Ek Do Ek Do

[vamp545]

"Hindustan ki aabadi itni badh gayi hai ke kahin bhi jao, insaan zaroor mil jaate hain. Har jagah aadmi maujood hai" Saahil apna camera Tripod par lagate hue bola.

"Theek hai na yaar" Rahul tent se bahar aate hue bola, "Ab yahan in the middle of nowhere ham log camp kar rahe hain, saath mein kuchh aur log bhi hon toh thoda assurance rehta hai"

"Ek toh tu sala itna bada fattu hai na" Saahil ne lens uper aasman ki taraf fix karte hue kaha.

"Fattu ki baat nahi hai yaar, you never know" Rahul ne apni jeb se mobile phone nikal kar dekha, "Yahan toh network bhi nahi hai"

"Haan yahan network nahi aata. Kal bhi most probably nahi milega" Saahil ne jawab diya.

"Raat ka 1 baj raha hai, sona nahi hai tune?" Rahul ne mobile vaapis jeb mein rakha "Kar kya raha hai?"

"Trying to shoot some star trails" Camera Menu par setting change karte hue Saahil ne jawab diya.

"Ab tu kya yahan raat bhar barf mein bethkar photos click karega?"

"Nahi, auto par laga raha hoon. Har 30 seconds ke interval par ek 30 seconds exposure capture hota rahega"

"Stacking?"

"Haan" Saahil ne kaha aur kuchh test photos click karne ke baad dono phir tent ke andar aakar let gaye.

"Ek toh ye barf ne sala neeche se pichhwada thanda kar rakha hai" Rahul ne shikayati andaaz mein kehte hue sleeping bag ke andar apne aapko adjust kiya, "Aur uper se ye kambakht sleeping bags itne tight hain"

"Sleeping bags tight nahi hain mote, tera pet pregnant aurat ki tarah nikalta ja raha hai" Saahil ne haste hue apne sleeping bag ki zip uper ki aur aankhen band kar li.

Jis jagah vo camp kar rahe the vahan chaaron taraf barf giri hui thi isliye majbooran barf ke uper hi apne tent lagane pade. Kul mila kar vo 7 log the jo us waqt un chhote chhote tents ke andar lete hue the. Ek tent mein Saahil aur Rahul, doosre mein Jatin aur Vikas aur teesre tent mein ukna guide aur 2 porters so rahe the.

"Mujhe sardi ka toh idea tha par ye nahi pata tha ke barf milegi" Saahil ne thodi der mein kaha, "Varna aur intezaam karke aata"

"Zindagi mein pehli baar aisa ho raha hai ke barf ke uper so raha hoon main" Rahul ubaasi leta hua bola.

"Yeah me too, I wonder ye baaki ke saare itni jaldi so kaise gaye" Saahil ne kaha.

"Inke saath bethkar hamne bhi agar 3-4 peg laga liye hote toh ham bhi aise hi kharrate bhar rahe hote dost" Rahul dheere se hasta hua bola, "Vaise ab yahan se plan kya hai?"

"Plan toh yaar actually kal Karzam Pass chadhne ka tha, vahin Blind Lake pe camp karte par is barf ne saara kaam kharab kar diya. Agar neeche itni barf giri hui hai toh uper pahad par toh kam se kam 10 - 12 ft barf hogi"

"Toh plan cancel matlab?"

"Haan Karzam Pass chadhne ka plan toh cancel hi hai. Ab Himgiri National park se trekking karte hue Simsol karke ek gaon hai, kal vahan pahunchne ki koshish karenge. Door hai thoda, agar pahunch paaye toh theek varna kal raat kahin dhang ki jagah dekh kar camp karenge" Saahil mayusi bhare andaaz mein bola, "Blind Lake pe camp karne ka mera bada man tha yaar, ye saara plan actually bana hi vahan jaane ke liye tha par ab lagta hai ke phir kabhi aana padega is barf ki vajah se"

"Funda kya hai Blind Lake ka? Ye jheel andhi kyun hai?" Rahul phir ubaasi lete hue bola

"Jheel andhi nahi hai, naam hai bas Blind Lake. Vo jis pahad ke uper hai vo yahan aas paas ki sabsi oonchi peak hai. Vahan se chaaron taraf door door tak saaf nazar aata hai. Imagine kar Sunset aur Sunrise kitna khoobsurat dikhta hoga vahan se" Saahil bola.

"Itni achhi jagah hai yaar toh naam bhi thoda achha sa rakhte tha. Blind Lake rakhne ka kya point tha" Rahul abhi tak apne sleeping bag mein kisi tarah fit hone ki koshish kar raha tha.

"Actually socha maine bhi yahi tha ke Blind Lake naam kyun. Thoda research bhi ki par pata nahi chal paya ke iska naam Blind Lake kyun pada. Bahut pehle se hi yahan ke log ise Andhi Jheel ke naam se bulate hain par koi nahi janta ke kyun. Bas kisi tarah naam pad gaya aur vahi chala aa raha hai" Saahil ne kaha.

"Purane Zamane mein rakh diya hoga kisi ne"

"Haan I think so. Vahan pahunch pana aaj ke zamane mein toh possible hai par agar 200 saal pehle ka sochen toh kaun ja pata hoga vahan tak. Jheel khoobsurat hai par use dekh pana mushkil hai isliye shayad Andhi Jheel naam pad gaya hoga yar phir ho sakta hai ke vahan uper Fog aur badal hone ki vajah se kuchh dikhta na ho isliye Andhi jheel naam pad gaya ho but who knows man"

"True" Rahul ne sehmati jatayi.

"Samajh nahi aata ke tujhe ye jagahon ka pata kaise chalta hai. Hamne jinka kabhi naam bhi nahi suna hota tujhe un jagahon ki poori history pata hoti hai"

"Achhi baat hai na, isi bahane mere sath tum log bhi sahi jagahen ghoom lete ho. Vaise Kuchh time pehle tak toh ye area restrictd tha, Is taraf pata nahi kyun par logon ko aane hi nahi diya jata tha. Abhi last year hi ye jagah tourists ke liye allow ki gayi hai isliye toh main surprised hoon ke ye doosra group kahan se aa gaya. Abhi toh logon ko is jagah ka theek se pata bhi nahi hai"

"Us group mein bhi hoga tera jaisa koi" Rahul ne kaha.

" Haan ho sakta hai. Chal ab so ja aur mujhe bhi sone de. We have a long day ahead of us tomorrow" Saahil ne sleeping bag ki zip uper ki aur apne sar ke uper tak khinchte hue apen aapko poori tarah bag ke andar kar liya.

 

[vamp545]

PART 2



Saahil ne sleeping bag ki zip neeche karte hue apna chehra aur haath bahar nikale aur ghadi par nazar daali. Subah ke 3 bajne mein 10 minute baaki the yaani vo mushkil se dedh ghanta hi so paya tha. Kuchh palon ke liye toh use samajh nahi aaya ke yun achanak uski aankh kyun khuli par bagal se aa rahe Rahul ke kharrato ki aawaz sunkar is sawal ka jawab bhi mil gaya.

"Thodi der pehle ro raha tha ke itni sardi mein neend kaise aayegi aur ab dekho" Sochte hue vo sleeping bag se nikla aur Tent ki zip khol kar bahar kadam rakha.

Thandi hawa ka ek jhoka fauran uske chehre par pada aur poore jism mein kampan daud gayi.

"Frigging cold" Vo apne aap se bola dono haath malta hua peshab karne ke liye munaasib jagah dhoondhne laga.

Aas paas poori tarah sannata phela hua tha aur chaaro taraf oonche oonce ped. Vo ek pahad ke uper jungle ke beech khuli si jagah thi jahan vo log camp kar rahe the. Aasman mein chand poora tha aur chandni mein chaaro taraf giri hui barf motiyon ki tarah chamak rahi thi. Sardi mein kaanpta hua Saahil chaaro taraf dekh hi raha tha ke uski nazar us jagah par gayi jagah vo Tripod par apna camera laga kar gaya tha.

"What the hell?" Uske dimag ne fauran kaha aur vo tez kadmo se Tripod ki taraf badha.

Tripod neeche gire hue the aur uske DSLR ka kahin ata pata nahi tha.

"You have got to be kidding me" Jhunjhlate hue usne Tripd uthaya aur aas paas barf mein camera dhoondhne ke liye nazar ghumayi par Camera kahin nahi tha.

"Oh come on man, you cant be serious" Uske dil ki dhadkan tez hone lagi. 2 Lakh ka ye camera abhi usne 2 mahine pehle hi liya tha, ek saal paise bachane ke baad.

Kuchh der tak aas paas talashne ke baad bhi jab Camera nahi mila toh khud ba khud uski nazar un doosre camps ki taraf gayi. Uske apne group ke tents ke alawa vahan 3 tents aur the.

Saahil aur uske dost andhera hone ke baad us jagah par pahunche the isliye dossre tents mein jo koi bhi the, vo unse mil nahi paaye the. Camps lagate waqt aur uske kaafi der baad tak unhein doosre Tents se baatein karne ki aawaz aati rahi par doosre group ke logon se uska aamna saamna nahi hua tha. Vo log unke aane se pehle hi apne apne tent mein ja chuke the.

"You are not getting away with this, not with my camera" Gusse mein vo khud se bola aur un Tents ki aur badha hi tha ke kisi cheez ne uska dhyaan apni aur khincha.

Taazi giri barf mein jis jagah par uska Tripod laga hua tha vahan par 2 jodi ke pairon ke nishan the. Ek toh Saahil ke khud ke jooton ke nishan par ek jodi pairon ke nishan aur the jo pedon ki taraf se kisi ke aane aur phir laut kar jaane ki vajah se bane the.

Nishan Jungle se uske Tripod tak aa rahe the aur vaapis Jungle ki taraf ja rahe the. Par jis cheez ne use hairani mein daala vo ye ke vo nishan kisi ke nange pairon ke the. Vo jo koi bhi tha, nange pair aaya the.

"Itni sardi mein, barf mein nange paon?" Saahil ne socha.

Doosri cheez jo kaabil-e-gaur thi vo ye ke nishan kaafi bade the. Unke saamne uske khud ke jooton ke nishan kisi bachche ke pairon ke nishan lag rahe the.

"You are not stealing my camera" Kehte hue Saahil ne Tripod fold karke kisi hathyaar ki tarah pakda, apni jacket ka hood apne sar ke uper khincha aur un pairon ke pichhe pichhe Jungle ki taraf chal pada.

 

[vamp545]

PART 3

"What the Hell" Vo mushkil se 500 meter hi chala tha ke pairon ke nishan khatam ho gaye. Ek jagah tak nishan aaye aur uske baad aur aas paas kuchh nahi.

Jaise vo jo koi bhi tha, yahan se hawa mein udkar chala gaya tha.

"Great, now my camera is gone" Usne dil mein socha aur ek thandi aah bharkar un gayab ho chuke pairon ke nishano ki taraf dekhta raha.

Aur tabhi hawa ka ek halka jhonka aaya aur use aisa laga ke jaise usne kahin se kisi ke baat karne ki aawaz suni. Uske kaan fauran khade ho gaye aur vo gaur se sunne laga.

Kuchh der baad aawaz phir aayi. Ek pal ko use laga ke shayad kisi jaanwar ki aawaz hai par jab teesri baar aawaz phir uske kaano mein padi toh use yakeen ho gaya ke aawaz kisi insaan ke baat karne ki hi hai. Usne Tripod par apni pakad kasi aur aawaz ki disha mein kadam badhaye.

Kuchh der baad aawaz phir aayi, koi aas paas hi tha. Saahil andaza lagata chup chap aage badhta raha. Chaaron taraf barf hi barf thi jiske vajah se vo kaafi khamoshi se kadam rakhta hua aage badh raha tha.

Aawaz phir aayi aur is baar Saahil ko shabd bhi saaf samajh aaye.

"Ek Do"

Jo koi bhi tha kahin nazdeek hi tha. Vo ek pal ke liye thithka aur phir kaan laga kar sunne laga.

"Ek Do" Aawaz phir aayi. Saahil ne fauran usi taraf kadam badhaye.

"Ek Do" Aur is baar vo samajh gaya ke aawaz kisi aurat ki thi. Jahan ek taraf hairani hui vahin doosri taraf tasalli bhi ke ek aurat hai, vo aaram se dara dhamka samta hai.

"Ek Do"

"Ek Do"

"Ek Do"

Aawaz aati rahi aur Saahil chup chap usi taraf badhta raha. Aur aakhir kaar vo jo koi bhi thi, use nazar aayi. Chand ki roshni mein raat hone ke bavajood bhi saaf nazar aa raha tha.

"Ek Do" Vo ek kaale rang ka kambal jaisa apne uper daale ek ped ke neeche bethi ginti gin rahi thi aur dheere dheere aage pichhe ko hil rahi thi.

"Ek Do"

"Ek Do"

"Ek Do"

Vo yun hi dheere dheere hilti hui ginti bole ja rahi thi. Saahil kuchh der ke liye chup chap khada use dekh raha tha. Is baat mein koi shak nahi tha ke vo koi aurat hi thi par jis baat ne uske kadam roke hue the vo ye thi ke Aurat kaafi badi thi. Vo bethi hui thi par phir bhi andaza lagaya ja sakta tha ke khade hone ke baad vo kam se kam 7 ft ki hogi.

"Ek Do"

"Ek Do"

"Ek Do"

Ginti jaari thi. Saahil ne kuchh pal intezaar karne ke baad himmat jutayi aur bol pada.

"Excuse Me"

Vo uski aawaz sunkar ek pal ke liye thithki, uska hilna band hua, par kuchh pal ki khamoshi ke baad vo phir vaise hi ginti ginne lagi.

"Ek Do"

"Ek Do"

"Ek Do"

"Excuse Me" Saahil hir bola par is baar na vo chup hui aur na hi Saahil ki aawaz par koi pratikriya ki.

"Ek Do"

"Ek Do"

"Ek Do"

"Excuse Me, Main aapse baat kar raha hoon"

"Ek Do"

"Ek Do"

"Arrey aap sun rahi hain ke nahi, kya aapne mera camera uthaya hai" Saahil is baar thoda zor se bola par us aurat par jaise koi farak hi nahi pada.

"Ek Do"

"Ek Do"

"Arrey had hoti hai" Kehkar usne Tripod ko is tarah se pakad liya jaise kisi ko maarne ke liye koi danda uthata hai aur us aurat ki taraf badha, "Kya aapne mera camera liya hamare camp ke paas se"

"Ek Do"

"Ek Do"

"Oye Hello, Sun rahi hain aap?" Is baar vo jhunjhla kar aurat ke theek pichhe ja khada hua aur thoda zor se chillaya.

Ginti band ho gayi. Aurat hilna chhod sidhi tankar beth gayi. Tripod par Saahil ki giraft sakht ho gayi.

"Main aapse baat kar raha hoon" Saahil ne kaha.

Vo aurat bethe bethe hi palti. Vo kala sa kambal usne apne uper poori tarah se lapet rakha tha aur sar se paon tak vo uske andar dhaki hui thi par Chandni mein Saahil ko uska chehra saaf nazar aaya aur itni sardi mein bhi use laga jaise uske pasine chhoot gaye hon.

Ek behad ghinona aur bhadda chehra. Poore chehre par jhurriyan is qadar ke khaal jaise latak rahi ho. Lambi se naak, mote mote honth, bade bade daant aur lambi si thodi. Kul mila kar aisa lag raha tha jaise kisi ne uske chehre ko pakad kar zor se khincha aur lamba kar diya.

Par jis baat jagah par Saahil ki nazar atki vo thi uski aankhen. Jahan aankhen honi thi vahan sirf 2 khaali gaddhe the. Us aurat ki palken uper thi par unke neeche sirf do khaali jagahen thi, andar kuchh nahi tha.

"Ek Do" Kehte hue usne apna haath Saahil ki taraf badhaya.

Haath ek aam insaan ke haath se dugune size ka tha. Lambi lambi ungliyan aur unpar lambe lambe naakhun.

"Holy Shit" Apni taraf aate haath ko dekh Saahil ko jaise hosh sa aaya aur vo fauran darkar pichhe hata aur camp ki taraf bhaaga.

"Ek Do"

"Ek Do"

"Ek Do"

"Ek Do"

Pichhe se aawaz abhi bhi aa rahi thi. Vo pagalon ki taraf bhaagta hua pedon ke beech se nikla aur us khuli jagah par pahuncha jahan unke camps lage hue the.

Doosron ko aagah karne ke iraade se usne Rahul ka naam lekar chillane ki sochi hi thi ke kisi cheez mein uska paon atka, vo sidha saamne ki taraf munh ke bal gira, kisi cheez mein uska sar laga aur vo hosh kho betha.

 

[vamp545]

PART 4


Kuchh der baad use hosh aaya toh sar mein sakht dard ho raha tha.

"Oh Man" Kehte hue usne apna sar pakda aur sar utha kar saamne apne camps ki taraf dekha aur uska poora jism kaanp utha.

Uske apne aur doosre group ke logon ke tents ab bhi gade hue par aisa lag raha tha jaise abhi abhi yahan koi gang war hui ho. Thodi der pehle jo barf safed thi vo ab jagah jagah se laal hokar chamak rahi thi. Neeche zameen par chaaron taraf log gire pade the. Khoon un sabke jism se hi nikal raha tha aur kisi bhi jism mein koi harkat nahi thi.

Saahil uthna hi chah raha tha par kahin uske dimag mein baj rahi khatre ki ghanti ne use yun hi lete rehne ka ishara kiya. Neeche zameen par gire gire hi usne apne saamne ke manzar ka jaayza liya.

7 jismon ko vo pehchan gaya. 4 uske apne dost the, ek unka guide aur 2 porters. In 7 ke alawa 6 jism aur the jinhein vo pehchan nahi paya aur andaza lagaya ke ye zaroor doosre camp ke log honge.

Sabse hairani ki baat ye thi ke vo sab ulte munh ke bal gire hue the.

Apne se kuchh doori par ek mote se shareer aur uske kapdon ko dekh kar Saahil samajh gaya ke vo Rahul tha. Usne naam lekar pukarne ke liye Munh khola hi tha ke achanak aayi ek aawaz ne use fauran chup kar diya.

"Ek Do"

"Ek Do"

Aur ek Tent ke pichhe se vo phir uth khadi hui. Vahi kala se kambal mein dhaka hua ek bahut bada sa saya. Saahil ne fauran apna chehra neeche kiya aur chup chap aankhen band kiye leta raha.

"Ek Do"

"Ek Do"

Aawaz aati rahi.

Kuchh der lete rehne ke baad usne phir himmat jutayi aur apni aankhen halki si khol kar dekha. Vo jo koi bhi thi, ya jo kuchh bhi thi ek ek karke har neeche pade shareer ke paas jaati, jhukti, aur phir Ek Do kehti aur phir uthkar agle shareer ke paas jakar yahi kaam karti. Vo ek laash se doosri laash tak hoti hui dheere dheere usi taraf aa rahi thi jahan Saahil gira hua tha.

Darr ke maare Saahil ko laga ke pent mein hi uska peshab nikal jaayega. Usne phir apni aankhen kas kar band ki aur chup chap leta sochne laga ke kya kare. Uthkar bhaage ya yun hi pada hua us aurat ke jaane ka intezaar karta rahe.

Kuchh der baad Ginti ki aawaz aani band ho gayi par Saahil ki himmat na padi ke dobara uthkar dekhe ke vo aurat hai ya chali gayi. Vo bas yun hi pada sochta raha ke ye kya ho raha tha aur filhal use kya karna chahiye.

Jab kaafi der tak koi aawaz nahi aayi toh usne himmat juta kar dheere se apni aankhen kholi aur sar utha kar dekha.

Vo aurat bilkul uske saamne bethi uske uper jhuki hui thi. Vahi bhadda sa chehra sidha uski taraf dekh raha tha. Dekh raha tha ya nahi ye Saahil samajh nahi paya kyunki jahan aankhen honi thi vahan toh bas do khaali gaddhe the.

Isse pehle ke uske munh se cheekh bhi nikal paati, aurat ne apna ek haath aage badha kar uska chehra thaam liya aur doosra haath uski aankhon ki taraf badhaya.

Ek bahut tez dard aankh se hota hua poore shareer mein phel gaya. Aakhri teen cheezen jo use yaad rahi unmein se ek toh vo do anguliyan thi jo uski ek aankh ko pakad kar bahar khinch rahi, doosri uska apna peshab jo uski pent mein nikal chuka tha aur teesri ek aawaz,

"Ek"

Aur phir un anguliyon ne uski doosri aankh ko noch kar bahar nikala.

"Do" Aawaz aayi.

 

[vamp545]

End.

Thanks everyone for reading.