The Fallout
The dawn dwindled into the night as the Sun sank deep into the cold, windy bank of the treacherous, monster. I peeked from inside the pit that had been my home for the last seven days; trapped and terrified.
I came from Mars. We (me and my aunt) left the Earth in the beginning of the third millennium.
“Where is my family?” I would iterate.
“They are barely humans now.” She would reiterate, “Look Tara, just forget the past.”
Forget it? Was that so simple? It had really never been. I got the chance when I chose the Earth for my field project in the final year of Planetary science under my subject, “Mission Earth-The Remnants”.
6th July 3035,
Khetoloi, Jaisalmer,
Rajasthan.
Temp: 201 degrees.
I activated my heat sink to avoid any damage to my system. I felt the burning sensation on my fibre skin. I had carried my oxygen pills with me, a stock that would last for six months. I had programmed my Food/Water flags full for the next six months before the launch of my space shuttle ET0X103035.
I collected the samples of the desert and the plants that showed strong resemblance to the species of cactus, though much enormous in size and of white colour, in the small polythene pouches and pressed it hard on my fibre skin until it got fully absorbed in it.
I fiddled with the control panel and set the time at 30th May 3005.My mind delved in the lost traces.
It was a big day for India indeed! The colours of life reflected in the clothes of the natives, happy and proud faces all around, people glued to their TV sets, applauding and cheering as the news reader flashed the glory moment
30 May 3000,
Place: Pokharan
Mission: Pokharan101
Time: 12.00 pm
Temperature: 57 Degrees.
101 th Nuclear Test Successful.
I reset the time at 30th May 3010.
There was chaos everywhere as I watched houses burning and the flames licking the sky. I saw myself crying for my parents and my aunt dragged me out of the place with her.
The government declared that it was the last space shuttle to leave for Mars. We must leave the Earth as soon as possible. People were fighting each other to get on board. The level of humanity dropped drastically in the humans. My aunt struggled hard to get both of us into the shuttle. She was bleeding profusely. I noticed her torn lips murmuring the prayers and kissing my head before she passed out. We were safe.
I reset the timer to my present time.
They were close; I shrank myself in the perimeter of the pit. The rustling came closer; clearer and louder. I located the figures, two of them, as they swept pass my hiding, nearly 26 feet high, their head being much bigger than a normal human but the body of flesh and bones. I noticed their gigantic arms, right hand much longer and stronger than the left hand. Their legs, six in numbers, were elongated and uneven and the toe was nearly two feet long while others fingers were one and half feet each. Were they monsters or the destroyers themselves?
I kept my ray gun handy.
I was not laced with proper weapons to keep the monsters at bay. So I waited here and scanned every visiting man, a dozen of them.
My head hung in despair once again as I scanned the first figure, “No genes similarity detected.”
I scanned the second figure, my screen went green colour this time: “Gene similarity detected.”
I scanned his face, my brother! The red signal beeped, “Caution; Zero level humanity.”
“Brother! It’s me, Tara!” I ignored the warning as I ran to him. My sensor detected 0.1 microns of feelings in him.
“What happened?” I whispered.
“The air, water and land got contaminated due to the fallout.” He moaned. “The poison flooded the village and now flooding our nerves. The virus travelled to other places outside the village perimeter too. Handfuls of us have survived the doom with the deformed bodies and the dead soul. We are the monsters now!” His face stiffened.
I examined my sensors, Humanity level grounding to zero. He too sensed the beast aroused in him, “Go!” he screamed. “Leave! Now! ” My sensors went mad.
I ran for my life. They were barely humans!
Letter from an unfinished story..
Beloved,
It is the night of confession and today I won’t mind speaking my mind aloud to you. Neither shall I speak for your pleasure not for your satisfaction. Sweetheart, since from the beginning of this relationship I was too cautious to offend you in anyway and probably it would be shocking for you to hear such words of disgrace from me, but my love, you have broken me to this point that I refuse to take it anymore.
It’s been three years since we met, three years of togetherness or companionship or whatever you prefer to name it. I never knew that you existed in my class until one fine day you just appeared out of your self-exile mode and asked me for my notes, just a day before the exams! You promised me to return them back to me in two hours which you never did. I guess you were already in the habit of breaking promises! I had to wake up whole night and prepare fresh notes to save myself from the failure in the exams. You had always been like this, irresponsible and self-centred. I despised you for a very long time after that incidence and would have been continued to do so had you not made me believe that you were madly in love with me.
I was naive and stupid.
You stalked me for the whole one year. You wrote numerous love letters to me, your friends and other classmates would come every now and then to tell me how madly you were in love with me. Nothing was enough to move me until you slit your wrist one day. I could not sleep that night, from the combine feeling of being loathed by others and the guilt for being the reason behind your mental trauma (apparently!). I surrendered.
At times, I would pinch myself just to know that I was not dreaming otherwise how and why a good looking and rich boy will fall for such an average looking middle class girl?I thought, like you said, my simplicity and caring nature made you fall in love with me. You said you have all the comforts in the world but you crave for love and care that your busy parents couldn’t provide to you. Since then I made sure that your life is filled with love and care. I loved you more than my life and cared for you like I did for no one. I ignored your arrogance, ego and insensitivity for the sake of love. Moreover, I ignored myself, for a very long time indeed.
But now I want to take charge of my life again.
Hardly had I known that you were on a mission, mission of acquiring what your influential status could not bring to you. Once you were sure that I would not leave you, you started taking me for granted. Your attention towards me gradually decreased to zero; suddenly I was out of your zone. I would miss you on my special days, would crave for a wish from you but you were always busy with your other friends all the time. My grades at college dropped drastically. You had been emotionally unavailable to me every time I needed you. Every time I look upon you for support you would turn your face the other side. You would make fun of me in public and would encourage others to do the same. My heart would bleed to death every time you did that to me. When I tried talking to you regarding this you would tell me to stop throwing tantrums and that I should not make a fuss over such trivial issues. Only you would not understand that my world revolved around you and without you I was all alone. I was nearly in the verge of having a nervous breakdown but you would not care. Actually you never had. It was a game, you won and I lost, I being a Mission over and long forgotten.
It was really hard to acknowledge this bitter truth but since I have got myself acquainted with the reality, I call it off. I admit it was a blunder, my very first and probably the last love experience.
Thank you for nothing.
Good Bye Forever.
Yours lovingly
Someone….
Inhumanly human
“Why can’t you inform us well in time?” I literarily yelled at my maid. She had taken the sick leave the previous day and she hadn’t informed us in time. So my M-I-L had to do all the chores all alone by herself as I rushed to my office. “It’s too much work load for one person.” I was still ranting on.
Wait a minute; did I just mention “work load” to her? My stupidity echoed into my ears as I perceived her sunburnt face. She was down with fever for past few days and cold and cough showed no mercy on her just like their sister poverty. She has two more houses to work on other than mine and her own. I stared at the dirty utensils, a basket and the sink full of them and glared at that gloomy fever stuck destitute soul while she swept the floor reticently. Her body and soul still hurt; of illness and of the fresh wounds (a New Year gift!) from the clouts by her beloved husband. I wanted to comfort her, I didn’t. I wanted to lend her help, I didn’t. I wanted to ask her not to do the dishes and I would take care of them myself, I didn’t. I wanted to tell her to take leaves for few more days until she gets fully recovered, I didn’t. I wanted her to take rest but I didn’t tell this too. Moreover,I didn’t offer her any monetary help. I didn’t do anything for her. I simply didn’t.
Few days back I was down with fever, I took complete rest and never got off my bed except for attending nature’s call and to take bath, I was too ill for that. I rested when cold and cough hit me hard, I would gladly take in the homemade soup made by my mother while tucking myself in my cozy bed. I never washed a single glass for two weeks owing to my poor health. I knew I had to take a good care of myself and I did take it.
I could tell her to do the same instead of washing loads of dirty utensils. I could make her go and see a good doctor instead of sweeping approximately 10BHK spaces. I could tell her to have a good diet and good medication instead of moping the floors. I could do so many things but I didn’t do any of it. I delved into her anxiety controlled mind while she sank her hands deep in the phenyl mixed water holding a dry mop in them. I didn’t feel the pain and discomfort that she was going through even though I have been acquainted with the same. Why didn’t I do it? Why can’t we feel the pain for others? Why does it take us ages to utter a single kind word? Why can’t we be just human? Am I the only one or others also go through similar incidences once in a while that forces them do some brainstorming? Do let me know.
Enough
Have you ever met a SATAN in your life? No, no I am not talking about your inner demons that we all have in ourselves, believe me that’s perfectly okay. Nor I am talking about your paranormal experiences but I am talking about the real SATAN, the dark forces that you might have encountered once in your life time,sometime, somewhere and that might have added up to one of your bitter experiences.
SATAN is nothing but the power in the wrong hands. Power in negative hands is the dark force that gives birth to SATAN, who believes that they have the supreme power in the world. They believe that they have the right to pick up fights and nobody can challenge their authority. They are powerful enough to whip innocent people and nobody would dare stand against them. They believe that they have the right on other people’s life and they breathe because of their mercy. SATAN may have different shapes and forms. Here I am talking about one of their forms, the “Friend Police”, whose friendliness with common people have left them with the ugliest scars for the life time. They feel that they are authorized to slap anybody irrespective of their ages, gender, crime (They committed one or not is of no concern). For example (a real one!) they have the power to beat the security guard of an office mercilessly just because he told them to move their vehicle from the office entrance and to make way for other vehicles. The poor security guard who was just doing his duty was dragged brutally as his blood soiled the ground (he got wounds all over his body!)Not only this when employees resisted against this injustice, the officer along with his other comrades threatened them of dire consequences. His superiors cited the lame excuse that he had been under depression (really?) as he was being suspended for taking bribery that day. So is this applicable to common people also? Go beat somebody to death and you shall be exempted because you are under depression? Police is for the security of people and not to harass them. Are exploitation and Police becoming synonyms? How are they different from the terrorists? Who’s going to control these dark forces and when? The newspapers are all flooded with their atrocities yet they roam around unregulated, fear free for they are the fear. What can be done about it? As I am writing this I just came across a thought what if any of them reads this blog? Will they harass me too for writing against them?
They might and I am appalled.
Last Night
1 January 2016,
Last night was the night of celebrations. Last night was the night of dreams; Dream of a better and happy future. Last night was the night of expectations. Last night our hearts filled of joy, happiness sparkled from every pore of our skin, smiling faces all over the globe. Last night, earth became the most happening place of the Universe. Last night, darkness engulfed our sorrows, shortcomings, imperfections for a while. Last night we waited impatiently for the first light of the dawn.
Last night was so similar yet so different.
Last night was so dark yet so bright.
Last night was the night to remember, to cherish.
Last night was the night of intimacy,
Last night was the night of love.
Last night.
My Friend Nutty
I have a friend and she is different. We call her Nutty.
Nutty grabs eye-balls where ever she goes. She has got these two beautiful really big eyes that closely resemble to this very important bird, an Owl; just that hers seem to pop a little bit out of the socket!
Her teeth are arranged in a string of white pearls, and whenever she flashes her electric smile, people would love her so much that they immediately start yelling, ‘ Oh ,bunny, my darling bunny!’
No wonder, her front two teeth that just fail to accommodate within the perimeter of her mouth, always add shine to her smile. (As I am writing this I am flashing one, from ear to ear!)
People love her hair-dos. Whenever Nutty flaunts her new hair-dos and as soon as people notice that, an endless chain of strange and weird tales of spooky cats and dogs explodes ultimately bursting into a series of laughter.
HaHaHa…..HoHoHo……HaHaHa……
Ha! Crazy people!
Nutty doesn’t mind it; in fact, she would gladly join others….
FuFuFuFuFu….UFuFuFuFu….
—-Pin Drop Silence——–
HaHaHa…..HoHoHo……HaHaHa……
HaHaHa…..HoHoHo……HaHaHa……
Another round of laughter explodes.
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Once Nutty, (being a fan of Priyanka Chopra) resolved to get her shapeless existence in shape and to feel more ‘light’. So she joined a Gym where a Macho looking trainer promised to turn ugly ducklings into sexy chicks.
For one month, she toiled up the thorny path with much perseverance. She gave on her ice-creams, the supply of her pizza delivery reduced drastically, the chocolate business suffered a major blow and the fast food centres nearly went out of business!
She would wake up early in the morning ,(and in order to stick to her schedule she chose to sleep with her snoring granny, whose snores rose so high in the air that even Dracula could not dream of a sound sleep.).
She ran and panted.. Hmmph.. hmmph
Hmmph.. hmmph.. Panted and ran, every five minutes.
She told me once that somebody clapped when she ran. I simply didn’t have the heart to tell her that it was not anybody else, but her own cellulite covered thighs cheering her on.
On the D-day, with much anticipation and with her pumping and jumping heart, she hopped on the weight machine, and her already popping eyes rolled out a bit more when the wretched sleek piece of aluminium completed nearly one half cycle on the scale.
People waiting for their turns stand up on their toes, raised their heels as high as they can, each one raising himself above the head of others with their jaws dropped open .
“Chota Hathi!” Somebody yelled.
KhiKhikhi-Khikhikhi-Khikhikhi….HaHaha-HoHoHo…Aaahhaaahaaahhhaaa…
She didn’t lose courage. She hit the gym back next morning, this time much harder.
The gym is yet to repair its front wall while she lost her car.
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Once, a family of a prospective groom came to ‘see’ her. The Father of the prospective groom, pointing towards her grandfather, asked her “What does he do in the evening?”
“He Farts.” she said it aloud, and then whispered into the man’s ear “A lot.”
The house turned into Nagasaki-Hiroshima site as if the bomb had just exploded right in front of them. Four pair of eyes shifted their gazes towards her grandfather as the man, his wife, the groom and her granny turned their heads towards him while her parents threw a ‘YOU-ARE-DEAD’ look on her. Her grandfather unable to perceive anything grinned his toothless grin.
“Oh, No! Don’t worry. The timings are from 7 pm to 7 am, we still have another two bomb free hours with us.” She was just being honest.
The Family melted into the air never to be seen or heard of again.
—————————————————————————————————————-
It happened one day that she was ALL-ALONE in her three-bedroom house when she sensed somebody just rushed past her bed room. Her invisible antennas sensed the danger immediately.
Slowly and carefully, step by step, she moved towards her bed room. There was no noise from either sides .Smart Pants, Huh? She whispered to herself.
She grabbed a big fat base ball bat (in sync with her size!) that had been kept specially for knocking the crooks down.
Okay, now, bring it on!! She cried with the base ball bat holding high in the air.
Again, no noise,
” C’omn, One-on-one.” She roared, though her roaring was barely audible, even to herself.
” Okay, I ‘ll count till ten, come out otherwise I ‘ll smash your head down with this bat.”
This time she was able to frighten him, as she heard that soft, muffled crackling sound of papers,probably of the papers lying on the side table.
“TEN,NINE,EIGHT..” She started the counting; today he was going to pee in his pants for sure.
” TWO. You still have one last time. ” No response.
“ONE, So let it be… “She pushed the door wide open with one hand while still holding the base ball bat in the other hand. As soon as she opened it , she flung herself four steps back from the door.
There was no sign of any living soul in the room.
She inspected the room with the corner of her eyes, still holding the bat with both of her hands. She moved forward, but to be on safer side, she didn’t enter the room and just stood at the door, very alert.
No trace of any life.
“C’MON, SHOW ME YOUR UGLY FACE, YOU LOSER!” Nutty roared again.
And IT DID. It really did.
Just above her head, it crawled on the door frame. The base ball bat fell on the ground just like a ripened fruit fells from the ground.
“AA$$$$$$$$$$$$………………….” She screamed so loud that it fell on the ground, right in front of her.
Two seconds later both of them were hiding from each other.
The battle has to be ended, so she took this big and important decision.
She spent rest of the afternoon sitting outside in the porch, until the family came back.
Nutty loves parties and the marriage-parties all the more. She steals all the limelight through her energetic dance performance particularly her speciality, “The Naagin Dance”.
She dances and dances so hysterically that unknown people often rush to offer her mammoth nostrils their smelly shoes!
Nutty is hilarious. Nutty is funny. Nutty is “The Bold and The beast.”
She is my friend and she is different.
संध्या (लघु उपन्यास),भाग – XIV
(कहानी अब तक https://hemagusain27.wordpress.com/2015/09/26)
अब तक आपने पढ़ा की संध्या एक नवविवाहिता है जो ससुराल में अपने अस्तित्व की लड़ाई लड़ रही है। उसका पति सारंग का व्यवहार उसके प्रति उदासीन है। संध्या कुछ दिनों के लिए अपने मायके रहने जाती है वहाँ उसे अपनी बचपन की सहेली उषा से मिलती है। उषा के साथ कुछ अच्छा समय व्यतीत करने के बाद संध्या कार से ससुराल की और निकलती है किन्तु रास्ते में उसकी कार दुर्घटनाग्रस्त हो जाती है। संध्या किसी प्रकार बच तो जाती है किन्तु उसका चेहरा बुरी तरह से घायल होता है। संध्या सारंग का इंतज़ार करती है ,किन्तु ना सारंग और ना ही ससुराल से कोई संध्या को मिलने आता है। संध्या इस बात से बड़ी आहत होती है। उसे पता चलता है की जिस कार से उसकी कार दुर्घटनाग्रस्त हुई थी ,उसमे बैठा एक मृत्यु हुई थी और एक गर्भवती का गर्भ नष्ट हुआ था ,संध्या उस महिला से मिलने जाती है ,तब उसके सामने कटु सत्य आता है की जो व्यक्ति मरा वह और कोई नहीं उसका पति सारंग था। संध्या अपना मानसिक संतुलन खो बैठी।संध्या की सहेली उषा ,संध्या और उसकी माँ को अपने साथ मुंबई ले चलती है।उषा संध्या का परिचय चिराग़ से करवाती है ,संध्या ठीक होने लगती है। अब आगे
“तेरा ये चिराग़ तो जादूगर निकला बेटा, ” शाम को माँ उषा के साथ बैठी थी।
” जादूगर नहीं है आंटी ,मनोचिकित्सक है।” माँ ने भवें थोड़ी ऊपरउठाई, ” चिराग़ पर मुझे पूरा भरोसा था,उसका १०० प्रतिशत सफल रिकॉर्ड रहा है। जब मैंने चिराग़ को संध्या का केस बताया तो उसी ने मुझे कहा की संध्या अब तक ठीक नहीं हुई क्योंकि थेरेपिस्ट के साथ वह व्यक्तिगत रूप से जुड़ नहीं पा रही ,दूसरे शब्दों में उनका आपस में रेपो नहीं बन रहा। इसलिए हमने चिराग़ को दोस्त की तरह परिचित करवाया। बाकी चिराग़ अपना काम अच्छी तरह से जनता है और उसने बखूबी से किया भी। नतीज़ा आपके सामने है। “
“ओह ,मैं तो कुछ और ही समझी थी। “
” कुछ और ?”
” संध्या और चिराग़ को साथ देखा तो फिर से संध्या के घर बसने का सपना देख बैठी। ” माँ के स्वर में थोड़ी निराशा थी।
“कहीं संध्या भी तो.… ?” थोड़ी देर की ख़ामोशी के बाद उषा बोली,
” क्या मैं तो….. ?” संध्या ने कमरे में प्रवेश किया।
” कुछ नहीं बिट्टो ,बस हम सोच रहे थे की चिराग़ और तू…….. मतलब अगर साथ होते तो?”
संध्या समझ रही थी कि माँ क्या कहना चाहती थी।
” माँ एक शादी ने जो जो घाव दिए हैं वह बहुत गहरे हैं ,उन्हें ही भरने में अभी वक़्त लगेगा ,दूसरी शादी के बारे में मैं अभी सोच भी नहीं सकती। रही चिराग़ की बात,तो वह नामुमकिन है ,क्योंकि……”
संध्या उषा के सामने आ खड़ी हुई , ” क्योंकि चिराग़ उषा का मंगेतर है। ” यह बात चिराग़ ने मुझे बहुत पहले ही बता दी थी। “
” सच उषा ,माफ़ करना बेटा मुझे पता होता तो मैं कभी ऐसी बात नहीं करती। मैं तेरे लिए बहुत खुश हूँ।” माँ की ख़ुशी पारावार ना था।
” सॉरी आंटी ,पर आप लोग अभी जिस स्थिति में थे ,मुझे ये बात बताना ठीक नहीं लगा। “
” उषा ,तूने बहन से बढ़कर मेरे लिए किया है ,पता नहीं मैं तेरा एहसान कैसे उतार पाऊँगी ?” संध्या उषा के गले जा लगी।
“वह तू अभी के अभी उतार सकती है…..” उषा तपाक से बोली।
” कैसे? बोल ना। ……. “
” मेरे लिए मस्त सी ‘ रेड थाई करी’ बना कर…… बहुत जोरों की भूख लगी है याsssssssर.…चूहों के भी पैर टूट गए अब तो उछल -उछल कर.…। ” उषा ने ऐसा मुँह बनाया की घर भर में हँसी का फ़व्वारा छूट पड़ा।
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संध्या शांत खड़ी सागर की लहरो को पढ़ने की कोशिश कर रही थी। डूबते सूरज की लाली अपनी लाल चुनर ओढ़े समुन्दर में अठखेलिया खेल रही थी। कितना ठहराओ है सागर के पानी में और लहरो को देखो ,बार बार बेसब्र हो कर चट्टानों से टकराती हैं ,और चोट खा के वापस लौट आती हैं फिर से वापस टकराने के लिए।सूरज हर रोज़ डूबता है ,फिर नए दिन के साथ उगने के लिए। हर दिन नयी दौड़ ,हर दिन के लिए एक नया सपना और इन सबके लिए रोज़ नया संघर्ष। संघर्ष अपने अस्तित्व के लिए ,संघर्ष ज़िन्दगी के लिए …।
” सागर,संध्या और सूर्यास्त, कितना अद्भुत और कितना मनोरम लगता है, है ना ? “
गले में कैमरा लटकाए,ज़ेबमें हाथ डाले, नीली जीन्स और सफ़ेद टी-शर्ट पहने वह संध्या के ठीक पीछे खड़ा था।
“बाय द वे, मैं संघर्ष और आप.……?”
(समाप्त)
संध्या (लघु उपन्यास),भाग – XIII
(कहानी अब तक https://hemagusain27.wordpress.com/2015/09/23 )
अब तक आपने पढ़ा की संध्या एक नवविवाहिता है जो ससुराल में अपने अस्तित्व की लड़ाई लड़ रही है। उसका पति सारंग का व्यवहार उसके प्रति उदासीन है। संध्या कुछ दिनों के लिए अपने मायके रहने जाती है वहाँ उसे अपनी बचपन की सहेली उषा से मिलती है। उषा के साथ कुछ अच्छा समय व्यतीत करने के बाद संध्या कार से ससुराल की और निकलती है किन्तु रास्ते में उसकी कार दुर्घटनाग्रस्त हो जाती है। संध्या किसी प्रकार बच तो जाती है किन्तु उसका चेहरा बुरी तरह से घायल होता है। संध्या सारंग का इंतज़ार करती है ,किन्तु ना सारंग और ना ही ससुराल से कोई संध्या को मिलने आता है। संध्या इस बात से बड़ी आहत होती है। उसे पता चलता है की जिस कार से उसकी कार दुर्घटनाग्रस्त हुई थी ,उसमे बैठा एक मृत्यु हुई थी और एक गर्भवती का गर्भ नष्ट हुआ था ,संध्या उस महिला से मिलने जाती है ,तब उसके सामने कटु सत्य आता है की जो व्यक्ति मरा वह और कोई नहीं उसका पति सारंग था। संध्या अपना मानसिक संतुलन खो बैठी।संध्या की सहेली उषा ,संध्या और उसकी माँ को अपने साथ मुंबई ले चलती है। अब आगे…
“ठीक है, तो फिर शाम को ,शार्प एट 4 ओ ‘क्लॉक। बाय। “
संध्या और माँ को उषा के साथ रहते हुए अभी 1 सप्ताह ही हुआ था।
“आंटी ” उषा ने कॉल काटते ही माँ को आवाज़ दी।
“हां ,बेटा। ” माँ रसोई से हाथ पोंछते हुए आई।
“आंटी ,मेरा एक दोस्त शाम को संध्या को लेने आएगा ,चिराग़ नाम है उसका। आज संध्या को मैं नहीं ले जा पाऊँगी थेरेपिस्ट के पास ,मेरी बहुत जरूरी मीटिंग है आज। आप समझा देना संध्या को। ”
“पर बेटा ,किसी को तकलीफ़ देने की क्या जरुरत है ,संध्या अब काफी हद तक ठीक है। मैं ले जाऊँगी उसे थेरेपिस्ट के पास। ”
“नहीं आंटी ,संध्या शांत है पर ठीक नहीं हैं। उसे चिराग़ के साथ ही जाना होगा। और आप अब आराम करिये ,अगर सब कुछ वैसा हुआ जैसे मैं सोच रही हूँ तो बहुत जल्दी हमें हमारी संध्या वापस मिल जाएगी। ”
“मतलब ?” माँ हैरानी से उषा को ताकने लगी।
“बस यूँ समझिए की संध्या के धुंधलके को मिटाने के लिए चिराग़ की रौशनी की जरुरत है। ”
“बेटा ,तुम क्या बोल रही हो मुझे कुछ समझ नहीं आ रहा। ”
“विश्वास रखिये आंटी ,जो हो रहा है संध्या के भले के लिए ही हो रहा है। ” माँ आश्चर्य से उषा को निहार रही थी ,मंद मंद मुस्काती उषा उसे किसी देवी से कम नहीं लग रही थी।
संध्या के जीवन में अब एक नया साथी था ,शायद भोर होने वाली थी।
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“संध्या तुम्हारे जीवन में सबसे महत्वपूर्ण इंसान कौन है। ” संध्या और चिराग़ मुंबई के एक बड़े माल के फ़ूड कोर्ट में बैठे थे। पिछले एक माह से वही उनका ‘मीटिंग -पॉइंट ‘ था।
संध्या ने कोई जवाब ना दिया।
“संध्या?”
“हम्म…… क्या… ?” संध्या किसी सपने से जागी हो जैसे।
“मैंने पूछा की तुम्हारे जीवन में सबसे महवपूर्ण इंसान कौन है ?”
“मेरी माँ। “
“फिर से सोच के बोलो। ” चिराग ने ज़ोर दे के बोला।
“क्यों ,माँ ही है। “
“ग़लत ,तुम्हारे जीवन में जो सबसे महत्त्वपूर्ण इंसान है वह है तुम खुद। ” कितनी सीधी साधारण की थी चिराग़ ने , “और खेद की बात ये है की सबसे ज्यादा हम अगर किसी के साथ अन्याय करते है तो वह है खुद के साथ,जो तुम कर रही हो अभी ,खुद के साथ। “
“तुम नहीं समझते चिराग़ ,तुम पर बीती नहीं है। “
“ठीक कहती हो की मुझ पर बीती नहीं है ,पर क्या तुम जानती हो कि तुम पर क्या बीती है ?”
संध्या नजरे नीची करे चिराग़ की बात सुनती रही। चिराग़ की आवाज़ में वह मिठास और अपनापन था जो सीधे संध्या के अंतर्मन में असर करती थी। उसकी धीमी आवाज़ उसके हृदय और मस्तिष्क में ज़ोर-ज़ोर से गूंजती थी।
“संध्या एक आदमी अपनी ब्याहता बीवी की उपेक्षा करता है ,क्या यह ठीक है? हाँ या नहीं में जवाब दो “
“नहीं ” संध्या हिचकते हुए बोली।
“विवाहित होते हुए भी दूसरी शादी करता है ,अपनी पहली पत्नी को धोखा देता है ,क्या यह ठीक है ?”
“नहीं। पर ये बात अलग है और अपने खुद के पति की जान लेना अलग बात है चिराग़। अनजाने में ही सही मैंने खुद को विधवा बना दिया। “
“जिस इंसान ने तुम्हे कभी पत्नी का दर्जा दिया ही नहीं ,उसकी सुहागन कैसे हुई तुम ? बस मांग में सिन्दूर गले में मंगलसूत्र टांगने से कोई सधवा नहीं होती संध्या। “
संध्या इस बार मौन रही।
“संध्या ,थोड़ा दिमाग से सोचो ,उस एक्सीडेंट में तुम्हारे चेहरा हमेशा के लिए विकृत हो गया ,तुम्हारी जान तक जा सकती थी। उस आदमी ने ना केवल खुद की जान ली पर अपने साथ दूसरी ज़िंदगियाँ भी बर्बाद कर दी। ये ही सच है संध्या ,वह आदमी कारण था ,तुम नहीं। पाप तुम्हारे साथ हुआ है और खुद को दोषी मान कर तुम खुद के साथ अन्याय कर रही हो। एक बार तुम संध्या के क़िरदार से निकल कर दूसरों की आँखों से खुद को देखो,निष्पक्ष बनकर। “
चिराग की आवाज़ अब भी धीमी थी, संध्या अब भी मौन थी।
“चलो ,घर चले। ” एकाएक संध्या उठ खड़ी हुई।
“सुनो ” ,चिराग़ ने आवाज़ दी तो संध्या एक पल के लिए ठिठक गई, आँखों में सवाल लिए।
“जानती हो तुम्हारे ‘टीयर -डक्ट’ क्यों नष्ट हो गए ?”
संध्या की आँखों में सवाल गहरा गया।
“क्योंकि ईश्वर भी अब कभी तुम्हारी आँखों में आँसू नहीं देखना चाहता। ” चिराग मुस्कुरा दिया।
संध्या माँ के बगल में करवटें बदल रही थी। रात का सन्नाटा ,चिराग़ की बातों को दोहरा रहा था। संध्या ने अपने दोनों कान बंद कर लिए।
(क्रमश:)
The Man who became God
I had written this article years back,hope you will enjoy it…
Bramha-Vishnu-Maheshwara, the Great Trinity,are the pillars of Hinduism perhaps since the birth of the Universe .The three Gods represent the creation, existence and the destruction (the birth, life and death) respectively. The Trimurti has always fascinated and attracted the curious minds since ages. Shiva Trilogy (The Immortals of Meluha, The Secret of the Nagas and The Oath of the Vayuputra) is dedicated to the destroyer ‘Lord Shiva’ by personifying this Hindu mythological God as a human being.
The book is the perfect cocktail of the History and the Mythology. As many of the historians believe that the Hindu mythological Gods may be actually the heads of the tribes in the early Vedic ages, Amish has portrayed Shiva, the main lead as the leader of one of such tribes from Tibet closely relating to the ancient books that claim Mount Kailash as the abode of Lord Shiva.
“The Immortals of Meluha” rolls us back in 1900 BC, when the inhabitants of the Meluha, the Suryavanshis and Swadeep, the Chandravanshis were eagerly waiting for their Mahadev who would save their sacred river Saraswati from the slow death. The well planned city of Meluha resembles the well planned city of the Indus valley civilization on one hand and again the characters King Daksha, Nandi, Bhrigu, Ganesha, Kali , Brahaspati, Sati etc are taken as per the mythology, blending fact with fiction perfectly.
The trilogy is based on the evil of the good when misused rationalizing that too much of everything is bad. Shiva is the destroyer of the evil. His Karma would save the earth recasting him as Mahadev.
The second book of the series, “The Secret of the Nagas”, reveals the truth about the Nagas, the sinister and the greatest enemy of the Meluhans. The faithfulness of the Vasudevs, Shiva’s philosopher guide is on the stake as they take the side of the evil Nagas. Shiva’s journey in search of the Nagas takes him down the network of Indian rivers, then to the south, deep in the Dandak forest, only to find that nothing is what it seems to be. The dark, deadly mystery land unfolds the unbelievable secrets to the readers. The scientific explanation of the deformity in the Nagas actually makes us feel that yes that might be the reason!!
The half-moon, the Nagaraj around his neck and the Trishul with the Damroo tied on it, together compliment the Shiva’s physical appearance and Amish has been successful in relating him with his accessories through this awesome series. The simple and ever-known and yet so extra-ordinary and so new!!
The battle is on against the true evil in the final and concluding part of the trio series. “The Oath of the Vayuputras” finally discloses the secret of the Vayuputras. Shiva succeeds in defeating the evil but on what cost? The answer is perhaps the saddest part of the series.
The three books are worth reading and definitely spell-bounding. Amish is well on his way to becoming the Paulo Coelho of the east as quoted by the Business world.
Anonymous me 