hamaaree shaadee ko barason beet gae
log-baag to
sharaab peena seekh gae
magar hamaaree patnee ne
chaay tak nahin chhuee
hamane zid kee to vo bolee-
“chaay bhee koee cheez hai muee
zahar hai zahar hai
vo bhee gilaas bhar
peene baithate ho to
ghanto mein khatm karate ho
bhagavaan jaane
kaise hazam karate ho
pachaas baar kaha
chaay hazama bigaadatee hai
bhookh ko maaratee hai
chaalees ke ho gae
do rotee khaate ho
main theek khaatee hoon
to mujhe chidhaate ho
kya isalie
pancho ke saamane pratigya kee thee
hamaare baap ne
gaay samajhakar dee thee.”
ham bailon kee tarah
chupachaap khade the
dum hilaakar bole-
“chaay nahin to doodh hee piya karo
sabere-sabere kuchh to liya karo.”
ve boleen-“doodh!
chaay to ro-ro kar banatee hai
aadhee doodh
aur aadhee, paanee mein chhanatee hai
phil hain
tumhaare doodh kee bhookhee nahin hoon
gaanv kee hoon
gaay aur bhaison ke beech mein rahee hoon
phir kabhee chaay kee mat kahana
haragiz nahin piungee
agar apanee par aa gaee
to sab kee band kar doongee.”
pichhale saal
garmiyon mein
do maah kee chhuttiyon mein
ham ja rahe the
unake saath
bas mein
dillee se deharaadoon
taareekh thee do june
saamane valee seet par
ek naee navelee
baithee thee akelee
udaas
khidakee ke paas
sab aankhe senk rahe the
ham to bas sahaanubhooteevash dekh rahe the
tabhee patnee ne hamen
kuhanee maaree
hamane socha
dhokhe se lagee hai
magar thodee der baad
usane hamen nocha
hamane katakar
peechhe palatakar
kaha patnee se-“bechaaree dukhee hai.”
patnee bolee-“yahaan kaun sukhee hai
khabaradaar jo udhar dekho
dekhana hai to idhar dekho.”
ham chup ho gaye
aur aankhe moondakar
saamane vaalee ke dukh mein kho gae
kisee bas staap par aankh khulee
idhar uthee
udhar giree
patnee so raheen thee
aur saamane vaalee
aansuo se apana mukh dho rahee thee
ham bas se utare
chaay lekar
vaapas laute
saamane vaalee se bole-“leejie
roie mat
chaay peejie.”
hamaaree patnee bolee-
“main idhar hoon
mujhe deejie.”
hamane poochha-“chaay aur tum?”
vo bolee-“hoom
zara see aankh lag gaee
to baat
chaay tak pahunch gaee
maana kee main chaay nahin peetee
paanee kee poochhate
munh baandhe baithee hoon
kuchh to sochate
khaane ho nahin maratee
magar zid karate
to na bhee nahin karatee
ghumaane lae ho
to ahasaan nahin kiya
sabhee ghumaate hai
aurate munh se nahin kahateen
zabaradastee khilaate hai.”
phir saamane vaalee ko
angootha dikhaakar
chaay ka kap munh se lagaakar
chaay!
unake shabd mein zahar
ek saans mein pee lee
baat hai saal bhar pahale kee
ab tak pee raheen hai.