Pyaar Ki Udaan

Adhyay 1: Ek Naya Bandhan

Disha ki muskurahat mein ek ajeeb si chamak thi, jo har kisi ko apni taraf kheench leti thi. Aaj dopahar ka waqt tha, aur woh apne haath mein garam tiffin liye, doosri manzil ki seedhiyon par chadh rahi thi. Salim bhaiya, jo unke kirayedar the, aaj office nahi gaye the. Unhone subah hi phone karke bataya tha ki unki tabiyat thodi kharab hai. Disha ke man mein thodi chinta thi, par saath hi saath ek chhoti si khushi bhi – aaj unke saath thodi der baithne ka mauka milega.

Darwaza khula hi tha. Disha ne andar jhanka aur awaaz di, 'Salim bhaiya, main aayi hoon! Tiffin laya hoon, khaana garam hai abhi.'

Salim sofe par let kar ek kitaab padh rahe the. Unka chehra thoda utra hua tha, par Disha ko dekhkar unke hothon par muskurahat aa gayi. 'Arre Disha, tu kitni achhi hai. Main toh bas thoda sa thaka hua hoon, fever jaisa lag raha hai. Aa, baith na thodi der,' unhone ishaara kiya.

Disha ne tiffin table par rakha aur sofe ke paas baith gayi. 'Bhaiya, aapko doctor ke paas jaana chahiye. Yeh thakaan wala bahana nahi chalega mere saamne,' usne thodi shaitani se kaha, apni badi badi aankhon se unhe ghoorte hue.

Salim hans pade. 'Arre, doctor ki kya zarurat? Teri yeh muskurahat hi meri dawa hai. Waise, tu itni chhoti si umar mein itni chinta kyun karti hai? Apne sapne nahi dekhti kya?' unhone poochha, unki awaaz mein ek gahri utsaukta thi.

Disha thodi der ke liye chup ho gayi, phir boli, 'Sapne toh dekhti hoon, bhaiya. Main ek bada designer banna chahti hoon. Aapki tarah, jo apne dum par yahan shehar mein khade hain, main bhi apne pairon par khadi hona chahti hoon. Par kabhi kabhi lagta hai yeh sab bas sapne hi rah jayenge.'

Salim ne uski baat dhyan se suni, phir ek gehri saans lete hue kaha, 'Disha, sapne tabhi sach hote hain jab tu unke liye ladti hai. Main bhi gaon se yahan aaya tha, kuch bhi nahi tha mere paas. Par himmat nahi haari. Tu bhi mat haarna. Tujh mein woh aag hai, main dekh sakta hoon.'

Disha ki aankhon mein ek nayi chamak aa gayi. Unhone ek doosre ko dekha, aur us pal mein ek ajeeb si samajhdaari ka bandhan ban gaya. Woh dono hasne lage, aur baatein karte karte waqt ka pata hi nahi chala. Disha ne notice kiya ki Salim ka chehra ab thoda behtar lag raha tha, unki awaaz mein bhi energy thi.

'Achha bhaiya, main ab chalti hoon. Par aap apna khayal rakhna, warna main phir aakar daant doongi,' Disha ne mazaak mein kaha, apni aankhon mein ek shaitani si chamak liye.

Salim ne bhi haskar jawab diya, 'Arre, tu toh meri chhoti si boss ban gayi hai. Theek hai, tera hukum sar aankhon par. Par ek baat bolun? Teri yeh baatein, yeh saath, yeh sab mujhe sach mein achha lagta hai. Tu mat badalna kabhi.'

Disha sharma gayi, par usne apne aap ko sambhalte hue kaha, 'Bhaiya, aap bhi na, bas baatein banate ho. Main chalti hoon, par shaam ko dinner ke liye phir aaungi. Tab tak aap aaram karo.'

Woh seedhiyon se utarte hue apne dil mein ek ajeeb si garmi mehsoos kar rahi thi. Salim ki baatein, unka woh pyaar bhara andaaz, uske man ko chhoo gaya tha. Aur uske andar ek aag si jal rahi thi, ek aisa ehsaas jo woh samajh nahi pa rahi thi. Shaam ka intezaar ab uske liye ek naye rang mein rang gaya tha, aur uske man mein ek chhupa sa josh tha jo usse Salim ke paas wapas le jaane ke liye bechain kar raha tha.