Bhatakti Aatma Jo Badla Lena Chahti Thi

Raat ka waqt tha.

Gaon ke bahar ek purani haveli khadi thi, jise log “Sharma Haveli” ke naam se jaante the. Lekin pichle 20 saalon se koi us haveli ke paas bhi nahi jaata tha.

Log kehte the ki wahan ek bhatakti aatma rehti hai.

Ek aisi aatma jo sirf darane ke liye nahi… balki badla lene ke liye wapas aayi hai.

Gaon mein bachpan se hi logon ko ek kahani sunai jaati thi.

Kehte the, us haveli mein kabhi Raghav Sharma naam ka aadmi rehta tha. Uski ek beti thi — Meera.

Meera bahut seedhi aur khushmizaj ladki thi. Puri haveli uski hasi se goonjti rehti thi.

Lekin ek raat sab kuch badal gaya.

Us raat ke baad Meera kabhi nahi mili.

Aur us raat ke baad se haveli mein ajeeb awaazein aane lagi.

Darwaze khud band ho jaate, raat ko footsteps sunai dete… aur kabhi kabhi kisi ladki ke rone ki awaaz bhi.

Log kehte the… Meera ki aatma abhi bhi wahan bhatak rahi hai.

Saalon baad…

Ek din shehar se Arjun naam ka ek journalist us gaon mein aaya.

Arjun ko mysterious aur haunted jagahon par research karna pasand tha.

Jab usne Sharma Haveli ki kahani suni, uski curiosity aur badh gayi.

Gaon ke ek buddhe aadmi ne use rokte hue kaha,

“Beta, us haveli ke paas mat jaana… wahan jo hai na… woh insaan nahi hai.”

Arjun halka sa muskura diya.

“Agar sach mein koi aatma hai… toh mujhe uska sach pata karna hi hoga.”

Buddha aadmi chup ho gaya.

Usne bas itna kaha…

“Sach kabhi kabhi jaanleva bhi ho sakta hai.”

Us raat Arjun apna camera aur torch lekar haveli ki taraf chal pada.

Aasmaan mein kaale badal the.

Hawa tez chal rahi thi.

Purani haveli andhere mein aur bhi zyada khaufnaak lag rahi thi.

Haveli ka bada lohe ka gate aadha khula hua tha.

Jaise kisi ne use zor se dhakka diya ho.

Arjun dheere se andar gaya.

Haveli ke andar sannata tha.

Sirf hawa ki sarsarahat aur kahin kahin se lakdi ke purane darwazon ki kirrr… kirrr… ki awaaz aa rahi thi.

Arjun ne torch on ki.

Deewaron par purani tasveerein lagi thi.

Sab par dhool jam chuki thi.

Achanak…

Upar se kisi ke chalne ki awaaz aayi.

THAK… THAK… THAK…

Arjun ruk gaya.

Usne dheere se kaha,

“Kaun hai wahan?”

Koi jawab nahi aaya.

Footsteps fir se sunai diye.

Is baar aur paas.

Arjun ka dil tez dhadakne laga.

Lekin woh himmat karke seedhiyon ki taraf badha.

Seedhiyan purani aur toot chuki thi.

Har kadam par kirrr… ki awaaz aa rahi thi.

Jab Arjun upar pahucha…

Toh hallway bilkul andhera tha.

Usne torch ghuma kar dekha.

Tabhi…

Ek kamre ka darwaza dheere se khud hi khul gaya.

Arjun ka gala sukh gaya.

Woh dheere dheere us kamre ke paas gaya.

Andar ghana andhera tha.

Jaise hi usne torch andar daali…

Usne dekha ek purani kursi hil rahi thi.

Jaise koi abhi abhi wahan se utha ho.

Arjun dheere se bola,

“Hello… koi hai yahan?”

Tabhi…

Peeche se ek halki si awaaz aayi.

“Tum yahan kyun aaye ho…”

Arjun ka khoon jam gaya.

Woh dheere se mudha.

Uske saamne ek ladki khadi thi.

Safed kapde…

Lambee khule baal…

Aur chehra bilkul safed.

Uski aankhen ajeeb tarah se chamak rahi thi.

Arjun ne hichkichate hue poocha,

“Tum… Meera ho?”

Ladki ne dheere se sir jhuka diya.

“Haan…”

Arjun ki saansein tez ho gayi.

“Tumhari kahani kya hai? Log kehte hain tumhari aatma bhatak rahi hai.”

Meera ki aankhon mein achanak gussa bhar gaya.

Usne dheere se kaha,

“Main bhatak nahi rahi…”

“Main intezaar kar rahi hoon.”

Arjun ne poocha,

“Kiska intezaar?”

Meera ki awaaz thandi ho gayi.

“Uska… jisne mujhe maara.”

Arjun ka dil zor se dhadakne laga.

“Tumhe kisne maara?”

Meera ne seedha jawab nahi diya.

Usne bas kaha,

“Sach jaanne ki himmat hai tum mein?”

Arjun ne haan mein sir hilaya.

Tabhi achanak…

Kamre ka darwaza zor se BANG karke band ho gaya.

Hawa aur thandi ho gayi.

Meera dheere dheere Arjun ke paas aayi.

“Us raat… mere pitaji ne mujhe kisi se milte hue dekh liya tha.”

“Unhe laga main unki izzat mitti mein mila rahi hoon.”

Arjun shock mein tha.

“Phir?”

Meera ki awaaz toot gayi.

“Unhone gusse mein… mujhe isi kamre mein bandh kar diya.”

“Hafte bhar tak…”

“Koi khana nahi… koi paani nahi…”

Arjun ki aankhen phail gayi.

“Phir?”

Meera ki aankhon se aansu tapakne lage.

“Main yahin mar gayi…”

Kamre mein achanak thandi hawa ka jhonka aaya.

Torch ki roshni hilne lagi.

Arjun dheere se bola,

“Lekin tumhare pitaji toh saalon pehle mar chuke hain…”

Meera ki aankhon mein ek ajeeb si muskaan aa gayi.

“Unhe unka saza mil chuki hai.”

“Lekin… ek aur insaan hai…”

Arjun ne poocha,

“Kaun?”

Meera ne seedha Arjun ki aankhon mein dekha.

Aur dheere se kaha…

“Tum.”

Arjun ka chehra safed pad gaya.

“Kya matlab?”

Meera ki awaaz aur thandi ho gayi.

“Tumhe sach mein nahi pata?”

“Tumhare dada… Raghav Sharma ke dost the.”

Arjun ka dimag ghoom gaya.

Meera ne kaha,

“Us raat… jab main band thi…”

“Maine madad ke liye cheekha tha.”

“Tumhare dada ne sab suna tha.”

“Lekin unhone kisi ko nahi bataya.”

Kamre mein hawa aur tez ho gayi.

Meera ki awaaz goonj uthi.

“Unhone mujhe marne diya.”

Arjun ka gala sukh gaya.

“Main… main us waqt paida bhi nahi hua tha…”

Meera dheere se hans padi.

Ek thandi aur khaufnaak hansi.

“Badla sirf usse nahi liya jata jisne gunaah kiya ho…”

“Kabhi kabhi uski naslon se bhi liya jata hai.”

Arjun dar ke maare peeche hatne laga.

“Please… maine kuch nahi kiya…”

Meera dheere dheere hawa mein uthne lagi.

Uski aankhen kaali padne lagi.

“Lekin tum unka khoon ho…”

“Tumhari saansein hi mera badla hain.”

Arjun darwaze ki taraf bhaaga.

Lekin darwaza band tha.

Usne zor zor se kholne ki koshish ki.

Tabhi peeche se Meera ki awaaz aayi…

“Ab koi nahi bachayega tumhe.”

Torch achanak band ho gayi.

Kamra andhere mein doob gaya.

Aur phir…

Ek zor ki cheekh haveli mein goonj uthi.

Agli subah…

Gaon ke kuch log himmat karke haveli ke paas gaye.

Unhone andar jaakar dekha.

Zameen par Arjun ka camera pada tha.

Lekin Arjun kahin nahi tha.

Jaise woh kabhi wahan aaya hi na ho.

Lekin us camera mein ek recording mili.

Us recording mein Arjun dar ke maare bhaag raha tha.

Aur uske peeche…

Safed kapdon mein ek ladki hawa mein tair rahi thi.

Camera girne se pehle ek aakhri awaaz record hui.

Ek thandi aur dheemi awaaz…

“Badla abhi khatam nahi hua…”

“Abhi aur log baaki hain…”