Ascharya chakit ho Ruhana bas apne samne dekhti hi rahi. Kuch samay laga unhe sab kuch samajhne ko. Unke mata pita unke samne khade the aur saath hi khade the mohalle ke sabhi bache aur unke kuch rishtedaar.

Pura ghar gubbaaron se sajaya hua tha, kuch gubbaare jamin pe bhi bikhre hue the. Phoolon ki ladiyaan bhi lagai gayi thi aur saath hi chappan bhog ka ayojan tha aur iss sab ke saath tha ek pyara sa cake jo Shakuntala ne apne haathon se banai thi aur banaye bhi kyun na, aaj unki beti ka janamadin jo hai.

Ruhana khushi mei kuch bol hi naa paa rahi thi bas sabko dekhe jaa rahi thi.

Mishra ji Ruhana ki manogyasha samajh gaye, unke pass jaa khade ho gaye aur ek haath se unhe gale laga liya.

''Papa ye sab!?" Ascharya se Ruhana ne dhimi awaj mei pucha.

''Sab tumhare birthday ke liye hai! Tumhe kya laga hum tumhara birthday bhool jaayege, aisa kabhi ho sakta hai bhala? Hum toh tumhe surprise dene ki taiyaari kar rahe the, batao kaisa laga surprise." Mishra ji ne ek badi si muskan ke sath pucha.

Apne pita ko haste hue dekh, Ruhana bhi muskura di aab unn ladkon ki wajah se apne pita ko thodi nirash karengi wo. Waise toh khud bhi unhe yaad na raha ki aaj unka janamdin hai, yaad rehta bhi kaise? Sabne itna pareshan kar diya unhe kuch dino se ki kya hi kehna.

''Bahut aacha hai Papa!!'' Muskurati hui, apne saje hue ghar ko niharti hui Ruhana ne jawab diya.

''Aacha ho bhi kaise na, humne jo sab kiya hai!" Unke pass aati hui Shakuntala boli.

Mishra ji ne unki aur dekha aur bole,''aacha ji!! Sab aapne kiya toh meine kya kiya?"

''Aapne bas hamara kaam badhaya hai! Tujhe pata hai beta, ye tabse chilla rahe hai, itni jaldi macha di inhone ki pucho maat!! Hum toh pareshan ho gaye tere papa se!" Muh banati hui Shakuntala boli.

Apni maa ki baaton pe Ruhana ko hansi aa gayi. Aab unke mata pita aise hi hai,jo kaam saath karte hai usmei ladte hi hai. Ek taraf unki maa ko unke pita ka jaldbaazi karna pasand nahi kyunki unhe lagta hai iss ise kaam bigad jaayega toh dusri taraf Mishra ji ko lagta hai unki dharma patni bahut dheeme kaam karti hai, wo chahte hai ki Shakuntala koi kaam jaldi nipta de. Aab iss baat ko leke unmei behes ho jaati hai.

Ruhana ne apne mata pita ko dono aur se gale laga liya,''aap dono bhi na, jara jara si baat pe ladd lete ho. Chalo, aab aap apna mood thik karo hum.cake cut karte hai na, mujhe bahut bhookha lagi hai.'' Masum sa chehra bana Ruhana boli.

Mishra ji ne jhat se ek bag unke haath mei rakh diya,''pehle taiyaar toh ho jao!! Aaj tumhara birthday hai aur niyam ke anusar aaj hamari bitiya pari se kam nahi lagni chahiye!'' Ruhana ke gaalo ko thapthapate hue Mishra ji bole, Ruhana khilkhilai aur apna kamre ki aur bhagi kapde badalne ko.

Mishra ji aur Shakuntala koi kami na chodte apni beti ko ladd lagane mei. Unke har janamadin pe unhe pariyon sa ek gown, uss se milta hua earrings aur bracelet aur sandal unhe dete hi hai. Wo uss din ko bahut dhum dham se manate hai. Aab ek hi beti hai unki, itna toh wo karenge hi.

...

Vineet, Karan aur Birju, Ruhana ke ghar ke bahar pahuche. Dekha toh pura ghar sajaya hua tha, kai log andar jaa rahe the, ladkon ko kuch samajh hi na aa raha tha akhir manjhra kya hai.

''Bhai, ye sab kya ho raha hai.'' Ghar ko niharta hua Karan bola.

''Lagta hai bhai ki abbi tak na hui setting ke liye rishta aaya hai, kahin sagai toh nahi ho rahi!!" Chaukta hua Birju bola jiske muh pe jhar se tamaacha aa pahucha.

''Manhushiyat maat phaila!! Birthday bhi ho sakta hai na!! Dekh toh kaise chote chote bache gift leke jaa rahe hai!" Ek bache ki aur ishara karta hua Vineet bola.

Fir jhat se ek bache ko uta liya usne jo Ruhana ke ghar mei ghushne hi wala tha.  Bacha chillane laga ki Vineet ne uske muh mei lollipop ghusha diya jis se wo bacha chup ho gaya.

''Andar kahan jaa raha hai tu aur wo bhi gift leke?'' Vineet ne bache se pucha par wo aab apne lollipop mei busy ho gaya tha toh Birju ne uske muh se lollipop chin li.

''Fatafat jawab de, itna time nahi hai hamare pass ki tere lollipop khatam.hone ka intejaar kare.'' Birju ne bache ko dhamkaya, bacha darr sa gaya.

''Wo Ruhana Didi ka birthday hai na toh unke liye hi gift hai ye.'' Darte darte bache ne jawab diya.

Jawab milte hi Vineet ne bache ko niche gira diya,dham se bacha niche gira aur gusse mei Vineet ke tango pe kat diya danto se fir jhat se bhag gaya. Vineet tadapta reh gaya kuch samay par aab uska mann andar jaane ko vichlit hone laga.

''Aapka deemag kharab ho gaya hai? Saara khandan andar hai, upar se rishtedaar aur dost alag. Agar sabne ek ek thappad bhi mara na toh yahin reh jaayenge hum.'' Birju aur karan ne Vineet ko samjhaya par wo kahan sunne wala tha.

''Abey chup, itna daregaa toh kaise chalega. Soch, teri bhabhi ka birthday hai aaj hamara jaana toh banta hai. Mere bina meri jaan cake kaise cut kar sakti hai. Haayee!! Kitna maja aayega jab hum saath mei haath pakad ke cake katenge aur wo apne komal haathon se mujhe khilaayegi. Fir hamari shadi hogi, ufff, Vineet sang Ruhana, haayeeeee, kitna aacha lagta hai sun ke.'' Khud ki baaton ke maje lete hue aur machalte hue Vineet bola.

Uska chehra 440 volt ke bulb ki tarah chamak gaya tha par Karan aur Birju andar naa jana chahte kissi surat mei, pehle hi ghao liye baithe hai andar gaye toh ghayal hona tai hai.

Lekin unn becharon ki sunegaa kaun? Ghasit ke andar le jaaye gaye dono!

....

To be continued..