Premchand Poos ki Raat

Munshi Premchand apni interesting kahaniyon ke liye jaane jaate hain. Premchand Poos ki Raat  bhi ek mash-hoor novel hai. Ismein wo ek ghareeb kisaan ki kahaani likhte hain ki wo kis tarah apna guzara karta hai. Ek raat kis tarah uska ThanD se bura haal ho jata hai aur wo ThanD bardaasht na hone par apne hosh mein hi nahi rahta.... Aage kya hota hai aap puri story me read kar sakte hain..... 

START

Premchand Poos ki Raat

(1)

Halku ne aa kar apni biwi se kaha, "Shahna aaya hai laao jo rupaye rakhe hain use de do. Kisi tarah gardan to chhoote."

Munni bahu jhaaDu lagaa rahi thi. Peechhe fir aa kar boli, "3 hi to rupaye hain, de doon, to kambal kahaan se aayega. Maagh - poos ki raat khet mein kaise laTegi. Usse kah do fasal par rupaye denge. Abhi nahin hai."

Halku thoDi der tak chup khaDa raha. Aur apne Dill mein sochta raha Poos sar par aa gaya hai. Bagair kambal ke khet mein raat ko wo kisi tarah so nahi sakta. Magar Shahna maanega nahin, ghuDkiyaan dega. Ye sochta hua wo apna bhaari jism liye huye (Jo uske naam ko galat saabit kar raha tha) apni biwi ke paas gaya. Aur khushaamad kar ke bola, "Laa de de gardan to kisi tarah se bache. Kambal ke liye koi dusri tadbeer sochunga."

Munni uske paas se door haT gayi. Aur aankhein TeDhi karti huyi boli, "Kar chuke dusri tadbeer. Zara sunoo kaun tadbeer karoge? Kaun kambal khairaat mein dega. Na jaane kitna rupya baaqi hai jo kisi tarah adaa nahi hota. Mai kahti hun tum kheti kyun nahin chhoD dete. Mar - mar kar kaam karo. Paidawaar ho to usse qarza adaa karo. Chalo chhuTTi huyi, qarza adaa karne ke liye to ham paida hi huye hain. Aisi kheti se baaz aaye. Mai rupya na dungi."

Halku ranjeeda ho kar bola, "To kya gaaliyaan khaaun."

Munni ne kaha, "Gaaliyaan kyun dega? Kya uska raaj hai?" Magar ye kahne ke saath hi uski tani huyi bhauhein Dheeli paD gayin. Halku ki baat mein jo dill dahla dene wali sadaaqat thi. Maaloom hota tha ki woh uski jaanib TakTaki baandhe dekh rahi thi. Usne taaq par se rupaye uThaaye aur laakar Halku ke haath par rakh diye. Fir boli, "Tum abki kheti chhoD do. Mazdoori mein sukh se ek roTi to khaane milegi. Kisi ki dhauns to na rahegi achchi kheti hai, mazdoori kar kr laao, wo bhi usmein jhonk do. Us par se dhaus."

Halku ne rupaye liye aur is tarah baahar chala. Maloom hota tha, wo apna kaleja nikaal kar dene ja raha hai. Usne ek - ek paisa kaaT kar 3 rupaye kambal ke liye jamaa kiye the. Wo aaj nikle jaa rahe the. Ek - ek qadam ke saath uska dimaag apni nadaari ke bojh se dabaa ja raha tha. 

(2)

Poos ki andheri raat. Aasmaan par taare bhi ThiThurte huye maaloom hote the. Halku apne khet ke kinaare Ookh ke patton ki ek chhatri kr neeche baans ke khaTole par apni puraani gaaDhe ki chaadar OoDhe huye kaanp raha tha. KhaTole ke neeche uska saathi kutta, jabra peT mein munh Daale sardi se koon - koon kar raha tha. 2 mein se ek ko bhi neend na aati thi. 

Halku ne ghuTnon ko gardan mein chimTaate huye kahaa, "Kyon Jabra jaaDa lagta hai kahaa to tha ghar mein piyaal par leT rah. Tu yahaan kya lene aaya tha! Ab khaa sardi, main kya karun. Jaanta tha. Main halwa puri khaane aa raha hun. dauDte huye aage chale aaye. Ab ro'o apni naani ke naam ko." Jabra ne leTe huye dum hilaayi aur ek angDaai lekar chup ho gaya. Shayad wo ye samajh gaya tha ki uski koon - koon ki aawaz se uske maalik jo neend nahin aa rahi hai. 

Halku ne haath nikaal kar Jabra ki ThanDi peeTh sahlaate huye kaha, "Kall mere saath na aana, nahin to ThanDe ho jaoge. Ye raanD pachhuwa hawa na jaane kahaan se barf liye aa rahi hai. UThoon fir ek chilam bharoon, kisibtarah raat to kaTe. 8 chilam to pee chuka. Ye kheti ka mazaa hai aur bhagwaan aise hain, jinke paas jaaDa jaaye to garmi se ghabra kar bhaage. MoTe gadde, lihaaf, kambal majaal hai ki jaaDe ka guzar ho jaaye. Taqdeer ki khoobhi hai, mazdoori ham karein. Mazaa dusre looTein."

 Halku uTha aur gaDDhe mein zara sir aag nikaal kar chilam bhari. Jabra bhi uTh baiTha. Halku ne chilam peete huye kaha, "Piyega chilam? JaaDa to kya jata hai, zara mann bahel jata hai."

Jabra ne uski jaanib mohabbat bhari nigaahon se dekha. Halku ne kaha, "Aaj aur jaaDa kha le. Kall se main yahaan piyaal bichha dunga. Usmein ghus kar baiThna jaaDa na lagega."

Jabra ne agle panje uske ghuTnon par rakh diye aur uske munh ke paas apna munh le gaya. Halku ko uski garm saans lagi. Chilam pee kar Halku, fit leTa. Aur ye taye kar liya ki ch aahe jo kuch ho abki so jaaunga. Lekin ek lamhe mein uska kaleja kaanpne laga. Kabhi is karwaT leTa, kabhi us karwaT. JaaDa kisi bhoot ki maanind iski chhaati ko dabaaye huye tha. 

Jab kisi tarah na raha gaya to usne Jabra ko dheere se uThaaya aur uske sar ko thapthapa

kar use apni godi mein sulaa liya. Kutte ke jism se maloom nahin kaisi badboo aa rahi thi par use apni godi se chimTaate huye aisa sukh maloom hota tha idhar maheenon se use na mila tha. 

Jabra shayad se ye khayaal kar raha tha ki bahisht yahi hai aur halku ki rooh itni paak thi ki use kutte se bilkul nafrat na thi. Wo apni gareebi se pareshan tha, jiski wajah se wo is haalat ko pahunch gaya tha. Aisi anokhi dosti ne uski rooh ke sab darwaaze khol diye the. Uska ek - ek zarra haqeeqi raushni se munawwar ho gaya tha. 

Isi asna mein Jabra ne kisi jaanwar ki aahaT paayi, uske maalik ki is khaas ruhaaniyat ne uske Dill mein ek jadeed taaqat paida kar di thi jo hawa ke ThanDe jhonkon ko bhi na-cheez samajh rahi thi. Wo jhapaT kar uTha aur chhappari se baahar aakar bhaunkne laga. Halku ne use kayi martaba puchkaar kar bulaaya par wo uske paas na aaya, khet mein chaaron taraf dauD - dauD kar bhaunkta raha. Ek lamhe ke liye aa bhi jaata to fauran hi fir dauDta, farz ki adaayegi ne use bechain kar rakha tha. 

(3)

1 ghanTa guzar gaya. Sardi baDhne lagi. Halku uTh baiTha aur donon ghuTnon ko chhaeti se milaa kar sar ko chhupa liya fir bhi sardi kam na huyi. Aisa maloom hota tha ki saara khoon nunjmid ho gaya hai. Usne uThkar Aasmaan ki jaanib dekha abhi kitni raat baaqi hai. Wo saat (7) sitaare jo qutub ke gird ghoomte hain. Abhi apna nifs daura bhi khatm nahi kar chuke. Jab wo upar aa jayenge to kahin sawera hoga. Abhi ek ghaDi se zyada raat baaqi hai. 

Halku kr khet se thoDe faasle par ek baag tha. PatjhaD shuru ho gayi thi. Baag mein patton ka Dher laga hua tha, Halku ne socha, chal kar pattiyaan baTorun aur unko jalaa kar khoob taapoon. Raat ko koi mujhe pattiyaan baTorte dekhe to samjhe koi bhoot hai kaun jaane koi janwar hi chupa baiTha ho. Magar ab to baiThe nahin raha jata. 

Usne paas ke arhar ke khet mein jaa kar kayi paudhe ukhaaDe aur uska ek jhaaDu banaa kar haath mein sulagta hua upla liye baag ki taraf chala. Janta ne use jaate dekha to paas aaya aur dum hilaane laga. 

Halku ne kaha ab to nahin raha jata Jabru, chalo baag mein pattiyaan baTor kar taapein, TaaThein ho jayenge to fir aakar so jayenge. Abhi to raat bahut hai. 

Jabra ne koon-koon karte huye apne maalik ki raaye se muwaafiqat zaahir ki aur aage - aage baag ki jaanib chala. Baag mein ghaTaTop andhera chhaya hua tha. Darakhton se shabnam ki boondein Tap - Tap Tapak rahi thi. Yaka -yak ek jhonka mehandi ke phoolon ki khushboo liye huye aaya. 

Halku ne kaha kaisi achchi mahek aayi Jabra. Tumhari naak mein bhi kuch khushboo aa rahi hai? 

Jabra ko kahin zameen par ek haDDi paDi mill gayi thi. Wo use choos raha tha. 

Halku ne aag zameen par rakh di aur pattiyaan baTorne laga. ThoDi der mein patton ka ek Dher sa lag gaya. Haath ThiThurte jaate the aur wo pattiyon ka pahaaD khaDa kar raha tha. Usi alaaw mein wo sardi ko jalaa kar khaak kar dega. 

ThoDi der mein alaaw jal uTha. Uski lau uper wale darakht ki pattiyon ko chhoo - chhoo kar bhaagne lagi. Is mutzalzal raushni mein baagh ke aalishaan darakht aise maloom hote the ki wo is laa - intihaa andhere ko apni gardan par sambhaale hon. Taariqi ke us athaah samandar mein ye raushni ek naav ke maanind maloom hoti thi.

Halku alaaw ke saamne baiTha hua aag taap raha tha. Ek minute mein usne apni chaadar bagal mein dabaa li aur donon paanv faila diye. Goya wo sardi ko lalkaar kat kah raha tha "Teri ji mein aaye wo kar." Sardi ki is be - paayaan taaqat par fateh paakar wo khushi ko chhupa na sakta tha. 

Usne Jabra se kaha, "Kyun Jabra. Ab to ThanD nahin lag rahi hai."

Jabra ne koon - koon kar ke hoya kaha, "Ab kya TahnD lagti hi rahegi."

Pahle ye tadbeer nahin soojhi... Nahin to itni ThanD kyun khaate."

Jabra ne dum hulaayi. 

"Achcha aao, is alaaw ko kood kar paar karein. Dekhein kaun nikal jaye hai. Agar jall gaye bachcha to main, dawa na karunga."

Jabra ne khauf - zadaa nigaahon se allaw ki jaanib dekha. 

"Munni se kall ye na jaD dena ki raat ThanD lagi aur taap - taap kar raat kaaTi. Warna laDaayi karegi."

Ye kahta hua wo uchhla aur us alaaw ke ooper se saaf nikal gaya pairon mein zara sir lipaT lag gayi, par wo koi baat na thi. Jabra ke alaaw ke gird ghoom kar uske paas khaDa hua. 

Halku ne kaha chalo - chalo, iski sahi nahin. Ooper se kood kar aao. Wo fir kooda aur alaaw ke us paar aa gaya. 

(4)

Pattiyaan jall chuki thin bageeche mein fir andhera chhaa gaya tha. Raakh ke neeche kuch - kuch aag baaqi thi. Jo hawa ka jhonka aane par zara jaag uThti thi, par ek lamha mein fir aankhein band kar leti thi. 

Halku ne fir chaadar oDh li aur garm raakh ke paas baiTha hua ek gaana gungunaane laga. Uske jism mein garmi aa gayi thi. Par join - joon sardi baDhti jaati thi, use susti sabaa leti thi. 

Dafa'tan Jabra zor se bhaunk kar khet ki taraf bhaaga. Halku ko aisa maalum hua ki jaanwar ka ek gol uske khet mein aaya. Shayad Neelgaaye ka jhunD tha. Unke koodne aur dauDne ki awaazein saaf kaan mein aa rahi thi. Fir aisa maloom hua ki khet mein char rahi hain... Usne Dill mein kaha, "Hunh Jabra ke hote huye koi jaanwar khet mein nahin aa sakta. Noch hi Daale, mujhe wahem ho raha hai. Kahaan, ab to kuch sunaayi nahin deta mujhe bhi kaisa dhoka hua."

Usne zor se aawaz lagayi, "Jabra...., Jabra...."

Jabra bhaunkta raha. Uske paas na aaya. 

Jaanwaron ke charne ki aawaz char - char sunaayi dene lagi. Halku ab apne ko fareb na de sakaa, magar use us waqt apni jagah se hilna zaher maalum hota tha. Kaisa garmaaya hua maze se baiTha hua tha. Is jaaDe - paale mein khet mein jana jaanwaron ko bhagaana unka ta'aaqub karna use pahaaD maalum hota tha. Apni jagah se na hila. BaiThe - baiThe jaanwaron ko bhagaane ke liye chillane laga. Liho - Liho, ho, ho. Ha, ha. 

Magar Jabra fir bhaunk uTha. Agar jaanwar bhaag jaate to wo ab tak lauT aaya hota. Nahin bhaage, abhi char rahe hain. Shayad wo sab bhi samajh rahe hain ki is sardi mein kaun beedha hai, jo unke peechhe dauDega. Fasal taiyyaar hai, kaisi achchi kheti thi. Saara gaanv dekh - dekhkar jalta tha, use ye abhaage tabaah kiye Daalte hain. 

Ab Halku se na rahaa gaya. Wo pakka iraada kar ke uTha aur 2-3 qadam chala. Fir yakaa - yak hawaa ka aisa ThanDa chubhne wala, bichchhu ke Dank ka sa jhonka laga, wo fir bujhte huye alaaw ke paas aa baiTha aur raakh ko kured - kured kar apne ThanDe jism ko garmaane laga. 

JabDa apna galaa faaDe Daalta tha. Neel - gaayen khet ka safaaya kiye Daalti thin aur Halku garm raakh ke paas behis baiTha hua tha. Afsurdgi ne use chaaron taraf se rassi ki tarah jakaD rakha tha. 

Aakhir wahi chaadar oDh kar so gaya. 

Sawere jab uski neend khuli to dekha chaaron taraf dhoop faili huyi hai. Aur Munni khaDi kah rahi hai, aaj sote hi rahoge tum. Yahaan meeThi neend so rahe ho aur udhar sara khet chaupaT ho gaya. Sara khet satyanaas ho gaya. Bhala koi aise bhi sota hai. Tumhaare yahaan manDiyaan Daalne se kya hua.

Halku ne baat banayi. Main marte - marte bacha. Tujhe apne khet ki paDi hai. PeT mein aisa dard uTha ki main hi jaanta hun. 

Donon fir khet ke DaanDe par aaye. Dekha khet mein ek paudhe ka naam nahin aur Jabra manDiyaa ke neeche chitt paDa hai. Goya badan mein jaan nahin hai. Donon khet ki taraf dekh rahe the. Munni ke chehre par udaasi chhayi huyi thi. Par Halku khush tha. 

Munni ne fikr-mand ho kar kaha. Ab mazdoori kar ke maal-guzaari deni paDegi. 

Halku ne mastaana andaaz se kaha, "Raat ko ThanD mein yahaan sona to na paDega."

"Mai is khet ka lagaan na dungi, ye kahe deti hun. Jeene ke liye kheti karte hain, marne ke liye nahin karte."

"Jabra abhi tak soya hua hai. Itna to kabhi na sota tha."

"Aaj jaa kar shahna se kah de, khet jaanwar char gaye. Ham ek paisa na denge."

"Raat baDe gazab ki sardi thi."

"Main kya kahti hun, tum kya sunte ho."

"Tu gaali khilaane ki baat kah rahi hai. Shahna ko in baaton se kya sarokaae, tumhara khet ch aahe jaanwar khayen, chaahe aag lag jaayen, chaahe ole paD jaayen, use to apni maal-guzaari chaahiye."

"To chhoD do kheti, main aisi kheti se baaz aayi."

Halku ne maayusaana andaaz se kaha, "Ji mann mein to mere bhi yahi aata hai ki kheti - baaDi chhoD dun. Munni tujh se sach kahta hun, magar majoori ja khayaal karta hun to ji ghabra uThta hai. Kisaan ka beTa ho kar ab majoori na karunga. Chaahe kitni hi durgat ho jaaye. Kheti ka marjaad nahin bigaaDunga. Jabra..., Jabra.... Kya sota hi rahega, chal ghar chalein."

THE END