Bansi saher ki ek kapda mill me mechanic tha.kaafi achchhi tankhwah thi.apni biwi Padma ke saath wo mill ke staff quaters me badi khushhaal jindgi bita raha tha.diwali kaa waqt tha. aur Bansi aaj bahut khush tha. aaj hi usse bonus bhi mila tha. wo mill se ghar jaane ko nikla toh uske paanv jameen se chhu nahi rahe the jaise wo hawa me udd raha tha. ghar pahunchte hi usne aawaaz lagayi - "Padma...kaha ho bhai?" Padma rasoi se haath ponchhti hui bahar nikli.
Padma : kya hua?bade khush dikh rahe ho?"
bansi : Padma,aaj bonus mila hai. teen tankhwah aur saath me ye mahine ki tankhwah bhi.
bansi ki aawaaz se khusi saaf zalak rahi thi.

Padma : aree waah.badi achchhi khabar hai ye toh.suno,isse bamk me jamma kara dena kal.
bansi : nahi.iss paiso se muze apna ik waada pura karna hai jo maine apni Padma raani ko shaadi se pehle kiya tha.
Padma : kya?koi wada nahi kiya aapne. paise bank me jama karana.itni badi rakam ghar me nahi rakhte.
bansi :sun,maine tumhe kaha tha yaad hai main tere liye ek hari pannio wala mangalsutra banwaaunga.yaad hai?
Padma : are wo sab baatein toh sirf baatein hi hoti hai.waise toh aap chaand bhi laane wale the.."Padma ne chutki kaatate hue bansi se kaha.
"chaand toh khair tum ho iss liye jarurat nahi padi.par ye mangalsutra toh iss baar laana hi hai." bansi bola "aur sun,hum abhi jaayenge tu fatafat taiyaar ho jaa.khana bhi bahar hi khayenge."
Padma :are par..

bansi : kuchh nahi.tum taiyaar ho jao bas.jaldi.
Padma ke laakh mana karne par bhi bansi nahi maana .aakhir Padma uske saath jaaane ko taiyaar ho gayi.
do teen gaheno ki dukaan dekhne ke baad bansi ko apni pasand kaa mangalsutra mil hi gaya.dukan wale ne bataya "mangalsutr ke pendent me aap tasveer bhi laga sakte ho."
wo mangalsutra pahenke Padma bahut khubsurat lag rahi thi. bansi usse niharta hi raha..
baad me usne dono ki ek tasveer chhoti kaatkar wo pendent ke andar chipka di.Padma bhi apne pati ke iss tohfe se badi khush thi.
waqt etji se aage badh raha tha.aur badal bhi raha tha.ek shaam jab bansi mill se lauta toh Padma ne dekha ki bansi udaas lag raha tha.Padma ne puchha - " kya baat hai?tabiyat thik hai naa?"

bansi: Padma ek buri khabar hai. hamari mill bandh hone wali hai.
Padma ko ek zatka saa laga.par wo teji se sambhal gay.
Padma: oh.badi buri khabar hai sach mai. kab bandh ho rahi hai?
bansi: ye 30 taarikh se.
Padma: koi baat nahi.aap koi dusari mill me naukari dhundh lena.
bansi: Padma,tumhe pata hai naa..sab mills bandh ho rahi hai ek-ek karke.
Padma: aap himmat rakhiye. sab thik ho jaayega.

bansi: bhagwan kare sab thik ho jaaye.
par bansi ke liye kuchh thik nahi hua.jis din wo apni aakhri tankhwah lene gaya manager ne saath me quarter khali karne kaa notice bhi thama diya.bansi ko bahut chinta ho rahi thi. lekin Padma ne use dhiraj dilayi.wo dono ab quarter khali karke ek zopadnuma basti me rehne lage the. bansi ke pf aur baaki jo paise aaye the use unho ne bamk me jama kara diya.
bansi ab roj subeh kaam dhundhne nikalta tha. kai jageh chakkar kaate par kahi bhi koi dhang ki naukri nahi mil rahi thi.uski hattasha aur badh gayi thi. bank me rakhhe paise bhi dhire dhire kam ho rahe the.Padma ne ek din bansi se kaha -" suniye,aap aisa kyon nahi karte?jabtak koi dhang ki naukri nahi milti..koi chhota-mota kaam kyun nahi kar le te?"
bansi : kya bol rahi hai tu?

Padma: apne pados wale kaka ek badi cotton factory me kaam pe jaate hai.roj kaa bees rupya milta hai.
bansi: dekhta hun.
lekin bansi kaa man nahi lag raha tha. usse apni mill ki naukari badi pasand thi.ghar baithe baithe bansi kaa swabhav bhi chidchidaa ho gaya tha.wo baat baat me Padma se zagdne lagta tha.ussene ab daaru bhi pina shuru kar diya tha.Padma jab usse samzane ki koshish karti thi toh wo Padma ke upar haath bhi utha deta tha.Padma ab logo ke ghar kaa kaam karke un dono kaa gujaara kar rahi thi.bansi ki aadate aur bigad gayi.wo saara din apne aawara dosto ke saath ghumta rehta tha aur Padma ke kamaye hue paiso se daru piya karta tha.ek din Padma ko pata chala bansi ko police pakadke le gayi hai.Padma jab usse police station me milne gayi toh dekha bansi wahan gunde-mawalio ke saath ek lock up me bandh tha.bansi ne Padma ko dekh kar apni aankhe zuka li.
Padma: ab yehi baaki tha?
bansi : Padma ..sach..maine kuchh nahi kiya..

Padmaki aankho se aansoo bahe rahe the.
wo boli-" muze pata hai.main ab jaa rahi hun,main nahi chahti mera aane waala bachha apne baap ko aisi haalat me dekhe."
bansi ko ye sunkar ek jor kaa dhakka laga."bachha..yaani ki tum...
Padma: haan.mai maa hone wali hun..
bansi:tumne muxe bataya nahi
Padma:kab batati? hosh me rehte ho kabhi? ab mai apne bachhe ko lekar iss paap ki duniya se door jaa rahi hun.
bansi :dekho Padma.aisa mat karo.mai sab chhod dunga.tum mat jaao..

par Padma nahi ruki....
*********
Kallu pagalo ki tarah apne haath me pakde hue mangalsutra ko dekh raha tha.uski aankho se aansoo beh rahe the.apne haatho se usne apni haseen duniya ujaad di thi.wo kab bandi se Kallu ban gaya aur kab sab kuchh mit gaya usse pata hi nahi chala.tabhi uske kaano me Chhotu ki aawaaz padi -
"ustad,tum thik to ho?are..aapki aankho ko kya hua.."
"Chhotu,humne aaj ye jo mangalsutra udaaya wo aurat ko dekha tha tune? kaisi thi ?"
Chhotu : ustaad,karib 22-23 saal ki umar hogi.itna gaur se toh nahi dekha tha.kya baat hai ustad?"
ye sunkar Kallu aur dukhi ho gaya.ye Padma toh nahi thi.fir kaun thi ye aurat jo Padma kaa mangalsutra pehna tha?
Kallu : Chhotu,muze uss aurat kaa pata chaahiye,

Chhotu : kya baat hai ustad...kuchh garbad ho gayi kya?"
Kallu: wo sab main baad me bataunga. pehle wo ladki kaa pata laga.
Chhotu: ustad ..agar wo police complaint karegi to samxo kal subah hi humko pata chal jaayega. par agar police ko nahi bataya toh thoda mushkil hoga...
Kallu : kuchh bhi kar.muze uss aurat ke ghar kaa pata laa de.
Chhotu :thik hai.main kal pata karta hun.abhi raat kaafi ho gayi hai.aap so jao.

par Kallu ki aankho se nind gaayab thi.usne jail se chhutkar Padma ko dhundhne ki bahut koshish ki thi.par uska koi pata naa chala tha.thak-haar kar Kallu wahi apni puraani gunaho bhai jindhi jine laga.waqt gujarta gaya. pachhis saal...Kallu raat bhar baith kar kuchh sochta raha.....
**********
dusre din subeh karib gyareh baje Chhotu Kallu ke ghar pahuncha.
Chhotu : ustad,pata chal gaya hai.wo aurat udhar hi rehti hai jahan se humne ye mangalsutra udaaya.
Kallu : tu pata laaya uska?kya mnaam se complaint hui hai?"
Chhotu : ustaad koi mrs Nirmala Thakur ne complaint ki hai.ye raha uska address" Chhotu ne ek kagaz ki parchi Kallu ko thama di.
Kallu : hum wahan jaa rahe hai.chal.

Chhotu : ustad..main kuchh samaz nahi paaya..kaun hai wo aurat..kya ...
Kallu : Chhotu , sab main tuze batata hun.abhi chal .
Chhotu apne ustad ki koi baat taalta nahi tha.usne gaadi parchi me likhe pate ki taraf dauda di...
chhtu ne apni bike ek paanch manjla building ke pass rok di,aur bola - "ustaad,yahan teesre floor pe..
Kallu bola- "tu ruk yahan. main aaya abhi."
Chhotu : thik hai.

Kallu sidhiya chadhke teesre maale pe pahuncha. uskaa dil badi jor se dhadak raha tha. aaj kitne saalo baad use Padma kaa koi surag mila tha.usne name plate padhkar door bell daba di.usse ek anjaana saa ehsaas ho raha tha.baar baar wo apne sar se paseena ponchh raha tha... ek budhhe aadmi ne puchha - kiska kaam hai bhai?"
Kallu : ji.muze Nirmala ji se milna hai.
buddhha : kaun ho?kyun milna hai?kya naam hai aapka?"

Kallu : dekhiye kaka nirmlaji muze nahi jaanti.main bhi unhe nahi jaanta.kal shaayad koi chain snatcher unka mangalsutra khnch gaya tha. muze ussi baare me ubse baat karni hai..
tabhi andar se ek aurat ki aawaaz sunayi di -"kaun hai kaka?kiska kaam hai?"
buddhha kaka bola - "are bitiya , koi anjaan aadmi hai,wo tumhaare mangalsutra ke baare me kuchh baat karna chaahta hai.
tab tak wo aurat darwaaze pe pahunch gayi thi. Kallu ne uss aurat ko dekha to dekhta hi reh gaya.wohi rang,wohi roop..par ye Padma toh nahi hai.fir..kya ye uski..maane hamari..maane meri beti hogi?
Nirmala : ji boliye .aap police se ho?

Kallu badi mushkil se bol paaya - "nahi " kya bolna hai wo bhi usko yaad nahi aaya.usne zat se apni jeb me rakhha mangalsutra nikala aur use dikhate hue bola -" kya yahi tha wo?"
Nirmala ki aankhe chaudi ho gayi.usse yakin nahi ho raha tha. wo tezi se boli - "hey bhagwan..ye toh wahi hai..aapko kahan se mila..yehi toh wo dono haramkhor le ke gaye the.. aap kaun ho...
Kallu : dekhiye.main kal dopahar ke baad wahan se jaa raha tha toh ye muze raaste me ek kone me pada mila. maine wahan kuchh logo se puchha toh pata chala ye dopaher me aapke gale se koi khinch ke bhaaga tha.muze lagta hai hai jaldbaazi me wo chain snatcher ke haatho se gir gaya hoga.
Kallu ek hi saans me apni banayi hui kahani bayan kar gaya. wo aurat boli -"aap aaiye .andar baithiye."aur kaka se boli " kaka paani laao."
Kallu andar jaake ek sofa me baith gaya.Nirmala uske paas wale sofa me aake baith gayi aur boli - "baba ,aapka naam kya hai?"
Kallu ki aankho me baba sunkar aansoo bhar aaye.badi mushkil se apne aap ko sambhalte hue bola -" beti mera naam kuchh bhi nahi hai." fir hanste hue bola-muze log Kallu chacha kahete hai."

agar ye tumhara hai toh isse rakh lo.main lautaane aaya hun." Kallu bola.
baba,aap jaante nahi aapne ye lautakar muz pe kitna bada ehsaan kiya hai.ye mere maa-baba ki aakhiri nishani hai." Nirmala ki aankho se aansoo beh rahe the.
Kallu : kya hua tumhare maa-baa ko?kahan hai wo?
Nirmala : baba toh mera janam bhi nahi hua tha aur gujar gaye the.maa fir dus saal baad.
Kallu kaa dil baith gaya. Padma ne usse itni nafarat ki ki apni beti ko usne ye bataya ki uska pita mar gaya hai.ek ajib saa khali pana uske andar bhar gaya.
Kallu : beti,main chalta hun."

Nirmala : baba rukiye.pata nahi aapko dekhkar aisa lagta hai jaise aap mere apne ho.
Kallu :main fir kabhi aaunga.abhi ek jageh pahunchana bahut jaruri hai."
aur Kallu teji se uth kar chal diya.pichhe Nirmala ki aawaaz usse sunayi di -"baba thodi der.