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Sundar ramniyaan jab ghodhon par sawaar nazar aati hai to bahoot hi vichitar lagta hai dekhne waalon ko. Magar aajkal to bas yahan ke asal niwaasi yaa hum jaise chand sirfire hi yahan nazar aate hain. Weh hotel waale jo garmiyon mein seedhe munh baat nahin karte hai. Aur agar karte hain to munh maanga daam talab karte hain, aajkal itne shisht, milansaar aur udaas nazar aate hai ki poora hotel aapke charano par nichhawar karne ke liye taiyaar ho jaate hain aur jo kuch unko de diya, usi par santusht ho jaate hain.

Jis samay hum dono mari pahunche hain saara pahaadh dhunki rui ka ek bada dher bana hua tha aur har taraf baraf hi baraf nazar aa rahi thi. Thodi der mein kuch hotel waalon ne aur majdooron ne humaari car ko aakar gher liya. Magar hum lahore hi se jis hotel ke baare mein tay karke aaye the, usi ka rukh kiya. Yeh hotel humaare nazdeek mari ke sabse sundar bhaag mein tha. Aur is hotel ke jo do kamre hum dono ne reserve karaaye the, weh sachmuch aakaash mein latakte nazar aate the. Jahan tak drishti kaam karti thi, dudhiya waataawaran ke atirikt aur kuch nahin tha. Agar hum garmiyon mein aaye hote to humaare kamre ki inhi khidhkiyon se weh gehre gehre khadde nazar aate , jimein safed joote ki dori si nazar aati aur yeh wahi bal khaati hui sadak hoti jis par humaari car guzarkar yahan tak pahunchi thi. Magar aajkal to barf ne har sadak, har makaan aur har pedh ko barf hi barf bana rakha tha.

Humaare aur R.ana ke kamre alag alag zaroor the, magar mile hue. Lateefa yeh hua ki humne hotel ke manager se jis samay apne liye do kamre alag alag talab kiye to use khyaal hua ki humaare aur saathi bhi aa rahe hain. Magar jab use maaloom hua ki hum hi dono bajaaye ek ke do kamre chaahte hain, to yadyapi usne zabaan se kuch na kaha; magar aankhon se vismaye awashya baras raha tha aur uska yeh aashcharya galat bhi na tha, isliye ki yahan aamtaur par weh alag alag kamron mein rehne waale aate hain, jo ek hi kamre mein reh sakein. Pahaadh to iske liye mashhoor hi hai ki yahan badi badi pardaanasheen auratein burke chhod deti hain aur pahaadh ka jalwaayu parichit aur aparichit ke bhed ko mita deta hai. Burkon mein lipatkar sadak par simat simatkar chalne waali yahan garaaron ke gher sabko dikhaati ghoomti hain. Garaare pehenkar bina burke phirne waali apne yahan waakai patloon pehen kar ithlaaya karti hain. Bade bade premi, yahan apni premikaaon ko benaqaab dekhne aate hain.

Baherhaal hotel ke is manager ka weh aashcharya theek hi tha aur weh yeh pehli nishchal hi hal na kar saka hoga ki yeh kaise naujawaan mard aur aurat hain, jo pahaadh ki choti par pahunchkar bhi apne dharti ke aachaar vichaar apnaaye hue hain. Magar use kya maaloom ki isi dharti ke upar hum bahoot si bhaawnaaon ko dabaaye hue hain. jo uttejit hone ke liye tadaoti rehti hain. Hum dono mein kisi ke jahen mein bhi yeh sawaal kisi samay na aaya ki hum pahaadh ke nirjan ekaant se koi anuchit laabh uthaane jaa rahe hain. R.ana ko khud apne upar kaafi bharosa tha aur hum Khan bahadur saahab, beghum sahiba aur khud R.ana ke is vishwaas ka aadar karte the, jo un sabko hum par tha. R.ana humaare saath aayi hi sirf isliye thi ki use humse kisi bhadde aacharan ki asha nahin thi aur hum waakai satark the ki humaari kisi baat se R.ana ko humaari asliyat ka pata na chal jaaye. Baat asal mein yeh hai ki agar manushya jaati se shareefzaada hai to usko adhikaar prapt hai ki chaahe weh sharaafat se giri hui koi bhi harkat kar jaaye, uski jaatigat sharaafat mein aanch nahin aa sakti. Weh harkat mein shareef hi samjha jaayega. Magar jo jaati ka shareefzaada na ho uske liye to sharaafat aur sharaafat mein saawdhaani isliye bhi zaroori ho jaati hai ki kahin bhed na khul jaaye. Duniya yahi kahegi ki asal se khataa nahin, kamasal se wafaa nahin. Isliye chaahe asal khataa karta rahe, magar kamasal ko har haalat mein wafaa hi karni chahiye. Humein maaloom tha ki humaari asliyat kya hai aur hum kya bane hue hain aur yeh bhi maaloom tha ki Khan bahadur kis kadar shareef aadmi hain aur R.ana khud bhi kis kadar shareef hai. Isliye humaare liye sharaafat kuch aawashyakta se adhik aawashyak bankar reh gayi thi. Ab misaal ke liye shibbu miyaan hi ko leejiye ki weh sharaafat se giri hui harkat aksar karte rehte hain; magar iska adhikaar unhein isliye praapt hai ki weh jaati se shareef hain. Weh chaahe kitne hi gir jaayein aur kisi hi neechta ka aacharan kyon na karein, magar kehlaayenge shareef aur unki sharaafat par kalank na aa sakega. Magar humaari to weh haisiyat na thi. Yahan to zara behke aur khula bhed. Aapne dekha hoga ki sundar striyaan apne make up ka itna dhyaan nahin karti, jitna saadhaaran rang roop ki striyon ko karna padhta hai, jo har das pandrah minute baad purse se sheesha nikaalkar dekh leti hain ki unka saanwla rang jo unhonein gora bana rakha hai, kahin se feeka to nahin padh gaya. Lagbhag yahi haal apna tha ki pag pag par apne ko tolna padhta tha aur phir bhi dil mein darr tha ki khuda jaane kab pakdhe jaayein.

Hotel mein aane ke baad hum dono apnaapna kamra durust karke aur kapdhe badalkar manushya ban gaye to R.ana apne coat mein lipti hui baahar nikal aayi aur humein dekhkar daant bajaate hue boli-" Tauba! Kis kayaamat ki sardi hai!"

Humne kaha-" Maine aatishdaan garm kar diya hai aur coffe mangwaayi hai aap bhi idhar hi aa jaayein."

R.ana ne kaha-" Sachmuch aag ki tapan to aisi ho rahi hai jaise may aur june bhi barf ko jee chaahta hai."

Humne ghabra kar kaha-" Khuda ke liye barf ka naam na leejiye. Mujhe laga jaise aapne barf ki daali kaano mein daal di hai."

R.ana ne humaare kamre mein aate hue kaha-" Khuda ke liye baahar khade na hoiye, main to jami jaa rahi hoon bilkul."

Aatishdaan ke nikat aakar jab hum dono kuch der baidhe aur garam coffee ki kai pyaaliyaan chadha gaye to hosh kuch thikaane aa gaye aur weh jo ek kanpkanpi si thi kuch door hui. Is kadar pyaar aa raha tha is samay aatishdaan meinuthne waali chingaariyon par ki yeh baat samajh mein na aati thi ki humaare maulwi aur humaare updeshak aakhir dozakh ki aag se kyon darraate hain aur ismein mausam ka lihaaz kyon nahin karte? Udaaharan ke liye garmiyon mein updesh ho raha hai to nisandheh dozakh hi aag se darraayein; Magar decembar aur january mein to unhein yahi kehna chaahiye ki dozakh wahan hai jahan baraabar barf padhti hai aur paapi barf ke paani mein dubaa diye jaayenge. Barf mein dafankar diya jaayega aur ajeeb se farishte unhein ice cream khilaayenge aur barf mein nehla nehla kar pankha jhelenge. Hum abhi yahi vichaar kar rahe the ki R.ana ne shaayad coffe ki chauthi pyaali peeti hue kaha-" Mujhse abhi baahar chalne ko na kahiyega. Main pehle sardi ki aadi ho jaaoon, phir yeh himmat kar sakti hoon. Is waqt jo gusal kiya hai maine to mera hi dil jaanta hai ki kya haal hua hai mera."

Humne kaha-" Yeh aap garam paani se gusal ka zikr farma rahi hain, zaraa mere dil se poochhiye jisne humesha ki tarah thande paani se gusal kiya hai."

R.ana ne ek dum apne ko simet kar kaha-" Bhai yeh zikr na keejiye, dekhiye phir sardi lagi mujhe."

Humne kaha-" Yahan to waakai garam paani se gusal karna chahiye. Maine jab pehla lota daala hai apne jism par to aisa maaloom hua jaise bijli ka shock laga ho phir yon laga ki shaayad main jam gaya hoon, magar daant bheench kar jo lagaataar lote barsaaye hain."

R.ana ne jhurjhuri lekar kaha-" Khuda ke liye yeh zikr khatm bhi keejiye. Leejiye coffe ki ek pyaali aur leejiye. Sachmuch aabehayaat maaloom ho rahi hai is waqt yeh coffe."

Humne kaha-" Aakhir kitni pee jaayegi coffe, chauthi pyaali hai."

R.ana ne kaha-" Yahan coffe kitni hi pi jaaye magar na coffee hai. Yahan ka mausam dekhkar to mujhe afsos hai ki main Shibbu bhai ki saath kyon na laayi. Bada mazaa aata. Unki to shaayad jaan hi nikal jaati yahan." humne gambheerta se kaha-" Maine to pehle hi kaha tha aur main unka saath aana ek wajah se zaroori samajhta tha. Ab weh tarah tarah ke vichaar daudaayenge. Weh apne gaz se hi hum dono ko bhi naapte hain. Jaane kya kya bakwaas karte firenge. Agar saath aa jaate to unhein kum se kum yeh andaaza ho jaata ki sab unki kism ke log nahin hote."

R.ana ne kaha-" Jee nahin, aap yeh galat samajh rahe hain. Weh agar saath aate to weh yahi samajhte ki hum dono ne jo do alag alag kamre liye hain, yeh sab unhi ke kaaran hua hhai aur yeh jo hum sharaafat barat rahe hain yeh sab unhi ki maujoodgi ke khyaal se ho raha hai."

Humne kaha-" Yeh theek hai; magar unhein tarah tarah se shubhon mein padhne ka mauka to na milta."

R.ana ne awagya se kaha-" To unke shubah humaara bigaadh hi kya lenge? Jab tak daddy aur mummy ko aur sabse badh kar yeh ki hum dono ka apne aap par bharosa hai, unke sandheh se kya hota hai."

Humne kaha-" Magar main unhein is aitbaar se theek samajhta hoon ki awwal to weh aapke liye philhaal aapke bhai......"

R.ana ne baat kaat kar kaha-" Main is lafz philhaal par sakht aitraaz karti hoon."

Humne kaha-" Aitraaz to aap unhi se kariye jo samajhte hain. Magar unhein to yahi vishwaas hai na ki unki shaadi aapke saath hone waali hai."

R.ana boli-" Magar samajh mein nahin aata ki aakhir weh samajhta kyon hai. Meri raay unhein ab tak maaloom ho jaani chaahiye thi. Mummy unke naam par kaano par haath dharti hain, daddy ka andaaza aap khud kar chuke honge."

Humne kaha-" Weh kuch bhi sahi; Magar unhein to vishwaas hai aur is vishwaas ka kuch na kuch kaaran bhi zaroor hoga."

R.ana ne sambhal kar baidhte hue kaha-" Jee, kaaran sirf yeh hai ki unki maa me meri paidaaish ke waqt mummy se keh diya tha ki bas yeh ladki meri hai aur Shibbu tumhaara hai. Ab zaahir hai ki weh waqt fauzdaari ka to tha nahin. Hansi mein baat tal gayi."

Humne kaha-" Aur use baad akbhi sanjeedgi se inkaar na kiya gaya hoga?"

R.ana ne tatparta se kaha-" Ek baar nahin hazaar baar. Abhi pichchle saal humaari yeh chachi sahiba apne yeh chonchle baghaarne tashreef laayi thi ki ab Allah rakhe dono sayaane ho gaye hain, magar daddy ne yeh baat sunte hi weh mizaaj poochcha ki agar samajhdaar hoti to phir idhar ka rukh na karti."

Humne kaha-" Maaloom hota hai ki unhein ab tak ummed hai aue weh bete ko yakeen dila chuki hain."

R.ana ne bura sa munh banaakar kaha-" Gharaane ka gharaana akal ka bairi hai. Bhai zaraa ghanti bajaayiye, coffe aur mangwaayi jaaye."

Laakh R.ana ko toka, laakh mana kiya; magar coffe se baaz na aayi. Had yeh hai ki khaana bhi doosra na khaaya gaya. Jab tak coffe rahi coffe ka daur chalta raha aur aakhir lihaaf mein lipatne ke shauk se apne kamre mein chali gayi.