thoda bahut likhana-padhana pitaajee se hee seekha par un par kabhee kuchh likha nahin. unhen gae aaj 27 baras ho rahe hain, lekin unake baare mein kabhee 27 shabd bhee nahin likhe.
kaaran kaee the. pahala to ve khud the. kuchh ke lie ve jaroor ‘geetapharosh’ rahe honge, par hamaare lie to ve bas pita the. har pita par usake bete-betee kuchh likhen – yah unhen pasand nahin tha. kul mila kar ham sab ke man mein bhee yah baat theek utar gaee thee. manna ne ekaadh baar bahut hee maje-maje mein hamen bataaya tha ki koee bhee pita amar nahin hota. pita ke marate hee usake bete-betee unakee yaad mein koee smaarika chhaap baithen, khud lekh likhen, doosaron se likhaate phiren, unakee smrti ko sthaayee roop dene hetu unake naam se koee sanstha, sangathan khada kar den – yah sab bilakul jarooree nahin hota. unakee mrtyu ke baad hamane is baat ko pooree tarah nibhaaya, na khud likha, na likhavaaya.
doosara kaaran unakee ek kavita thee – ‘kalam apanee saadh, man kee baat bilakul theek kah ekaadh.’ to man kee baat theek ekaadh kabhee soojhee nahin. soojhee bhee to manna kee shart ‘teree bhar na ho’ laagoo karane ke baad kabhee kuchh aisa bachata nahin tha likhane laayak.
ham sab unhen manna kahate the. bhaasha ko bigaadane ka kuchh paap jin sambodhanon se lagata ho, vaise sambodhan pita ke lie tab prachalit nahin hue the. lekin tab ke naam baaboojee, pitaajee, baaba aadi se bhee ham aur ve bach gae the. khoob bade bhare-poore parivaar mein manjhale bhaee the. pitaajee ke bade bhaee unhen pyaar se sirph ‘manjhale’ kahate aur phir daada-daadee se le kar sabhee chhote bahan-bhaee, yaanee hamaare chaacha, bua aadi bhee unhen aadar se ‘manjhale bhaiya’ hee kahane lage the. mujhase bade do bhaee san 1942 mein jab pitaajee ko pukaarane laayak umr mein aa rahe the ki ve jel chale gae. jel mein likhee unakee kavita ‘ghar kee yaad’ mein is bhare-poore parivaar ka, usake sneh ka, aankhen geelee karane laayak varnan hai. do-teen baras baad jab ve jel se chhoot kar lautanevaale the, tab ye donon bete apane pita ko kis naam se pukaarenge – is baare mein narasinhapur (madhy pradesh) ke ghar mein buaon, chaachaon mein kuchh bahas chalee thee. par jab pita saamane aa kar achaanak khade hue, sambodhan kood ke paar kar lie the aur sahaj hee ‘manjhale bhaiya’ kah kar unakee taraph daud pade the. donon bachchon ko kuchh salaah, nirdesh bhee die gae the. beton ke lie bhee ve ‘manjhale bhaiya’ bane rahe.
phir janm hua mujhase badee bahan nandita ka. jeejee se ‘manjhale bhaiya’ kahate bana nahin, unane use apanee suvidha ke lie ‘manne bhaiya’ kiya. phir manne bhaiya aur thoda ghis kar chamakate-chamakate ‘manne’ aur ant mein ‘manna’ ho gaya. jab mera janm 1948 mein vardha mein hua tab tak pitaajee jagat manna ban chuke the – sirph hamaare hee nahin, aas-pados aur baahar ke chhote-se lekin aatmeey jagat ke.
bachapan kee yaaden koee khaas nahin. shaayad ghatanaen bhee khaas nahin rahee hongee – us daur mein ek saadhaaran pita ke jo sambandh saadhaaran taur par apane bachchon se rahate hain, theek vaise hee sambandh hamaare parivaar mein rahe honge.
mere janm ke baad ham sab vardha se haidaraabaad aa gae the. ve din hamaare lie yah sab jaanane-samajhane ke the nahin ki manna kahaan kya kaam karate hain. par ek baar ve ghar se kuchh jyaada dinon ke lie baahar kaheen chale gae the. tab shaayad main pahalee kaksha mein padhata tha. ve tab madraas gae the. laute to unake saath ek sundar chamakeela chaakoo aaya tha. manna ko sabjee kaatane ka khoob shauk tha. sabjee khareedane ka bhee yah shauk kabhee-kabhee amma kee pareshaanee mein badal jaata. dher ke dher utha laate kyonki bechanevaalee ka bachcha chhota tha, vah sab kuchh bech jaldee ghar laut sakatee thee. bachapan mein ham ne unhen na to kavita likhate dekha, na padhate-sunaate. madraas ke us steel ke chaakoo se khoob maja le kar sabjee kaatate the – isakee hamen yaad baraabar hai.
yah daur tha jab ve madraas mein e.vee.em. philm kampanee ke lie kuchh geet aur sanvaad likhane gae the. sabjee khareedane mein bahut hee prem se bhaav-taav karanevaale manna e.vee.em. ke maalik chettiyaar saahab se apane geet bechate samay koee bhaav-taav nahin kar pae the. geet bechane kee is utaavalee mein unaka lakshy paisa kamaana nahin balki kuchh paisa juta lena bhar tha. bade parivaar mein do-teen buaon ka vivaah karana tha. rajatapat ke us prasang mein un par kuchh keechad bhee uchhala hoga. usee daur mein unhonne ‘geetapharosh’ kavita likhee thee. hamane tab ghar mein rajatapat ke chamakeele kisse kabhee sune nahin. kisse sune e.vee.em. ke hotal ke jahaan roj itanee sabjee katatee thee ki achchhe se achchhe chaakoo kuchh hee dinon mein ghis jaate the, phir phinka jaate the. rajatapat kee saaree chamak hamaare ghar mein isee chaakoo mein sama kar aaee thee madraas se.
chettiyaar saahab se kisee vivaad ke baad ve geet bechane kee dukaan badha kar ghar laut aae. ‘geetapharosh’ mein kisim-kisim ke geeton mein ek geet ‘dukaan se ghar jaane’ ka bhee hai. shaayad jab ve tarah-tarah ke geet bech rahe the, tab unake man mein ghar aane ka geet ‘graahak’ kee marjee se bandha nahin tha.
e.vee.em. kee ve philmen, jinamen manna ne geet aur sanvaad likhe the, dibbe mein band nahin hueen. ve haidaraabaad ke sinemaagharon mein bhee aaee hongee, par manna ne unhen apanee upalabdhi nahin maana. ham logon ko, amma ko sajadhaj kar unhen dikha laane ka kabhee prastaav nahin rakha. shaayad unake lie ye geet ‘maran’ ke the, philmee duniya mein ramane ke nahin, marane ke geet the.
saahity mein ruchi rakhanevaalon ke lie manna ka vah daur prasiddh saahityik patrika ‘kalpana’ ka daur tha. par ham bachchon kee kalpana kuchh aur hee thee. ghar mein kabhee sharaab nahin aaee par haidaraabaad mein ham sharaab ke hee ghar mein, muhalle mein rahate the. muhalle ka naam tha, takeravaadee. chaaron taraph avaidh sharaab banatee thee. use chuaane kee badee-badee naaden yahaan-vahaan rakhee rahatee theen. yon hamaare makaan maalik jinhen ham bachche sheetal bhaiya maanate the, khud is dhandhe se ekadam alag the par chaaron taraph isee dhandhe mein lage log chhaapa padane ke dar se kabhee-kabhee kuchh saamaan, naad aadi hamaare ghar ke pichhavaade mein patak jaate. chaar-paanch baras ke ham bhaee-bahanon kee kya oonchaee rahee hogee tab. ham innaadon mein chhipakar tab kee taaja kahaanee ‘alee baaba aur chaalees chor’ ka naatak khel daalate the.
kabhee-kabhee manna hamen badaree chaacha (shree badareevishaal pittee) ke ghar le jaate. ghar kya, vishaal mahal tha. shataranj ke do bitte ke bord par saphed-kaale rang ka jo sundar mel hamane kabhee apane ghar mein dekha, vah yahaan badaree chaacha ke poore ghar mein, aangan mein, kamaron ke pharsh mein sabhee jagah pooree bhavyata se phaila milata. badaree chaacha ke ghar aise maukon par bade-bade log jutate the, par ham un sabako us roop mein pahachaanate nahin the. badaree chaacha sachamuch vishaal the ham sab ke lie. kabhee-kabhee ve ham sab ko haidaraabaad se thodee door base shivaraamapallee gaanv le jaate. vahaan tab vinoba ka bhoodaan aandolan shuroo hua tha. badaree chaacha achchhe photograaphar bhee the. us daur mein unake dvaara kheenche gae chitr aaj bhee hamaare man par jyon ke tyon ankit hain – kaagajavaale print jaroor kuchh peele-bhoore aur dhundhale pad gae hain.
manna kavita likhate the, padhane bhee lage the, shaayad rediyo par bhee. lekin hamen ghar mein kabhee isakee jaanakaaree milee ho – aisa yaad nahin aata. tab tak ghar mein rediyo nahin aaya tha. haidaraabaad rediyo steshan se har itavaar subah bachchon ka ek kaaryakram prasaarit hota tha. ham ekaadh baar vahaan manna ke saath gae the. aise hee kisee itavaar ko nandee jeejee ne lakadahaare kee kahaanee maik ke saamane suna dee thee. jis din use prasaarit hona tha, usake ek din pahale manna ek rediyo khareed lae the. rediyo set manna kee kavita ke lie nahin, jeejee kee kahaanee sunaane ke lie ghar mein aaya tha – ise aaj rediyo mein hee kaam karanevaalee nandita mishr bhoolee nahin hain.
haidaraabaad se manna aakaashavaanee ke bambee kendr mein aa gae the. tab main teesaree kaksha mein bhartee kiya gaya tha. us skool mein hamen doosaron se, adhyaapakon ke vyavahaar se pata chala tha ki hamaare pitaajee ko ghar se baahar ke log bhee jaanate hain. kyon jaanate hain? kyonki ve kavitaen likhate hain. hamaare manna kavi hain!
kavi kaaladarshee hota hai? hamen nahin maaloom tha. kal kya hoga bachchon ka, unakee padhaee-likhaee kaisee karanee hai – bahut hee bade maane gae aise prashn hamaare kavi pita ne kabhee soche nahin honge. jab ek shaam main aur nandee skool se ghar laute the to manna ne hamen bataaya ki agale din ham sab bambee se bemetara jaenge. bade bhaiya ke paas. manna ke bade bhaiya madhy pradesh ke durg jile kee ek chhotee-see tahaseel bemetara mein tab tahaseeladaar the. ham sab bemetara ja pahunche. do-chaar din baad pata chala ki manna aur amma vaapas bambee laut rahe hain aur ab ham yaheen bemetara mein bade bhaiya ke paas rah kar padhenge. haidaraabaad mein ek baar seedhiyon se girane par kaaphee chot lagane se main khoob roya tha. tab ke baad ab kee yaad hai – bemetara mein khoob roya, unake saath vaapas bambee lautane ko. aankhen to unakee bhee geelee huee theen par ham vaheen rah gae, manna-amma laut gae. taoojee yaanee bade bhaiya ka pyaar manna se bada hee nikaala. yah to hamen bahut baad mein pata chala ki bade pitaajee ke chhah mein se paanch bete bade ho kar kolej hostal aadi mein chale gae the aur unhen apana ghar soona lagane laga tha, isalie us soone ghar mein raunak laane ke lie manjhale bhaee manna ne ham donon ko unhen saump diya tha.
bambee se manna dillee aakaashavaanee aa gae. tab ham bhee ek garmee mein bemetara se shaayad chauthee-paanchaveen kee padhaee pooree kar dillee bula lie gae. haidaraabaad, bambee kee yaaden dhundhalee-see hee theen. bemetara chhota kasba tha aur bade bhaiya sarakaar ke bade adhikaaree the, isalie baajaar aana-jaana, khareedadaaree, dabalarotee – aise vichitr anubhavon se ham gujare nahin the. dillee aane par manna ke saath ghoomane, khud cheejen khareedane ke anubhav bhee jude. ek saadhaaran, theek maane gae skool raamajas mein unhonne mujhe bharatee kiya. saataveen-aathaveen-nauveen mein vigyaan mein nambar the. isee beech unhen sarakaaree makaan kisee aur muhalle mein mil gaya. shubhachintakon ke samajhaane par bhee manna ne mera skool phir badal diya – nae muhalle sarojanee nagar mein tent mein chalanevaale ek chhote-se sarakaaree skool mein. yah ghar ke theek peechhe tha. paidal dooree. ‘bachcha naahak dillee kee thand-garmee mein aath-das meel door ke skool mein bason mein bhaagata phire’ yah unhen pasand nahin tha. yahaan vigyaan bhee nahin tha. main kala kee kaksha mein baitha. mujhe khud bhee tab pata nahin tha ki vigyaan milane na milane se jeevan mein kya khote hain – paate hain. yaheen nauveen mein hindee padhaate samay jab kisee ek sahapaathee ne hamaare hindee ke shikshak ko bataaya ki main bhavaanee prasaad mishr ka beta hoon to unhonne use ‘jhooth bolate ho’ kah diya tha. baad mein unane mujhase bhee lagabhag usee tej aavaaj mein pita ka naam poochha tha. ghar ka pata poochha tha, phir kisee shaam ve ghar bhee aae. apanee kavitaen bhee manna ko sunaeen. manna ne bhee kuchh sunaaya tha. us tentavaale skool mein aise kavi ka beta? manna kee prasiddhi hamen inheen maapadandon, prasangon se jaanane milee theen.
shree mohanalaal vaajapeyee yaanee laalajee kakkoo manna ke puraane mitr the. manna ne unake naam ek pooree patranuma kavita likhee bhee. bada bhavy vyaktitv. shaanti niketan mein hindee padhaate the. shaayad san 1957 mein ve rom vishvavidyaalay mein hindee vibhaag kee sthaapana karane bulae gae the. vahaan se jab ve dillee aae, ek baar to ek bahut hee sundar chhota-sa teparikordar lae the manna ke lie. naam tha jailesee. jailee yaanee eershya. usamen chhote spool lagate the. un dinon kaisetavaale tep chale nahin the. shahar ka na sahee, shaayad muhalle ka to yah pahala teparikordar raha hee hoga! isaka hamaare man par bahut gahara asar pada tha. vigyaan ke aage mainne to maatha hee tek diya tha. kya gajab kee masheen thee. har kisee kee aavaaj kaid kar le, phir use jyon ka tyon vaapas suna de! shaayad laalajee kakkoo ne yah yantr isalie diya tha ki manna is par kabhee-kabhee apana kaavy paath rikaard karenge. par vaisa kabhee ho nahin paaya. ek to aise yantr chalaane mein unakee dilachaspee nahin thee, aur phir apanee kavita khud batan daba kar rikaard karana, use khud saunana, doosaron ko sunaana – unhen pasand nahin tha. baad mein hamaare ek bade bhaee bambee se vaastushaastr padh kar jab dillee aae to jailesee par mukesh, kishor kumaar aur lata ke gaane jaroor jam gae the. aaj bhee hamaare ghar mein manna kee ek bhee kavita ka paath rikaard nahin hai. kabhee-kabhee nitaant apirichit parivaar mein parichay hone ke baad sannaata, geetapharosh, ghar kee yaad, satapuda ke ghane jangal aadi kavitaon ke paath kee rikaarding hamen sunane mil jaatee hain. ye kavitaen un shaharon mein manna ne padhee hongee. vaheen ve rikaard kar lee gaeen. hamen aise maukon par laalajee kakkoo ke jailesee kee yaad jaroor aa jaatee hai, par eershya nahin hotee.
kavikarm jaise shabdon se ham ghar mein kabhee kaheen takarae nahin. manna kab kahaan baith kar kavita likh lenge – yah tay nahin tha. aksar apane bistare par, kisee bhee kursee par ek takhtee ke sahaare unhonne saadhaaran se saadhaaran chitthon par, peeth kore (ek taraph chhape) kaagajon par kavitaen likheen theen. unake mitr aur kuchh rishtedaar unhen har varsh nae saal par sundar, mahangee daayaree bhee bhent karate the. par praayah unake do-chaar panne bhar kar ve unhen kaheen rakh baithate the. baad mein unamen kavitaon ke badale doodh ka, sabjee ka hisaab bhee darj ho jaata, kavita chhoot jaatee. bhent mile kavita sangrah unhen khaalee naee daayaree se shaayad jyaada kheenchate the. hamen thoda atapata bhee lagata tha par unakee kaee kavitaen doosaron ke kavita sangrahon ke pannon kee khaalee jagah par milatee theen. peeth kore pannon se manna ka moh itana tha ki kabhee baajaar se kaagaj khareed kar ghar mein aaya ho – isakee hamen yaad nahin. phir yah ham sab ne bhee seekh liya tha. aaj bhee hamaare ghar mein kora kaagaj nahin aata.
parichit-aparichit, paathak, shrota, rishtedaar – unakee duniya badee thee. is duniya se ve chhote-se postakaard se jude rahate. patr aate hee usaka uttar dete. kaard poora hote hee use daak ke dibbe mein dal jaana chaahie. ham aasapaas nahin hote to ve khud use daalane chal dete. phon ghar mein bahut hee baad mein aaya. shaayad san 1968 mein. inheen postakaardon par ve sampaadakon ko kavitaen tak bhej dete.
bachapan se le kar bade hone tak manna ko kisee se bhee angrejee mein baat karate nahin dekha, suna. jabalapur mein shaayad kisee angrej prinsipalavaale tab ke prasiddh kaalej raabartasan se unhonne bee.e. kiya tha. phir aage padhe nahin. lekin angrejee khoob achchhee thee. ghar mein angrejee saahity, angrejee kavitaon kee pustaken bhee unake chhote-se sangrah mein mil jaatee theen. par angrejee ka upayog hamen yaad nahin aata. bas ek baar sampoorn gaandhee vaannmay ke mukhy sampaadak kisee prasang mein ghar aae. ve dakshin ke the aur hindee bilakul nahin aatee thee unhen. manna unase kaaphee der tak angrejee mein baat kar rahe the – hamaare lie yah bilakul naya anubhav tha. dastakhat, khat-kitaabat sab kuchh bina kisee naarebaajee ke, aandolan ke – unaka hindee mein hee tha aur ham sab par isaka khoob asar pada. ghar mein, parivaar mein praayah bundelakhandee aur baahar hindee – hamen bhee isake alaava kabhee kuchh soojha bhee nahin. hamane kabhee kaheen bhee hachak kar, uchak kar angrejee nahin bolee, angrejee nahin likhee.
koee bhee patan, gaddha itana gahara nahin hota, jisamen gire hue ko sneh kee ungulee se uthaaya na ja sake – ek kavita mein kuchh aisa hee manna ne likha tha. unhen krodh karate, kadavee baat karate hamane suna nahin. hindee saahity mein manna kee kavita chhotee hai ki badee hai, tikegee ya pitegee, isamen unhen bahut phansate hamane dekha nahin. haan antim varshon mein kuchh vaktavy vagairah log maangane lage the. tab manna in vaktavyon mein kaheen-kaheen kuchh katu bhee hue the. ek baar main chaay dene unake kamare mein gaya tha to suna ki ve kisee se kah rahe the, ‘moorti to samaaj mein saahityakaar kee hee khadee hotee hai, aalochak kee nahin!’
ham unake sneh kee ungalee pakad kar pale-badhe the. isalie aise prasang mein hamen unheen kee seekh se khaasee kadavaahat dikhee thee. par unhen ek daur mein gaandhee ka kavi tak to theek, banie ka kavi bhee kaha gaya to aise apriy prasang unake sang jud hee gae ekaadh. phir apanee ek kavita mein unhonne likha hai ki ‘doodh kisee ka dhobee nahin hain. kisee kee bhee jindagee doodh kee dhoee nahin hai. aadamakad koee nahin hai.’ kavi ke naate unaka kad kya tha – yah to unake paathak, aalochak hee jaanen. ham bachchon ke lie to ve ek theek aadamakad pita the. unakee sneh bharee ungalee hamen aaj bhee girane se bachaatee hain.