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Main ek chhoti si gaon mein rehta tha – sab log ek doosre ko jaante the, har raaz sab ka tha. Ek purani haveli humare gaon ke kinaare par thi jo kai saalon se band thi. Kahi suna tha ki kisi zamane mein wahan zamindar aur uski parivaar rehte the, par phir ek din achanak se sab gayaab ho gaye the. Tab se vo haveli veeran thi.
Main hamesha us haveli ke paas se guzarta tha jab school jaane ke liye cycle le kar nikalta tha. Aur hamesha ek ajeeb thandak guzar jaati thi meri reedh ki haddi se. Aankhon ke kone se kuch hilta hua dikhayi deta jaise koi window ke piche khada dekh raha ho. Par jab poora gaon hi kehta ho ki mat jao, to mann usi taraf aur khinchta hai.
Ek baar main aur mera dost Ravi shaam ke time talab ke paas baith ke chit-chat kar rahe the. Tabhi maine bol diya, “Aaj raat chalte hain us haveli mein. Sirf ek baar dekhne, kuch nahi hoga.” Ravi pehle ghabraya, par thodi der mein maan gaya. Humne decide kiya – rat ke 12 baje.
Raat mein maine jhooth bol diya maa se – bola hostel mein ruk raha hoon. Torch aur camera liya, aur Ravi se talab ke paas mila. Haveli ki taraf jaate waqt har kadam bhaari lag raha tha. Raat ka sannata… sirf hamare kadmon ki aawaz… aur kabhi kabhi koi door kutta bhonktay huye.
Haveli ka gate aadi khula tha — jaise kisi ne humein bulaya ho. Gate ko dhakka de kar andar gaye, aur ek ajeeb si gandh ne hamare naak ko jhatka diya — purani lakdi, geeli deewar, aur kuch aur… kuch jo bas mehsoos hota hai.
Andar sab kuch thama hua tha. Furniture jyon ka tyon tha. Ek badi si painting deewar pe latak rahi thi — ek aurat, laal saree mein, aankhon mein kuch ajeeb sa gussa. Jaise abhi zinda ho ke bahar niklegi.
Ravi kamre-dar-kamre explore kar raha tha. Camera se sab record kar raha tha. Ek kamra mein jaake mujhe kuch awaaz aayi – jese koi gun-guna raha ho. Dheere se door khola… and koi nahi tha. Par neeche floor pe ek taaza paani ke kadam the — jaise koi abhi abhi gaya ho.
“Ravi!” maine cheekh kar bulaya, par koi jawab nahi. Panic hone laga. Kamre se nikla aur corridor mein bhaagne laga Ravi ko dhoondhne. Tabhi woh painting… woh ab deewar pe nahi thi. Main chilla hi pada.
Nichaay se awaz aayi — jese koi ro raha ho. Dil thami ke seedhiyon ki taraf gaya. Neeche basement tha. Aur gate… khud-ba-khud khul gaya. Bas heart-beat sunayi de rahi thi. Dar ke maare pair tharthara rahe the. Basement mein kuch thanda tha… unnatural thandak. Aur ek laal bindi deewar pe bani dikhai di. Neeche kuch likha tha – “Main abhi bhi zinda hoon.”
Tabhi ek haath meri gardan ke paas se guzra! Cheekh kar mud ke dekha – koi nahi! Chillate chillate Ravi mila – lekin uski aankhon mein kuch gadbad thi. Woh normal nahi lag raha tha. Sirf dekh raha tha mujhe… bina palke jhapkaaye.
Main usse pakad kar bahar bhagna chaha, par usne mera haath itni zor se pakda ki chhoti cheezein sunayi dene lagi. “Woh keh rahi hai ruk jaao,” usne kaha… ek ajeeb, bejaan awaaz mein.
Tabhi – phir se woh roti aawaz, is baar thi kamar ke peeche. Main sun nahi pa raha tha Ravi kya keh raha hai. Woh bas keh raha tha – “Usne mujhe dekh liya hai… ab tu bhi gaya.”
Main jhat se uska haath chhudaaya, aur apne aap chilla kar bhaaga. Gate tak pahucha… aur shock mein tha – gate ab band tha. Kisi ne uss taraf se band kiya tha. Aandhi, bijli, aur andhera ghir chuka tha.
Tabhi woh aurat… laal saree mein… woh ussi painting waali aurat… woh upar se seedhiyon se neeche aayi. Har kadam ke saath zameen kamp rahi thi. Aankhon mein bas khoon tha.
Mujhe bas yaad hai main cheekhta raha. Aur kuch nahi. Jab hosh aaya, main talab ke paas be-hosh pada tha. Ravi kabhi nahi mila. Haveli dobara kabhi khuli nahi. Gaon waale bulate hain us jagah ko “Laashon wali Haveli.”
Lekin dard yahaan khatam nahi hota. Har raat 12 baje mujhe phone aata hai – unknown number se. Jab uthata hoon… bas ek awaaz aati hai… ek aurat ki roti hui awaaz – “Tu mujhe dekh ke bhaag gaya… ab mujhe dekhne sab ayenge.”
