Andhere Ke Saaye Jo Mere Peeche Chal Rahe The

Raat ka waqt tha. Ghadi mein kareeb 12 baj chuke the. Sheher ki sadkein lagbhag khaali ho chuki thi.

Main apni bike dheere dheere chalata hua ghar ki taraf ja raha tha. Hawa thandi thi aur sadak ke dono taraf lambe ped andhere mein ajeeb se saaye bana rahe the.

Us raat kuch alag sa mehsoos ho raha tha. Jaise hawa mein koi ajeeb si bechaini ho.

Maine apne aap se kaha, “Shayad thakan ki wajah se aisa lag raha hai.”

Thodi der baad mujhe laga jaise mere peeche koi chal raha ho.

Pehle maine ignore kiya. Lekin kuch seconds baad mujhe clearly footsteps ki awaaz sunai di.

Tak… tak… tak…

Jaise koi dheere dheere mere peeche chal raha ho.

Maine turant bike roki aur peeche mudkar dekha.

Sadak bilkul khaali thi.

Na koi aadmi… na koi gaadi.

Sirf hawa ki sarsarahat aur pedon ki halki si khadbadahat.

Maine halki si hansi nikali. “Pagal ho gaya hoon main.”

Phir main wapas bike chala kar aage badh gaya.

Lekin kuch hi der baad woh footsteps phir sunai dene lage.

Tak… tak… tak…

Is baar awaaz thodi kareeb lag rahi thi.

Mera dil zor zor se dhadakne laga. Maine speed thodi badha di.

Achanak sadak ke kinare ek purani haveli nazar aayi.

Yeh haveli main bachpan se dekhta aa raha tha. Log kehte the ki yeh jagah saalon se khaali hai.

Gaon ke buzurg aksar bolte the ki raat ko wahan ajeeb awaazein aati hain.

Main normally us taraf dekhta bhi nahi tha.

Lekin us raat meri nazar anjaane mein us haveli par pad gayi.

Uski tooti hui khidkiyon mein se andhera bahar jhaank raha tha.

Aur mujhe kasam se laga… jaise koi wahan khada mujhe dekh raha ho.

Maine turant nazar hata li.

“Bas bas… dimag kharab ho raha hai,” maine khud se kaha.

Main thoda aur aage badha hi tha ki meri bike achanak band ho gayi.

Engine bilkul chup ho gaya.

“Yeh kya yaar…”

Maine kick maarne ki koshish ki, lekin bike start hi nahi ho rahi thi.

Tabhi…

Tak… tak… tak…

Woh footsteps phir sunai diye.

Is baar mere bilkul peeche.

Mere haath thande pad gaye. Dheere dheere maine peeche mudkar dekha.

Wahan koi nahi tha.

Lekin sadak par ek cheez zaroor thi.

Ek lamba sa saya.

Lekin woh mera saya nahi tha.

Street light ki roshni mein woh saya dheere dheere meri taraf badh raha tha.

Maine ghabra kar aas paas dekha.

Koi aadmi nahi tha jiska saya ho sakta tha.

Phir bhi woh saya zameen par chal raha tha… bilkul mere paas.

Meri saansein tez ho gayi.

Maine turant bike chhod di aur tezi se chalne laga.

Footsteps bhi mere peeche chalne lage.

Tak… tak… tak…

Maine speed aur badha di.

Phir mujhe laga jaise koi mere bilkul kareeb aakar dheere se phusphusaya…

“Ruk jao…”

Main ekdum se jam gaya.

Peeche mudne ki himmat nahi ho rahi thi.

Lekin awaaz phir aayi.

“Ruk jao… Arjun…”

Mera naam sunte hi meri reedh ki haddi tak thand utar gayi.

Maine dheere dheere peeche mudkar dekha.

Wahan koi nahi tha.

Lekin zameen par teen saaye the.

Ek mera.

Aur do aur…

Jo dheere dheere mere kareeb aa rahe the.

Maine darr ke maare daudna shuru kar diya.

Sadak par sirf meri saanson ki awaaz goonj rahi thi.

Thodi door aage ek chhota sa chai ka thela tha jahan aksar raat ko log mil jaate the.

Main seedha wahan pahunch gaya.

Chai wale ne hairani se poocha, “Kya hua bhai? Itne ghabraye hue kyun ho?”

Maine haanfte hue kaha, “Mere peeche… koi tha… ya shayad kuch tha…”

Woh aadmi halka sa hasa.

“Raat mein dimag kharab ho jata hai kabhi kabhi.”

Maine turant peeche mudkar sadak ki taraf dekha.

Is baar wahan koi saya nahi tha.

Jaise kuch hua hi na ho.

Maine chain ki saans li.

Chai wala bola, “Baitho… chai piyo. Sab theek ho jayega.”

Main wahan kuch der baitha raha. Dheere dheere mera darr kam hone laga.

Thodi der baad maine decide kiya ki ghar chala jaata hoon.

Chai wale ne kaha, “Agar darr lag raha hai to main thoda saath chal deta hoon.”

Maine mana kar diya. “Nahi bhai, ab sab theek hai.”

Main wapas usi sadak par chalne laga.

Ab sab kuch normal lag raha tha.

Street lights jal rahi thi. Hawa halki chal rahi thi.

Kuch bhi ajeeb nahi tha.

Main ghar pahunch gaya.

Darwaza khola aur seedha apne kamre mein chala gaya.

Lekin jab main kapde badalne ke liye mirror ke saamne khada hua…

Meri saansein ruk gayi.

Mirror mein mera reflection dikh raha tha.

Lekin ek ajeeb baat thi.

Mere peeche… do aur saaye khade the.

Maine turant peeche mudkar dekha.

Kamra bilkul khaali tha.

Phir maine dheere se wapas mirror ki taraf dekha.

Is baar woh saaye aur kareeb aa chuke the.

Unmein se ek ne apna haath mere kandhe par rakha hua tha.

Lekin mujhe uska touch mehsoos nahi ho raha tha.

Meri awaaz gale mein atak gayi.

Phir mirror mein khade us saaye ne dheere se apna sar mere kaan ke paas laakar phusphusaya…

“Hum kabse tumhare saath chal rahe hain…”

“Bas tumhe aaj raat pata chala hai.”

Us raat ke baad mujhe kabhi akela mehsoos nahi hua.

Kyunki jab bhi main andhere mein chal raha hota hoon…

Street light ke neeche zameen par mujhe hamesha teen saaye nazar aate hain.

Ek mera.

Aur do… jo aaj tak mere peeche chal rahe hain.

Aur sabse darawani baat ye hai…

Ab kabhi kabhi woh mere aage chalne lagte hain.