Kamukta Story कांटों का उपहार

[hotaks]

mantri pratap singh radha ko rangmahal mein chhod kar chala gaya. Radha aakar palang par baith gayi. pairon ko upar sametkar usne ghutne ke charon aur apni baahen lapet lee. Aur gardan jhuka kar ek gaal ghutne par rakh liya. Uske maanas-patal bhola ki tashveer ghum gayi. Usnki palkon se aansu chhalak pade - " bhola...!" uske hothon se ek aah tapki. - "tumne mujhe kyon chhod diya? Kyon nahi apni jaan ki baazi laga kar mujhe bacha liya?" wah sisak padi.

Sahsa usne kadmon ki chaap suni to apne vichaaron se jaagi. Usne dekha surajbhan singh padhar rahe hain. Shaahi libaas mein lamba chauda sharir bahut khil raha tha. Wah radha ke sameep hi aakar khade ho gaye. Radha ne ghruna ke kaaran apni palken dusri aur fer lee.

"gaon wale apni fariyaad lekar aaye the." unhone kaha. - "kal raat kuchh luteron ne unke jhopdon mein aag laga di hai."

Radha usi prakaar baithi rahi. Ghruna se mann hi mann use kosti rahi. Gaon wale lootere ko jaan kar bhi anjaan the. Fariyaad bhi laaye to lootere ke paas.

"maine un sabhi ko hi muh maangi keemat de di hai. Isliye ki in looteron se main unki hifazat nahi kar saka. Maine unhe samjha diya hai ki ab yahan koi lootera nahi aayega. Maine bhola ki maang bhi puri kar di hai."

Radha ki bhigi palken upar ko uthi. Usne aashcharya se surajbhan ko dekha.

"haan...!" wah bole - "usne tumhari keemat pandrah hazaar lagayi. Kehne laga daakuon ne radha ko utha liya. Mandap mein aag laga di. Dahej ko aag mein feink diya. Paanch hazaar rupaye sath le gaye. Main jaanta hoon, mere logon ko aisa saahas kabhi nahi hoga. Rupaye to wah jitna chaahen mujhse le sakte hain. Parantu main chup hi raha. Tumko bhulne ke liye usne pandrah hazaar rupaye ki maang ki jo maine turant puri kar di."

"pandrah hazaar...!" radha ke honthon se achanak hi nikal gaya. radha ko bhola par bahut krodh aaya. Jeevan bhar usse pyar karne ka daawa karne wala keval pandrah hazaar mein hi fisal gaya. Uske pyar ke sahare hi to usne surajbhan ki eit se eit baja dene ki thani thi. parantu yah sab kya ho gaya? Bhola itni jaldi badal gaya. Yadi bhola itni jaldi badal gaya to bhala dusre log uska sath kyon dene lage. Phir bhi usne surajbhan ki baaton ke uttar mein kaha - yah jhooth hai. Bhola kabhi bhi meri keemat nahi laga sakta."

"yah sach hai radha." unhone gambhir hokar kaha - "yah baat tum usi se puchh lena. Maine uska dil tatola to usne spast shabdon mein keh diya ki ab wah tumhe kisi bhi avashtha mein swikaar nahi karega."

Radha ka dil toot gaya. Wah seer jhukaye sisak padi.

"radha, mujhe kshama kar do. Tum chaho to main tumhe apni patni banane ko taiyar hoon."

"patni...!" radha ne triskrut bhav se kaha - "bhartiya naari ek hi baar patni banti hai. Aur wah main ban chuki hoon. Bhola ki patni. Meri sagai uske sath bachpan mein hi ho chuki hai."

"lekin ab wah tumhe nahi apnayega."

"main khud bhi apna sab kuchh loot jaane ke baad uske paas nahi jaana chahti. khash kar aisi avashtha mein jabki usne mere dil ko sakht thes pahunchai hai. Lekin main marna bhi nahi chahti. Main apne khandaan ki aakhri nishani hoon. Main zinda rahungi aur zinda reh kar yah dekhna chahti hoon ki aise aadmi ka kya hashra hota hai jisne apne anand ke liye mera khaandan loot liya."

"radha...!" surajbhan ki palken bhig gayi. Radha ki baaten barchhiyon ki tarah unke dil par chubhne lagi. Wah bole - "kya is sansaar mein mere liye koi aisa prayshcheet nahi jiske kaaran tum mujhe pyar na sahi kshama hi kar sako?"

"hargiz nahi."

"Mera vishvash karo radha. Main tumhe chahta hoon, tumse pyar karta hoon. Tumhari khushi ke liye apna sab kuchh bhet chadha dena chahta hoon. Apna rajya, rajmahal sab kuchh tyaag dunga. Chaahen to mujhe aazma lo, meri pariksha le lo. Main kabhi bhi tumhe niraash nahi karunga."

"yadi aisi baat hai to mujhe azaad kar dijiye. Main apne baba ke paas jaana chahti hoon." radha ne yahan se bach nikalne ka raasta dhundha.

Surajbhan ke dil par niraasha ne dusri baat ki. - "theek hai radha. Tum apne ghar ja sakti ho. Ab main tum par koi dabav nahi daalunga."

Surajbhan ne taali bajayi. Tatkaal ek aadmi bhitar aaya.

"inhe surakhit mahal se baahar chhod aao." unhone apne aadmi ko aadesh diya.

Radha gupt raaston se hoti hui mahal se baahar nikal gayi.