Ek mashahoor kahawat hai… Ab Pachtaaye Kya Haut Jab Chidiyaan Chug Gayiien Khet…
aise hi ek pachtaave ki kahani hai yeh… Champakali ki kahaani…
Shukarwaar ka dinn tha. Champakali subah se hi aadh toote sheeshe ke aage apne roop ko sanwaar rahi thi; uss ne honton ko massi se ranga.
Badi badi aankhon mein kajal ki dhaar kheenchi.
Saanwle rang ko sasti si cream se Gora karne ki na’kaam koshish ki.
Rang saanwla tha magar nain-naksh kaatil the,
nagin si bal khaati choti mein khholi ke pichwaade lage chaandni ke phool atkaaye,
pairon mein paayalon ke saath Kolhapuri chappal pehni,
maathe par bindi lagayi, reshmi saadhi ke pallu ko aage se phela liya,
tayaari par aakhri nazar daali
aur
jhaadoo utha kar kamre se bahir aagayi.
“Champakali itna kaahe ko sajj dhajj kar mehal ko jaave hai? Kisi Raja ki najar mein aagayi to khattnaayi mein padd jaavegi”
Mata ne hamesha ki tarah samjhana chaha.
“Arey humri bholi mata!
Unnki najar mein to chaand utrann hain; unnki baahon mein to phool mehkann hain; hum unnki najraan mein kaise aasakat hain?
Yeh sub singhaar to hum apne liye karat hain, tum be’phikar raho.
Champakali ko koi meli aankh se dekhan ke baad kidhar jaavega?
Ab hum chalat hain. Dair horahi hai.”