Written by: Ruhi Abdali
Part I: Ek Seedhi-Saadi Zindagi Ke Ulajhe Hue Dhaage
Anandpur ke dil mein, jahan galiyan unke logon ke khayalon ki tarah tang thin, Anjali rehti thi. Uski aankhon mein ek saadhaaran zindagi ki khwahish thi, jo TV par dikhne wali modern duniya se alag thi. Uska parivaar bhi bilkul vaisa hi tha: apas mein jude hue, purane riti-riwaz se bandhe hue, aur hamesha samaaj ki ummedon ke bhari saaye tale jeene wale.
Anjali ke pita, Ramesh Babu, ek mamooli sarkari clerk the. Unki thodi si salary unke parivaar ke kharchon ko mushkil se poora kar pati thi. Lekin unke kandhon par sabse bada bojh unki do betiyon, Anjali aur Kavya, ki shaadi ka tha. Ek aise samaaj mein jahan beti ka mol uske saath aane wale dahej se lagaya jaata tha, Ramesh Babu apni betiyon ko sirf aashirwad nahi, balki ek bojh bhi maante the. Unka bhavishya dahej ke naam par hamesha unhein daraata tha.
Sharma parivaar mein hamesha ek anjana sa tanav chhaya rehta tha. Ramesh Babu aksar der tak kaam karte the, kuch aur paise bachane ke liye. Unki patni, jo chinta se thak chuki thi, aksar Anjali ke chamakdar, samajhdaar chehre ko dekhti rehti thi. Woh uski kshamta aur uske sapno ko dekhti thin, lekin woh ek “acchi” dahej wali ladki ke mol ko bhi jaanti thin.
Jab Anjali ke liye rishta aaya, toh yeh ek aashirwad jaisa laga. Sameer, jo ek padha-likha software engineer tha, shahar ki ek mashhoor company mein kaam karta tha. Woh handsome tha, modern lagta tha, aur uski family bhi middle-class thi, lekin upar se progressive lagti thi. “Humein dahej nahi chahiye,” Sameer ke parents, Mr. aur Mrs. Gupta ne pehli mulaqat mein muskurate hue kaha tha. “Humein bas aapki beti chahiye.” Ramesh Babu, khushi aur rahat se jhoom uthe, apni saari jama-punji aur ek bada loan lekar ek shandaar shaadi kar di. Unhone khud ko samjhaya ki yeh dil kholkar kiya gaya kharch unke parivaar ki izzat ko sabit kar dega.
Shaadi ek shandaar affair tha, jiske baare mein poore shahar mein kai hafton tak charcha chalti rahi. Anjali ne apne maike ko dil mein ummeed aur pyaar ke vaade ke saath choda. Pehle kuch mahine sab kuch ek sapne jaisa tha. Sameer uski care karta tha, use bahar khane le jata tha aur chote-mote tohfe deta tha. Uske parents bhi usse pyaar karte the aur use apni beti jaisa maante the. Lekin is nayi-nayi khushi ke piche, ek andhera chhipa hua tha.
Shuruwat mein, Anjali ki saas, Mrs. Gupta ne ek family function mein kaha, “Pata hai, Amit ke sabhi doston ki biwiyon ko unke parivaar se luxury cars aur mehnge gehne mile hain. Unke parivaar kitne nek hain. Tumhare parents kitne kanjoos hain, hai na?” Anjali ka dil baith gaya. Yeh ek chota sa taana tha, lekin Anjali ne is taane ko dil par le liya. Usne khud ko samjhaya ki yeh sirf ek mazak tha, lekin uske dil mein ek shaq paida ho gaya.
Jaldi hi, yeh taane badh gaye. Uski saas, Mrs. Gupta, ne uske banaye hue kapdon ko brands ke saath compare karna shuru kar diya. Amit bhi usse door ho gaya. Woh der se ghar aane laga aur apna sara time phone par hi bitata. Ek sham, Amit ne Anjali se kaha, “Anjali, mere doston ki biwiyan aisi zindagi jeeti hain jiske baare mein main soch bhi nahi sakta. Unke parents ne unka bhavishya secure kiya hai. Dekho humari zindagi! Ek chota sa apartment, ek second-hand car… sharm aati hai. Agar tumhara parivaar humari ummedon ko poora nahi kar sakta, toh is shaadi ka kya fayda?” Anjali ka dil baakiyon ki tarah thanda ho gaya. Uska ek seedha-saadha sapna toot gaya aur uski shaadi ke transactional nature ka sach saamne aa gaya. Usne Amit ko samjhane ki koshish ki, lekin Amit ne uski baat ko sirf sentimental nonsense kaha. “Pyaar filmon mein hota hai, Anjali. Yeh asal zindagi hai. Aur asal zindagi mein paisa chahiye hota hai.”
Yeh taane aur emotional torture ne Anjali ko andar se tod diya. Usne akele rehna shuru kar diya aur uski zindagi ek chhaya ban gayi. Uske chehre par hansi nahi, sirf darr tha.
Part II: Bagawat ki Chingari aur Ek Chhupa Hua Ateet
Ek din, uska chota bhai, Rohan, usse milne aaya aur uski halat dekhkar shocked ho gaya. Uski aankhon mein ansu the. Anjali ne Rohan ko sab kuch bataya. Rohan, jo ek law student tha, gusse mein aag babula ho gaya. Usne turant apne pita ko sab kuch bataya. Ramesh Babu ka dil toot gaya.
Ramesh Babu, desperate, Amit ke ghar gaye aur unse baat karne ki koshish ki. Unhone Amit ko unke vaade ki yaad dilayi, lekin unki baat ka koi asar nahi hua. “Do lakh rupaye aur ek nayi car,” Amit ke pita ne kaha. “Varna tumhari beti chali jayegi. Humare paas aur bhi options hain.” Guptas Anjali ko insaan nahi, balki ek failed investment maante the.
Ramesh Babu, heartbroken, Anjali ko wapas le aaye. Kuch din baad, Amit ne Anjali ko divorce ka notice bhej diya. Anjali shock mein thi, lekin uske andar ek nayi himmat paida hui. Usne chupchap se apni kismat accept karne se inkaar kar diya aur Rohan ke saath ek NGO ki madad li.
NGO ki madad se, Anjali ne Amit aur uske parivar ke khilaf case file kar diya. Court mein case chal raha tha aur Amit ka parivar Anjali par baseless accusations laga raha tha. Lekin Anjali, apni nayi himmat se bhari, har harassment ka detail se batati rahi.
Ek din court mein, Anjali ke lawyer, Mrs. Verma, ne ek bomb gira diya. “Your Honor, humare paas saboot hain ki Amit Gupta ki pehle bhi shaadi hui thi.” Poore court mein sannata chha gaya. Amit ka chehra peela pad gaya. Guptas ne is baat ko jhooth sabit karne ki koshish ki, lekin Anjali ke lawyer ne saboot saamne rakh diye. Sameer ne Anjali se pehle Kavita naam ki ek aur ladki se shaadi ki thi, jisse usne dahej ke liye talaq le liya tha. Kavita ne bhi Sameer par dahej ka case kiya tha, lekin uske paas koi proof nahi tha. Jab Kavita ko Anjali ke baare mein pata chala, toh usne Anjali ke lawyer se contact kiya aur use saare proof diye. Kavita ki gawahiyan Sameer ke dahej ka sach saamne laati hai. Sameer na sirf dahej ke liye doshi tha, balki usne apni pehli shaadi ki baat chhipayi thi.
Part III: Dhoke Ke Ulajhe Hue Dhaage
Jab sabko laga ki case khatam ho gaya hai, Amit ki saas, Mrs. Gupta, ne court mein rokar ek shocking revelation ki. Usne kaha ki dahej ki demand unki nahi, balki Amit ki thi. Manorama Devi ne apne bete ki galti ka ehsaas karte hue kaha, “Amit ko dahej ki demand isliye karni padi, kyunki woh apni asli family ko support karna chahta tha.” Is baat se sab hairaan ho jaate hain. Manorama Devi batati hai ki Amit ki asli maa woh nahi, balki uski mausi hai. Amit ki mausi ek gareeb aur beemar aurat thi aur Amit apni maa ki beemari ka ilaaj karana chahta tha. Amit ko lagta tha ki dahej se mile paiso se woh apni maa ka ilaaj karwa sakta hai. Lekin dahej ki laalach mein Amit ne galat raasta chun liya. Manorama Devi batati hai ki Amit ne unhe bhi dahej ke liye blackmail kiya tha.
Anjali ne yeh sab sunkar ek nayi tarah ka dard mehsoos kiya. Uska pyaar uske liye ek dhoka tha. Jab Amit ki asli maa court mein aayi, toh usne Anjali se apne bete ki galti ki maafi maangi. Anjali, uss aurat ki halat dekhkar usse maaf kar deti hai. Anjali Sameer se kehti hai, “Mujhe dahej nahi, tumhara pyaar chahiye tha. Tum dahej ke liye itna gir gaye ki tumhe apni maa aur biwi dono ko dhoka dena pada.” Amit ko apni galti ka ehsaas hota hai aur woh Anjali se maafi maangta hai. Anjali Amit ko maaf kar deti hai, lekin usse divorce ka faisla le leti hai.
Part IV: Ek Nayi Shuruaat
Anjali ki jeet dahej ke khilaf ek misaal ban jati hai. Anjali Amit ko uske asli maa ke paas chhod deti hai aur apni zindagi ka naya safar shuru karti hai. Amit bhi jail se nikal kar apni maa aur mausi ke saath apni zindagi ko sudharne ki koshish karta hai. Anjali phir se padhai shuru karti hai aur NGO mein job karti hai. Ab Anjali sirf ek peedita nahi thi, balki woh ek survivor thi jo dusri dahej peediton ko inspire kar rahi thi. Anjali ki kahani yeh dikhati hai ki dahej ke liye paiso ki laalach nahi, balki pyaar aur insaaniyat zaroori hai. Ramesh Babu bhi ab apni betiyon ki shaadi ke liye chinta nahi karte the. Ab woh jaante the ki unka sabse bada dahej unki betiyon ki education aur courage hai.
Part V: Ek Toote Hue Vaade Ki Goonj
Jaise-jaise Anjali apni nayi zindagi mein aage badhti hai, uske pichle rishte ki goonj usse kabhi-kabhi sunai deti hai. Usne Amit ko maaf kar diya tha, lekin uske dil par ek gehra zakhm tha. Woh ab har uss aadmi se darti thi jo bahut accha lagta tha. Uski behen, Kavya, Anjali ki himmat dekhkar aur bhi majboot ho gayi thi. Usne aage padhne ka faisla kiya, samaj ke dabav mein aakar shaadi karne se mana kar diya. Sharma parivaar, jo kabhi paramparaon ka gulaam tha, ab ek naye tarike se jeena seekh raha tha, jahan beti ki padhai ko sabse bada dahej maana jata tha.
Idhar, Amit jail se bahar aata hai. Woh ek badla hua insaan tha. Woh apni asli maa ke paas jata hai aur uski sehat ka khayal rakhta hai. Usne sab kuch kho diya tha—apni izzat, apni family, aur apni aazadi—sirf ek laalach ke liye jo usse kha gaya tha. Woh apni simple zindagi mein ek ajeeb sa sukoon paata hai. Ek din, woh Anjali ko ek park mein hanste hue dekhta hai. Woh use door se dekhta hai, uski aankhon mein taareef aur afsos dono the. Woh jaanta tha ki woh use wapas kabhi nahi paa sakta, lekin use khush dekhkar use sukoon milta tha. Usne apni shaanti paa li thi, aur usne apni aazadi.
Anjali ki kahani sirf uski kahani nahi thi. Yeh har uss aurat ki kahani thi jisne dahej ki andheri sachai ko saha tha. Yeh ummeed, himmat aur ek hi aawaz ki taaqat ki kahani thi jo ek gehre samaajik burai ko chunauti deti thi. Aur Anandpur ki tang galiyon mein, jahan deewarein kabhi dukh se bhari thin, ek nayi kahani likhi ja rahi thi, ek kahani jo shakti, badlaav aur insaaniyat ki jeet ki thi.
