---

Mirza saahab ne turant samardhan kiya-" Balki huzoor dil to bas ek hi cheez hota hai jawaani aur naujawaani mein."

Walid saahab is samay hansi mazaak ke mood mein na the, Mirza saahab ko jhadak diya-" Saahab, aap jaane kya keh rahe hai? Main yeh arz kar raha tha ki aakhir main bhi kabhi itni umr ka tha. Yeh dil ki kamzori ki kism ke rog mujhe to kabhi nahin hue."

Mirza saahab ne phir darbaari ki-" Huzoor waala, aap ka aisa dilo dariya aajkal ke log kahan se laayein? Magar huzoorwaala, meri raay hai ki is beemaari mein yeh doctory ilaaj to hai waahiyat-"

Walid saahab ne baat kaat kar kaha-" Ilaaj hona chaahiye darasal aapka. Main poochhta hoon Mirza tumhaara dimaag aakhir kitne pehloo.on se kharaab hai? Palmistry ke tum ustaad, shaayad tum gawaiye aur aaj doctory ka bhi daawa kar rahe ho."

Mirza saahab ne kaha-" Yeh baat nahin hai huzoorwaala, balki baat yeh hai, ki mere gharaane mein dil ke beemaar is kasrat se the aur is kadr teemaardaariyaan karni padhi hain mujhe ki waakai is marz ka ilaaj inshaallah galat na karoonga."

Walid saahab ne kaha-" Mirza saahab, yeh mera iklauta bachcha hai, andhe ki laadhi. Main ise zabaan ki himaakat par kurbaan karne ko hargiz taiyaar nahin hoon."

Mirza saahab khisiyaani hansi hanste hue bale-" Durust farmaaya huzoorwaala, kisi hakeem ko zaroor leejiye. Aur agar na munaasib to filhaal ved mushk ka istemaal kasrat se ho aur agar subaah nihaar munh saahabzaade saahab murabba aamla kha liya karein to subhaan Allah."

Walid saahab chhidh gaye-" Lahual Willa Kuvvat! Saahab, kaun aapse nuskha likha raha hai. Main aaya tha khuda jaane kya baatein karne inse aur aapne yeh daastaan chhed di. Inka jo ilaaj ho raha hai, weh bilkul theek ho raha hai aur yeh bataaeeye ki us ajeeb jaanwar ko kahan dekha hai?"

Mirza saahab ne fadak kar kaha-" Huzoor yahi main bhi arz karne waala tha. Waakai ajeeb jaanwar hai kahan Khan bahadur saahab kahan unke bhateeje Shibbu miyaan. Weh miswat khaakraana aalamepaak. ( Dharti ki pavitr aakaash se kya tulna!)"

Ab hum bhi chaunke par poochh-" Kya kaha Shibbu miyaan? Kya aapne SHibbu miyaan ko kahin dekha hai?"

Mirza saahab ne khaas daastaagoyi ke andaaz se kehna shuroo kiya-" Huzoorwaala, kal achaanak mera guzar anaarkali mein jo hua to dekhta kya hoon ki yeh hazrat saraaf ki dukaan par khade angoodhiyaan dekh rahe hain. Main aadaab bajaa laaya to weh kuch ghabra se gaye aur bazaahir bade tapaak se mile; magar jaisa mera is tarah milna unhein kuch zyaada pasand na aaya ho. Aakhir jab main rukhsat hone laga to mujhe kaha ki main zaraa ek zaroori kaam se chupke chupke lahore aaya hoon. Meri maujoodgi aur mujhse achaanak milne ka koi zikr nawaab ke huzoor yaa Khan bahadur saahab ke ghar mein na keejiyega."

Walid saahab ne humein sambodhit karte hue kaha-" Iska matlab yeh hai ki weh naamaakool in dino lahore mein aawaaraagardi kar raha hai aur shaayad Khan bahadur saahab ko bhi khabar nahin hoti bhi to weh bechaare uske naam se kaano par haath rakhte hain uska naam sunkar."

Walid saahab SHibbu miyaan ki shaan mein kaseede padhte rahe aur hum baat par vichaar karte rahe ki aakhir yeh sarraf ki dukaan par kis liye gaya tha. Kahin aisa to nahin ki Miss Pal ko noh lene ke liye kuch zewar wagairah pesh karna chaahta ho. Afsos to yeh hai ki is aakasmik ghatna ke kaaran Shibbu miyaan waala khel adhoora hi reh gaya. Aur do din se to humein khabar hi nahin ki yeh kissa aakhir kis manzil par hai. Magar kisi manzil par khaak hota, Miss Pal ko humne yahan se jaate hue dekha hi nahin. Weh bechaara hotel mein padha sookh raha hoga. Hum in baaton par vichaar kar rahe the aur is beech mein walid saahab Shibbu miyaan ki shaan mein kaseeda padhte padhte na jaane kyon sehsa vishye badal kar maamu jaan ke baare mein farmaane lage-" Mirza saahab jis din se yeh kaafila aaya hai, khuda ki kasam zindagi khatta hi ho gaya hai."

Mirza saahba ne nihaayat ghatiya andaaz farmaaya-" Haalaanki huzoor suna yah hai ki saari khudaai ek taraf......."

Walid saahab ne kahaawat poori kar di-" Aur joru ka bhai ek taraf, magar humaare ghar mein to naksha yeh hai ki saari khudaai ek taraf aur joru ka bhai ek taraf. Aajkal us badtameez ne mere kamre mein apna saadha hua hukka laakar na sirf peena shuroo kiya, balki wahi chilam palat kar doosri bharna shuroo kar di. Agar zabaan se kuch nikle to wahi kaha jaayega ki dekhiye saahab bade aadmi hain; Isliye gareeb rishtedaaron ki beizzati karte hain; Unhein hakeer aur zaleej samajhte hain."

Walid saahab ki baat poori na ho paayi thi ki MissPal ne aakar kaha-" Zaraa is kamre mein parda karaa deejiye, saahabzaade ko dekhne mamaani saahiba aa rahi hain."

Walid saahab ne turant kaha-" Jal tu jalaal tu, saahabe kamaal tu, aayi balaa ko taal tu. Kal se meri naak mein dum kiya jaa raha hai ki Farhat miyaan ko yaa to andar bulaaya jaaye yaa hum sab jaayenge unhein dekhne baahar. Aao bhai, Mirza, yeh balaa aakar tal hi jaaye to achcha hai."

Walid saahab to Mirza saahab ke saath tashreef le gaye aur hum mamaani sahiba ki dayaa par akele reh gaye. Baat yeh hai ki bandha hua maar khaata hai. Hum bistar par beemaar padhe the, bhaagne ka koi maarg nahin tha; Isliye pakdhe gaye. Khair mamaani sahiba akeli aati to ek baat bhi thi; magar unke saath walida sahiba aur sab ke peechhe Najjo bhi choodhidaar paijaama, lamba sa kurta aur gehre hare rang ka dupatta odhe tashreef le aayi. Mamaani sahiba ne aate hi balaayein lena shuroo kar di aur choonki unke yahan riwaaj yeh hai ki har kursi aur har sofa chhod kar teemaardaari karne waale ko apni vishishtta aur ghanishtta prakat karne ke liye khaas taur se mareez ki chaarpaayi par baidhna chaahiye; Isliye weh apni gurgaabi utaar kar chhade se kadha aur kadhe se chhada bajaati hui humaare bistar par baidhkar boli-" EK to yon hi dhaan paan oopar se yeh mui beemaariyaan. Magar mere laala kamaal karte ho tum bhi, baahar padhe hue ho beemaar. Aye beta! Andar hote to hum log bhi dekh bhaal karte."

Arz kiya-" Doctor ka hukm yahi hai ki shor aur teemaardaari karne waalon ki bheedh se door rehna chaahiye."

Mamaani sahiba ne choodiyon se lade haath ko matkaate hue kaha-" Yeh doctor nigodhe maarein mareez ko, aur bhi logon se darra dete hain. Tum yahan padhe ho aur hum sab ghar mein pareshaan hain. Aye, ise to dekho Najjo, jo din se kheel bhi udhkar gayi ho munh tak. Na khaane ki hai, na peene ki, chup chaap fira karti hai."

Walida sahiba ne Najjo se kaha-" Aye beti, darwaaze se chipti khadhi ho. BAidh jaao na idhar kursi par."

Bee Najjo apni ungliyon ke ghunghro lage hue chhalon se darwaaze par dhol bajaane ki koshish kar rahi thi. Shaayad ab jo humne unhein dekha to apni asliyat benaqaab hokar saamne aa gayi. Kaano mein bade bade waale, gale mein tauk, jo ab siwaaye humaare parivaar ke shaayad hi aur kahin nazar aata ho, aur chikan ke kurte mein zanjeerdaar chaandi ke batan. Haathon mein kangan aur choodhiyon ki weh kasrat ki khuda ki panaah aur ek kalaayi par jebi ghadhi ke size ki atyant bhayaanak ghadhi lagbhag holdhol ke tasmo se bandhi hui. Ab kahan nazar aati hain aisi bahu-betiyaan? Hum unke kaano ke wazni zewar ko nigaahon se tol hi rahe the ki mamaani sahiba ne farmaaya-" Allah jaanta hai aisi khush khush aayi thi yahan aur tumhaari beemaari se murjha kar reh gayi. Baah ri pagli! Lo aur suno laja rahi hai bechaari."

Aur waakai weh maare lajja ke dupatta khaaye jaa rahi thi. Humne unhein sambodhit karte hue kaha-" Bhai, aaj to tum itni badi ho gayi ho ki Najjo aapa kehne ko ji chaahta hai."

Mamaani jaan ne dulaar se kaha-" Khaak badi ho gayi hai. Mizaaz mein wahi bachpanaa hai. Albatta yeh zaroor hai ki Allah rakhe far far padh zaroor leti hai urdu ka akhbaar, zidd yeh thi ki angrezi bhi padhoongi; Magar beta maine to saaf keh diya ki Allah rakhe jab apne ghar ki ho jaana phir chaahe angrezi padhna. Main to ladki jaat ko angrezi padhwaane se rahi."

Walida saahiba ne kaha-" yeh to aankhon ka paani ab tak maraa nahin hain, iski yahi wajah hai aur ek main hoon ki mujh bodhiya ka galaa ghont ghont kar angrezi padhaayi jaa rahi hai."

Mamaani sahiba ne apni saahabzaadi ke gun warnan karte hue framaaya-" Allah rakhe, sui ka kaam to aisa karti hai ki meri aankhon mein khaak, log dekhte hi reh jaate hain. Tumhaare liye bhi takiye ke gilaaf badhe shauk se banaakar laayi hai. De do na weh gilaaf, daboche kyon baidhi ho?"

Aur Najjo ne daboche hue gilaaf maa ki god mein is prakaar uchhaale ki unki saari choodiyaan khanak uthi. Mamaani sahiba ne weh gilaaf humaare saamne kholte hue farmaaya-" Bade shauk se banaaye hain yeh gilaaf raaton ko jaag jaag kar."

In gilaafon mein se ek par resham se ek kabootar banaaya gaya tha, jo vaastav mein giddh ki jaati se tha. Uski chonch mein ek lifaafa diya hua tha aur is lifaafe par resham se kaadha gaya tha- "Khushaamdeed" (Swaagatam). Ab yeh poochhiyega ki takiye ke gilaaf par khushaamdeed ki kya tuk hai? Aur khushaamdeed ka kabootar se kya sambandh hai? Baherhaal gilaaf mehnat se awashye banaaya tha. Resham ke jitne rang mil sakte the sab us mein khapaa diye gaye the. Misaal ke taur par kabootar ke gehre surkh rang ke the aur gardan hare rang ki thi, dum neele rang ki aur panje ude rang ke. Isi prakaar ki tarkeeb lifaafe par likhe hue aksharon ki thi. Doosre lifaafe par ghodha tha yaa shaayad bakri ho. Baherhaal in dono mein se ek tha zaroor aur uske pairon ke neeche shaayad ghaas dikhaayi gayi thi. Humne ghaas isliye kaha tha ki uska rang neela tha aur phir ek fikra kaadha gaya tha is takiye par. Mulaahiza ho-
Utho sone waalo ki main aa rahi hoon."

Ab vishwaas ho gaya ki yeh ghodha nahin bakri hai, warna weh yeh kyon kehta ki main aa rahi hoon. Humne baherhaal in gilaafon ki taareef mein zameen aasmaan ek kar diya aur nihaayat shukriya ke saath unhein rakh liya haalaanki abhi yeh bhi tey na hua tha ki inhein karenge kya? Magar uphaar ka aadar karna bhi aawashyak hai. Mamaani sahiba Najjo ke guno ka warnana kiye hi jaa rahi thi ki doctor ke aane ki soochna par humaari jaan bachi aur humne laakhon paaye.