Aakhiri Intzaar...

Ek sankra sa kooncha,

Uske aakhiri kone par laga ek saalon purana bijli ka khambha

Jo hamesha se aisa hi tha, bujha bujha sa, jaise kiraye ki raushni laata ho...

Uss koonche me ek purana makaan tha, jisme behtareen nakkashidar darwaaje hote the,
Ab to deemak nigal gayi thi usey kafi hadd tak...
Is Andhere ne aur is bujhi hui roshni ne behadd benoor kardiya tha is koonchey ko
Ek zamaana hue iss poori rahguzar ko dekhe hue
Ab to khud par hi sharmindgi hoti hai, ki itne saalon baad idhar ka rukh kiya..
Behisaab raaton ke intezaar ka gawah tha wo bijli ka khambha
Ab na to wo zumbish thi iss raah me aur na hi koi maskhari
Goya bejaan ho chuka tha sab kuchh is koonche mein

Maine unn ghaarat hue darwazon pe dastak di
Kuch der talak to koi halchal na hui,
Fir ander se khala ki awaaz aayi 'aate hain, zara tasalli rakhiye'
Maine apna rumaal nikala,
Aur aankhon me ubhar aaye kai nakshon ko mitane ki koshish ki...

Khala ke haath me laaltain thi, aur nazron me intzaar
Umar ke jaane kitne saal iss chehre par apne nishan bana chuke the,
Khala ne chashma durust karke, nigahon pe zor daalke poochha
Ji, aapki taareef?
Mere alfaaz maano halaq me hi dafan ho gaye the,
Lakh koshish karne par bhi na nikle
'Ji, maine farmaaya- Kaun hain aap?' Khala ne kuch zor dekar kaha.
'Aadaab khala, main hoon Aakash, pahchana?' Kuch alfaaz meri zubaan se ludhak gaye
Khala ne laltain ko mere chehre ke kareeb laaker dekha
Fir poochha- 'Aa-kaa-sh, itne arse baad, Ab kisliye aaye hain aap?'
Maine jawab dena munasib nahi samjha ya yoon kahein jawab aya nahin.. Khaamosh raha.
Khala ne darwaja se kinaare hat kar ander aane ko kaha....

Ander ki roshni jaise peeli dhundh odhkar baithi ho
Aangan pahle se kuch chhota ho gaya tha
Khala ne mere kandhe pe haath rakha to mujhe khyaal aaya ki kahan hoon maano kho gaya tha un yaadon mein
Khala...kya aapne kabhi usey intzaar karte hue dekha...mere jaane ke baad? maine darte hue poochha
Khala ne ek lambi saans li...'haan'

Unki iss 'haan' se ek sukoon mila
'Baki sab khairiyat?' Maine poochha
Khala ne ektak nigahon se mujhe dekha aur boli...'Shayad tumhe ilm hi nahi hai Aakash’
Maine poochha...'Kis silsile mein khala?'
'Wo intezaar uska aakhiri intzaar tha.....Aakash' khala ne dupatte se aankhon ki bheegi kor ponchhte hue kaha.
Main sirf unhe dekhta hi rah gaya....halaq sookh gaya tha, rooh kaanp gayi thi
Kabhi guman hua karta tha mujhe apni lekhni par,  aur aaj jaise tamaam umr hi ek khali panne ki tarah ho gayi thi, jispe koi badrang syaahi bikhar gayi ho...aur main wahin baitha ka baitha rah gaya.

Itwaar Ke Roz....

Itwaar ke roz, hum kuch waqt sath me guzaarte the
Unn dino kuch khaas jaldbazi nahi hoti thi logon ko
Unhone ek roz yeh din mukammal kiya tha mulaaqaaton ke liye
Tab se yahi silsila zaari tha...

Unke waalid ko hum khaas pasand na the
To badi kashmkash ke baad itwaar tay hua tha
Yun to kuch khaas baatein nahi karte the hum
Magar ghanton uss jheel ke kinaron ko dekha karte the
Aur kabhi kabhi to kashtiyaan bhi bahate the
Bada sukoon hota tha itwaar ke roz
Hafta ko jaise-taise hi guzarta tha janab

Jahan tak unka sawaal hai, badi hi nek dil insaan thi wo
Kisi gair ke bhi dard me ashq baha dene wali
Masoom, khushmizaj aur beyhadd khoobsurat
Aur main ek aam si surat wala, dubla-patla sa
Kismat rahem kar gayi thi hum par

Yun to hum dono bahut alag se dikhte the
Par bheetar se ek doosre ke poorak
Bahut hi umda kism ki dosti thi humari
Haan...ye to batana bhool gaye ki hum sirf 'dost' the

Ab to kafi arsa hua iss baat ko,
Hum dono ke nikah hue aur fir apni apni zindagi me mashgool ho gaye
Par kabhi kabhi unki kami mahsus hoti hai to,
Itwaar ke roz usi jheel ke kinaare baith kar do-chaar baatein kar lete hain
Aisi dosti ab kahan hoti huzur
Ab to lagbhag gunaah hi hai ladke-ladkiyon ka sath baithna
Ab wo itwaar bhi nahi aate....