Kya karun sahib, main randi hun na…

Seedhiyo par baithi,

Woh koi geet gunguna rahi thi,

God mein sir rakh kar leti ek bachchi ko sula rahi thi,

Shayad uski beti thi, ya fir…. Pata nahin

Wahi paas lage ek nalke se,

Paani tap tap kar beh raha tha,

Wahan khada ek bachcha dabbi awaaz mein,

Nalke ke pass baithi aurat se ye keh raha tha,

“Maa, kya woh waale uncle mere papa the?”

Upar balcony mein khadi,

Teeno ki teeno muskura rahi thi,

Raat ke musafiron ko dekh seetiya baja rahi thi,

Raat ke musafir, jo dus minute ke liye aate the

Aur sirhaane par kuch 50-100 ke note chod chale jaate the

Jab saari duniya soti thi,

Tab din mein gumnaam, unn galiyon mein

Khushiyon ki baarish hoti thi

Koi muskurata hua aata tha,

Koi apne ek naye dost ko sang laata tha,

Koi apni biwi se lad kar wahan pahunch jaata tha,

Koi apne pairon se lipte bachchon ko, “Papa papa” kehta paata tha

Aur fir unki maa, darwazo ki aad se nikal kar aati

Unse maafi maang kehti thi

“Kya karun sahib, main randi hun na”

Uss raat woh bhi wahan aaya tha,

Dost ki baaton mein aakar, usne bhi apna mann banaya tha

Logon ka jamghat toh aisa tha, jaise nayi baraat hai koi

Par unn galiyon se dulhan bann bhala kab gayi hai koi

“Tum yahan se chali kyun nahin jaati, khud se ghinn nahin aati”

Woh apne blouse ki dori khol boli,

‘Kya karun sahib, main randi hun na’

Sang leti woh apni ungliyon se khel hazaaron khel rahi thi,

Uske sharir mein shayad kuch raag naye dhoondh rahi thi,

Mazaa toh bahut aana tha usse,

Par ye saza jaisa kyun lag raha tha,

Pass mein darwaaze ki aad se usse kaun tak raha tha

“Maa” woh boli,

Darwaze ke peeche se, jaise ek nanhi pari aayi thi

Uss raat uske honthon par, muskurahat pehli baar woh layi thi

“bhala iss narak mein bhi koi itna maasoom reh sakta hai”

Sang leti uski maa jaise khud ki kismat par has kar boli,

“sahib, aapko kya lagta hai inn galiyon mein koi khud ko beche bina reh sakta hai,

Chinta na kijiye iska bhi din aayega,

10-15 saal baad aana, tab iss ke haathon aapko mazaa mil jayega.”

Na jaane kyun woh kaanp gaya,

Aur achanak uth khada hua,

Jaise nazron ke saamne se uske ek saanp gaya,

Saanp hi toh tha woh,

Jisne unn sab ko dass liya tha,

Apne zeher ke changul mein kass liya tha,

“kya isko kisi school mein dalwa kar,

Ek achcha bhavishya nahin dila sakti?”

Pehli baar usne uski aankhon mein aansu ki ek boond dekhi, jab woh boli

‘Sahib isse kaun apne school mein jagah dega,

Kaun iss maa ki bachchi ko padhne dega.

Kyunki…

Kya karun sahib, main randi hun na…’