“Jitna darr zinda dushmano se nahi lagta, usse kahin zyada darr us adrishya saaye se lagta hai jo aapke apno ke shareer me aahista-aahista zeher ghol raha ho.”

Purane Bargad ke ped ke niche se Sumit ne cycle ko jis raftaar se bhagaya tha, uske pairo ki maas-peshiyan phatne ko ho rahi thi. Wo teeno aatmaayein jo ped ki daaliyon se latak rahi thi, unki khokhli hansi kaano me abhi bhi seeti ki tarah goonj rahi thi.

Lekin Sumit ke dimaag me sabse bada jhatka wo tha jo usne sabse aakhri tehni par dekha tha—Kabir ka chehra.

Kabir abhi zinda tha, toh fir us ped par uska aakar kyun ubhar raha tha? Kya uski aatma shareer chhodne ki taiyari me thi?

Hathipole Ki Purani Haveli

Hathipole ki tang galiyon me aakar Sumit ne apni cycle roki. Kabir ka ghar ek 80 saal purani do-manzila imarat thi, jisme lake-stone aur purane jamane ke moti lakdi ke chaukhat lage the.

Darwaze par dastak dete hi Kabir ki maa ne darwaza khola. Unke chehre par thakan aur ghabrahat ki aisi parat thi jaise wo teen raaton se soyi na hon.

“Arey Sumit beta… aao,” unki awaaz tharthara rahi thi. “Kabir upar kamre me hai. Doctor keh rahe hain bas viral fever hai, par uski halat dekh kar mera kaleja kaanp raha hai. Na kuch kha raha hai, na hosh me baat kar raha hai.”

Sumit ne assignment register ko seene se kas kar pakda. Jaise hi usne pehli manzil ki lakdi ki seedhiyon par kadam rakha, hawa ka tapman achanak 10 degree gir gaya. Uske haath ke roongte khade ho gaye. Udaipur me October ke aakhir me thand hoti hai, par ye thandak mausam ki nahi thi—ye qabristan aur seelan bhari haveli ki barfeeli thandak thi.

Khatarnak Nazara: Seene Par Baitha Saaya

Kamre ka darwaza adha khula tha. Andar tubelight halki-halki timtima rahi thi.

Sumit jaise hi andar dakhil hua, uski saans gale me atak gayi.

Kabir bistar par leta hua tha, uska chehra peela pad chuka tha, hoth sookh kar kaale pad rahe the aur maathe par paseene ki bunde chamak rahi thi. Lekin aam insaan ko bas itna hi dikhta.

Sumit ki Chhaya Drishti ko jo dikha, usne uske pair zameen par jamakar rakh diye.

Kabir ke seene par koi baitha hua tha.

Ek sukha, kaala, dhuen jaisa aakar jiske lambe-lambe haath Kabir ke gale aur maathe par chipke hue the. Us aakar ke baal chip-chipe the aur uski do laal, aag jaisi suiyan Kabir ke chehre ko ghoor rahi thi. Wo aatma Kabir ki Prana Urja (Life Force) ko dhere-dhere kheench rahi thi!

Sumit ne foran nazrein ghuma li. “Niyam number ek: Unse nazar mat milana. Aisa act kar jaise tu sirf Kabir ko dekh raha hai.”

Folklore Ka Pehla Hathiyar

Sumit bistar ke paas gaya. Uska dil itni tezi se dhadak raha tha ki use laga wo kaali chhaya uski dhadkan sun legi.

“Aunty, thoda paani milega peene ke liye?” Sumit ne aam awaaz me poocha.

Jaise hi Kabir ki maa paani lene niche gayi, Sumit ne apni jeb me haath daala. Usne subah hi apne bag me ek chhota sa kapur (camphor) ka tukda aur peeli sarson rakh li thi.

Sumit ne bed ke kinare jhuk kar, be-khabari ka natak karte hue, chupke se do peeli sarson ke daane aur kapur ka chhota tukda Kabir ke bistar ke charo kono par gira diya, aur man hi man Hanuman Chalisa ka pehla doha padhna shuru kiya:

“Bhoot pishach nikat nahi aave… Mahavir jab naam sunave…”

Asar foran hua!

Wo kaala saya jhatke se pichhe hata. Usne ek aisi aawaz nikali jaise garam tawe par tezaab gira diya gaya ho—Ssssshhhhhkkkk!

Saaya hawa me udkar kamre ki chhat ke kone me chipak gaya. Uski laal aakhein seedhe Sumit ke sar ko ghoor rahi thi. Us aatma ko shak ho chuka tha.

Usi waqt Kabir ne aakhein kholi. Uski aawaaz behad kamzor thi, “Su… Sumit? Tu kab aaya?”

Sumit ne uska haath pakda. Kabir ka haath baraf jaisa thanda tha. Tabhi Sumit ki nazar Kabir ki daayi kalaai par padi. Wahan ek gande laal kapde me lipta hua ek purana, jala hua Taweez (Amulet) bandha hua tha!

“Kabir… ye tere haath me kya hai?” Sumit ne dabi aawaz me poocha.

Kabir ki aakhein darr se phail gayi. Uski ungliyan kaanpne lagi, “Sumit… shukrawar ki raat… Fatehsagar ki wo purani chhatri… wahan paani ke kinare mila tha ye…”