Burhapa

"Be nice to your kids, they will choose your nursing home" - A bumper sticker


Jub hum chote chote bachhe the to hamari dadi taaron bhare aasman ke neeche, ghar ki chat (roof) pe, gadda, takya laga ke kahanian sunaya kerti thin. Meri umer koi 7/8 baras rahi hogi magar us umer main bhi hum un ki god pe sir rakh ke jin, dev, pari aur hur mafuqul-fitrat makhluq ko haqiqat samjhte. Lekin kabhi kabhi woh hame 'real' zindagi ki kahanian bhi suna detin. Bachpan ki suni un hikayaton main se aik kahani aaj kul america kiya bulke pakistan main bhi burhe logon ko dekh ker bohut yaad aati hai.

Kisi gaun main aik burhi amma rehti thi. Us ke paas aik bari bhari bharkam peti thi, jis pe aik bara sa taala para rehta. Hur roz woh chupke chupke us peti ko dekha kerti aur zor se taala bajati. Hur koi samjhta ke burhia ne ander kafi daulat jama ker ke rakhi hai. us ke chaar bete aur bahu the. Har koi us pe beecha beecha jata. Har koi us ki aao bhagat kerta. Aur phir aik din burhia fot ho gai. Abhi burhia ke qabar ki mitti sukhi bhi na hogi ke sab ne us peti ka taala tora. Ander sirf bhari bhari pathar bhare the aur aik parchi thi, jis pe likha tha: "agar ye na kerti to burhape main tum log mera khayal na rukhte".

Agar burhape main insaan ki maali halat theek na ho to guzara muskil ho jata hai. Allah jane aulad kitni kaam aati hai. Aap ne amitabh ki film 'baghban' to dekhi ho. Aur aap ko Ajmal Shahab ki babasi bhi yaad ho gi.