*Shahzadon ka Imtehan*
(Bachon ke liye dilchasp, hairat angez aur sabaq amoz kahani)
*Qist Number 04*
*Bahadur Shehzada Jalti Basti Mein*
Jari booti khane ke baad Bahadur Shehzada kitni der soya raha, yeh usay maloom nah ho saka. Usay dhoop ki sakht tapish mehsoos hui to us ki ankhen khul gaeen. Shehzade ko apne jism mein susti si mehsoos ho rahi thi. Us ke zehen mein guzre hue waqeat aik aik kar ke ghoomne lage aur nigahen be ikhtiyar pahar ki choti ki janib uth gaeen, jahan us ne aakhri martaba logon ko dhol bajate hue dekha tha, lekin ab wahan kuch bhi nah tha.
Is ka ghora abhi tak apni sabqa halat mein leta hua tha. Shayad us ne booti ki ziyada miqdaar kha li thi. Shehzade ne ghore ke paas baith kar is ke jism par malish karne ke andaz mein hath pherna shuru kar diya. Dhoop ki wajah se us ka jism pehle hi garam ho raha tha. Shehzade ne apni chagal se pani nikal kar kuch khud piya aur thora sa hath mein le kar ghore ke munh mein dala. Ghore ne zaban bahar nikali to shehzade ne is ki zaban par pani tapkaya. Ab ghore ke jism mein bhi harkat paida hona shuru ho gai thi.
Shehzade ne ghore ko usi halat mein chora aur khud us booti ko chal phir kar dekhne laga, jis ke asraat ne in dono ko gehri neend sula diya tha. Us ne sari jagah ka jaiza liya. Yeh jungli booti sirf so meter ke raqbe par phaili hui thi. Shehzade ne booti ke kafi sare patte tor kar aik thaile mein dal liye aur wapas ghore ke paas aa gaya. Ghora uthne ki koshish kar raha tha. Thori si jid-o-jehad ke baad woh kamyab ho gaya.
Shehzada bari gehri nazron se ghore ka mushahida kar raha tha. Woh mustaqbil mein is jari booti ko kaam mein lana chahta tha. Woh hairan tha ke ghore jaisa qawi janwar is booti ke asar se nah bach saka, aur woh khud jo akela ho kar so jungju aadmiyon ko aik hi hamle mein shikast de deta tha, itni aasani se neend ki wadiyon mein gum ho gaya.
Kafi der baad us ka ghora safar ke liye tayyar tha. Shehzade ne apna maal-o-asbab ghore par lada aur dobara aage barhne laga. Aadha din safar karne ke baad pahariyon ka silsila kam hua to shehzade ki nazar door aik basti par pari. Woh ghore se utar kar isi taraf chalne laga. Ghora is ke peeche peeche aa raha tha.
Basti ke nazdeek pahunch kar shehzade ne dekha ke sari basti ke ghar jale hue the. Yahan kisi zee rooh ka naam-o-nishan tak nah tha. Us ka tajassus barhta gaya aur woh basti mein dakhil ho gaya. Basti ziyada bari nahi thi. Aath das galiyan ghoomne ke baad basti khatam ho gai. Shehzade ne ghas phoons se bane gharon mein ja kar dekha, jahan abhi tak anaaj mojood tha. Jalne ki boo bhi abhi tak aa rahi thi, jis se andaza lagaya ja sakta tha ke usay jale hue ziyada der nahi guzri.
Shehzade ki samajh mein is ke jalne ki wajah nah aa saki aur woh bojhal qadmon se aik nisbatan chhoti pahari ki taraf chal para. Chalte chalte aik teele ke paas usay zameen par surkh dhabba nazar aaya. Us ne hath laga kar songha to shehzade ke rongte khare ho gaye. Yeh insani khoon tha.
Woh dewana war idhar udhar dekhne laga aur phir aik chhote se garhe mein usay insani jism para nazar aaya. Woh bhag kar is tak pahuncha aur nabz par hath rakh diya. Nabz chal rahi thi aur us ke sar ke aik taraf khoon jama hua tha. Shehzade ne usay kandhe par dal kar aik saya daar darakht ke neeche lita diya aur pani se zakhm saaf kar ke sar ko kapre se bandh diya.
Pani parne ki wajah se woh naujawan hosh mein aane laga. Us ki umar athara aur bees saal ke darmiyan thi. Us ki ankhen khulne lageen. Shehzade ko qareeb dekh kar woh dahshat se kanpne laga aur uth kar bhagne ki koshish ki, lekin do qadam ke baad gir gaya.
Shehzada dobara is ke paas aaya aur usay tasalli di ke mein tumhara dost hoon. Woh phati phati nigahon se shehzade ki taraf dekhne laga. Is ki ankhon se abhi tak khauf jhalak raha tha. Shehzade ne ghore par lade thaile mein se pani aur khorak nikal kar us ke samne rakhi to us ki jhijhak qadre kam hui.
“Khao! Shabash, thora sa kha lo, tumhari tabiyat theek nahi lagti.”
Shehzade ne usay tasalli dete hue kaha to woh harbara kar khane laga. Shehzade ne bhi thora sa khana khaya aur ghore ko ghas charne ke liye chor diya.
“Kya tumhara talluq is basti se hai?” Shehzade ne naujawan se poocha.
Us ne asbaat mein sar hila diya.
“Achha, mujhe batao ke is basti ki yeh halat kaise hui?” Shehzade ne dobara poocha.
Naujawan rote hue batane laga:
“Pehle hum bohat door, paharon ke us taraf rehte the, jahan aur bhi bohat sari chhoti chhoti bastiyon ka aik majmua tha. Aik din bare mele mein hamari basti ke aik larke se dusri basti ka larka zakhmi ho gaya. Zakhmi hone wala larka basti ke sardar ka beta tha. Woh sardar bohat taqat war tha. Us ne hamare sardar se kaha ke woh larka mere hawale karo jis ne mere bete ko zakhmi kiya hai, lekin hamare sardar ne larka us ke hawale karne se inkar kar diya.
Woh us waqt to kuch nah bola, lekin hamare sardar ko pata tha ke woh hamari basti par zaroor hamla aawar hoga. Us ne basti ki aurton, bachon aur burhon ko fauri tor par wahan se nikal kar bohat door is jagah bhej diya, ta ke woh un ki taraf se be fikar ho kar dushman ka muqabla kar sake.
Hamare sardar ki tawaqqa ke mutabiq unhon ne raat ko hamla kar diya. Hamare jawan bari bahaduri se lare, lekin dushman tadaad mein ziyada the, is liye hamare kafi log halak ho gaye aur baqi haar manne par majboor ho gaye. Dushman hamari basti mein loot maar kar ke chale gaye.
Hum pichle aath saal se yahan abad hain. In bastiyon ke log is taraf nahi aate.”
Qismati se do din pehle yahan se kuch wehshi qabail guzre to un ki nazar hamari is basti par par gai. Unhon ne zalim sardar ko is ki ittila de di. Is ne raat ko hamla kar ke sari basti ko jala diya. Woh hamare sare logon ko pakar kar le gaye. Mein us waqt idhar bhaga aur kisi cheez se thokar kha kar gir para. Is ke baad mujhe ab hosh aaya hai.
Shehzade ko yeh sara waqea sun kar bohat afsos hua. Naujawan dastan suna kar phir rone lag gaya tha. Usay apni basti ke log yaad aa rahe the. Shehzade ne usay rone diya ta ke is ka gham kam ho jaye. Jab woh jee bhar kar ro chuka to shehzade ne us se poocha:
“Kya tum mujhe un bastiyon ki taraf le kar ja sakte ho? Mein tumhari madad karna chahta hoon.”
Naujawan darte hue bola:
“Aap us taraf jane ke bare mein kuch mat sochen! Woh log aap ko bhi maar dalen ge!”
Us ki baat sun kar shehzada hans para:
“Mein aik mohim ju hoon aur aik hi hamle mein so jungjuon ka akele khatma kar sakta hoon!”
Naujawan shehzade ki baat sun kar usay ghour se dekhne laga.
“Ab ziyada nah socho balkay un logon tak meri rehnumai karo, ta ke tumhari basti ke logon ko un se chura sakoon.”
Shehzade ne usay sahara de kar uthaya aur dono ghore ki taraf barh gaye. Dono ghore par sawar hue aur naujawan ki rehnumai mein zalim sardar ki basti ki taraf rawana ho gaye.
*Aqalmand Shehzada Tareek Surng Mein*
Aqalmand shehzade ko jinnon ki qaid mein das din guzar chuke the. Khane ke waqt us ke samne achanak dastarkhwan bich jata aur jab woh kha chukta to khud bakhud gayab ho jata.
Daswen din jaise hi woh khane se farigh hua to usay bareek si aawaz sunai di. Woh usay wazeh tor par nah samajh saka. Wohi bareek aawaz dobara sunai dene lagi. Ab shehzade ne ghour kiya to usay alfaaz samajh aane lage. Koi keh raha tha:
“Shehzade! Jawab do, kya tum meri aawaz sun sakte ho? Jawab do!”
Shehzada sargoshi ke andaz mein bola:
“Haan, mein sun raha hoon, magar tum kon ho?”
Aawaz aayi:
“Tumhari tarah mein bhi yahan sath wali kothri mein qaid hoon. Mera naam Hazim Jin hai. Meri tarah yahan aur bhi bohat se jin qaid hain jo badshah ke farmanbardar hain, lekin ghaddar wazeer ne hamein yahan qaid kar diya hai. Woh jadugar bhi hai aur us ne jadu ke zor se hamari taqaten bhi khatam kar di hain. Tumhare yahan aane se hamari taqaten aahista aahista bahaal ho rahi hain. Hum sab sathiyon ne aapas mein rabita kiya hai… kya aap ko meri aawaz aa rahi hai?”
Hazim Jin ne darmiyan mein baat rokte hue poocha.
“Ji haan! Mein aap ki aawaz sun raha hoon. Aap apni baat jari rakhen.”
Shehzade ne be taabi se kaha. Usay andhere mein umeed ki kiran nazar aane lagi thi.
Hazim Jin dobara bola:
“Mein keh raha tha ke hum sab qaidi sathiyon ne aapas mein rabita kiya hai aur hum sab ki taqat wapas aa rahi hai. Yaqeenan badshah salamat bhi tezi se tandrust ho rahe hon ge. Unhen aap ki aamad ki ittila mil chuki hogi. Ab hum yahan se faraar ka mansooba bana rahe hain, lekin hamare faraar hone ke baad aap mushkil mein par jayen ge.”
Shehzade ne us ki baat katte hue kaha:
“Jadugar wazeer mujhe qatal bhi to karwa sakta hai!”
Hazim Jin bola:
“Janab, aap mujhe baat mukammal karne den kyunkay kisi bhi waqt Sardar Jin aa sakta hai. Wazeer e Jadugar aap ko hargiz qatal nahi kare ga, kyunkay shahi najomi ke mutabiq jo shakhs aap ko qatal kare ga ya kisi dusre se qatal karwaye ga, agle hi lamhe woh khud machhli ban kar jadui nehar mein ja gire ga aur wahan se badshah salamat ka paltu bagla usay shikar kar le ga.”
Shehzada is jawaz par kuch mutmaen ho gaya.
Hazim bolta ja raha tha:
“Humein umeed hai ke aaj raat tak hamari itni taqat laut aaye gi ke hum apni soorat tabdeel kar saken, lekin hum aap ko kisi aur shakal mein tabdeel nahi kar sakte. Aap isi halat mein hamare sath yahan se niklen ge. Subah tak aap intzaar karen. Hum aapas mein mashwara kar rahe hain aur mere sathi zaroor koi nah koi hal nikal len ge.”
Hazim Jin khamosh ho gaya.
Aqalmand shehzada sochne laga ke kahin us ke sath dobara dhoka nah ho jaye, lekin yeh soch kar khamosh raha ke qaid se nikalne ka koi rasta to nazar aa raha hai. Yahan se nikalne ke baad hi agla mansooba banaya ja sakta tha.
Shehzade ko rehai ki khushi mein raat bhar neend nah aayi.
Agle din subah subah wohi patli si aawaz phir sunai dene lagi:
“Kya aap meri aawaz sun rahe hain?”
Shehzada foran bola:
“Ji, bilkul sun raha hoon!”
Hazim Jin jaldi jaldi kehne laga:
“Raat ko hamara aik sathi saanp ki shakal ikhtiyar kar ke sari surng ka jaiza le chuka hai. Is surng ke baees darwaze hain. In sab par jadugar wazeer ne aise jinnon ko pehre par bitha rakha hai jo jadu jante hain. Hum ne mil kar faisla kiya hai ke khargosh ki shakal ikhtiyar kar ke surng ke neeche aik aur surng banayen, jo jadugar wazeer ke zair e asar ilaqe se bahar ja kar nikale. Is silsile mein raat bhar kaam jari raha hai aur humein bohat kamyabi mili hai.”
Umeed hai ke hum aaj apne maqsad mein kamyab ho jayen ge. Aap tayyar rahen. Kisi bhi waqt hum aap ko yahan se nikalne ka ishara de sakte hain. Aur haan! Hum ne surng itni chori khod di hai ke us mein se aap be aasani nikal sakte hain. Ab aap ne koi sawal nahi karna kyunkay Sardar Jin aap ke liye nashta lane wala hai.
Aik dam aawaz band ho gai aur dusre hi lamhe shehzade ke samne dastarkhwan saj gaya. Shehzade ne hasb e mamool nashta kiya, halan ke aaj us ka nashta karne ko jee nahi chah raha tha. Jaise hi woh nashte se farigh hua, dastarkhwan gayab ho gaya. Is ka matlab tha ke Sardar Jin ja chuka hai, lekin Hazim Jin ki hidayat ke mutabiq woh khamosh raha.
Intzaar taweel hota ja raha tha aur aik lamha guzarna mushkil ho raha tha. Agar shehzade ko rehai ki khabar nah sunai jati to shayad woh pehle ki tarah yeh din bhi guzar deta, lekin aaj woh aik aik pal gin kar guzar raha tha.
Phir dopehar ka khana aa gaya. Shehzade ne bari mushkil se khana khaya. Jab dastarkhwan wapas chala gaya to shehzade ko wohi patli si aawaz sunai dene lagi:
“Shehzade! Mubarak ho, surng mukammal ho chuki hai. Ab aap tayyar ho jayen.”
Shehzada foran uthte hue bola:
“Mein tayyar hoon!”
Hazim ki aawaz dobara sunai di:
“Hum saanpon ka roop ikhtiyar kar ke bahar niklen ge aur do saanp aap ki kothri ki salakhon ko terha kar ke aap ke nikalne ka rasta banayen ge. Aap ne darna nahi hai. Mere sathi aa rahe hain.”
Isi waqt shehzade ko salakhen terhi hoti hui mehsoos hueen. Woh jaldi se salakhon ki taraf barha. Us ne pehla qadam bahar rakha hi tha ke charon taraf saanp rengte hue nazar aane lage. Aik saanp ne shehzade ki tangon ke gird kundli maar li. Shehzade ko apne qadam zameen se uthte mehsoos hue.
Chand lamhon baad woh aik tang si surng mein urta ja raha tha. Sanpon ki raftaar bohat taiz thi aur un ke urne se khauf nak aawazen paida ho rahi theen. Shehzade ne apni ankhen band kar rakhi theen.
Phir usay aik nagawar si boo mehsoos hone lagi aur us ka dimagh chakra kar reh gaya. Sanpon ki aawazon mein bhi tezi aa gai thi. Phir shehzade ke hawas us ka sath chorne lage. Aakhri lamhon mein usay yun mehsoos ho raha tha jaise kisi ne usay zor se zameen par patakh diya ho.
Phir usay kuch hosh nah raha.
*Jari hai ۔۔۔۔۔/////*
🌸🌹♥️🌼