Khamosh mohabbat ki goonj: Kya Wo Kabhi Laut Kar Ayega?

Sheher ki bheed-bhaad se door, ek purani building ki teesri manzil ki balcony mein khada Aryan, haath mein coffee ka cup liye baarish ki boondon ko dekh raha tha. Baarish ki wo sondhi mitti ki khushboo use hamesha ek purane raaste par le jati thi—wo raasta jo Zoya tak jata tha.

Aryan aur Zoya ki dosti college ke pehle din se shuru hui thi. Dono bilkul alag thalag thhe. Zoya, jo har waqt chahakti rehti thi, jiske paas har baat ka jawab hota tha. Aur Aryan, jo apni hi duniya mein gumsum, kitaabon aur khamoshiyon se dosti rakhta tha. Lekin shayad kismat ko yehi manzoor tha ki ye do alag kinaare ek hi nadi ka hissa banein.

Zoya aksar kehti thi, "Aryan, tum itne chup kyun rehte ho? Kabhi toh apne dil ki baat zubaan par laya karo."

Aryan bas muskura deta. Uske paas kehne ko bahut kuch tha, par shayad darr tha. Darr is baat ka ki agar usne apne dil ki gehrayi mein dabi us mohabbat ka zikr kiya, toh kahin wo pyari si dosti bhi dhuwan na ho jaye. Uske liye Zoya ka saath hona hi kaafi tha, chahe wo rishta dosti ka hi kyun na ho.

Waqt guzarta gaya. College khatam hua aur dono apni-apni manzilon ki talash mein nikal pade. Aryan ek software company mein lag gaya aur Zoya ne apne sapne pure karne ke liye ek bade sheher ka rukh kiya. Faasle badh gaye, par Aryan ke dil mein Zoya ki jagah wahi rahi. Wo roz raat ko Zoya ka status dekhta, uski tasveerein niharta, par call karne ki himmat nahi juta pata tha.

Ek sham, Zoya ka phone aaya. Aryan ka dil zor se dhadakne laga.

"Aryan, main shadi kar rahi hoon," Zoya ki awaz mein ek ajeeb si thakan thi, ya shayad sukoon, Aryan samajh nahi paya.

Aryan ke haath se coffee ka mug chhoot-te chhoot-te bacha. Usne apne gale mein phase us dard ke gola ko nigla aur badi mushkil se bola, "Bahut mubarak ho, Zoya. Kaun hai wo khushnaseeb?"

Zoya ne sab bataya—ladka uska colleague tha, parivaar wale raazi thhe, sab kuch perfect tha. Aryan sunta raha, hami bharta raha. Us raat Aryan soya nahi. Usne apni diary nikaali aur wo sab likh dala jo usne barson se chhupa rakha tha. Wo khat jo kabhi bheje nahi gaye, wo ehsaas jo kabhi kahe nahi gaye.

Shadi ka din aaya. Aryan wahan gaya, muskurate hue, sabse milte hue. Jab wo Zoya se milne gaya, toh Zoya ne use ek taraf bulaya.

"Aryan, tumne kabhi mujhse kuch nahi kaha na?" Zoya ne uski aankhon mein dekhte hue pucha.

Aryan ki nazrein jhuk gayi. "Kya kehta? Sab toh theek tha."

Zoya ne ek halki si aah bhari. "Tumhari khamoshi bahut shor machati hai, Aryan. Par ab bahut der ho chuki hai."

Aryan wahan se chupchap nikal aaya. Usne peeche mudkar nahi dekha. Use laga ki shayad khamosh rehna hi uska naseeb tha.

Saalon beet gaye. Aryan ne shadi nahi ki. Wo apni tanhaiyon se dosti kar chuka tha. Ek din, use khabar mili ki Zoya ek car accident mein guzar gayi. Aryan ka pura wajood hil gaya. Wo bhaga hua uske sheher gaya. Wahan Zoya ke pati ne use ek box diya.

"Zoya ne kaha tha ki agar use kuch ho jaye, toh ye tumhe de doon," usne bhari awaz mein kaha.

Aryan ne ghar aakar wo box khola. Usme wahi purani diary thi jo Aryan ne college mein Zoya ko birthday par di thi. Lekin diary ke pichle pannon par Zoya ne likha tha.

20 October: "Aaj Aryan ne phir mujhse baat nahi ki. Main intezar karti rahi ki shayad wo kahega ki use meri fikar hai, par wo bas muskurata raha. Pagal hai wo."

15 May: "Meri shadi taye ho gayi hai. Aaj bhi Aryan chup raha. Agar wo ek baar bhi kehta ki 'mat jao', toh main sab chhod deti. Par uski khamoshi ne mujhe hamesha ye ehsaas dilaya ki shayad main hi sirf is rishte ko naam dena chahti hoon."

Aryan ki aankhon se aansu behne lage. Wo khat jo usne kabhi nahi bheje, unka jawab in pannon mein tha. Use ehsaas hua ki uski khamoshi ne sirf use hi nahi, balki Zoya ko bhi ek aise dard mein rakha jiska koi ilaaj nahi tha.

Aaj bhi, jab baarish hoti hai, Aryan ko lagta hai ki hawaon mein Zoya ki wahi shikayat goonj rahi hai—"Aryan, tum kuch bolte kyun nahi?"

Lekin ab sirf khamoshi thi, aur us khamoshi ki gehari goonj, jo Aryan ke dil ke band kamron mein hamesha ke liye qaid ho gayi thi. Mohabbat izhaar ki mohtaj nahi hoti, ye sach hai, par kabhi kabhi khamoshi rishton ka qatl kar deti hai.

Aryan ne diary band ki aur dhoondhli aankhon se aasmaan ki taraf dekha. Mohabbat ab bhi thi, bas ab use sunne wala koi nahi tha.