Meri shaadi sirf 19 saal ki umar mein ho gayi thi. Na duniya ki zyada samajh thi aur na hi zindagi ke asli imtihaan dekhe the. Sapne bahut the, lekin shaadi ke baad un sapnon ki jagah zimmedariyon ne le li.
Mera sasural ek joint family tha. Ghar mein saas, nanadein aur dever the. Sasur ji ka dehant pehle hi ho chuka tha, isliye ghar ki har umeed mere pati aur mujhse judi hui thi.
Mere pati shehar se door naukri karte the aur ghar ki poori zimmedari mere kandhon par thi. Nanadon ki padhai, unki shaadi ki chinta, dever ki padhai, saas ji ki dekhbhal... dheere-dheere mujhe lagne laga tha ki main bahu kam aur ghar ki zimmedariyon ka doosra naam zyada hoon.
Maine kabhi kisi ka hisaab nahi rakha. Jo ban pada, karti gayi. Apne gehne tak girvi rakhe, taaki dever ki fees bhar sake. Nanadon ki shaadi mein apni pasand aur zaruratein tak peeche chhod di. Mujhe lagta tha ki yahi parivaar hota hai... yahi apnapan hota hai.
Samay beetta gaya. Mere do bachche hue. Maa-papa ka sahara na hota to shayad main toot jaati. Unhone mujhe har mushkil waqt mein sambhala, jabki main khud apne sasural ko sambhalne mein lagi hui thi.
Kuch saalon baad maine himmat karke apni awaaz uthayi aur pati ke saath us shehar mein shift ho gayi jahan unki job thi. Pehli baar laga ki ab shayad apni zindagi bhi jee paungi.
Lekin kahani yahin khatam nahi hui...
Jin logon ke liye maine apni jawani, apne sapne aur apni khushiyan daav par laga di thi, wahi log dheere-dheere badalne lage.
Mere saamne pyaar aur apnapan tha, lekin peeth peeche kuch aur hi kahani chal rahi thi...
Mujhe tab tak kuch pata nahi tha, jab tak ek din galti se mere kaano mein woh baat nahi padi jo meri poori duniya hila dene wali thi.
Pata chala ki kuch rishtedaron ke beech meri hi kahani alag tarah se sunayi ja rahi thi. Kaha ja raha tha ki maine sabko alag kar diya... maine ghar tod diya... maine pati ko parivaar se door kar diya.
Aur sabse zyada dard tab hua jab yeh baatein un logon ki zubaan se nikli, jinke liye maine apni zindagi ke 25 saal de diye the.
Us din pehli baar samajh aaya...
Kabhi-kabhi log aapke tyag ko yaad nahi rakhte, sirf apni zarurat yaad rakhte hain.
Aur aaj... 25 saal baad...
**(To Be Continued... Part 2)**