Anya ki Haveli: Ek Chillar Kahani

Us raat haveli mein bohot sannata tha. Ek jhooti shanti, jaise ek bhediya (wolf) ki chadar (blanket) par ke ek chidiya (bird) chah rahi hai. Dust motes, ek aasmai jharokha se aakar, sunfle light mein dhoond rahi thi. Har ek dori, har ek chupi, ek anokhi chill se saji hui thi – ek jhoot ki chill, jo dil mein bhi aati thi. Anya, 22 saal ki, ek purani, jhaansi ki haveli mein aayi thi. Iski maa, badi, doob gayi thi, aur isko haveli ko chhodne ki aukaad mili thi. Par isko yeh aukaad pasand nahi tha. Isko yeh aukaad, ek darrane ki aukaad tha. Haveli, ek shaant lagta tha par andar se ek darrana. Ek purani, ek jhooti shanti. Iske charon paon, purane zamane ki kahaniyan kah rahe the. Ek aasmaan ki chidiya, ek bhooto ki aawaz. Anya ki mummy, badi, iski maa, Lakshmi, ne yeh haveli, iski parivarikta ke liye chhod diya tha. Lakshmi ne kaha tha, ‘Anya, yeh haveli, ek bhoot se saji hai. Isko chhodna nahi, isko dhoondna hai.’ Anya ki aankhon mein darr tha. Isko apni maa ki aakhri aawaaz suni thi, ‘Anya, tumko darrna nahi chahiye, par tumko sach sunna hai.’ Iske andar, ek darrane ki aahat thi, jo desert ki raat ki chill se zyada thi. Isko lag raha tha, jaise koi uski nazar se khel raha hai. Har ek choti choti cheez, ek anokhi chill le jaati thi. Ek faded photograph, ek chipped clay doll, ek particular scent – har cheez uske dil mein ek darrane ka savera le aati thi. Phir, yaad aaya uss raat ka. Us raat, haveli mein bohot darr tha. Anya, apni kamar mein ek akele, dushman wala shakal feel kar rahi thi. Ek bhoot. Ek purana bhoot. Iska naam, Rohan tha. Rohan, Lakshmi ka bhai tha. Isne Lakshmi ko chhod diya tha, aur Lakshmi ne isko haveli mein band kar diya tha. Rohan, ek akele, dushman wala shakal, haveli mein reh raha tha, aur uski aag, Lakshmi ki aag jahan bhi ja rahi thi. Anya ki yaadashon, ek chot se shuru hui thi, aur phir, ek jharra se nikal rahi thi. Isne dekha, Rohan, Lakshmi ko badnaam kar raha tha. Isne dekha, Lakshmi, Rohan ki aag se aag lagi hui thi. Aur phir, uss raat… Anya ki yaadashon, ek ghastly, aasaan nahi tha. Ek ghastly, aasaan nahi tha. Isne dekha, Rohan, uspar… Anya ki aankhon mein aansu, aur uske dil mein ek darrane ki chill. Phir, yaad aaya uss doll ka. Ek chipped clay doll, Lakshmi ki billi. Rohan ne isko churai tha tha, aur Lakshmi ne isko Anya ko de diya tha. Anya ne doll ko pakad kar, iski choti choti chidiyaon ko dekha. Isne dekha, Rohan, doll ko dekh kar, akele ho jaata tha. Lakshmi ne Anya ko tantra ki shastraon ki shiksha di thi. Puja, mantras, yagyan… Anya ne sab kuch seekha tha, par uss bhoot ko dhoondhne mein uska koi faayada nahi hua tha. Bhoot, zyada hi baras raha tha. Anya ki aatma, zyada hi baras rahi thi. Isne ek tantric, Panditji ko bulaya. Panditji ne Anya ko kaha, ‘Yeh bhoot, Lakshmi ki aag se janam le gayi hai. Isko dhoondna nahi, Lakshmi ko dhoondna hai. Lakshmi, Anya ki maa hai, aur iski aag, Rohan ki aag se janam le gayi hai.’ Anya ne Panditji ki baat suni, aur iske baad, usne haveli mein ek puja kiya. Isne Lakshmi ki aag ko jalaaya, aur Rohan ki aag ko samaya. Puja karte waqt, Anya ko lag raha tha, jaise uss bhoot, uski aatma mein dhoond rahi hai. Phir, uss raat, usne phir se dekha. Rohan, uspar. Anya ki yaadashon, zyada hi baras rahi thi. Isne dekha, Rohan, uspar… Anya ki aankhon mein aansu, aur uske dil mein ek darrane ki chill. Par is baar, Anya ne darr mein nahi, shahar mein aayi. Isne Rohan ko dekha, aur usne usse kaha, ‘Tumne Lakshmi ko chhod diya tha. Tumne Lakshmi ko aag lagi hui dekhi thi. Par main, main Lakshmi hoon. Aur main tumhari aag ko samayungi.’ Rohan ne Anya ko dekha, aur usne usse kaha, ‘Tum meri aag nahi ho. Tum Lakshmi ki aag ho. Aur tum, tum meri aag se zyada hi baras rahi ho.’ Anya ne Rohan ko samjha. Isne usse kaha, ‘Tumne Lakshmi ko chhod diya, kyunki tum, tum akele nahi ho. Tum Lakshmi ke saath, Rohan. Tum Lakshmi ke saath rehna.’ Phir, Rohan, zyada hi baras gaya. Usne Anya ko chupa liya, aur usne Anya ko Lakshmi ki aag se samaya. Anya ki aatma, zyada hi baras gayi. Aaj, Anya haveli mein rehti hai. Isko haveli mein darr nahi, par usko Rohan ki aag ki chill lagti hai. Isko lagta hai, Rohan, haveli mein reh raha hai. Isko lagta hai, Rohan, Anya ki aatma ko samay raha hai. Anya ki aatma, zyada hi baras rahi hai. Haveli mein, ek jhoot ki shanti, par ek darrane ki chill. Anya ki haveli, ek chillar kahani.