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मैंग्रोव फारेस्ट तक पहुँचने का रास्ता भी कम चुनौतीपूर्ण नहीं था। भीगी हुई सड़कें और अनगिनत मोड़। बाताम एक छोटी जगह है, और एक-डेढ़ घंटे की सीमा में पूरे द्वीप को पार किया जा सकता है। फिर भी मौसम के कारण हमें फारेस्ट तक पहुँचते ही ५० मिनट लग गये। तब तक आसमान हल्का हो चुका था। हम फारेस्ट के आगे टिकट लिए खड़े थे। सामने एक लकड़ी की तख़्तों से बना हुआ पुल, और उसके दोनों तरफ़ मैंग्रोव। समस्या यह थी कि वो पतली-पतली लकड़ी की तख़्तें पानी, पत्ते और कीचड़ से इस तरह लिपट गई थी, कि कदम रखते ही फिसलने का डर था। मैं तो फारेस्ट के अंदर तक पहुँचने की धुन में इस पुल को पार कर लेती। मगर दादा-दादी से यह कैसे हो पाता? ख़ैर, उनका पार करना तो बहुत दूर की बात थी। मेरे माता-पिता के चेहरे भी बिल्कुल मुकर गये थे। बस हम उसी विडंबना में पड़े हुए थे कि हमारे ड्राइवर हंसते-गाते पुल को पार करने लगे। उनको देखकर मैं भी हंस पड़ी। बाताम में सच-मुच लोग तनावमुक्त रहते हैं। फिर मैंने पहल की। रेलिंग को जकड़कर रखा और चलने लगी। मेरे पीछे मेरा सारा परिवार। वहाँ पर कोई और सैलानी मौजूद नहीं थे। जो कि बहुत अच्छी बात है क्योंकि हम सब मूर्खों की तरह डर-डर कर चल रहे थे।
पुल पार कर हम एक खुली जगह पहुँचे, जहां पर कुछ गाड़ी के पुराने टायर को पेंट और अन्य सामग्री से सजाकर रखा हुआ था। कुछ को एक के ऊपर एक रख कुर्सी सामान बनाये हुए और कुछ को रस्सी से लटकाकर झूलों की तरह। फारेस्ट के दरमियान उनका होना विचित्र था। फिर कुछ देर बाद हमारी मुलाक़ात उनके कलाकारों से हुई। एक अधेड़ अवस्था की औरत और उनके तीन बच्चे। उनसे बातचीत करने पर पता चला कि वे इस फारेस्ट के संरक्षण का कार्य करते हैं। मैंग्रोव की देखरेख, जमे हुए पानी का निकास, वहाँ जन्में हानिकार पौधों की निराई इत्यादि। फारेस्ट के टिकट से उनकी कमाई होती है, और चावल, सब्ज़ी व मछली से उनके खाने का इंतज़ाम। उनके बच्चे वहीं सरकारी स्कूल में निःशुल्क शिक्षा प्राप्त करते हैं। दरअसल यात्रा करते हुए अक्सर ऐसे लोगों से मिलना होता है जिनसे बात करने के पश्चात, शहरी जीवन बिलकुल ही नीरस और असंतोषजनक प्रतीत होता है। ऐसा लगता है, कि अपनी पढ़ाई, नौकरी, और उससे उत्पन्न सब तनाव को छोड़, एक सरल जीवन ही अपना लेना चाहिए। परंतु अभी इन सभी बातों पर विमर्श करना का उचित समय नहीं था। सामने सारा फारेस्ट था और हमने पहुँचने में कम कष्ट नहीं उठाये थे।
सामने फारेस्ट खुलता गया और मन एकदम मोह सा गया। मैंग्रोव एक विशेष प्रकार का पेड़ होता है। ज़्यादा से ज़्यादा ऑक्सीजन प्राप्त करने हेतु इसकी जड़ें मिट्टी के ऊपर होती है। उसकी जड़ें रेशेदार होने की जगह वे लकड़ी की तरह मज़बूत होती है। बल्कि यह जड़ें इतनी ज़्यादा मज़बूत होती है कि मैंने उनपर खड़े रहे एक तस्वीर भी खिंचाई। दरअसल हमें मैंग्रोव फारेस्ट इतना रास आया कि वहाँ से जाने का मन ही नहीं कर रहा था। हमने जब वापिस जाने का निर्णय लिया, शाम बहुत नीचे उतर चुकी थी। ड्राइवर साहब को शायद देरी हो रही थी। वो ज़्यादा ही तेज़ रफ़्तार से गाड़ी चला रहे थे, भीगी हुई सड़कों पर। उस दिन तो कलेजे पर हाथ रख हम किसी तरह होटल पहुँचे।
रात को हम बाज़ार गये थे। दरअसल दूसरे देशों की पंसारी दुकानों को देखना मुझे बहुत ही पसंद आता है। वहाँ के लोग क्या खाते हैं, कौनसे स्नैक्स और ड्रिंक का सेवन करते हैं। बाताम के बीस हज़ार रुपैया हमारे सिंगापुर के एक डॉलर है। तो ज़ाहिर सी बात है कि वहाँ पर हमें सामान काफ़ी कम दाम में मिला।
दूसरा दिन हमारा आख़िरी दिन भी था। गाड़ी से हम समुद्री तट पहुँचे। वहाँ पर हम बैठे नारियल के ठंडी पानी का आनंद ले ही रहे थे कि एक आदमी हमारी तरफ़ आया। “क्या आपको पुत्री द्वीप तक जाना है?” यह एक बहुत ही अप्रत्याशित सवाल था। और हम क्यों एक अनजान आदमी की नाव में बैठकर किसी दूसरे द्वीप तक जाये? तभी मुझे याद आया कि पुत्री द्वीप तो बाताम का नामी और सबसे नया द्वीप है। “चलते है ना”, मैं ज़िद पर अड़ी रही। फिर दादा-दादी ने यह शर्त रख दी कि हम लाइफ वेस्ट के बिना नहीं जाएँगे। हाँ, यह समझदार है लेकिन वो आदमी बीस मिनट का ही सफ़र बता रहा था। और उसकी नाव भी ठीक-ठाक लग रही थी। तो फिर कुछ चर्चा-परिचर्चा के बाद हम सब चल पड़े।
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