“Ishq Banaras ka” ~Roshan Kumar Lohani

Part I:

Meena, apne kamre me shishe ke samne ankhon per kajal lagate hue apne hi ankhon ki gehraiyon me
kho jati hai.. or, kehti hai..

Meena: ye ankhein pehle bhi itni hi pyari thi, ya rehan ki baton ne kuch jadoo kar diya..

Rehan, Meena ke padosh me hi rhta tha, wo baju wale gali me sharma ji hai na, unke hi ghar kuch sal
pehle kirayedar bnke aaya tha, kiraya us makan ka deta hai, per rehta meena ke dil me hai..

Meena apne balon ko sanwarte hue bhi Rehan ke sparsh ko hi mehsush krti hai, mohabbat akela
rehne kahan deti.. Dil ke tar to dhadkanon se jud jate hai..

Maa: Meena, o ri Meena! aaj bs saajti sanwarti hi rahogi ya maa ka hath bhi bataogi, bolo to byah aaj
hi kara de kya..

Meena ke maan me to ladoo se futne lage, per ufan marte apne muskurahat ko dupatte taale danton
ko dabate hue use bhi daba diya..

Meena: Han, Maa bs aa hi gayi.. Thoda to sabr kro” Or meena bhagi bhagi si kitchen ki taraf jati
hai.. “Bolo, kya kam aa pada aapko apni rajkumari se?

Maa: Chunki, hamare mehal me raja Shahab ne dasiyan nahi rkhi hai to tumhe hi bartan masne
padenge rajkumari..

Meena: Offo Maa, kahan in sub bhari-bharkam kamon me hume uljha rahi, hamare komal Mulayam
hath kathor ho jaenge..

Maa: hah! Hey bhagwan is ladki ke to nakhre hi khatm nae hote..

Meena: Acha thik hai, thik hai.. aap jao aaram kro, hum dho rahe bartan..

Meena Kitchen ke kone me bani wo khidki, jahan se khule me Roshni or andhere me chupke se
Rehan ko hi aane ki izazat thi bs, paal-paal me usey niharne lgti hai..
Fir Meena jaise hi kamre me jati hai, uske phone ki ghanti bajne lgti hai, aur Rehan ka nam uski
muskurati si tasveer ke sath flash krne lgta hai..

Rehan: Bahut der kr di phone uthane me, mohterma busy thi kya?

Meena: “Nahi to, wo tumhari tasveer ko bs ek nazar dekhne lgi thi..”

Rehan: Haye, per bs tasveeron me hi hume dekhna hai, ya aaj Ganga kinare dil se samne se hamara
didar krna hai?

Meena: kyun nahi janab, aap bs waqt to batayie, apki Meena to hawaon se bhi tez udke aapke pas
chali aaegi..

Rehan: (Muskurate hue…) Okay, 4 bje gali ke chourahe wali nukkad ke pas rehna aur han, chehra
dhaank lena..

Meena: kyun, daar hai ki kahin koe or aapki Meena ki musurahat ka kayal na ho jaye aur use bhaga
na le jaye,,

Rehan: Uff, tumhari Ammi thik hi kehti hai, bht dramebaz ho tum, chalo ab rkho phone, bye..

Meena: Bye..

Meena almarih se apni pasandida wo shadi kurti, aur hara salwar nikal pehan leti hai.. yun to usey
dupatta lena jyada nahi pasand, per ek bar Rehan ne uske dupatte ko apne chehre per kya fera tha,
uski khusboo ko sanjone ke lie ye haaar bar dupatta odhe hi jane lagi..

“Ishq bhi kitna kamal hai na, choti choti harkatein bhi khusi de deti hai.. Or Banaras to fir apne
ishq ki galiyon ke lie hi mashoor tha..”

Meena: Maa, hum Radha ke sang golgappe khane aur ganga aarti dekhne ja rahe..

Maa: Acha, thik hai, lautne me jyada der nahi krna.. Tumhare papa ke aane se pehle ghar aa jana..

Udhar Rehan bhi apne yar mohan se milne ka bahana kr ghar se nikal jata hai..

“Atthrah ki umar me mohabbat krne se yahi hota hai, Rehan radha or Meena Mohan bn jate hai.. Jb
bhi unhe milne ke lie kuch bahana banana padta hai..“
Chourahe ke pas wale nukkad se ganga ghat tk dono sath-sath chalna to shuru krte hai, magar sadak
ke alag alag kinaron se.. Bali umar me Mohabbat krte agar pakda gaye to in banaras ki galiyon me
bhaga bhaga ke koote jate hai ashique sare..

Ghat kinare Munna bhaiya ke world famous chat Meena ko subse jyada pasand the, rehan aur meena
jb hhi yahan aate, Rehan ek plate chat aur do chammach le Meena ke sath kinare baithe jata tha.. Aaj
bhi kuch waisa hi hua..

Meena Rehan ke hathon se khate hue kehti hai,

Meena: is chat ke lie to main tumhe bhi chor dun..

Rehan: Acha ji..

Meena: Per wo kya hai na, tumhare hathon se khane ke bad iska swad or jyada hi bdh jata hai..

Or meena rehan ke kandhe per apna sir rkh deti hai.. Dono meena ke dupatta ke ander apne chehre
ko chipa ek dusre ki chanchal ankhon aur mithi baton me kho jate hai.. Tb hi Meena Kehti hai,

Meena: Rehan, hume Mumbai jana hai..

Rehan: Mumbai, per acahnak se, avi..?

Meena: Are nahi buddhu, avi nahi, mtlb hume filmon me acting krni hai, aur ek din Industry ki bahut
badi nayika bnna hai.. Per Rehan….

Rehan: Per?

Meena: Tumhe to pata hi hai, hamare papa kabhi manenge nahi, wo to bahut hi sade jiwan ucch
vichar wale aadmi hai, hamara acting krna unhe bht galat lgega..

Rehan: Meena, tum ye aise keh skti ho? Kya tumne kabhi bhi apne dil ki bat unke samne rkhi hai?
tumhe pata hai na tumse bat krne me hamara kya hal hua tha, tum haar roz hamare ankhon ke samne
se guzar jati thi, aur hm bs tumhe khyal me hi sochte rh jate the.. fir ek bar himmat krke dil ki bat ki
na, aur dekho aaj hum dono hakikat me kitne karib hai.. Han, wo alag bat hai ki shuruat me tum bht
itrati thi..

Mano ye kehne ki der thi aur meena bol padti hai,

Meena: acha, hum itrate the, aur tum jo hr roz muh hume manane ki jagah khud hi muh fula lete the..
Rehan: Acha thik hai, thik hai, in pyari baton per hm bad me jhagda kr lenge, pehle tumhari acting ki
samasya to dur krein..

“Chote shehron ke choti choti galiyon me hr roz kitne hi kalakar ubharte hai, kuch Bambai chale
jate hai, aur kuch isi ghat kinare roke apna maan behla lete hai..”

Rehan: Meena, tum na ek kam krna, apne papa ko apne hathon se banake unki maan-pasandida kheer
khilana, aur uske bad jb wo khush ho jaenge, tb apne dil ki bat keh dena unse ki papa, hume acting
krni hai, hume Mumbai jana hai..

Meena: Acha! Or jaise ye sunke wo to bolenge ki Ja, Meena Ja, jee le apni jindagi..

Rehan: Are, koshish krne me kya hi harz hai, ek roz nae manenge, dusri roz ruthenge, per dekhna
apni beti ke lie unka pyar unhe ek roz han krne ke lie majbur kr hi dega.. Lekin han, mohterma,
Mumbai jane ka bad apne is ashique ko bhul mt jana, subse pehla autograph to hum hi lenge apni star
ka..

Meena: (sharma jati hai) pagal ho bilkul tum, pagal.. (itna kehke pairon ki chaan chaan ke sath apne
ghar bhag jati hai..)

Rehan: Han tumhare intezar me..

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Ab aage Meena ke khwab ka kya hoga, ye janne ke lie thode intezar ka maja lijie..

Aur bane rahiye hamare sath.. tb tk ke lie Namaskar, aur apna khyal rkhiye..

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Part II

To kya Meena mana payi apne khwab ko jeene ki ijajat ke lie apne papa ko, ya uski kahani bhi auron
ki tarah adhuri hi choott jaegi, janne ke lie sunte hai “Ishq Banaras ka” ka dusra aur akhiri episode..

(Meena Bahar se lautne ke bad apne kamre me Rehan se phone per bat kr hi rahi thi, ki..)

Maa: Meena, apne papa ke lie pani leke aana..

Papa: Nahi beta, pani rehne do, apne hathon se adrak wali ek kadak chai hi banake pila do..

Meena: Han papa, layi..

Meena (Rehan se): Acha, thik hai Rehan, hum phone rkhte hai, papa ghar aa gaye, apna khyal
rakhiyega, bye!

Rehan: Aap bhi, bye!

Meena Kitchen ke taraf jati hai, aur fir apne papa k lie adrak, ilaichi sub dal kar chai banake le aati
hai..

Meena: ye lijiye, papa chai!

Papa: Han, beta! Rkh do..

Meena: Aapka din kaisa raha papa?

Papa: Acha th beta, aur ab to apni Rajkumari ka chehra dekh lia, to or acha ho gaya..

Aise to papa or beti me bahut pyar tha, per sapno ke hisab se pankh kholne ki utni izazat thi ya nahi,
ye kisi ko pata nahi tha..

Meena: Papa! Wo Aapse ek bat kehni thi, per pehle aap promise kijie aap gusaa nahi kijiega..

Papa: are, main tumse kavi naraz hota hun.. bolo kya chahie mere bete ko..

Meena: Papa, wo hume, wo hume, filmon me acting krni hai, aur uske lie Mumbai jana hai..

Ye sunke kuch der to sub ekdm khamosh se ho jate hai..

Fir Meena kehti hai,

Meena: Papa, aapne wada kiya tha, aap naraz nahi honge..

Papa: beta, naraz hone nahi hone ka sawal nahi hai ye, sabhya ghar ki ladkiyon ko yun Fashion
dikhake acting krna Shobha nahi deta..

Maa: are, kya kaami reh gayi thi hamare pdhane me, jo tujhe acting ka keeda kat le gaya, apne mama
ki betiyon se sikho, ek doctor hai aur dusri wakeel..

Meena: To maa, hum ne kn sa koe galat rasta chuna hai, hamara maan nahi hai doctari ya wakalat
me, hamara dil to bs abhinay me lgta hai..

Papa: bs, ab koe behas nahi, aap dono jayie apne apne Kamron me, hum bad me iske bare me
charcha krnge..
Meena rote hue apne kamre me chali jati hai, aur Rehan ko phone laga leti hai..

Rehan: Meena, tm ro kyu rahi, kya hua, bolo, kisi ne kuch kaha ya?

Meena: (☹rote hue) Rehan, papa se jb humne apni acting ki bat ki, papa ne jyada jawab nahi diya,
aur hume smjhe bina hi dant diya..

Rehan: Are humne kaha tha na, itne aasani se nahi manenge wo, waqt do unhe, tumhe to malum hi
hai, banaras koe delhi, Calcutta, bambai to hai nahi, yahan ke choti si galiyon me kisi ka itna bada
sapna dekhna turant hajam nahi hota subko..

Meena: Han, kaid panchi si thi to sub itna pyar dikhate the, aaj udne ki izazat kya mang li, pankh
katarne per aa pade sub..

Rehan: Meena, hum hai na tumhare sath, ho jaegi ye mushkil bhi haal, bharosa rkho..

Meena: tum per to subse jyada bharosa hai rehan, per ye muskil kaise dur hogi, tum hi batao, hai koe
rasta.. kya hai koe rasta?

Rehan: Avi to hamare pas koe waisa idea to nahi hai, jaise hi aaega, tumhe jarur bataenge..

Meena: Bye, Rehan, hume acha nahi lg raha.. hum thodi der sona chahte hai.

Rehan: Bye, Meena! Take care!

Meena sone ki bat bol kr call to cut kr deti hai, per uski ankhon se to nind udd si chuki thi.. idhar
khane ka bhi waqt ho gaya tha.. or Niche dining Table per Meena ke papa aur maa uske khane ki rah
dekh rahe the, aur use fir bhi na aata dekh uske papa Ek plate me khana lekr uske kamre me dene
chale jate hai..

Taak Taak Taak Taak!

Maa: Meena! Darawaza khol bete, khana kha le..

Meena: Hume nae khana, aapke hathon ka bana ab kuch bhi, aap sub bs hukum chalana jante ho..

Papa: Hum Hukum chalate hai, bachpan se tumhare sare shauk tumhare hisab se pure kiye, aur tum
keh rahi ho ab ki hum hukum chalate hai..

Meena Darwaza kholti hai aur uske maa, papa ander chale jate hai..
Meena: Nahi, papa, hamara wo matlab nahi tha.. Lekin aapne hi sikhaya hai na, sapne dekho, tb hi
jiwan me kuch kr paoge.. aapne hi kaha th na, “insan ke maarne se bura hota hai uske sapno ka
maar jana..” aur ab aap hi hume hamare sapno ke piche bhagne se rok rahe hai..

Papa: Beta, tum smjh nahi rahi, tumne kuch or manga hota, hum wo bhi de dete tumhe, per ye
bambai ka chakkar bht kharab hai, bahar se jane wale logo ki wahan bht kam pahunch hai.. or hum
nahi chahte hamari beti apni zindagi me dhakke khaye aur gir jaye..

Maa: Meena! Tumhare papa bikul thik keh rahe hai, bade bade shehron me Pratibha nahi, paisa bolta
hai, aur tumhe to malum hai, hum koe ambani, birla nahi hai..

Meena: Maa, papa, aisa nahi hai.. hum kuch na kuch kr lenge, aapne to dekha hi hai humne school
me kitne hi awards jeete hai acting me aur kitni hi bar judges ne humari bahut tarif bhi ki thi..

Papa: ab jab tumne apna maan bana hi liya hai, to kahan sunne wali hamari, jao, saman bandh lo
apna.. aur chali jana Mumbai.. Bn jana nayika..

Meena: Papa, hum aapko yakin dilate hai, hum apni puri koshish laga denge aur safalta jarur hasil
krnge..

Maa: Ab khana to kha lo dono bap-beti, ya isey Thanda hi kr dene ka irada hai..

Is bat per sub hans padte hai..

Papa: Han, ha jrur! Aaj hamari beti hamare hathon se khaegi..

Khana khane ke bad jb meena apne kamre me aati hai, badi hi utsukta se wo Rehan ko call krti hai..
Magar 8-10 ghantiyon ke bad bhi wo call nahi uthata hai..

Meena ko thodi ghabrahat si hoti hai, Per shayad Rehan so gaya hoga, ye sochke wo bhi sone chali
jati hai.. Sone se pehle wo Rehan ko message kr bata deti hai, ki kl sham uski Mumbai ki train hai..
wo thik 5 bje station per uska intezar kre.. Jane se pehle wo apne good luck ko dekhke jana chahti
hai..

Rehan Soya nahi rhta hai, wo Meena ke sare messages pdhta hai.. wo janta hai agar wo ab use milne
gaya to shayad rok nahi paega khud ko meena ko rokne se..

Agli dopehar, sara ghar shor gul se bhar gaya.. Maa, papa, Chacha, Taya sub apni ladli meena ko
station chorne ke lie jana chahte the.. Pehli bar, ghar ki koe ladki itni kaam umar me akele kahin ja
rahi thi.. wo bhi Mumbai jaise bade shehar me..
Ghadi ki sui jaise hi 4 per jake rukti hai.. Papa Keh padte hai,

Papa: Meena! Jaldi kro beta, 4 bje gaye.. train chut jaegi..

Meena: Han papa, aayi!

Meena jate jate bhi Rehan ka phone milati hai, per wo avi bhi call receive nahi krta hai..

Meena subke sath station ke lie nikal padti hai.. Platform sankhya 4 per Khadi Mumbai-Varanasi
Mail, kehne ke lie to ye Mumbai ki hi train thi, per Meena ke lie ye sapno ki train se kaam nahi thi..
Train per chadhte hi mano usne apne safar kuch hissa avi hi pura kr lia ho, use aisa lgne laga.. Apni
seat per baithte hi Khidke ke bahar se wo nigahein Rehan ki bhuri ankhon ko khojne lgti hai, or bar
bar apna Notification check krne lgti hai, kahin Rehan ka koe message to nahi aaya..

Train baas khulne hi wali hoti hai..

Rehan station per pahunch to jata hai, per Meena ke samne nahi jata hai.. uski nazrein Meena ki
nigahon ko hi dekhte rhti hai, per uske samne jane ki uski himmat nahi hoti hai.. kyuki usey ye bat
ache se pata hai ki aaj ke bad shayad hi Rehan ko Radha aur Meena ko Mohan bnna pade.. Shayad hi
unke dil ke tar jude reh sake.. shayad hi Mumbai se lautne ke bad Meena ko Rehan ka nam yaad bhi
rahe..

Meena: (Khud me hi budbudate hue) Ye rehan kahan reh gaya, usey ab tk to aa jana chahie tha..

Maa: Ache se apna dhyan rkhna beta, raste me bich bich me hume call krte rahna..

Papa: Beta, koe paresani ho to turant batana.. khyal rkhna..

Train dheere dheere apni rafter pakadne lgti hai..

Aur akhir me Meena ki nazrein dhumil si hoti Rehan ki ankhon per pahunch hi jati hai jisse motiyon
si bundein nikal rahi hoti hai..

Meena Chillake keh padti hai..

Meena: Rehan! (wo apne hathon se smile ka ishara krti hue.. apne rafter leti train ke saang Rehan se
kahin aage aur apne sapno ke karib chali jati hai…)

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To ye thi hamare ‘Banarasiya Ishq’ ki kahani jise likha tha Roshan Lohani ne aur isey awaz di
thi Debosmita Barman ne..

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