chungee-daphtar khoob ranga-chunga hai. usake phaatak par indradhanushee aakaar ke bord lage hue hain. saiyadalee pentar ne bade sadhe haath se un bordon ko banaaya hai. dekhate-dekhate shahar mein bahut-see aisee dukaane ho gaee hain, jin par sainabord latak gae hain. sainabord lagana yaanee aukaat ka badhana. bahut din pahale jab deenaanaath halavaee kee dukaan par pahala sainabord laga tha to vahaan doodh peene vaalon kee sankhya ekaek badh gaee thee. phir baadh aa gaee, aur nae-nae tareeke aur bailaboote eejaad kie gae . ‘oon’ ya ‘jayahind’ se shuru karake ‘ek baar avashy pareeksha keejie’ ya ‘milaavat saabit karane vaale ko sau rupaya nagad inaam’ kee manuhaaron ya lalakaaron par likhaavat samaapt hone lagee.
chungee-daphtar ka naam teen bhaashaon mein likha hai. cheyaramainn saahab bade akkil ke aadamee hain, unakee soojh-boojh ka danka bajata hai, isalie har sainabord hindee, urdoo aur angrezee mein likha jaata hai. door-door ke neta log bhaashan dene aate hain, desh-videsh ke log aagare ka taajamahal dekhakar poorab kee or jaate hue yahaan se guzarate hain…un par asar padata hai, bhaee. aur phir mausam kee baat – mele-tamaashe ke dinon mein halavaiyon, julaee-agast mein kitaab-kaagaz vaalon, sahaalag mein kapade vaalon aur kharaab mausam mein vaidy-hakeemon ke sainabordon par naya rogan chadhata hai. shuddh desee ghee vaale sabase achchhe, jo chhapparon ke bheetar deevaar par geroo ya hiramijee se likhakar kaam chala lete hain. isake bagair kaam nahin chalata.
ahamiyat bataate hue vaidyajee ne kaha- “bagair postar chipakae sinema vaalon ka bhee kaam nahin chalata. bade-bade shaharon mein jaie, mittee ka tel bechane vaale kee dukaan par sainabot mil jaega. badee zarooree cheez hai. baal-bachchon ke naam tak sainabot hain, nahin to naam rakhane kee jaroorat kya hai? sainabot lagaake sukhadev baaboo kampaundar se doktar ho gae, beg leke chalane lage.”
paas baithe raamacharan ne ek aur nae chamatkaar kee khabar dee- “la unhonne budheevaala ikka-ghoda khareed liya …”
“haankega kaun?”, teen kee kursee par praanaayaam kee mudra mein baithe pandit ne poochha.
“ye sab jeb katarane ka tareeka hai.”, vaidyajee ka dhyaan ikke kee taraph adhik tha, “mareez se kiraaya vasool karenge. saees ko bakhsheesh dilaenge, bad shaharon ke doktaron kee tarah. isee se peshe kee badanaamee hotee hai. poochho, mareez ka ilaaj karana hai ki rob-daab dikhaana hai. angrezee aale lagaataar mareez kee aadhee jaan pahale sukha daalate hain. aayurvedee nabz dekhana to door, chehara dekh ke rog bata de! ikka-ghoda isamen kya karega? thode din baad dekhana, unaka saees kampaundar ho jaega.” kahate-kahate vaidyajee badee ghisee huee hansee mein hans pade.
phir bole, “kaun kya kahe bhaee? doktaree to tamaasha ban gaee hai. vakeel mukhtaar ke ladake doktar hone lage! khoon aur sanskaar se baat banatee hai haath mein jas aata hai, vaidy ka beta vaidy hota hai. aadhee vidya ladakapan mein jadee-butiyaan kootate-peesate aa jaatee hai. tola, maasha, rattee ka aisa andaaz ho jaata hai ki aushadhi ashuddh ho hee nahin sakatee hai. aushadhi ka chamatkaar usake banaane kee vidhi mein hai. dhanvantari..”
vaidyajee aage kahane ja hee rahe the ki ek aadamee ko dukaan kee or aate dekh chup ho gae, aur baithe hue logon kee or kuchh is tarah dekhane-gunane lage ki yah gapp ladaane vaale phaalatoo aadamee na hokar unake rogee hon.
aadamee ke dukaan par chadhate hee vaidyajee ne bhaanp liya. kunthit hokar unhonne use dekha aur udaaseen ho gae. lekin duniya-dikhaava bhee kuchh hota hai. ho sakata hai, kal yahee aadamee beemaar pad jae ya isake ghar mein kisee ko rog gher le. isalie apana vyavahaar aur peshe kee garima chaukas rahana chaahie. apane ko batorate hue unhonne kaha, “kaho bhaee, raajee-khushee.”
us aadamee ne javaab dete hue seere kee ek kanastariya saamane kar dee, “yah thaakur saahab ne rakhavaee hai. mandee se lautate hue lete jaenge. ek-dedh baje ke kareeb.”
“us vakt dukaan band rahegee”, vaidyajee ne vyarth ke kaam se oobate hue kaha, “hakeem-vaidyon kee dukaanen dinabhar nahin khulee rahateen. vyaapaaree thode hee hain, bhaee!”
par phir kisee any din aur avasar kee aasha ne jaise zabaradastee kahalaavaaya, “khair, unhen dikkat nahin hogee, ham nahin honge to bagal vaalee dukaan se utha len. main rakhata jaoonga.”
aadamee ke jaate hee vaidy jee bole, “sharaab-bandee se kya hota hai? jab se huee tab se kachchee sharaab kee bhattiyaan ghar-ghar chaaloo ho gaeen. seera ghee ke bhaav bikane laga. aur in doktaron ko kya kahie…inakee dukaanen haulee ban gaee hain. laisans milata hai dava kee tarah istemaal karane ka, par khule aam jinjar bikata hai. kaheen kuchh nahin hota. ham bhang-apheem kee ek pudiya chaahen to taphaseel denee padatee hai.”
“zimmedaaree kee baat hai.” pandit jee ne kaha.
“ab zimmedaar vaidy hee rah gae hain. sabakee rajistaree ho chukee, bhaee. aise gair-panchakalyaanee jitane ghus aae the, unakee saphaee ho gaee. ab jisake paas rajistaree hogee vahee vaidyak kar sakata hai. chooran vaale vaidy ban baithe the…sab khatam ho gae. lakhanoo mein sarakaaree jaanch-padataal ke baad sahee milee hai…”
vaidy jee kee baat mein ras na lete hue pandit uth gae. vaidyajee ne bheetar kee taraph kadam badhae, aur aushadhaalay ka bord likhate hue chandar se bole, “sapheda gaadha hai baaboo, taarapeen mila lo.”
ve ek botal utha lae jis par ashokaarisht ka lebal gala tha.
isee tarah na jaane kin-kin aushadhiyon kee shareer roopee botalon mein kis-kis padaarth kee aatma bharee hai. saamane kee akelee alamaaree mein badee-badee botalen rakhee hai; jin par tarah-tarah ke arishton aur aasavon ke naam chipake hain. sirf pahalee kataar mein ye sheeshiyaan khadee hain…unake peechhe zaroorat ka aur saamaan hai. saamane kee mez par saphed sheeshiyon kee ek pankti hai, jisamen kuchh svaadisht chooran… lavan-bhaaskar aadi hai, baakee mein jo kuchh bhara hai use keval vaidyajee jaanate hain.
taarapeen ka tel milaakar chandar aage likhane laga- ‘professor kaviraaj nityaanand tivaaree’ oopar kee pankti ‘shree dhanvantari aushadhaalay’ svayan vaidyajee likh chuke the. saphede ke ve achchhar aise lag rahe the jaise rauee ke phaahe chipaka die hon. oopar jagah khaalee dekhakar baidyajee bole, “baaboo, oopar jayahind likh dena aur yah jo jagah bach rahee hai, isamen ek or draakshaasav kee botal, doosaree or kharal kee tasaveer…aart hamaare paas midil tak tha lekin yah to haath sadhane kee baat hai.”
chandar kuchh oongh raha tha. khaamakha pakad gaya. likhaavat achchhee ho ka yah puraskaar usakee samajh nahin aa raha tha. bola, “kisee pentar se banavaate ..achchha-khaasa likh deta, vo baat nahin aaegee…” apana paseena ponchhate hue usane koochee neeche rakh dee.
“paanch rupe maangata tha baaboo…do lainon ke paanch rupe! ab apanee mehanat ke saath yah sainabord das-baarah aane ka pada. ye rang ek mareez de gaya. bijalee kampanee ka pentar badahazamee se pareshaan tha. do khuraaken banaakar de deen, paise nahin lie. so vah do-teen rang aur thodee-see baarnish de gaya. do bakse rang gae ..yah bot ban gaya aur akaadh kursee rang jaegee…tum bas itana likh do, laal rang ka shed ham dete rahenge…haashiya tiranga khilega?” vaidyajee ne poochha aur svayan sveekrti bhee de dee.
chandar garmee se pareshaan tha. jaise-jaise dopaharee nazadeek aatee ja rahee thee, sadak par dhool aur loo ka zor badhata ja raha tha, mulaahize mein chandar mana nahin kar paaya. pankhe se apanee peeth khujalaate hue baidyajee ne ujarat ke kaam vaale, patavaariyon ke bade-bade rajistar nikaalakar phailaana shuroo kie.
sooraj kee tapish se bachane ke lie dukaan ka ek kivaada bhedakar baidyajee khaalee rajistaron par khasara-khatauniyon se nakal karane lage. chandar ne apana pind chhudaane ke lie poochha, “ye sab kya hai vaidyajee?”
vaidy jee ka chehara utar gaya, bole, “khaalee baithane se achchha hai kuchh kaam kiya jae, nae lekhapaalon ko kaam-dhaam aata nahin, roz kaanoonago ya naayab saahab se jhaaden padatee hain… jhak maarake un logon ko yah kaam ujarat par karaana padata hai. ub puraane ghaagh patavaaree kahaan rahe, jinake pet mein ganvee kaanoon basata tha. rotiyaan chhin gaeen bechaaron kee; lekin sahee poochho to ab bhee saara kaam puraane patavaaree hee dho rahe hain. nae lekhapaalon kee tanakhvaah ka saara roopaya isee ujarat mein nikal jaata hai. pet unaka bhee hai…tiya-paancha karake kisaanon se nikaal laate hain. laen na to khaen kya. do-teen lekhapaal apane hain, unheen se kabhee-kabhaar halaka-bhaaree kaam mil jaata hai. nakal ka kaam, rajistar bharate hain.”
baahar sadak veeraan hotee ja rahee thee. daphtar ke baaboo log ja chuke the. saamane chungee mein khas kee tattiyon par chhidakaav shuru ho gaya. door haraharaate peepal ka shor loo ke saath aa raha tha. tabhee ek aadamee ne kivaad se bheetar jhaanka. vaidyajee kee baat, jo shaayad kshan-do kshan baad dard se bojhil ho jaatee, ruk gaee. unakee nigaah ne aadamee ko pahachaana aur ve satark ho gae. phauran bole, “ek bot aagara se banavaaya hai, jab tak nahin aata, isee se kaam chalega; phursat kahaan milatee hai jo is sab mein sir khapaen…..” aur ekadam vyast hote hue unhonne us aadamee se prashn kiya, “kaho bhaee, kya baat hai?”
“daakadaree sarateephiket chaahie…. kosama teshan par khalaasee hainge saab.” relave kee neelee vardee pahane vah khalaasee bola.
usakee zarurat ka poora andaaz karate hue vaidyajee bole, “haan, kis taareekh se kab tak ka chaahie.”
“pandrah din pahale aae the saab, saat din ko aur chaahie.”
kuchh hisaab jodakar vaidyajee bole, “dekho bhaee, sarteephiket pakka karake denge, sarakaar ka rajistar nambar denge, rupaiya chaar lagenge.” vaidyajee ne jaise khut chaar rupe par usake bhadak jaane ka ahasaas karate hue kaha, “agar pichhala na lo to do rupaye mein kaam chal jaega….”
khalaasee niraash ho gaya. lekin usakee niraasha se adhik gahan hataasha vaidyajee ke paseene se nam mukh par vyaap gaee. bade nirapeksh bhaav se khalaasee bola, “sobaran sinh ne aapake paas bheja tha.”
usake kahane se kuchh aisa laga jaise yah usaka kaam na hokar sobaran sinh ka kaam ho. par vaidyajee ke haath nabz aa gaee, bole, “vo ham pahale hee samajh rahe the. bagair jaan-pahachaan ke ham dete bhee nahin, izzat ka savaal hai. hamen kya maaloom tum kahaan rahe, kya karate rahe? ab sochane kee baat hai…. vishvaas par jokhim utha lenge….. pandrah din pahale se tumhaara naam rajistar mein chadhaenge, rog likhenge… har taareekh par naam chadhaenge tab kaheen kaam banega. aise ghar kee khetee nahin hai…” kahate-kahate unhonne chandar kee or madad ke lie taaka.
chandar ne saath diya, “ab unhen kya pata ki tum beemaar rahe ki daaka daalate rahe… sarakaaree maamala hai…..”
“paanch se kam mein duniya-chhor ka doktar nahin de sakata…..” kahate-kahate vaidyajee ne saamane rakha lekhapaal vaala rajistar khisakaate hue josh se kaha, “are, dam maarane ko phursat nahin hai. ye dekho, dekhate ho naam…… ek-ek rogee ka naam, marz, aamadanee…. unheen mein tumhaara naam chadhaana padega. ab batao ki mareejon ko dekhana zyaada zaruree hai ki do-chaar rupe ke lie sarteephiket dekar is sarakaaree pachade mein phansana.” kahate hue unhonne tahaseel vaala rajistar ekadam band karake saamane se hata diya aur keval upakaar kar sakane ke lie taiyaar hone jaisee mudra banaakar kalam se kaan karodane lage.
railway ka khalaasee ek minat tak baitha kuchh sochata raha. aur vaidyajee ko sir jhukae apane kaam mein mashagool dekh dukaan se neeche utar gaya. ekadam vaidyajee ne apanee galatee mahasoos kee, laga unhonne baat galat jagah tod dee aur aisee todee ki toot hee gaee. ekaek kuchh samajh mein na aaya, to use pukaarakar bole, “are suno, thaakur sobaran sinh se hamaaree jairaamajee kee kah dena….unake baal-bachche to raajee khushee hai?”
“haan sab theek-thaak hain.” rukakar khalaasee ne kaha.
use sunaate hue vaidyajee chandar se bole, “das gaanv-shahar ke thaakur sobaran sinh ilaaj ke lie yaheen aate hain. bhee, unake lie ham bhee hamesha haazir rahe….”
chandar ne bord par aakhiree akshar samaapt karate hue poochha, “chala gaya?”
“laut-phir ke aaega..”, vaidy jee ne jaise apane ko samajhaaya, par usake vaapas aane kee anivaaryata par vishvaas karate hue bole,” ganvee gaanv ke vaidy aur vakeel ek hee hote hain. sobaran sinh nae agar hamaara naam use bataaya hai to zarur vaapas aaega… gaanv vaalon kee murree zara mushkil se khulatee hai. kaheen baithake soche-samajhega, tab aaega…”
“aur kaheen se le liya, to?” chandar ne kaha to vaidy jee ne baat kaat dee, “nahin, nahin baaboo.” kahate hue unhonne bord kee or dekha aur prashansa se bharakar bole, “vaah bhaee chandar baaboo! sainabot janch gaya….kaam chalega. ye paanch rupe pentar ko dekar mareejon se vasool karana padata. ikka-ghoda aur ye kharcha! baat ek hai. chaahe naak saamane se pakad lo, chaahe ghumaakar. saiyadalee ke haath ka likha bot rogiyon ko changa to kar nahin deta. apanee-apanee samajh kee baat hai.” kahate hue ve dheere se hans pade. pata nahin, vale apanee baat samajhakar apane par hanse the ya doosaron par.
tabhee ek aadamee ne pravesh kiya. sahasa laga ki khalaasee aa gaya. par vah paandu rogee tha. dekhate hee vaidyajee ke mukh par santosh chamak aaya. ve bheetar gae. ek taaveez laate hue bole, “ab isaka asar dekho. bees-pachchees roz mein isaka chamatkaar dikhaee padega.”
paandu-rogee kee baanh mein taaveez baandhakar aur usake kuchh aane paise jeb mein daalakar ve gambheer hokar baith gae. rogee chala gaya to bole, “yah vidya bhee hamaare pitaajee ke paas thee. unakee likhee pustaken padee hain… bahut sochata hoon, unhen phir se nakal kar loon….. bade anubhav kee baaten hain. vishvaas kee baat hai, baaboo! ek chutakee dhool se aadamee changa ho sakata hai. homyopaithik aur bhala kya hai? ek chutakee shakkar. jis par vishvaas jam jae, bas.”
chandar ne chalate hue kaha- “eb to aushadhaalay band karane ka samay ho gaya, khaana khaane nahin jaiega?”
“tum chalo, ham dam-paanch minat baad aaenge.” vaidyajee ne tahaseel vaala kaam apane aage saraka liya. dukaan ka daravaaza bhatakhula karake baith gae. baahar dhoop kee or dekhakar drshti chaundhiya jaatee thee.
bagal vaale dukaanadaar bachchanalaal ne dukaan band karake, ghar jaate hue vaidyajee kee dukaan khulee dekhakar poochha, “aap khaana khaane nahin gae…”
“haan, aise hee ek zaruree kaam hai. abhee thodee der mein chale jaenge.” vaidy jee ne kaha aur zameen par chataee bichhaee; rajistar mez se uthaakar neeche phaila lie. lekin garmee to garmee… paseena thamata hee na tha. rah-rahakar pankha jhalate, phir nakal karane lagate. kuchh der man maarakar kaam kiya par himmat chhoot gaee. uthakar puraanee dhool padee sheeshiyaan jhaadane lage. unhen lain se lagaaya. lekin garmee kee dopahar…. samay sthir lagata tha. ek baar unhonne kivaadon ke beech se munh nikaalakar sadak kee or nihaara. ekaadh log nazar aae. un aate-jaate logon kee upasthiti se bada sahaara mil gaya. bheetar aae, bord ka taar seedha kiya aur dukaan ne saamane lataka diya. dhanvantari aushadhaalay ka bord dukaan kee garadan mein taaveez kee tarah latak gaya.
kuchh samay aur beeta. aakhir unhonne himmat kee. ek lota paanee piya aur jaanjhon tak dhotee saraka kar mustaidee se kaam mein joot gae. baahar kuchh aahat huee. chinta se unhonne dekha.
“aaj aaraam karane nahin gae vaidy jee.” ghar jaate hue jaan-pahachaan ke dukaanadaar ne poochha.
“bas jaane kee soch raha hoon… kuchh kaam pasar gaya tha, socha, karata chaloon…” kahakar vaidy jee deevaar se peeth tika kar baith gae. kurata utaarakar ek or rakh diya. ikaharee chhat kee dukaan aanve-see tap rahee thee. vaidyajee kee aankhen buree tarah neend se bojhil ho rahee theen. ek jhapakee aa gaee….kuchh samay zarur beet gaya tha. nahin raha gaya to rajistaron ka takiya banaakar unhonne peeth seedhee kee. par neend….aatee aur chalee jaatee, na jaane kya ho gaya tha.
sahasa ek aahat ne unhen chaunka diya. aankhen kholate hue ve uthakar baith gae. bachchanalaal dopahar bitaakar vaapas aa gaya tha.
“are, aaj aap abhee tak gae hee nahin…” usane kaha.
vaidy jee zor-zor se pankha jhalane lage. bachchanalaal ne dukaan se utarate hue poochha, “kisee ka intazaar hai kya?”
“haan, ek mareez aane ko kah gaya tha… abhee tak aaya nahin…” vaidy jee ne bachchanalaal ko jaate dekha to baat beech mein hee todakar chup ho gae aur apana paseena ponchhane lage.