha ki mujhe tumhari tareef krni chahiye" vo isse chedhte hue mahzooz ho rha tha.
Imama ne iss baar garden modh kr isse nazar andaaz kia. Uske saath chalte chalte ek showcase me display pr lagi ek saree dekh kr vo be sakhta ruki. Kuch der sitayi nazron se vo kayi rang ki saree ko dekhti rahi. Vaha showcase pr lagi vo vahid cheez thi jiske saamne vo thitak kr ruk gyi thi. Salaar ne ek nazar is saree ko dekha fir iske chehre ko aur badi sahoolat ke saath kaha "mujhe lgta hai yeh saree tum pr bohot acchi lgegi, aao lete hai" vo glass door kholte hue bola. "Nahi, mere paas bohot se fancy kapde hai" Imama ne iske baazu pr haath rakh kr isse roka.
"Lekin maine toh kuch nhi dia shaadi pr tumhe, kuch dena chahta hu" vo iss baar bol na saki, vo saree isse waqai bohot acchi lgi thi.
Uss boutique se unhone sirf ek saree ho nhi chand aur suit bhi liye the. Dusre boutique se ghar me pehnne ke liye kuch ready made malboosaat, kuch sweaters aur joote.
"Mujhe pta hai tumhare paas kapde hai lekin mere khareede hue pehnogi toh mujhe zyada accha lgega. Yeh sab mai apni khushi ke liye kr rha hu, tumhe khush krne ki koshish nhi kr rha" iske pehle aitraaz pr Salaar ne behad rasaniyat se kaha. Imama ne iske baad aitraaz nhi kia, isse kuch jhijak thi lekin kuch der baad yeh jhijhak bhi khatam ho gyi. Fir isne saari cheeze apni psnd se li thi.
"Mujhe tum pr saari cheeze acchi lgti hai...so tum mujhse mt pucho" isne Salaar ki psnd puchi toh vo muskura kr bola.
"Lounge ki khidkiyo pr curtains lga le" Imama ko yaad aaya.
"Blinds se kya issue hai tumhe?" woh chonka.
"koi nahi lekin mujhe curtains achay lagtay hain, khubsoorat se"
"kyun nahi" Salaar ne apne walii tasurat chupatay hue muskura kar is se kaha. woh is se keh nahi saka ke usay pardon se chirr thi.
Raat pauney baara baje ek cafe mein coffee aur tiramisu cake khanay ke baad woh taqreeban saarhay baara baje ghar wapas aaye. Lahore tab tak ek baar phir dhund mein doob chuka tha lekin zindagi ke rastay se dhund chatne lagi thi. ghar anay ke baad bhi woh be maqsad un cheezon ko khol kar sofay par baith gayi. kitney salon baad woh milnay wali kisi cheez ko shukar aur ahsaan mandi ke bojh ke sath nahi balkay istehqaq ke ehsas ke sath dekh rahi thi. aurat ke liye bohat saari nematon mein se aik nemat is ke shohar ka is ki zaat par rupiya kharch karna bhi hai aur yeh nemat kyu tha, woh usay aaj samajh payi thi.
Dr Sibt Ali aur un ki biwi har season ke aaghaz mein usay kapray aur doosri cheeze khareed kar dete thay. Saeeda amma bhi is ke liye kuch nah kuch laati rehti theen. un ke betay aur Dr Sibt Ali ki betiyan bhi usay kuch nah kuch bhejti rehti theen lekin un mein se kisi cheez ko haath mein letay hue is ne aisi khushi ya sukoon mehsoos nahi kiya tha. woh khairaat nahi thi lekin woh haq bhi nahi tha, woh ahsaan tha aur woh itnay salon mein apne wujood ko ehsaanon ka aadi nahi bana saki thi. be shak woh is ki zindagi ka hissa zaroor ban gaye thay.
yeh kaisa ehsas tha jo un cheezon ko goad mein liye usay ho raha tha. khushi? azadi? itminan? sukoon. .? ya koi aisi shai thi jis ke liye is ke paas lafz nahi thay.
"kya dekh rahi ho tum?"
Salaar kapray tabdeel kar ke wash room se nikla tha aur dressing room ki light off krke kamray mein atay hue is ne Imama ko isi terhan sofay par woh saari cheeze phelaaye baithy dekha. woh heran sa hua. woh jab se aayi thi, us waqt se un cheezon ko le kar bethi hui thi.
"kuch bhi nahi, mein bas rakhne hi lagi thi."Imama ne un cheezon ko sametna shuru kar diya.
"Ek wardrobe maine khaali kar di hai, tum apne kapray uss mein rakh lo. agar kuch aur jagah ki zaroorat ho to guest room ki ek ward robe bhi khaali hai. tum usay istemaal kar sakti ho." woh apne kamray me kuch dhoondata hua is se keh raha tha.
"mujhe Saeeda amma ke ghar se apna samaan lana hai." Imama ne saari cheezon ko dobarah dabbon aur bags mein daaltay hue kaha.
"Kya samaan?" Vo abhi tk daraaz me kuch dhund rha tha.
"Mere jehez ka samaan" Imama ne badi resaniyat se kaha.
"Maslan?" Vo daraaz se kuch papers nikalte hue chonka
"Bartan hai, electronics ki cheeze hai. Furniture bhi hai lekin vo showroom me hai. Aur bhi kuch choti choti cheeze in hai"
Vo un papers ko daraaz me rakhte hue sunta rha.
"Tumhari zaati istemaal ki koi cheez hai vaha...?" usne pucha
"Vo sab meri zaati hi cheeze hai" isne be sakhta kaha.
"Vo jehez ka samaan hai" Salaar ne isse jatane vaale andaaz me kaha.
"Ab tum Lahore tum jehez nhi chahiye"vo kuch juzbuz hokr boli.
"Mujhe kisi bhi kisam ka samaan nhi chahiye" Salaar ne do tok andaaz me kaha. "Tumhe lgta hai iss apartment me kisi cheez ki koi kami hai? Tumhe chahti ho yaha har cheez do do ki tadaad me ho...? Rakhogi kaha? Vo puch rha tha. Imama soch me pdh gyi.
"Itne saalo se mai cheeze khareedti rahi hu apne liye lekin zyada tar samaan abbu ke paiso se aaya hai. Vo naraz honge." Vo ab bhi taiyaar nhi thi.
"Dr sahab ne apni teeno betiyo ko jehez dia tha?" Vo ab puch rha tha "nhi na?"
"Tumhe kaise pta?" Vo chand lamhe bol nhi saki thi
"Unhone hume khud btaya tha" usne kaha
"Unki teeno betiyo ki shaadiya family me hui hai isliye" Imama ne kaha
"Trust me....mai bhi jehez lekr na aane pr tum se bura sulook nhi krunga. Yeh dr sahab ka tohfa hota toh mai zarur rakhta lekin yeh unhone tumhari security ke liye dia tha, kyuki tumhari shaadi aisi family me ho rhi thi jinke baare me vo mukammal tor pr kuch nhi jaante the. Lekin mere baare me toh vo bhi jaante hai or tum bhi" Salaar ne isse kaha
"Mere bartan, bed sheets aur kapday hai. Choti choti cheeze, jo mai itne saalo se ikkhatthi kr rhi hu. Ab kise dedu ye sab kuch?" Vo na khush thi
"Ok, jo cheeze tumne apne paas se li hai, vo le aao, baaki chorh do sab kuch. Vo kisi kherati aidaare ko de denge" Salaar ne ek or hal nikala. Vo iss baar kuch sochne lagi.
"mein tumhe subah office jatay hue Saeeda amma ki taraf chorh dunga aur office se aaj zara jaldi aa jaoon ga. tumhari packing bhi karwa dun ga." woh haath mein kuch papers liye hue is ki taraf aaya. sofay par is ke paas pari cheezon ko aik taraf karte hue woh is ke paas baith gaya.
"yeh jis jagah par cross ke nishaan hai, us par apne sign kar do." is ne kuch papers is ki taraf berhate hue ek pen usay thmaya.
"Yeh kya hai?" us ne kuch heran ho kar un papers ko dekha.
"mein apne bank mein tumhara account khulwa raha hu."
"lekin mera account to pehlay hi khula hua hai."
"chalo, ek account mere bank mein bhi sahi. Bure nahi hain hum, achi service dete hain." is ne mazaaq kiya.
Imama ne papers par sign karna shuru kar diya.
"phir woh account band kar dun?" Imama ne sign karne ke baad kaha.
"nahi, usay wahein rehne do." Salaar ne papers is se letay hue kaha.
"tumhe account kholnay ke liye kitni raqam ka cheque dun?" Imama ka khayaal tha ke woh ghair mulki bank hai. yaqeenan account kholnay ke liye mulki bank ki nisbat kuch ziyada raqam ki zaroorat hogi
"tumhara haq meher pay karna hai mujhe, ussi raqam se khol dun ga." Salaar ne papers ek lifafay mein rakhtay hue is se kaha. "is par aik figure likho." Imama ne herani se is writing pad ko dekha jo is ne is ki taraf badhaya tha.
"kaisi figure?" woh uljhi.
"koi bhi figure, apni marzi ke kuch digits...."Salaar ne kaha.
"kyun?" woh mazeed uljhi. Salaar ne is ke haath mein pen thamaya.
Is ne dobarah pen pakar to liya lekin is ka zehen mukammal tor par khaali tha.
"kitney digits ka figure?" Imama ne chand lamhay baad is ki madad chahi.
woh yak dam soch mein par gaya, phir is ne kaha. "agar tum apni marzi se koi figure likho gi to kitney digits likhogi....?"
"seven digits...." Imama soch mein par gai
"alright.... likho phir" salaar ke chehray par be ikhtiyar muskurahat aayi.
Imama chand lamhay is saaf kaghaz ko dekhti rahi phir is ne likhna shuru kya. "3752960"
is ne writing pad Salaar ki taraf barha diya. kaghaz par nazar daaltay hi woh chand lamhoon ke liye jaisay saktah mein aaya, phir kaghaz ko pad se alag karte hue be ikhtiyar hansa .
"kya hua?" woh is ke rad e amal se kuch aur uljhi.
"kuch nahi kya hona tha?" kaghaz ko tay karte hue is ne Imama ke chehray ko muskuratay hue be had gehri lekin ajeeb nazron se dekha .
"is terhan kyun dekh rahay ho mujhe?" woh is ki nazron se uljhi.
"Mai tumhara shohar hun, dekh sakta hun tumhe" Imama ko ehsas nahi hua, woh barri safai se baat badal raha tha. is se baat karte hue woh ghair mehsoos andaaz mein kaghaz bhi is lifafay mein daal chuka tha.
"tum ne mujhe saari pehan kar nahi dikhayi?"
"raat ke is waqt mein tumhe saari pehan kar dikhau?" woh be ikhtiyar hansi.
woh is ke paas se uthte uthte ruk gaya. woh pehli baar is terhan khilkhila kar hansi thi ya phir shayad woh itnay qareeb se pehli baar usay hanstay dekh raha tha.
Ek bag ke andar dabbay rakhtay hue Imama ne apne chehray par is ki nazrain mehsoos kee. is ne sir utha kar dekha, woh waqai usay dekh raha tha.
"ab kya hai?"
"mein ek baat soch raha tha." woh sanjeeda tha.
"kya?"
"ke tum sirf rotay hue hi nahi, hanstay hue bhi achi lagti ho." is ki aankhon mein pehlay herat aayi, phir chamak aur phir khushi.
Salaar ne har ta-assur ko pehchana tha yun jaisay kisi ne usay flash card dikhaay hon....phir is ne usay nazrain churatay hue dekha, phir is ke chehray ka rang bdalty dekha. pehlay is ke kaan ki loen surkh hui, phir is ke gaal, naak.....aur shayad is ki gardan bhi.
is ne zindagi mein kabhi kisi aurat ya mard ko itnay wazeh tor par rang bdalty nahi dekha tha jis terhan usay.....no saal pehlay bhi do teen baar is ne usay ghusse mein isi terhan surkh hotay dekha tha. is ke liye ajeeb sahi lekin yeh manzar dilchasp tha...aur ab woh usay mehjoob hotay hue bhi isi andaaz mein surkh hotay dekh raha tha, yeh manzar is se ziyada dilchasp tha. "yeh kisi bhi mard ko pagal kar sakti thi." is ke chehray par nazrain jamaye is ne aitraaf kiya, is ne apni zindagi mein anay wali kisi aurat ko itnay "be zarrar" jumlay par itna sharmate hue nahi dekha tha aur is ko shikayat thi ke woh is ki tareef nahi karta. Salaar ka dil chaha, woh usay kuch aur chhede. woh bazahir be had sanjeedgi se usay nazar andaaz kiye hue cheeze bag mein daal rahi thi lekin is ke hathon mein halki si larzish thi. woh is ki nazron se yaqeenan confuse ho rahi thi.
kuch cheeze aisi hoti hain ke inhen ghar mein laane ke baad aap ko samajh nahi aata ke aap inhen kahan rakhen, kyun ke aap inhen jahan bhi rakhtay hain, uss cheez ke samnay woh jagah be had be maaya hi lagti hai. kuch cheeze aisi hoti hain, jinhein ghar mein laane ke baad inhen jahan bhi rakhen, wohi jagah sab se anmol aur qeemti ho jati hai. is ki samajh nahi araha tha, Imama is ke liye un cheezon mein se kon si cheez thi. is ke chehray ko daikhta woh kuch be ikhtiyar ho kar is ki taraf jhuka aur is ne barri narmi ke sath is ke dayen gaal ko chuva, woh kuch haya se simtee. is ne isi narmi ke sath is ka dayan kandha chooma aur phir Imama ne usay aik gehra saans le kar uthte hue dekha. woh wahein baithi rahi, Salaar ne palat kar nahi dekha. woh un papers ko ab apni bed side table ki daraaz mein rakh raha tha. palat kar daikhta to shayad Imama ki nazrain usay heran kar detin. is ne pehli baar is ke kandhay ko chooma tha aur is lams mein mohabbat nahi thi ehtram tha aur kyun tha, yeh woh samajh nahi saki .