Neelkanth tum neele rahiyo

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picture credit:  google images
बचपन में  हम दशहरा हमेशा जबलपुर में मनाते थे. ये बात सुनकर लोग कहते थे,”हाँ, जबलपुर का दशहरा बहुत मशहूर है न!” पर उन लोगों को किस मुंह से बताते कि हमें क्या पता, जबलपुर का दशहरा कैसा होता है, हमें तो  ग्राउंड के पास फटकने भी नहीं मिलता था. हम तो जबलपुर इसलिए जाते थे क्योंकि दीवाली दादा-दादी के घर पर ही मनानी होती थी. हमारे दादाजी याने बब्बाजी का मानना था कि भीड़ भाड़ वाली जगहों पर बच्चों को नहीं जाना चाहिए. नवरात्रि के नौ दिन तो आस-पास के दुर्गा पूजा के पंडाल देखने में गुजर जाते थे, पर दशहरा के दिन जब सारा शहर और आस-पास के गाँवों  के लोग दशहरा ग्राउंड की तरफ  जा रहे होते, तो हम बच्चे बब्बा की खटारा कार में लदकर मन मसोसते हुए भेड़ाघाट की तरफ जा रहे होते, नीलकंठ ढूँढने! बब्बा कहते थे, दशहरा के दिन नीलकंठ के दर्शन जरूर करने चाहिए. कार शहर से बाहर निकलते ही सब की उत्सुक आँखें नीलकंठ को ढूँढने लगतीं और नीलकंठ दिखते ही सब एक सुर में जोर-जोर से बोलने लगते: नीलकंठ तुम नीले रहियो, दूध-भात का भोजन करियो, हमरी खबर भगवान से कहियो, कि .........”
आखिरी लाइन हर कोई  अपने हिसाब से बना लेता था! पर्सनल एप्लीकेशन जो भेजनी होती थी! पर  हमारे नन्हे मन तब ये भी ठीक से नहीं सोच पाते थे कि भगवान को क्या संदेसा भिजवाया जाए! ज्यादा से ज्यादा अपनी क्लास में फर्स्ट आने की इच्छा जाहिर कर देते थे. कभी कभी हममें से कोई शैतान बच्चा बब्बा को सुनाकर जोर से कह देता,” नीलकंठ तुम .........हमरी खबर भगवान से कहियो कि बब्बा दिवाली पर हम सब को नए कपड़े दिलवाएं.....” बच्चों के साथ-साथ  बब्बा भी जोर से ठहाका लगाते, और संदेसा तो भगवान् तक पहुच ही जाता होगा क्योंकि दीवाली के पहले ही  बब्बा से नए कपड़ों के पैसे भी मिल जाते थे.
अब लगता है बेचारे नीलकंठ को भी दया आ जाती होगी कि भगवान से भी इतनी छोटी-छोटी चीज़ें मांग रहे हैं! पर उस वक़्त शायद सभी बच्चों का संसार इतना ही होता था! पर नीलकंठ शायद  अपनी तरफ  से ही भगवान् से बहुत सी सिफारिशें कर देता होगा, क्योंकि जितना मिला है ज़िन्दगी में , उसकी तो बचपन में कभी कल्पना भी नहीं की थी!
बरसों हो गए नीलकंठ देखे, पर  आज सोचती हूँ अगर नीलकंठ दिख जाए तो क्या कहूँगी? एक लम्बी चौड़ी लिस्ट पकड़ा दूँगी कि  भगवान् को दे देना जाकर?
पर फिर लगता है, बचपन ही अच्छा था, कम से कम ये तो पता था, क्या चाहिए!

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