कहानियां बहुत सी घटती है, कुछ काल्पनिक, कुछ असल । काल्पनिक पात्रों को लेकर बनाई कहानियों में कभी-कभी वो रंग नहीं चढ़ता, जो असल कहानियों को लेकर चढ़ जाता है।
बात वर्ष 2005-06 की रही होगी, दूसरी बहिन का विवाह होने के बाद आगरा में, हम और अम्मा घर में अकेले ही रह गये थे। वैसे तो मन बहलाने को हमारा 14-15 साल पुराना तोता भी था, जो पूरे घर को सिर पर उठाये रहता था। अम्मा नौकरी से रिटायर हो चुकी थी, लिहाजा उनका वक्त भी घर पर ही बीतता था। मैं दिन में काम पर निकल जाता, और अम्मा पूरे दिन भर घर में धमाचौकड़ी मचाने वाले तोते से झगड़ा कर अपना समय व्यतीत करती थी।
वैसे तो घर में चूहे आ जाये, तो परेशानी का सबब ही रहते है, पर उन दिनों सौभाग्य से घर में कोई चूहा नहीं था, इसलिए समय चैन से कट रहा था। परन्तु यह चैन ज्यादा समय तक टिक नहीं सका, एक दिन अचानक एक बेहद नन्हे चूहे के दर्शन हो ही गये, चूहा इतना छोटाथा, कि देखते ही कब आकर आंखों से ओझल हो जाता, पता ही नहीं चलता। वैसे घर में चूहों को दावत देने का काम हमारा तोता ही करता था, वो जितना खाता था, उससे ज्यादा पिंजड़े के बाहर फैलाता था, और चूहों को घर में एंट्री करने का सही माहौल मिल जाता था।
उन्हीं दिनों होली का त्योहार था, तो अम्मा से होली मिलन पर मौहल्ले की महिलाएं आई थी, अम्मा को होली का त्यौहार प्रिय था, इसलिए उन्होंने मिलने आई सभी महिलाओं को थोड़ा-थोड़ा रंग लगाकर ही घर से रुखसत किया। महिलाओं के जाने के बाद वो ज़मीन पर ही बैठ गई, उनके पास अब भी थोड़ा सा "हरा रंग" बचा हुआ था। तभी उसी वक्त वो नन्हा चूहा अम्मा को दिखाई दे गया, अम्मा को भी न जाने क्या शरारत सूझी, उन्होंने वह बचा हुआ हरा रंग जल्दी से उस नन्हे चूहे पर फेंक दिया, अम्मा का निशाना ठीक था, वह चूहा अब हरे रंग में रंगकर, पूरा का पूरा हरा चूहा बन चुका था।
एक दिन मैं और अम्मा खाना खा रहे थे, तो वो नन्हा हरा चूहा, तोते के बचे खाने की फ़िराक में चक्कर लगा रहा था, पर दिक्कत ये हो रही थी, कि वो बेहद शर्मीला होने के साथ-साथ डरपोक भी था, यहीं कारण था, वह कुछ भी खाने को असफल हो रहा था। यह दृश्य मैं और अम्मा खाना खाते-खाते काफी समय से देख रहे थे। अम्मा को यह देखकर उस पर दया आ गई, और उन्होंने रोटी का एक छोटा टुकड़ा उसकी तरफ उछाल दिया, हरे रंग में वह रंगा चूहा कई प्रयास के बाद उस टुकड़े को लेने में सफल हुआ, और गमले के नीचे खाकर कमरे में विश्राम करने चला गया। चूंकि उसने अभी तक घर का कोई नुक्सान नहीं किया था, तो अम्मा ने उस दिन उसे "सभ्य चूहा" घोषित कर दिया।
अब वो "सभ्य चूहा" अपने आचरण के अनुसार ही अनुकरण करता था, कुछ दे दो, तो खा लेता, नहीं तो अपने कमरे में चला जाता। अब कहां रहता, कहां सोता, ये तो हमें नहीं पता था, पर अम्मा उसका नियमित ख्याल रखने लगी थी, और तोता तो उसे अनचाही भेंट जब-तब देता ही रहता था।
इसी तरह से चार माह और गुजर गये, पर उस चूहें की ब्रीड छोटी ही थी, लिहाजा वह पहले से बड़ा तो हुआ, पर देखने में छोटा ही था। हरा रंग अब उसकी त्वचा से हटकर उसकी पूंछ तक ही सिमटकर रह गया था, पर क्रियाकलाप उसका वही सभ्य का रहता।
अब क्या हुआ, कि दो-तीन दिन से वो चूहा दिखा नहीं, तो अम्मा बेचैन हो उठी, वो मुझसे बोली, कि वह चूहा दिखाई नहीं दे रहा ? तो मैंने अम्मा से मजाकिया लहजे में कहा, कि आप चाहती क्या हो ? कि वो अपना परिवार नहीं देखें ? गया होगा किसी को देखने ? और हम दोनों की शक्लें देख-देखकर भी थक गया होगा ? मरीज जैसा हम लोग खाना खाते हैं, तो उसका भी कुछ अलग खाने को जी चाह रहा होगा ? पर अम्मा की आंखें उस "सभ्य चूहे" को देखने को तरस रही थी।
अगले दिन सुबह ही वह "सभ्य चूहा" फिर से नजर आ गया, और उसे देखते ही अम्मा बेहद प्रसन्न हो उठी, और उससे न जाने क्या-क्या बोलने लगी, वो "सभ्य चूहा" भी जैसे अम्मा को देखकर आभार प्रकट कर रहा था। अम्मा ने उसे उस दिन खाने को भी कुछ दिया। उस दिन अम्मा की प्रसन्नता देखने लायक थी, मैं भी अम्मा की प्रसन्नता देखकर अपने आपको प्रसन्न रखने नहीं रोक सका। अब वो "सभ्य चूहा" रोज ही दिखाई देता, और इस तरह से दिन गुजरने लगे। पता नहीं क्यों, उस सभ्य चूहे को भी अकेले रहने में ही मजा आने लगा था, क्यों कि अभी तक हमने उसे किसी दूसरे चूहे के साथ नहीं देखा गया था।
उन दिनों पितृपक्ष चल रहे थे, और वह चूहा फिर से तीन-चार दिन से दिखाई नहीं दे रहा था, अम्मा ने जब ये बात मेरे को बताई, तो मैने भी कहा, कि चला गया होगा इधर-उधर ? दिन बीतते जा रहे थे, पर वह "सभ्य चूहा" अब नजर नहीं आ रहा था, अम्मा जब भी खाना खाने बैठती, उस समय उनकी आंखें उस "सभ्य चूहें" को देखने के लिए अवश्य टटोलती थी।
घर में पुताई का समय चल रहा था, एक दिन कामगार पुताई करते वक्त अलमारी हटा रहा था, तो उसकी नजर एक सूखें पिंजर हो चुके चूहे पर पड़ी, उसने मुझे बुलाकर बताया, तो मैं उत्सुकता वश वहां पहुंचा, तो मैंने उस "सभ्य चूहे" की पूंछ पर बेहद हल्के हरे कलर को देखकर पहचान लिया, इतने में अम्मा भी आ गई, और उस "सभ्य चूहे" को देखकर बेहद दुखी हो उठी। उन्होंने मुझे ताकीद दी, कि इसे अच्छी तरह मिट्टी में दबाकर आना। मैंने वैसा ही किया, जैसा अम्मा ने बोला था। सचमुच वह "सभ्य चूहा" जिस सभ्यता की चादर ओढ़कर मेरे घर आया था, आज उसी सभ्यता की चादर में लिपटकर हमेशा हमेशा-हमेशा के लिए विदा हो गया। अम्मा दो-तीन दिन बेहद एबनॉर्मल रही, कुछ समय बाद ही सामान्य हो सकी।
हम इंसान भी बड़े अजीब होते है, मुंह में जुबां रखने वाले लोगों से ऐसा मुंह मोड़ते है, कि पलटकर देखते भी नहीं, पर बेजुबानों से अपार हमदर्दी कर बैठते है।
आज घर तो वही है, पर इसमें न वो "सभ्य चूहा" रहा, और न ही मेरी "प्यारी अम्मा" ? बची है तो सिर्फ यादें ।
English translation
Many stories happen, some imaginary, some real. Sometimes stories based on fictional characters do not have the same color that real stories do.
It must have been the year 2005-06, after the marriage of the other sister in Agra, Amma and I were left alone in the house. By the way, to entertain us, we also had our 14-15 year old parrot, who used to keep the whole house in control. Amma had retired from job, so her time was also spent at home. I would go to work during the day, and Amma would spend the whole day fighting with the parrot who was making noise in the house.
Normally, if rats enter the house, it is a cause of trouble, but in those days, fortunately there were no rats in the house, so the time was passed peacefully. But this peace could not last long, one day suddenly a very small mouse was seen, the mouse was so small that one could not even tell when it would come and disappear from sight. Actually, our parrot used to do the work of feeding the rats in the house, he used to spread more outside the cage than what he ate, and the rats got the right environment to enter the house.
In those days, it was the festival of Holi, so the women of the locality had come to meet Amma for Holi. Amma loved the festival of Holi, so she left home after applying a little color to all the women who came to meet her. After the women left she sat on the ground, she still had a little “green paint” left. At that very moment, that little rat appeared to Amma, Amma also did not know what mischief came to her mind, she quickly threw the remaining green color on that little rat, Amma's aim was right, that rat was now colored green, He had become a complete green rat.
One day when Amma and I were having dinner, that little green mouse was circling around in search of the parrot's leftover food, but the problem was that he was very shy as well as timid, this is the reason Well, he was failing to eat anything. Amma and I were watching this scene for a long time while eating. Seeing this, Amma felt pity on him, and she tossed a small piece of bread towards him, the green colored rat succeeded in taking that piece after several attempts, and after eating it under the pot, went to rest in the room. Went. Since he had not yet caused any damage to the house, Amma declared him a "civilized rat" that day.
Now that “civilized mouse” used to follow his own behavior, if given something, he would eat it, otherwise he would go to his room. Now we did not know where he lived or where he slept, but Amma had started taking care of him regularly, and the parrot kept giving her unwanted gifts from time to time.
Similarly, four more months passed, but the breed of that rat was small, so it grew bigger than before, but still looked small. The green color had now gone away from his skin and was limited to his tail only, but his actions remained the same as that of a civilized person.
Now what happened, that rat was not visible for two-three days, then Amma became restless, she said to me, that rat was not visible? So I said to Amma in a joking tone, what do you want? That he should not see his family? Must have gone to see someone? And he must be tired of seeing both of our faces? The patient eats the same food as us, so he too might be wanting to eat something different? But Amma's eyes were yearning to see that "civilized mouse".
The very next morning, that "civilized mouse" was seen again, and on seeing him, Amma became very happy, and started saying many things to her, the "civilized mouse" also seemed to be expressing gratitude after seeing Amma. . Amma also gave him something to eat that day. Amma's happiness that day was worth seeing, seeing Amma's happiness I too could not stop myself from being happy. Now that “civilized mouse” would appear every day, and this was how the days passed. Don't know why, that civilized rat also started enjoying being alone, because till now we had not seen him with any other rat.
In those days, Pitru Paksha was going on, and that rat was not seen again for three-four days. When Amma told this to me, I also said that it must have gone here and there? Days were passing, but that "civilized rat" was no longer visible, whenever Amma sat down to eat, her eyes would definitely search to see that "civilized rat".
The time of painting was going on in the house, one day while the workman was removing the cupboard while painting, his eyes fell on a dry caged rat, he called me and told me, so I reached there out of curiosity, then I saw that “civilized rat”. Seeing the very light green color on its tail, Amma also came and became very sad to see that "civilized mouse". He instructed me to bury it properly in the soil and come back. I did as Amma said. Truly, that "civilized rat" had come to my house wrapped in the blanket of civilization, today wrapped in the same blanket of civilization, he left forever. Amma remained very abnormal for two-three days, she became normal only after some time.
We humans are also very strange, we turn away from people who keep their tongue in their mouth in such a way that we don't even look back, but we sympathize immensely with the voiceless.
Today the house is the same, but neither that “civilized mouse” nor my “beloved mother” remains in it? Only memories are left.
It must have been the year 2005-06, after the marriage of the other sister in Agra, Amma and I were left alone in the house. By the way, to entertain us, we also had our 14-15 year old parrot, who used to keep the whole house in control. Amma had retired from job, so her time was also spent at home. I would go to work during the day, and Amma would spend the whole day fighting with the parrot who was making noise in the house.
Normally, if rats enter the house, it is a cause of trouble, but in those days, fortunately there were no rats in the house, so the time was passed peacefully. But this peace could not last long, one day suddenly a very small mouse was seen, the mouse was so small that one could not even tell when it would come and disappear from sight. Actually, our parrot used to do the work of feeding the rats in the house, he used to spread more outside the cage than what he ate, and the rats got the right environment to enter the house.
In those days, it was the festival of Holi, so the women of the locality had come to meet Amma for Holi. Amma loved the festival of Holi, so she left home after applying a little color to all the women who came to meet her. After the women left she sat on the ground, she still had a little “green paint” left. At that very moment, that little rat appeared to Amma, Amma also did not know what mischief came to her mind, she quickly threw the remaining green color on that little rat, Amma's aim was right, that rat was now colored green, He had become a complete green rat.
One day when Amma and I were having dinner, that little green mouse was circling around in search of the parrot's leftover food, but the problem was that he was very shy as well as timid, this is the reason Well, he was failing to eat anything. Amma and I were watching this scene for a long time while eating. Seeing this, Amma felt pity on him, and she tossed a small piece of bread towards him, the green colored rat succeeded in taking that piece after several attempts, and after eating it under the pot, went to rest in the room. Went. Since he had not yet caused any damage to the house, Amma declared him a "civilized rat" that day.
Now that “civilized mouse” used to follow his own behavior, if given something, he would eat it, otherwise he would go to his room. Now we did not know where he lived or where he slept, but Amma had started taking care of him regularly, and the parrot kept giving her unwanted gifts from time to time.
Similarly, four more months passed, but the breed of that rat was small, so it grew bigger than before, but still looked small. The green color had now gone away from his skin and was limited to his tail only, but his actions remained the same as that of a civilized person.
Now what happened, that rat was not visible for two-three days, then Amma became restless, she said to me, that rat was not visible? So I said to Amma in a joking tone, what do you want? That he should not see his family? Must have gone to see someone? And he must be tired of seeing both of our faces? The patient eats the same food as us, so he too might be wanting to eat something different? But Amma's eyes were yearning to see that "civilized mouse".
The very next morning, that "civilized mouse" was seen again, and on seeing him, Amma became very happy, and started saying many things to her, the "civilized mouse" also seemed to be expressing gratitude after seeing Amma. . Amma also gave him something to eat that day. Amma's happiness that day was worth seeing, seeing Amma's happiness I too could not stop myself from being happy. Now that “civilized mouse” would appear every day, and this was how the days passed. Don't know why, that civilized rat also started enjoying being alone, because till now we had not seen him with any other rat.
In those days, Pitru Paksha was going on, and that rat was not seen again for three-four days. When Amma told this to me, I also said that it must have gone here and there? Days were passing, but that "civilized rat" was no longer visible, whenever Amma sat down to eat, her eyes would definitely search to see that "civilized rat".
The time of painting was going on in the house, one day while the workman was removing the cupboard while painting, his eyes fell on a dry caged rat, he called me and told me, so I reached there out of curiosity, then I saw that “civilized rat”. Seeing the very light green color on its tail, Amma also came and became very sad to see that "civilized mouse". He instructed me to bury it properly in the soil and come back. I did as Amma said. Truly, that "civilized rat" had come to my house wrapped in the blanket of civilization, today wrapped in the same blanket of civilization, he left forever. Amma remained very abnormal for two-three days, she became normal only after some time.
We humans are also very strange, we turn away from people who keep their tongue in their mouth in such a way that we don't even look back, but we sympathize immensely with the voiceless.
Today the house is the same, but neither that “civilized mouse” nor my “beloved mother” remains in it? Only memories are left.
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