Nisha ki shaadi ko 5 saal ho chuke the. Ghar mein sab kuch tha… pyaar karne wala pati, do pyare bacche aur ek saas — Sharda Devi.
Lekin Nisha aur unki saas ki kabhi zyada banti nahi thi।
“Bahurani, bartan dhang se rakho…”
“Bacchon ko itna mobile mat do…”
“Subah thoda jaldi uth jaaya karo…”
Har choti baat par saas ki tokataki Nisha ko chubhti thi।
Use lagta tha jaise uski saas use kabhi khush dekhna hi nahi chahti।
Dheere dheere choti choti baatein bade jhagde mein badalne lagi।
Kabhi khane ko lekar, kabhi safai ko lekar… ghar ka mahaul hamesha tanaav bhara rehta।
Ek din baat itni badh gayi ki Sharda Devi chupchaap apna samaan bandh kar boli—
“Lagta hai meri zarurat ab is ghar mein nahi rahi… main bade bete ke paas ja rahi hoon.”
Nisha ne bhi gusse mein kuch nahi kaha।
Andar hi andar use laga…
“Accha hua! Ab na koi rokega, na tokega… ab main apni marzi se jeeyungi।”
Shuru ke kuch din sach mein bahut acche lage।
Der tak sona…
Kitchen mein apne hisaab se kaam karna…
Koi kuch kehne wala nahi।
Lekin dheere dheere sab badalne laga।
Subah bacchon ko school bhejna, unka tiffin banana, ghar saaf karna, bazaar ka kaam, pati ki zaruratein…
Nisha poori tarah thakne lagi।
Kabhi doodh gas par ubal kar gir jaata…
Kabhi bacchon ki bottle dhulna bhool jaati…
Kabhi kapde time par press nahi hote।
Usne mehsoos kiya ki pehle ye sab kaam bina kahe kaise ho jaate the।
Tab use yaad aaya…
Maa ji chupchaap har jagah uski madad kar deti thi।
Bacchon ko khana khila dena…
School bag ready kar dena…
Sabzi kaat dena…
Kabhi uske sir mein dard ho to chai bana dena…
Aur jo tokataki thi…
woh sirf isliye thi taaki Nisha dheere dheere ghar sambhalna seekh jaaye।
Us raat Nisha bahut royi।
Use pehli baar apni galti samajh aayi।
Agli subah woh apne pati ke saath saas ke ghar pahunch gayi।
Darwaza khula… saamne Sharda Devi khadi thi।
Nisha unhe dekhte hi phoot phoot kar ro padi aur gale lag kar boli—
“Ma… mujhe maaf kar dijiye।
Maine aapko bahut galat samjha।
Aap daantti nahi thi… sambhalti thi।”
Sharda Devi ki aankhen bhi bhar aayi।
Unhone pyar se Nisha ke sir par haath rakha aur boli—
“Pagal ladki… maa kabhi apne bacchon ka bura nahi chahti।”
Us din ke baad unke rishte mein sirf saas-bahu ka nahi…
maa-beti wala pyaar aa gaya।