Main pandrah saal baad mausam khizaan mein shikaar khelne ke liye 'Wair Loon' wapas aaya. Apne dost Sarool ke paas qayam kiya. Usne apni gaon waali haveli jise paroshaaiyi tabah kar gaye thay, dobara tameer kar li thi. Main is ilaqay ka dildada tha. Duniya mein kuch jagahen aisi hoti hain, jo aankhon ke liye bohat kashish rakhti hain. In se insaan jismani mohabbat mehsoos karta hai. Hum jaise log jo dehaati ilaqon se khaas unsiyat rakhte hain, ki yaadon mein makhsoos bahaarain, makhsoos jungal, makhsoos taalab, makhsoos pahaar mahfooz hote hain. Jin se hum aagah rehte hain. Jo hamare dilon ko kisi khushgawar din ke saath jode rakhte hain. Kabhi kabhaar hum zehan ke jharokon se kisi jungal ke beechon beech kisi marghzaar ya dariya kinaare koi jagah ya phir kisi phoolon se bhare baaghche ki jhalak dekh paate hain lekin woh hamare dilon mein un tasveeron ki tarah naqsh hote hain jo hum kisi bahaar ki subah kisi aurat ko shokh o shang kapde pehne dekhte hain, to hamare jism o jaan mein naqabil-e-faramosh khwahishaat ke saath yeh ehsaas paida hota hai ke khushi hamare paas se guzri hai. Wair Loon ke poore ilaqe se mujhe mohabbat thi jahan chhote chhote jungal bikharay pade thay. Nehr... I'm sorry, the text is too long for me to translate at once.bandhe hotay. bandooq ki nali sar se oopar uthi hoti. aur phir ek din paroshiyai aa gaye. unhein maqami abadi par un ke zariye aamdani ke hisaab se taqseem kar diya gaya. boorhi aurat chonkeh khushhal mashhoor thi, char sipahi us ki rehaish gaah par bheje gaye. woh gori chamdi, safed daadhi, neeli aankhon wale hate katte jawan thay. jungi musibatein jhelne ke bawajood farbha thay. maflooha ilaqay mein rehte hue bhi khush akhlaq thay. boorhi aurat ke saath un ka rawiya hamdardana tha. jitna mumkin hota us ki mehnat aur thakawat ko baantne ki koshish karte. rozana subah woh qameez pehnay kinwon mein nahaate. safed chamakti baraf ke bawajood apne safed gulabi badan par pani phenkte, jabkeh safaak aman idhar udhar hoti raheti un ke liye soup tayyar karti. jis ke baad woh jawan kitchen ka farsh saaf karte, farsh polish karte, lakdiyan kaatte, aloo chheelte, kapray dhotay taqreeban ghar ka har kaam karte bilkul aise jaise char achay betay apni maa ki madad kar rahe hon. lekin boorhi aurat har waqt apne lambe dublay patlay totay jaise naak, brown aankhon, ghani moochon jo us ke oopar waale hont ko chhupaye rakhti aur kaale balon wale apne betay ke bare mein sochti raheti. rozana woh chulhe ke ird gird baithay charon sipahiyon se poochti, "kya tumhe maloom hai fransisi regiment 23-infantry jis mein mera beta hai kahan hai?" un ka jawab hota, "nahi hamein nahi maloom, hamein kuch pata nahi." is ka dukh samjhte ke un ki apni maaen gharon mein un ka intezaar kar rahi hain. woh is ke liye be shumar chhoti moti khidmat sar anjaam dete. woh khud bhi apne in dushmanon ko pasand karti thi kyunkeh kisaan bohot kam nafrat boojhah hubb-e-watani karte thay. yeh oonchay tabqay ke logon ka istehqaq hai? aajiz, maskeen log hi zyada nuksan uthate. sara boojh un par parta. wohi marne ke liye aage dhakelay jate. tadad mein zyada hone ki wajah se wahi top ka chara bante. kamzor hone ke baais duniya mein sab se zyada yehi log jung ki sakhtiyan bardasht karte. woh hejani angaiz tehreekain, izzat o ghairat ki hissasat aur naam nahad siyasi hikmat amli jo chhe mahine mein donon qaumon fathe aur maflooha ko thaka de, ko samajhne se qasir thay. log safaak aman ke jermanon ke bare mein kehte, "bila shuba in charon ko aaram dha rehaish mili hai." ek subah jab boorhi aurat ghar mein akeli thi. us ne door maidan mein ek shakhs ko apne ghar ki taraf aate dekha. jald hi woh usay pehchana gaya. us shakhs ki nokri logon ko khat pehchana tha. us ne bariya ko teh kiya hua kaghaz pakra. woh apni salai wali aankh nikaal kar parhne lagi. madam safaak! aap ko ek afsosnaak khabar pohanchani hai. aap ka beta victor kal top ka gola lagne se mar gaya. goli ne use do hisson mein kaat diya. mein ne bohot qareeb se yeh sub dekha, kyunkeh hum company mein sath sath the. us ne mujhe keh rakha tha ke agar use kuch ho jaye to mein aap ko aitla kar doon. mein ne us ki ghari us ki jeb se nikaal li taake jung ke ikhtitam par aap ko pohancha doon. adaab sizir riot sipahi darja doam, infantry regiment -32 khat par teen haftay pehle ki tareekh darj thi. woh bilkul na rooyi shadeed sadme se hawas bakhta sakht o jamid khari rahi. use dukh aur gham ka ehsas tak nahi ho raha tha. us ne socha, "yeh victor tha jo chala gaya aur mar diya gaya" phir aahista aahista ansoo us ki ankhon mein ubhar aaye. us ka dil gham aur dukh se bhar gaya. ek ek kar ke khayal ane lage, khofnak aur aziz nak khayalat. woh kabhi us ka boosa nahi le sakti. sipahi ne baap ko mar diya, paroshiyai ne betay ko mar diya. woh top ke goli se do hisson mein kaat gaya. use laga woh yeh sab hota dekh rahi hai. khuli ankhain, girata hua sar, ghani moochon ke sare chabate hue, jaisa ke woh hamesha ghuse mein kya karta tha. "unhone us ke jism ka kya kya ho ga? kash woh use wapas kar dete jaise us ke khawind ko peeshaani par goli marne ke baad wapas kar diya tha." tab usay paroshiyai sipahiUn ki awaazain sunai dein jo gaon se waapas aa rahe thay. Usne khat jaldi se apni jeb mein chhupa liya. Apni aankhein saaf ki aur pursukoon ho kar aam dino ki tarah unhein mili. Charon khushi se hans rahe thay. Wo khargosh laye thay, jo ghalaiban kahin se churaya gaya tha. Unhone usay ishara kiya ke aaj wo acha mazedar khana khayenge. Wo foran khana tayyar karne mein masroof ho gayi. Lekin khargosh zibah karte waqt uska dil himmat haar gaya. Charon mein se ek ne khargosh ke kaan ke peechay mukka maar kar usay halak kiya. Jab janwar mar gaya to usne uske surkh jism par se khaal utari. Lekin khoon ko dekh kar, jis se uske haath bhar gaye, garam garam khoon jise wo mehsoos kar rahi thi, jo thanda ho kar jam raha tha, wo sar se paon tak kanpne lagi. Wo apne betay ke do hisson mein kate surkh jism ko dekh rahi thi, bilkul usi janwar ki tarah jo ab tak uske haathon mein kanp raha tha wo un parwashi sipayon ke saath khane ki meez par beth gayi magar us se kuch bhi kha ya nahi ja raha tha wo uski parwaah kiye baghair gosht chat kar gaye. Wo bari hushyaarri se baghair kuch kahe koi khayal sochte hue unhein dekhti rahi. Uska chehra itna bay taseer tha ke wo kuch mehsoos na kar saki. Achanak wo un se mukhatib hui, ''Hum ek mahine se saath hain lekin mein tumhare naam nahi jaanti.'' Wo us ki baat samajh gaye. Usay apna naam bataye. Lekin us se uski tasalli nahi hui. Usne unhein apne naam aur apne khandan ke patte kaghaz par likhne ke liye kaha. Phir aankh apne baray se naak par durust ki. Anjaani tehreer mulaheza ki. Kaghaz teh kiya aur jeb mein usi khat ke saath, jis se usay apne betay ki maut ki itla milay thi, rakh liya. Jab khana khatam ho chuka to usne unhein bataya ke wo un ke liye kuch karna chahti hai. Phir bhoosa utha kar oopar jahan wo sotay thay rakhna shuru kar diya. Wo jo kuch kar rahi thi, us se unhein khaas uljhan hui, usne wazahat karte hue unhein bataya ke bhoosa unhein garam rakhe ga, to wo bhi us ki madad karne lage. Unhone chat tak bhoose ke dheer laga diye. Apne liye bara, garam, khushbodar kamra tayar kar liya, jis ki charon deewariyan bhoose ki bani thi. Jahan wo mazay se soenge. Raat ke khane par un mein se ek ye dekh kar ke wo ab bhi kuch nahi kha rahi pareshan hua. Usne usay yeh keh kar ke uske pet mein maror parh rahe hain usay mutmain kar diya. Tab usne apne aap ko garam karne ke liye aag jalayi. Jabkeh charon jarman hasb e mamool b'zaray seerhi oopar kamray mein chadh gaye. Joonhi chat mein laga darwaza band hua, burohi aurat ne seerhi hata di. Khamoshi se bahar ka darwaza khola, aur mazeed bhoosa lene chali gayi. Us bhoose se usne bawarchi khana bhar diya. Wo barf par nange paon is tarah chalti rahi ke larkon ko koi awaz sunayi na di. Waqfe waqfe se usay charon sipayon ke khraaton ki awaz sunayi deti rahi. Jab us ki tayariyan mukammal ho gayin to usne ek bhoose ka bundle jalte chulhe mein jhonk diya, jab usne aag pakar li to usne usay baqi bhoose par phela diya. Khud bahar nikal kar dekhne lagi. Chand lamhon mein chamakte damakte sholay ne kateej ko andar se roshan kiya. Jald hi wo khaufnak, dehkti, bhadakti aag ki bhatti mein tabdeel ho gaya. Us ki roshni tang khirki se bahar barf par ankhain chandhiya dene wali shaoon ki surat mein parne lagi. Tabhi ek cheekh ghar ke oopar walay hisse se buland hui, sath hi insani cheekhon ka shor o ghul, dil kharash, azeed nak, dehshat zadah aah o baka ka shor buland hua. Phir joonhi chat ka darwaza gira, aag ka bagola oopar walay kamray mein dakhil ho kar ghas phoons se bani chat ko chedta hua bohat baray roshni ke golay ki tarah aasman ko nikal gaya. Tamam kateej mein aag phail gayi. Sholay ke chatkhane, deewaron ke dheer hone, shetiron ke girenay ki awazon ke ilawa andar se koi awaz sunayi nahi de rahi thi. Achanak chat neeche aa gayi. Sath hi ghar ka jalta dhanche dhoyen ke marghoolon ke sath oopar ko utha, goya aag ka fawara tha. Sara mahol aise roshni ho gaya jaise surkhi mael silwar kapra ho. Door faslay par ghanti bajne lagi. Burohi safaak amma apne jalte ghar ke samne apne betay ki bandook liye khadi rahi, mubada koi jarman bach kar na nikal jaye.Jab is ne dekha sab kuch khatam ho chuka hai to is ne bandooq aag mein phenk di, dhamaka hua, log bhagte hue aaye. Kisaan bhi aur paroshyai bhi. Unhon ne is aurat ko ek darakht ke tane par persukoon baithay dekha. Ek German afsar ne jo francisiyon ki tarah francisi bolta tha poocha, ''Tumhare sipahi kahan hain?'' Is ne apna dubla patla haath bujhti aag ke surkh dheer ki taraf phelaya aur unchi awaaz mein jawab diya. ‘‘Wahan’’ is ke ard gard jamghatlgaya. Paroshyai ne poocha, ‘’Aag kaise lagi?’’ ‘‘Main ne lagayi’’ woh boli. Par nahi ne is ka yaqeen nahi kiya, woh samjhe is achanak tabahi ne use pagal kar diya hai. Sab log use sunne ke liye jama ho gaye to is ne sari kahani shuru se aakhir tak suna di. Khat ke aane se le kar is ke ghar ke saath jalne walon ki aakhri cheekhon tak. Is ne jo kuch mehsoos kiya aur jo kuch kiya us ki har tafseel batayi. Yeh sab batane ke baad is ne jeb se kaghaz ke do tukray nikale, aur unhein alag alag karne ke baad dobara aankhain pehni, phir un mein se ek dikhate hue boli’’Yeh Victor ki maut ka hai.’’ Dusra dikhate hue aur surkh khander ki taraf ishara kar ke boli,‘‘Yeh un ke naam hain takay tum un ke khandaanon ko itlaa de sako’’. Yeh kehte hue safed kaghaz baray sakoon se afsar ki taraf bada diya, jo use kandhay se pakre hue tha. Apne bayan mein mazeed izafa karte hue boli. ''Tum unhein sab batao ke kya hua. Un ke waliden ko batao ke yeh sab mein, 'Victoria Semen' ne kiya. Bhoolna mat.’‘Afsar ne chala kar German zabaan mein kuch hukm diya. Safak imaan ko pakar liya gaya. Aur usi makaan ki deewar ke saath jo abhi tak garam thi khara kar diya gaya. Phir barah aadmi jaldi se us ke samne bees gaz ke faslay par khade ho gaye. Woh samajh chuki thi. Zara bhi hili nahi, intezar mein khadi rahi. Hukm diya gaya jis ki taeamul foran goliyon ki buchaar se hui. Ek ke baad doosra fire hota raha. Boodhi aurat giri nahi balkay is tarah dheer hui jaise us ki taangain kaat di gayi hain. Paroshyai afsar us ke paas aaya. Woh do hisson mein taqseem ho chuki thi aur us ke haath mein pakra khat khoon se bhara chuka tha. Mere dost Surool ne mazeed bataya. ''Jermanon ne intiqamam moqami haweli jo meri malqiyat thi tabah kar di.'' Main apne taur par un jal jane walay charon jawanon ki maon aur is dosri maa ke khofnak heroism ke bare mein soch raha tha, jise deewar ke sath laga kar goliyan mari gayin. Tab main wahan se ek chhota sa pathar uthaya jo ke abhi tak aag mein jalne ki wajah se kala tha.