Shaadi ko teen saal beet chuke the, lekin Rajput ghar ki bahu Ishita ke chehre par kabhi muskaan poori nahi hoti thi. Har tyohaar, har puja, har shaadi ke function mein log usse puchhte – “Beta, khabar kab denge?” Aur woh sirf sharm se muskurakar sar jhuka leti. Andar hi andar uska dil toot-ta ja raha tha
.Doctors ne saaf-saaf bata diya tha – problem Arvind mein hai. Sperm count itna low ki natural conception almost impossible tha. Lekin ghar mein yeh baat kabhi openly nahi boli gayi. Saas Madhuri Devi ke liye yeh sirf medical issue nahi, vansh ka sawal tha. Unki izzat, unki parampara, unka naam – sab kuch is ek baat par tikaa hua tha.Phir ek din
Madhuri Devi ko ek “special fertility program” ke baare mein pata chala. Bahut hi confidential, bahut hi costly, aur bahut hi alag tarah ka. Success rate 95% bataya ja raha tha, lekin usme sirf medical treatment nahi tha… kuch aur bhi tha. Kuch aisa jo traditional Rajput family ke liye sochna bhi mushkil tha.Pehli baar jab Madhuri Devi ne Ishita se is baare mein baat ki, Ishita ka chehra safed pad gaya tha.“Amma… yeh kya keh rahi hain aap?”
Uske awaaz mein darr aur sharam dono the.
Madhuri Devi ne uske haath pakad liye, aankhon mein wohi purana pressure – “Beta, humari izzat ka sawal hai. Sirf ek baar… bas ek baar. Baad mein sab bhool jaayenge. Bachcha toh humara hoga na?”Arvind chup tha. Usne kuch nahi bola. Sirf aankhein jhukaye baitha raha. Us chuppi ne Ishita ko sabse zyada toda.Aur aakhirkaar, family ki expectations, apni maa banne ki ichha, aur saas ke constant emotional blackmail ne Ishita ko us raaste par dhakel diya jahan se wapas aana mushkil tha.
Pehla din…Ghar ke andar ek chhoti si guest room ko specially taiyaar kiya gaya tha. Ishita ko naye kapde diye gaye gehra maroon lehenga, gehne, aur sindoor. Jaise woh kisi aur ki dulhan ban rahi ho.Jab woh taiyaar hokar bahar aayi, uski saas ne use dekha aur dheere se boli, “Aaj se tum sirf Ishita nahi… ek nayi zimmedari ho.”Door knock hua.Andar aaya
Aslam.Lambaa, seedha, confident walk. Uski aankhon mein woh gehraai thi jo seedhe dil tak utar jaati thi. Muslim background, lekin is program mein woh sirf ek “professional” tha – calm, composed, aur emotionally detached rehne wala. Aisa least usne socha tha.Ishita ne uski taraf dekha hi nahi. Uske haath kaanp rahe the. Nazar zameen par thi.
Aslam ne dheere se awaaz di, “Ishita… aap comfortable ho toh hi hum shuru karenge.”Uski awaaz itni normal aur respectful thi ki Ishita ko pehli baar laga yeh aadmi sirf ek tool nahi hai.Lekin phir bhi… woh ek aurat thi jo apne pati ke alawa kisi aur ke saath is tarah khadi thi.
Uske mann mein ek toofan uth raha tha.Farz… ya dhokha?
Parampara… ya apmaan?
Maa banna… ya khud ko khona?Us raat kuch physical nahi hua. Sirf baat hui. Aslam ne usse uski zindagi ke baare mein pucha. Ishita ne sirf haan ya naa mein jawab diya. Lekin uski aankhon mein aansu the.
Aslam ne akhir mein kaha tha –
“Main yahan koi hero banne nahi aaya hoon. Na aapko barbaad karne. Jo hoga, dono ki marzi se hoga. Warna… main kal hi chale jaunga.”Ishita ne pehli baar uski aankhon mein dekha.Aur us pal mein usne mehsoos kiya
@everyone @highlight