Ek naam ki baazgasht… Kabhi kabhi kisi naam ko sunne se zyada… use kisi khaas lehje m

Ek naam ki baazgasht… Kabhi kabhi kisi naam ko sunne se zyada… use kisi khaas lehje mein sunna dil hila deta hai. Meeraal darwaze ke qareeb khamosh khari thi. Sahir saamne maujood tha… magar us ki nazrein ab bhi painting par jami thin. Adhoora chehra… wohi khamosh aankhein… Jaise woh canvas par bana aks nahin… apna koi khoya hua hissa dekh raha ho. Kamre mein halki zard roshni thi. Khidki ke bahar baarish musalsal baras rahi thi. Wohi baarish… jis se Meeraal hamesha be-wajah ghabra jaati thi. "Aap… wapas kyun aaye?" Meeraal ne aahista se poocha. Sahir ne chand lamhe khamosh reh kar jawab diya. "Pata nahin." Us ne gehra saans liya. "Gaari tak gaya tha… magar ajeeb bechaini hone lagi. Jaise kuch peeche reh gaya ho." Meeraal ka dil be-tarteeb dharakne laga. Sahir chand qadam aage barha. "Phir laga… mujhe yahan aana chahiye." Woh painting ke saamne ruka. "Yeh chehra…" Us ne haath barhaya… magar canvas ko chhua nahin. "Mujhe jaana pehchaana kyun lag raha hai?" Meeraal ke haath thande par gaye. "Yeh sirf ek tasveer hai." "Nahin." Sahir ne pehli baar use baraah-e-raast dekha. "Yeh sirf tasveer nahin hai." Us ki aankhon mein aisi uljhan thi… jo lafzon se bari hoti hai. Achanak bahar bijli chamki. Baarish ki awaaz tez hui. Sahir ke chehre ka rang badal gaya. Us ne kanpatti thaam li. "Kya hua?" Meeraal ek qadam aage barhi. "Yeh awaaz…"Us ki saans bikharne lagi. "Mujhe kuch… yaad aa raha hai…" Chand toote hue manzar us ki aankhon ke saamne chamke.