Chapter-1
1997
Baarish ki boondon ke parne se arse se sookhi dharti se jo mehek uthti hai na, kucch vaisi hi thi us ladki ki kajrari aakhein. Kaala top aur kaali jeans, Ghunghrale baal, nose-ring, aur dhyaan se dekhne par uske collar bone se jhaankta ek tattoo- us ladki me vo saari cheezein thi jo Malhar ko sakht napasand thi magar na jaane kyon vo khud ko use dekhne se rok hi nahi paa raha tha.
"Oh Hello!" Us ladki ne Malhar ke paas jaakar uske saamne haath wave karte huye kaha, "Mere paas poora din nahi para yahaan faltu khada rehne ke liye. These villagers, I tell you. How stupid! Ahalya Niwaas ka raasta kahaan se jaata hai? Thik hai, aapko nahi batana...main khud hi dhoondh loongi."
Kehte huye vo ladki palatkar jaane lagti hai tabhi uska pair fisal jaata hai magar Malhar samay rehte use thaam leta hai. Ab ladki ka dhyaan pehli baar Malhar ke chehre par jaata hai- khaaskar uski gehri aankhon par.
"Vaise dekhne me bura nahi h!" Ladki man me sochti hai, "Bas zara mental balance bigda hua hai."
"Chalo Kalyani, main tumhe Aau Saheb ke yahaan chhor aata hoon. Vaise bhi raat bahut ho gayi hai. Ek minute, chhata to main Yahaan laaya hi nahi tha," Malhar kehta hai.
"Tumhe mera naam kaise pata?" Kalyani achraj me par jaati hai.
"Poore gaanv ko pata hai ki aaj Aau Saheb ke bete Atul Kaka aur Madhuri Kaki America se laute hain apni beti ke saath to main samajh gaya ki tum Aau Saheb ki poti Kalyani ho."
"Magar itni tez baarish me to ham bheeg jayenge," Kalyani boli. Tabhi uski nazar gaanv ke sabse ameer parivaar ke ghar par gayi jiske baahar ek motorcycle rakhi huyi thi. "Main ek minute me aayi."
Thodi der baaf Kalyani ek chaabi aur helmet lekar baahar aayi.
"Ye kyon le aai," Malhar ne kaha, "Mujhe ye sab chalana nahi aata. Main sirf cycle chalaana jaanta hoon."
Kalyani helmet lagati hai aur bike start karte huye bolti hai, "To aapse bike chalaane ki keh bhi kaun raha h? Mere peeche baithiye."
Ab Malhar sakte me aa gaya tha. Satara ke apne Engineering college me bhi usne motorcycle chalati huyi ladki ko aaj tak nahi dekha tha. Ladkiyan to hamesha ladkon ke peeche apne pair ek taraf kiye baithti thi.
"Ye kya kar rahi ho tum?" Malhar ne poocha, "Ladkiyaan thodi na ye sab chalati hain."
Kalyani ne ek gehri saans lekar kaha, "Khud bike chalaani nahi aati magar ek ladki ke peechhe bike me baithna bhi nahi h. Are kabhi to male ego ke glasses apni aankhon se hata kar dekhiye. Baithiye mere peeche. Mere paas itna time nahi h."
Malhar haarkar Kalyani ke peeche baith gaya.
Jaise hi bike chalne lagi, Kalyani ne dheeme se Malhar se poocha, "Itni raat ko ek ladki ke saath sunsaan raaste me akele aapko dar to nahi lag raha?"
"Kya?" Malhar chaunkte huye bola, fir bhi vo Kalyani se thoda door khisak gaya.
"Aur peeche jayenge to bike se neeche gir jayenge aap," Kalyani hanste huye boli, "Vaise naam kya h aapka?"
"Malhar Rane!"
Kalyani bhaari aawaz me Malhar ki nakal utaarkar boli, "Malhar Raane. Naam me to aapke kaafi vazan hai. Accha yahaan se left loon ya right?"
"Left cha right Manjhe?"
"Mera matlab yahaan se kahaan chaloon- daayein ya baayein?"
"Baayein."
"Accha Malharji aap itna sharmaate kyon hain?"
"Main aur sharmaata? Bilkul nahi. Bhala mujhe kyon sharam aane lagi?"
"Dekhiye to abhi bhi aapke gaal laal huye jaa rahe hain..."
"Ji nahi!"
"Ji haan!"
Aur yoon hi baatein karte karte raasta kab kat gaya pata hi nahi chala.
Jaise hi Kalyani ghar aayi, Aau Saheb ne bahut khush hokar uska swaagat kiya, "Aa gayi meri American poti. Are itna bheeg gayi hai tu. Jaa jaake andar kapde badal le. Malhar Atul aur Madhuri ke liye jo misal paav mangvaaye the zara thande ho gaye hain. Meri poti ke liye halwai ki dukaan se Zara garma garam vada paav le aana."
"Magar Aau Saheb," Kalyaani boli, "Already Malharji mujhe yahaan laane me itna bheeg gaye hain. Abhi fir se baarish me vaapis vada pao lene jayenge..."
"Are jab uski aai vo Anupriya har saal iski padhaai ke liye hamse udhaar le sakti hai," Aau Saheb boli, "To iska bhi to koi Farz banta hai na. Ho ki Nahi, Malhar?"
"Ho, Aau Saheb!" Kehkar Malhar vada paav lene baarish me hi chal diya.
2007
Chicago se Mumbai ki flight ke intezaar me ek ladki laptop par kaam kar rahi hoti hai. Straight khule baal, kalai par mehengi ghadi, uska sophistication dekhne se hi lag raha tha ki kisi MNC me high post par hai. Tabhi uska mobile phone ring karta hai.
"David, I told you na it's once in a lifetime chance. Yeah, I loved the work here but the work in Technosys India is far more challenging and at this stage of my career, I've seen it all- money and fame. Now I want to do something that challenges my skillset. Yeah, I know it's India. But India is no more the same. It's become a software giant now and I think it's time to go back."
Phone cut karke, Kalyani apne wallet me se ek brown railway ticket nikaalti hai jisme likha hota hai- Warada to Poona. Kismat bhi ajib hai. Das saal pehle jis Poona use Malhar ke saath jaana tha, aaj finally vi vahaan jaane vaali thi, magar Malhar ke bina. Pata nahi is vaqt Malhar kaisa hoga?
"Chaliye Malharji. Ham log yahaan se bhaag chalte hain!" Kalyani ki khud ki aawaz uske kaano me goonji. Kalyani ko das saal pehle ki Kalyani se embarassment si hoti h. Kitni desperate, kitni paagal sound kar rahi thi. Vo to accha tha ki Aau Saheb ne use sach ka aaina dikhaya varna apna career, apne sapne sab chhorkar Varada gaon me vo bhi Baarish ka intezaar kar rahi hoti. Malhar ko bhi uske faisle se bas kucch din dukh hua hoga. Vo dono vaise bhi ek doosre ke liye nahi bane the. Kalyani ne ummeed se fir socha Kaash Malhar ko usi ki tarah koi seedhi saadi, kheton me pasina bahaane vaali gharelu patni mil gayi ho. Bas Malharji apni duniya me khush ho.
https://youtu.be/cYVUpFAdgoE
Edited by Autumn09 - 3 years ago