Dopahar ke teen baje the. Jade ke din the. Malti chat par baithi magazine ke panne palat rahi thi. Bacche abhi school se nahi aaye the aur pati office me the. Achanak pheri lagati hui choti panch varshiya Champa aur uske pita Shankar ki awaz aayi "churi le lo, rang birangi kamdar kalai ki shobha badhane wali churiyan." Phir Champa apni totli awaz me pukarti "chuli le lo, acchi acchi hain hamare paas."Malti roz ye aawazen sunti thi par kabhi unhe roka nahi. Aaj pata nahi kyun usne uthkar munder se jhanka aur pukara " Champa ruk ja, main dekhoongi aaj."
Neeche utarkar usne baramde me aakar darwaza khola aur haath lagakar tokri neeche utarwayi. "Shankar aaj to vakayi bade pyare rangon ki churiyan laaye ho. Zara gulabiaur baijni rang ki kamdar churiyan mere naap ki nikalo." "Aapko to bibiji sava do maap chalega. Abhi dikhata hoon,"kahkar Shankar ne neeche se sambhal kar sundar churiyan dikhayi. Malti ne pasand kar ke dono rangonke do do darjan liye. Chalees rupaye paakar Shankar khush ho gaya. Kahne laga" aaj bibiji bilkul hi bikri nahi hui thi. Main soch hi raha tha ki aaj to phanke karne karenge par aapki daya se roti ka intjam apni Champa ke liye kar paoonga. Jab se iski ma mari hai, mujhe iski badi chinta rahti hai. Jee raha hoon to bus iske liye varna Parvati ke bina jiya nahi jata," kahte kahte uski aankhen bhar aayin. "Tumne bataya nahi Shankar tumhari bibi kaise mari. kya bimar th?" Malti ne poocha. "Haan bibiji use malari9a ho gaya tha. Gaon me theek se ilaj nahi ho paya aur shahar lane ke pahle hi chal basi." Shankar ne bhari awaz me kaha.
Is beech Champa sab kuch chupchap sunti hui tokri saja rahi thi. Kabhi Malti ko dekhti to aisa lagta jaise kuch kahna chahti ho par kah nahi pa rahi. "Champa tere liye didiyon ne ek gudiya rakhi hui hai. Thahar, main abhi lati hoon," kahti hui Malti andar chali gayi. Jab bahar aayi to uske haath me ek dulhan ke kapdon me saji gudiya thi. Champa ko dete hue usne kaha " lo Champa ise apne paas rakhna. Ye ab teri gudiya hai." Champa ne gudiya liya aur muskara diya. Malti ko achanak laga jaise kai phool ek saath khil gaye hon, itni pyari thi us nanhi si jaan ki muskan. 'Accha bibiji, ab kabhi naye design ki churiyan laaonga to aapko pahle dikha doonga. Lena na lena aapki marzi. Chal Champa aage chal. Bhagwan chahega to itni acchi bohni ke baad aur thodi bikri ho jaye." Shankar ne kahte hue tokri sar par jama li. Champa ne ek haath me gudiya pakda aur doosre se pita ka kurta tham liya.
Sham ko pati ke aane par usne churiyan dikhayin to Vinay ne kaha "aur rango ki le li hoti. Main chahta hoon tumhari kalayiyan har roz rang birangi churiyon se bhara rahe. Aajkal ki auraten to khali haath rahna chahti hain. Bhai, mujhe to bilkul pasand nahi."Anju manju ne bhi pita ki haan me haan milate hue kaha "ma tum roz naye rang ki sari se matching churi pahno. bahut accha lagta hai. Anju gyarahvi me padh rahi thi aur Manju aathvi me. Paas hi me unka school tha. Paidal chali jati thin. Vinay ka office door tha par private company hone ke karan chartered bus me aane jaane ki suvidha thi. Vinay ke vinamrata se unke boss unhe bahut pasand karte the.
Kareeb do hafte beet gaye. Phir ek dopahar kuch silayi ka kaam liye Malti chat par baithi thi. Achanak kisi bacche ki awaz aayi "chuli le lo, acchi acchi layi hoon." Malti ne neeche gali me jhanka to dekha ki Champa ek choti churiyon se bhari tokri sar par uthaye chal rahi thi. Usne pukara "ruk ja Champa. Abhi aati hoon." Malti ne bahar ka darwaza khola to Champa jhat uske paas aa gayi. Tokri utarwa kar Malti ne poocha " tere bapu kahan rah gaye. Tu akele kyun aayi hai." Itna kahna tha ki Champa uske gale lipatkar rone lagi. "Bapu mal gaye bibiji. Gadi ke neeche aa gaye." Malti ki aankhen bhi bheeg gayi aur usne Champa ko chup karate hue kaha "ro mat Champa. Main sab kuch theek kar doongi. Tu baith, main tere liye biscuit lati hoon." Champa ko biscuit aur sharbat dete hue Malti ne poocha "Champa ab tu kiske saath rahti hai?" "Mela koi nahi hai bibiji. Ma ki to mujhe yaad bhi nahi hai. Akele jhuggi me rahti hoon," kahte kahte Champa ki aankhen dubara bheeng uthi. "Kya tumhara koi rishtedar nahi hai Champa?" Malti ne uski aankhon se dhalke aansu ko apni aanchal se ponchte hue poocha. "Nahi bibiji, bapu tha mela aur koi bhi nahi." "Raat ko akele sote dar nahi lagta?" "Raat ko main soti hi nahi, baithi rahti hoon. Din me thola thola so leti hoon." "Aur khane ka kya karti ho?" "thole paise bapu ne mele shaadi ke liye chupake lakkhe the unhi se sabal loti aur chai pas ke dukan se leke kha leti hoon."
Choti si Champa ki baaton ko sunkar Malti ki aankhen bhar aayin aur usne jhat Champa ko god me bitha liya. Is nirdayi samaj ke thekedaron me itni himmat kahan jo ve ek anath besahara nanhi si jaan ki dekhbhal kar saken. Bichari ne kitne dino se ghar ka khana nahi khaya tha. Kaise log rahte the uske aaspaas jinhone itna bhi nahi socha. Aaj ke log manushya kum aur pashu pravitti zyada rakhne lage hain. Kisi ko khud ke siva kisi ki koi parvah hi nahi. Dhikkar hai aise samaj aur usme rahne wale khudgarz logon par.
Anayas hi Malti Champa ko god me hilane lagi thi aur use iska aabhas bhi nahi hua. Sochte sochte aur yun hi baithe sham ho gayi. Bacche bhi school se aa gaye. Champa god me hi so chuki thi. Use andar sulakar aur uski tokri rakhkar Malti ne bacchon ko uske pita ke bare me bataya to dono ek saath bol pade, "ma tum ise apne paas hi rakh lo. Samjho tumhe do nahi teen betiyan hain. Aur haan ma ye hamare school me hi padhegi. Main maam se baat karoongi," Anju ne kaha. Malti ko laga jaise uski mansik gutthi ko bacchon ke pyar ne milkar suljha diya hai. Wuh khud bhi yahi to chahti thi. Itna sochkar hi ki choti si pyari si Champa aaj phir dabal roti chai par guzara karne akeli jhuggi me raat bitayegi, uska man kharab hone laga tha. Lekin itni badi baat wuh pati ki rai ke bina tay nahi kar sakti thi. Besabri se Vinay ka intezar karne lagi. Aakhir ghadi ne sade che baja hi di aur darwaze ki ghanti bajne lagi. Malti ne daur kar darwaza khola aur pati ka briefcase sambhalte hue chai lati hoon kahkar andar paaon badhaye. Chai nashte ke baad dheere dheere Malti ne Vinay ko Champa ke bare me sab kuch bataya. Vinay ne sari baaten suni aur phir Malti se kaha "tum acchi tarah soch lo Malti. Palna to tumhe hi hai. Mujhe koi eitraz nahi. Aakhir insaan ki bacchi hai log paltu janwar palte hain ti kya hum aise gaye beete hain ki ek nanhi besahara bacchi ko nahi paal sakte. Main sochoonga bhagwan ne mujhe teen betiyan di hain." Malti ne uthkar pati ke paon choo liye. Unki baaton se uska dil bhar aaya tha. Bhagwan ne use aisa samajhdar pati diya tha jiske liye wuh sada aabhari rahegi. Pati ke sahare , salah aur madad ke bina wuh Champa ko god lene ka nishay nahi kar sakti thi.
Kareeb ghante baad achanak Champa ki neend khuli to usne khud ko Manju ke paas paya. Ghabdakar uthi hui usne pukara "bibiji galti ho gayi main so gayi accha ab ghar jati hoon." Malti ne use god me uthate hue kaha "nahi Champa ab tu kahin nahi jayegi. Main tumhe hamesha ke liye apne paas apni beti banakar rakhoongi." "Sach bibiji, main didi ke paas rahoongi," kahte kahte Champa hansne lagi aur uski madhur gunjan poore ghar me sugandh ki tarah phail gayi.
Neeche utarkar usne baramde me aakar darwaza khola aur haath lagakar tokri neeche utarwayi. "Shankar aaj to vakayi bade pyare rangon ki churiyan laaye ho. Zara gulabiaur baijni rang ki kamdar churiyan mere naap ki nikalo." "Aapko to bibiji sava do maap chalega. Abhi dikhata hoon,"kahkar Shankar ne neeche se sambhal kar sundar churiyan dikhayi. Malti ne pasand kar ke dono rangonke do do darjan liye. Chalees rupaye paakar Shankar khush ho gaya. Kahne laga" aaj bibiji bilkul hi bikri nahi hui thi. Main soch hi raha tha ki aaj to phanke karne karenge par aapki daya se roti ka intjam apni Champa ke liye kar paoonga. Jab se iski ma mari hai, mujhe iski badi chinta rahti hai. Jee raha hoon to bus iske liye varna Parvati ke bina jiya nahi jata," kahte kahte uski aankhen bhar aayin. "Tumne bataya nahi Shankar tumhari bibi kaise mari. kya bimar th?" Malti ne poocha. "Haan bibiji use malari9a ho gaya tha. Gaon me theek se ilaj nahi ho paya aur shahar lane ke pahle hi chal basi." Shankar ne bhari awaz me kaha.
Is beech Champa sab kuch chupchap sunti hui tokri saja rahi thi. Kabhi Malti ko dekhti to aisa lagta jaise kuch kahna chahti ho par kah nahi pa rahi. "Champa tere liye didiyon ne ek gudiya rakhi hui hai. Thahar, main abhi lati hoon," kahti hui Malti andar chali gayi. Jab bahar aayi to uske haath me ek dulhan ke kapdon me saji gudiya thi. Champa ko dete hue usne kaha " lo Champa ise apne paas rakhna. Ye ab teri gudiya hai." Champa ne gudiya liya aur muskara diya. Malti ko achanak laga jaise kai phool ek saath khil gaye hon, itni pyari thi us nanhi si jaan ki muskan. 'Accha bibiji, ab kabhi naye design ki churiyan laaonga to aapko pahle dikha doonga. Lena na lena aapki marzi. Chal Champa aage chal. Bhagwan chahega to itni acchi bohni ke baad aur thodi bikri ho jaye." Shankar ne kahte hue tokri sar par jama li. Champa ne ek haath me gudiya pakda aur doosre se pita ka kurta tham liya.
Sham ko pati ke aane par usne churiyan dikhayin to Vinay ne kaha "aur rango ki le li hoti. Main chahta hoon tumhari kalayiyan har roz rang birangi churiyon se bhara rahe. Aajkal ki auraten to khali haath rahna chahti hain. Bhai, mujhe to bilkul pasand nahi."Anju manju ne bhi pita ki haan me haan milate hue kaha "ma tum roz naye rang ki sari se matching churi pahno. bahut accha lagta hai. Anju gyarahvi me padh rahi thi aur Manju aathvi me. Paas hi me unka school tha. Paidal chali jati thin. Vinay ka office door tha par private company hone ke karan chartered bus me aane jaane ki suvidha thi. Vinay ke vinamrata se unke boss unhe bahut pasand karte the.
Kareeb do hafte beet gaye. Phir ek dopahar kuch silayi ka kaam liye Malti chat par baithi thi. Achanak kisi bacche ki awaz aayi "chuli le lo, acchi acchi layi hoon." Malti ne neeche gali me jhanka to dekha ki Champa ek choti churiyon se bhari tokri sar par uthaye chal rahi thi. Usne pukara "ruk ja Champa. Abhi aati hoon." Malti ne bahar ka darwaza khola to Champa jhat uske paas aa gayi. Tokri utarwa kar Malti ne poocha " tere bapu kahan rah gaye. Tu akele kyun aayi hai." Itna kahna tha ki Champa uske gale lipatkar rone lagi. "Bapu mal gaye bibiji. Gadi ke neeche aa gaye." Malti ki aankhen bhi bheeg gayi aur usne Champa ko chup karate hue kaha "ro mat Champa. Main sab kuch theek kar doongi. Tu baith, main tere liye biscuit lati hoon." Champa ko biscuit aur sharbat dete hue Malti ne poocha "Champa ab tu kiske saath rahti hai?" "Mela koi nahi hai bibiji. Ma ki to mujhe yaad bhi nahi hai. Akele jhuggi me rahti hoon," kahte kahte Champa ki aankhen dubara bheeng uthi. "Kya tumhara koi rishtedar nahi hai Champa?" Malti ne uski aankhon se dhalke aansu ko apni aanchal se ponchte hue poocha. "Nahi bibiji, bapu tha mela aur koi bhi nahi." "Raat ko akele sote dar nahi lagta?" "Raat ko main soti hi nahi, baithi rahti hoon. Din me thola thola so leti hoon." "Aur khane ka kya karti ho?" "thole paise bapu ne mele shaadi ke liye chupake lakkhe the unhi se sabal loti aur chai pas ke dukan se leke kha leti hoon."
Choti si Champa ki baaton ko sunkar Malti ki aankhen bhar aayin aur usne jhat Champa ko god me bitha liya. Is nirdayi samaj ke thekedaron me itni himmat kahan jo ve ek anath besahara nanhi si jaan ki dekhbhal kar saken. Bichari ne kitne dino se ghar ka khana nahi khaya tha. Kaise log rahte the uske aaspaas jinhone itna bhi nahi socha. Aaj ke log manushya kum aur pashu pravitti zyada rakhne lage hain. Kisi ko khud ke siva kisi ki koi parvah hi nahi. Dhikkar hai aise samaj aur usme rahne wale khudgarz logon par.
Anayas hi Malti Champa ko god me hilane lagi thi aur use iska aabhas bhi nahi hua. Sochte sochte aur yun hi baithe sham ho gayi. Bacche bhi school se aa gaye. Champa god me hi so chuki thi. Use andar sulakar aur uski tokri rakhkar Malti ne bacchon ko uske pita ke bare me bataya to dono ek saath bol pade, "ma tum ise apne paas hi rakh lo. Samjho tumhe do nahi teen betiyan hain. Aur haan ma ye hamare school me hi padhegi. Main maam se baat karoongi," Anju ne kaha. Malti ko laga jaise uski mansik gutthi ko bacchon ke pyar ne milkar suljha diya hai. Wuh khud bhi yahi to chahti thi. Itna sochkar hi ki choti si pyari si Champa aaj phir dabal roti chai par guzara karne akeli jhuggi me raat bitayegi, uska man kharab hone laga tha. Lekin itni badi baat wuh pati ki rai ke bina tay nahi kar sakti thi. Besabri se Vinay ka intezar karne lagi. Aakhir ghadi ne sade che baja hi di aur darwaze ki ghanti bajne lagi. Malti ne daur kar darwaza khola aur pati ka briefcase sambhalte hue chai lati hoon kahkar andar paaon badhaye. Chai nashte ke baad dheere dheere Malti ne Vinay ko Champa ke bare me sab kuch bataya. Vinay ne sari baaten suni aur phir Malti se kaha "tum acchi tarah soch lo Malti. Palna to tumhe hi hai. Mujhe koi eitraz nahi. Aakhir insaan ki bacchi hai log paltu janwar palte hain ti kya hum aise gaye beete hain ki ek nanhi besahara bacchi ko nahi paal sakte. Main sochoonga bhagwan ne mujhe teen betiyan di hain." Malti ne uthkar pati ke paon choo liye. Unki baaton se uska dil bhar aaya tha. Bhagwan ne use aisa samajhdar pati diya tha jiske liye wuh sada aabhari rahegi. Pati ke sahare , salah aur madad ke bina wuh Champa ko god lene ka nishay nahi kar sakti thi.
Kareeb ghante baad achanak Champa ki neend khuli to usne khud ko Manju ke paas paya. Ghabdakar uthi hui usne pukara "bibiji galti ho gayi main so gayi accha ab ghar jati hoon." Malti ne use god me uthate hue kaha "nahi Champa ab tu kahin nahi jayegi. Main tumhe hamesha ke liye apne paas apni beti banakar rakhoongi." "Sach bibiji, main didi ke paas rahoongi," kahte kahte Champa hansne lagi aur uski madhur gunjan poore ghar me sugandh ki tarah phail gayi.