Aakhri Khat – Author: Swapnil Kankute
Shaam ka asmaan ek udaas orange rang me dhal raha tha, jab Meera apni khidki ke paas baithi thi, bina kisi wajah ke door tak nazar daal rahi thi. Sheher ki roshniyan ek ek karke chamak uthi thi, jaise kisi sapne ki duniya ho. Uske haathon me ek purana khat tha, jo ab thoda halka padh chuka tha, lekin uske jazbaat utne hi gehre the.
Paanch saal beet gaye the jab usne Aryan ko aakhri baar dekha tha. Jo aadmi kabhi uski duniya me khushi aur mohabbat bhar diya karta tha, woh achanak hawa me ghul gaya tha. Unka aakhri mulaqat aaj bhi uske zehan me ek adhoora geet banke gunjta tha. Aryan ne wapas aane ka waada kiya tha, par waqt ne uske lafzon ko ek mazak bana diya tha.
Meera ne woh khat khola, jisme likha tha:
*”Meera, meri jaan,
Zindagi ajeeb tareeke se logon ko alag karti hai, par saccha pyaar kabhi khatam nahi hota. Kaash main tumhe ek baar aur gale laga pata, woh saari baatein keh pata jo dil me dabi reh gayi, aur tumhe yeh yakeen dilata ki tum meri zindagi ki sabse khoobsurat cheez ho. Agar naseeb ne saath diya, toh hum zaroor milenge. Warna bas itna jaan lo ki maine tumse bepanah mohabbat ki thi.”*
Aankhon me aansu bhar aaye, usne apni ungliyon se Aryan ki likhawat ko mehsoos kiya. Usne intezaar kiya tha, ek umeed pakad kar baithi thi ki ek din Aryan lautega aur use phir se apni baahon me le lega. Par zindagi ne ek alag hi dastaan likhi thi, aur uske paas sirf yeh khat aur yaadon ka samundar bacha tha.
Jab usne socha ki ab iss kahani ka ek antim patra likhna padega, tabhi darwaze pe ek halka knock hua. Dil zor se dhadakne laga. Kya yeh sach hai? Usne kapkapate haathon se darwaza khola.
Aur saamne khada tha—Aryan.
Uski aankhon me kahaniyan thi, chehra waqt ki maar se thoda thak gaya tha, par uski mohabbat ab bhi utni hi gehri thi.
“Tum wapas aa gaye…” Meera ne dheemi aawaaz me kaha, jaise zor se bolne par yeh pal toot jayega.
Aryan ek kadam aage badha, uski aawaaz bhari hui thi. “Mujhe aana hi tha, Meera. Sab kuch theek karna tha.”
Ek pal ke liye sab kuch chup ho gaya. Phir Meera ne halka muskura kar kaha, “Bahut der kar di tumne.”
Aryan ne apni jeb se ek aur khat nikala aur uske haath me diya. “Yeh tumhare saare sawaalon ka jawab dega.”
Usne bechaini se khat khola:
*”Meera,
Main apni marzi se tumse door nahi gaya tha. Us raat, ek aisi museebat aayi jo mere bas ke bahar thi. Mujhpar jhoothe ilzaam lagaye gaye, ek aise chakravyuh me daal diya gaya jahan se nikalna aasaan nahi tha. Har din main sirf ek hi wajah se jeeta tha—tumhare pyaar ki umeed.
Main jaanta hoon ki maafi maangne ka bhi haq nahi banta, par agar tumhare dil me mere liye ab bhi thodi si jagah hai, toh main apni zindagi ka har ek pal tumhe khush rakhne me laga dunga. Pichle paanch saal ek koshamkash ki tarah guzre, par tumhara pyaar meri roshni tha.
Hamesha tumhara, Aryan.”*
Meera ne Aryan ki taraf dekha, uski aankhon se aansu beh rahe the. Lafz uske hothon tak nahi aa rahe the, par dil jawab de chuka tha. Usne ek kadam aage badhkar Aryan ka haath pakad liya aur itne saalon baad, apne pyaar pe ek baar phir vishwas kar liya.
Bahar sheher ki roshniyan jhalmilati rahi, magar us chhoti si kamre me do dil ek baar phir ek doosre ki roshni ban chuke the.
Kabhi kabhi, pyaar sirf waqt ki baat hoti hai.
