Purani Haveli Ka Chowkidar

Raghu ko achanak mili is naukri se badi rahat thi. Shehar ke shor aur paise ki tangee se pareshan hokar, use shehar se door, ek sunsaan jungle ke beech bani **100 saal purani haveli** me chowkidari ka kaam mil gaya tha. Haveli ke maalik ne use moti rakam dene ka waada kiya tha.

Lekin haveli ki chabhiyaan hath me dete waqt, maalik ke chehre par ek ajeeb sa khauf tha. Usne Raghu ke kandhe par hath rakhkar ek sakht hidayat di thi:

> **"Ek baat hamesha yaad rakhna, Raghu. Raat ke theek 12 baje ke baad, haveli ke tehkhane (basement) ki taraf ghalti se bhi mat dekhna... aur na hi wahan se aane wali sarsarahat par dhyan dena. Jo bhi suno, use ansuna kar dena."**

>

Raghu ne us waqt haan keh diya, kyunki use lag raha tha ki purane log aisi baaton par zyada vishwas karte hain. Par use kya pata tha ki ye uski zindagi ki sabse badi ghalti banne wali thi.

### Pehli Raat ka Sannata

Haveli behad vishal aur khaufnak thi. Deewaron par tangi purani jhaad-fanoos (chandeliers) aur purani tasveerein aisi lagti thi jaise aane-jaane wale ko ghoor rahi hon.

Raat ke **11:45 baje** the. Raghu haveli ke mukhya darwaze ke paas ek purani kursi par baitha tha. Baahar tez thandi hawa chal rahi thi, jiski wajah se haveli ke kanch ke darwaze dabi aawaaz me khad-khad kar rahe the.

Theek **12:00 baje**, deewar par tangi purani ghadi ne barah baar ghanta bajaya.

*DONG... DONG... DONG...*

Sannata aur gehra ho gaya. Aur theek usi pal, haveli ke galli-yaare ke aakhir me bani us purane tehkhane ke lakdi ke darwaze se ek aawaaz aayi...

*Sssssrr... Sssssrr...*

Jaise koi bohot purana kapda ya mitti ka dher farsh par ghisat raha ho. Raghu ko maalik ki hidayat yaad aayi. Usne apni aankein band kar li aur hanuman chalisa ka jaap karne laga.

### Tehkhane Ka Rona

Sarsarahat badhti gayi, aur phir achanak... ek aisi aawaaz aayi jisne Raghu ke jism ke roangte khade kar diye.

**Ek ladki ke rone ki aawaaz.**

Wo rona behad dardnak tha. Aisa lag raha tha jaise koi behad takleef me ho aur madad ke liye gidgida raha ho.

> *"Bachao... please mujhe baahar nikalo... yahan bohot andhera hai..."*

>

Raghu ka dil jor-jor se dhadakne laga. Ek pal ke liye use laga ki shayad koi sach me wahan fasa hai. Maalik ne zaroor kisi ko wahan kaid kiya hoga! Usse ab raha nahi gaya. Farz aur insaniyat ke nate, usne apni lathi aur torch uthayi aur dabe paon tehkhane ki taraf badhne laga.

Tehkhane ka lakdi ka darwaza zang lage lohe ke shikal se band tha. Jaise hi Raghu darwaze ke paas pahuncha, rone ki aawaaz bilkul darwaze ke theek piche se aane lagi.

"Kaun... kaun hai andar?" Raghu ne kaanpti aawaaz me pucha.

Andar se aawaaz aayi, *"Mujhe baahar nikalo... main rasta bhatak gayi hoon... darwaza kholo please!"*

Raghu ne bina soche-samjhe lohe ka sariya uthaya aur taale par de mara. Do-teen vaar me tala toot gaya. Raghu ne jaise hi darwaza khola... **andar ghop andhera tha.**

### Khoon Jama Dene Wala Sach

Raghu ne apni torch ki roshni andar dali. Tehkhane ki seedhiyan neeche ja rahi thi. Par wahan koi nahi tha.

Achanak, rone ki aawaaz band ho gayi. Ek dum khamoshi chha gayi.

Tabhi, Raghu ko laga ki uske theek piche... koi khada hai. Usne dheere-dheere apna sir ghumaya aur jo dekha, usne uske jism ka khoon jama diya!

Darwaze ke piche, haveli ka maalik nahi... balki ek behad darawni aakriti khadi thi. Uska jism bilkul chowkidar ki wardi me tha, par uski khaal sadi hui thi aur uski aakhon ki jagah sirf do khali, kaale gadde the. Uske gale par gehre kaatne ke nishaan the.

Wo darawni aakriti Raghu ki taraf dekhkar usi ki aawaaz me boli:

> *"Maalik ne kaha tha na... raat ke 12 baje ke baad tehkhane ki taraf mat dekhna. Maine bhi nahi suna tha..."*

>

Raghu ne darr ke maare bhagne ki koshish ki, par tabhi tehkhane ke andhere se kayi saare kaale, haddiyon jaise hath baahar nikle aur unhone Raghu ke pairon ko jakad liya. Wo use kheenchkar us andhere tehkhane ki taraf le jaane lage.

Raghu chilata raha, rote raha, par haveli ke us sannate me uski aawaaz sunne wala koi nahi tha.

### Agle Din

Subah jab haveli ka maalik wahan pahuncha, toh usne dekha ki tehkhane ka darwaza khula tha aur tala toota hua tha. Maalik ne thandi saans li, darwaze ko dobara naye taale se band kiya aur apne phone se kisi ko call lagaya:

"Hello... haan, naye chowkidar ki zaroorat hai. Salary ki chinta mat

karo, bas aaj raat se hi koi bhej do."