Ek Photo, Ek Aankh… Aur Khatam Sab Kuch

Mera naam Kabir hai. Aaja, ek aisi kahani sunata hoon jo sirf kahani nahi… ek lanat hai. Main tere liye yeh likh raha hoon, magar tujhe pehle se bata doon — agar tu dil se kamzor hai, toh yahaan se palat ja. Lekin agar tu waaqai jaanna chahta hai ki andhere mein kya rehta hai, toh sunkar wapas mat kehna ke warn nahi kiya. Sab kuch shuru hua us raat jab maine khud ko ek band kamre mein paya. Koi khidki nahi thi, koi darwaza bhi nahi… Lekin mujhe yaad tha… main to sirf Saanjhpur gaya tha — ek chhota sa gaon, jahan log kehte the ki koi aur saans leta hai unke beech mein. Mujhe yaad hai maine sirf ek photo kheechi thi, ek purani aurat ki, jo mandir ke peeche baithe ro rahi thi. Uski aankhon mein dard nahi tha… ek aur cheez thi — jaise woh mujhe pehchaan gayi ho. Main wahaan tourist nahi tha. Main uske liye kuch aur tha. Us photo ke baad meri zindagi kabhi normal nahi rahi. Ghar aate hi sab cheezen ulatne lagi — Ghadi raat 3:12 pe atak jaati thi. Mere fridge mein doodh sirf kala liquid ban jaata tha. Aur jab main sota… toh kisi aur ki neend dekhta. Ek purush, barf mein chhupa hua… jiska chehra hamesha meri taraf mudta tha. Aur har baar uski aankhen meri maa jaisi hoti thi. Main darta nahi tha… pehle. Magar ab darr koi reaction nahi tha… Darr mera schedule ban gaya tha. Main bathroom jaata, toh mirror mein koi aur khada milta — koi, jiske paas meri body thi… magar aankhen kisi aur ki. Phir Armaan ka call aaya. Usne kaha — “Tere sath kuch to chipak gaya hai, bhai. Woh tere saath Saanjhpur se aaya hai.” Maine hans ke kaha — “Bhoot woot kuch nahi hota.” Armaan chup raha… usne bas ek photo bheji — Main… ek jungle ke beech mein khada tha, lahu lahu… Lekin main toh tab apne office mein tha. Usne likha: "Yeh tu nahi hai, par yeh TERA chehra hai." Us raat mujhe phone ki vibration se neend khuli… Lekin phone to band tha. Table pe rakha tha… lekin vibration mere seene ke andar ho rahi thi. Jaise koi zinda cheez meri ribs ke beech mein hil rahi ho. Main bathroom bhaaga… aur pehli baar dekha… Mere seene ke andar ek aankh thi. Zinda. Ghoorti hui. Us aankh ne palak jhapkaayi… aur main behosh ho gaya. Utha toh main kisi aur jagah tha. Na woh mera bed tha, na woh mera sheher. Main kisi baraf se bhari zameen par tha… Aur saamne ek purana makaan. Wohi makaan… jiska sketch maine bachpan mein apne drawing book mein banaya tha — Wohi makaan, jisme main kabhi gaya hi nahi… Phir bhi har dream mein tha. Main us makaan ke andar gaya… aur har wall pe wahi photo lagi thi — Mera chehra… lekin har photo mein alag emotions — Ek mein main chillaa raha tha, ek mein hans raha tha… Lekin ek photo thi… jisme main sirf dekh raha tha. Us photo ke neeche likha tha: “Original You.” Tabhi ek awaaz aayi — “Tu asli hai ya woh?” Main mudha… koi nahi tha. Lekin hawa ka ek jhatka aaya… aur woh photo jisme main chillaa raha tha, zameen pe gir gayi. Aur us photo mein se awaaz aayi — “Tera waqt khatam ho gaya.” Wahi se har cheez palat gayi. Main har jagah apne aap ko dekhne laga. Bus mein, lift mein, sapno mein… Lekin har version mera nahi tha. Ek din jab main ne apne ghar ke samne CCTV footage dekhi, toh ek aadmi roz raat ko 2:59 pe mere gate ke saamne aake khada hota tha… Uski height, uski walk, sab kuch mere jaisa tha. Lekin jab usne camera ki taraf dekha… toh uske chehre pe sirf ek bada sa cheera tha — Aankhon se leke gale tak — jaise usne apne aap ko khola ho. Aur andar kuch aur tha. Main ne police ko bulaya… Lekin jab footage dikhayi, toh file corrupt nikli. Lekin mujhe yaad tha uske aankhen — woh aankhen jisme maine Armaan ki maa ko dekha tha… jo 10 saal pehle mar chuki thi. Armaan ek din gayab ho gaya. Uska phone mila, aur usmein ek audio clip thi — Bas itna bola usne: “Kabir… woh tu nahi hai.” Aur phir ek cheekh… jo insaan ki nahi thi. Jaise kisi ne andar se Armaan ki awaaz chura li ho. Main darr ke maare Saanjhpur wapas gaya… Wahin mandir ke peeche us aurat ko dhundhne… Magar ab wahan sirf ek jala hua chabutra tha. Aur us pe likha tha — “Apni chehra wapas le ja, Kabir.” Main ne aaina dekha… Aur pehli baar samjha… Jo main samajhta raha ki main hoon… woh kabhi tha hi nahi. Woh main kab ka ja chuka tha. Main toh sirf ek khaali jism tha… jisme ab koi aur rehta tha. Aaj bhi jab main bolta hoon, toh meri zubaan meri nahi lagti. Mere haath likhte hain, magar soch kisi aur ki hoti hai. Aur jab main sota hoon… toh ek aur Kabir jaagta hai. Aur tu… tu yeh story padh raha hai. Par tu yeh kyun padh raha hai? Kya tujhe koi kheech laaya yahaan tak? Kya tu sure hai… ke tu tu hi hai? Soch le, kyunki teri screen pe jo reflection hai… woh shayad tu nahi.