Kadak Dash

Khet

Subah ka andhera poora gaya nahi tha jab main chappal haath mein leke kachchi gali se nikal padi. Gaon abhi aadha soya hua tha. Ek murga door kahin bol kar chup ho gaya, jaise usse bhi apni hi awaaz ajeeb lag gayi ho. Mitti thandi thi, aur hawa mein geeli ghaas, gobar, aur kisi chulhe ki halki si dhundh mil rahi thi. Mere andar jo kal raat se jag raha tha, woh bhi garam tha.

Main seedha bajre ke khet ke kinare pahunchi. Katai ke baad zameen khuli-khuli lag rahi thi. Wahi mera track tha. Na whistle, na crowd, na boundary ke bahar khade log. Bas ek seedhi mitti ki patti, jahan subah ki nami pair se chipak jaati thi.

Maine ghutne moode, haath unpe rakhe, aur saans andar kheench li.

“Ek… do… teen…”

Aur bhaag padi.

Pehle do kadam mein hi badan ne yaad dila diya ki main machine nahi hoon. Pindli mein kal ki thakaan, kamar mein sardi ki khinch, gale mein woh sookhaapan jo daud shuru hote hi kankar ban jaata hai. Phir bhi teesre kadam ke baad maine sab chhod diya. Hawa cheerti hui guzri. Dupatta peeth pe udne laga. Kaan mein sirf apni saans thi—huff, huff, huff—aur pairon ke neeche mitti ki ghis-ghis.

Daudte waqt duniya seedhi ho jaati hai. Na chachi ki awaaz, na gaon ki nazar, na ghar ke andar ka woh tanav jo har subah bina bulaye aa jaata hai. Sirf aage ki zameen. Sirf nishana.

Aaj maine apna record tod diya.

Ruk kar main khud se muskura di.

“Bas?”

Peechhe se awaaz aayi. Hansi nahi thi, par usme taana bhi nahi tha.

Main ekdum sakht ho gayi aur palti.

Ek aadmi khada tha. Umar chalees ke aas-paas. Patli body, kandhe par purana bag, aur aankhon mein woh thandi si saaf nazar jo kisi ko dekh kar bhi jhooth nahi bolti. Pairon mein sports shoes the. Hamare gaon mein jo cheez asli mein kam aur sapne mein zyada hoti hai.

“Kaun ho aap?” maine poocha.

Unhone bag ka strap theek kiya. “Rakesh. School ka coach.”

Yaad aaya—gaon ke school mein koi naya coach aaya hai, aisa kisi ne bataya tha. Main dhyaan nahi de payi thi. School aur mera rishta bas itna tha ki mammi bolti thi padh le, aur main sochti thi kal.

Coach ne meri taraf, phir us mitti ki line ki taraf, phir wapas meri taraf dekha.

“Roz yahin bhaagti hai?”

Main jhooth bolne hi wali thi, par unki aankhon mein pakad nahi thi. Bas pehchaan thi. Isliye sach bol diya. “Haan.”

“Kaafi tez hai tu.”

“Bas,” maine kandhe uchkaye. “Aise hi.”

“Aise hi nahi hota.” Unhone zameen ki taraf ishara kiya. “Start theek hai. Turn pe rukti nahi. Aur last mein bhi speed bachi rehti hai. Body mein hota hai ye.”

Mujhe ajeeb laga. Koi pehli baar mere bhaagne ko bas shararat ya pagalpan nahi bol raha tha.

“School track pe aayegi?” unhone poocha.

Main seedha unhe dekhti reh gayi. “Nahi.”

“Kyoon?”

Mera muh khul gaya, par jawab turant nahi aaya. Kyunki gaon mein subah-savera khet ke kinare bhaagna hi logon ko kaafi lagta tha. Track pe, sabke saamne, shorts aur shoes mein, coach ke saath? Gaon ko kya-kya samajh aata, mujhe pata tha.

“Ghar wale nahi maanenge,” maine aakhir kaha.

Coach ne sir hila diya, jaise ye jawab pehle se jaanta ho.

“Main baat karunga.”

Mere andar ek second ke liye kuch chamka. Phir turant bujh gaya.

“Uncle,” maine dheere se bola, “aapko mere baap ka pata nahi.”

Coach ne seedha meri aankhon mein dekha. “Tabhi to baat karni hai.”

Peechhe se khansne ki awaaz aayi. Main palti. Do auratein paani ke liye nikal rahi thi. Humein dekh kar unki aapsi phus-phusahat hawa mein reh gayi. Bas itna kaafi tha. Gaon mein ek nazar bhi baat hoti hai.

Mere pet mein knot sa ban gaya.

Coach ne bhi dekh liya. Unhone bag kandhe par aur kas liya. “School aa jana dopahar mein. Pichhle gate se. Agar chance chahiye to aana padega.”

Main kuch bol nahi paayi. Coach chal diye, aur unke shoes mitti pe alag si line bana gaye.

Mujhe pata tha aaj meri zindagi mein kuch hila hai. Ye bhi pata tha ki ghar pahunchte hi woh hilna dabaya jaayega.

Ghar

Ghar ke andar roti sekne ki garam smell thi aur mammi ki khaamosh chaal. Unhone mujhe dekhte hi aankh uthayi, phir atta gundhte hue boli, “Itni subah kahan gayi thi?”

Main lota rakhte hue boli, “Bas chalne.”

“Chalne?” unhone bina chehra uthaye kaha. “Itna pasina?”

Maine kuch nahi bola. Mammi jaan leti hain jab main jhooth bol rahi hoti hoon. Par woh us jhooth ko todti nahi. Bas kahin side mein rakh deti hain, jaise kapde ka naksh.

Baap ji bahar chabutre par baithe chai pi rahe the. Aankhon mein woh subah wala gussa tha jo unka aadha din bana deta tha. Unhone mujhe ek nazar dekha.

“Kahan thi?” unhone poocha.

“Wahin.”

“Mujhe ‘wahin’ ka matlab samjha.”

Mammi ne jaldi se bola, “Khet ke paas hi hogi. Ladki hai, thoda chal leti hai. Kya farak padta hai?”

Baap ji ne chai ka pyala neeche rakha. “Farak padta hai.”

Main chup rahi. Phir bhi kuch bol dene ka mann hua. Aaj ka record, coach, track—sab. Par baap ji ke saamne lafz aksar aadhe hi nikalte the.

“Main daud rahi thi,” maine seedha bol diya.

Mammi ka haath ek pal ko ruk gaya.

Baap ji ki aankh sikud gayi. “Kya?”

“Daud rahi thi. Practice kar rahi thi.”

“Practice?” unhone ek kadam aage aa kar poocha. “Kis cheez ki?”

Mujhse bas ek lafz nikla, “Race.”

Jaise ghar mein bijli gir gayi ho. Mammi ne chaaku neeche rakh diya. Baap ji ki gardan sakht ho gayi.

“Bakwaas band kar,” unhone neeche ki awaaz mein kaha. “Kisne bhar diya ye dimaag?”

“Koi nahi,” maine kaha. “Mujhe daudna acha lagta hai.”