Shayad Ek Short Story

Kal puraane purzay padh raha tha,
Aur saath bahut kuch kar raha tha
Phir us khat par nazar gayee
Bheege lafaaz par jaa kar ruk gayee
Waqt jaise thehar gayaa
Yaad un dinon ki aane lagi

Main kuch sher likh kar
apne saath le chalta
Aur pulia par tumhaari rah takta
Phir bade dheere se chalta hua
Tumhara rickshaw dikhayee deta
Rickshevaan dubla patla
Pehle ek pedal par khada hota
Phir doosre pedal par
Isi tarah uski savaari aage badti

Besabri se nazdeek aane ka intezaar
Main karta rehta lekin
Kabhi aage badh kar nahin mila
Jaise hi mere barabar aa jaata
Main apni cycle chalane lagta
Phir sadak par bheed kam dekh kar apna purza tumhaare haath mein deta
Tum leti bhi aur nahin bhi
Phir thodi der baad khol kar padhti

Bachpan ki shaayri mein
armaan zyaada aur wazan kam
Padhte hue nikal jaati thi tum
Na kabhi palat kar dekha
Na ruke na salaam dua
Mera bhi department aa jaata
Aur tumhein aage jaana rehta

Kitne din chalaa ye silsila
Sirf chuttiyon mein rukta
Main bhi tumhaare
jaane ke baad ghar jaata tha
aur aane ke pehle aa jaata
Kabhi baat nahin hui
Bas classes ke timing
dekh kar pataa lagta
Ki kab lautna hai

Bade bechain din thhe wo
Jab main laut aata tha aur tum nahin
Phir ek din aisa bhi aaya
Exams khatam hue aur hum sab
Hamesha ke liye campus chhod kar
Duniya mein utar rahe thhey

Ek ajeeb mahaul chha gaya dil mein
Ek khaalipan jo aaj bhi barf ke andar
Phanse havaa ke bulbule jaisa hai
Jo us waqt bana jab main
Tumhaare rickshe ke saath
Jisme tumhaara samaan bhi tha
Station jaa raha thha
Tumhein chhodne
Iraada phir milne ka thha
Darr judaai ka

Phir tumne mere haath mein
Ek purza rakh diya
Maine badi mushkil se use jeb mein rakha
Mann keh raha tha ki usi waqt
Padh daalun lekin
Gaadi ka waqt ho gaya thha

Tumhaare hostel ki doosri ladkiyan
Platform par thi
aur mujhe khayaal aaya
Ki tum unke saath station nahin aayi
Alag se taaki main saath chal sakun
Aur tum mujhe ye chiththi de sako

Gaadi chali gayee
Bahot der tak station ke bahar
main ruka raha
Dil ko behlaane lagaa
Ye to dosti thi pyaar nahin
Pyaar hota to baat aur hoti
Main uska haath thaamta
Rukne ko kehta

Lekin yeh dil ne kuch nahin suna
Bas apne andar ek jagah khaali chhod di
Jahaan kuch gaya us din ke baad

Maine kabhi usse nahin poocha ki
Mere purzon ka kya hota tha
Phaadey jaate ya sahej ke
kitaab ke warq ke beech dhare jaate
Sher to maine kitaab mein bhi likhe thhey

Na jaane kab station se campus pahunch gayaa
Bada ajanabiyon sa mehsoos ho raha tha
Mann hua jhat se main bhi
is jagah se door chala jaaoon
Ab waise bhi rakha kya hai
Ek imtihaan khatam ho gaya
Aur doosre mein fail ho gaye

Kamre pahunchaa aur laet gayaa
Uska diya khat nikaala
pet par rakh kar sochne laga
Kya hai isme?
Uska pata? Uska number?
Itne din ke benaam saath ka alvidaai iqraar?
Padhne laga

'Aap shayar hain, jo sher aapne mujhe diye
Ummeed hai aapke paas bhi likhe hain
Kyun ki main saare khat apne saath le jaa rahi hoon.
Koi pooche ki kitne bade shayar hain
To yeh keh dijiye ki
Deewane lakhon baar aapke sher padh chuke hain
Aur baat sahi hai, is diwaani ne lakh se zyaada baar padh liya hai. Aur meri janib se aap ke liye kuch alfaaz hain Ghalib ke....aur bhi gham hain zamaane mein muhabbat ke siva... Ab aap ise wajah samjhein ya bahaana'


Yaad khatam ho gayee
Aur bete ne poochha
'Kya aap sachmuch ke shayar hain?'
Main hansa aur keh diya.... 'Nahin beta zehni taur par kangaal hain jo apni yaadon ki tijarat alfaaz ke lifaafon mein karte hain.'

'To phir yeh kya hai' puraane khat ko dikhaate hue poocha.
Maine kaha
'birth certificate'