अजिंठा - Ajintha

By Shivam Namdeo Shinde

गुहेमधला काळाभोर काळोख असीमला गिळू पाहत होता. असीम आपल्याच धुंदीत गुहेत आत, आत शिरत गेला. काळोखाचे पदर बाजूला करून काही चित्र त्याच्याकडे टकमक टकमक पाहत होते. त्या चित्रांनी जणू असीम ला भुरळ पाडली. रंगदुनियेने असीम चे स्वागत केले. असीम आता त्यांचा झालाच होता, की रंगांच्या त्या मैफिलीतून शांततेचा कर्कश आवाज हलकल्लोळ घालू लागला. असीम च्या लक्षात आलं की कलेने पछाडलेल्या या गुहेने अपल्याला जखडले आहे. आणि अशात, अंतर्मनातल्या त्या वयोवृद्ध गुहेच्या सखोलतेवर जेव्हा असीम पोहचतो, तेव्हा ती गुहाच त्याला म्हणते की, "तू इथे असायला नको. निघून जा! आत्ताच्या आता, निघून जा!" 

घायाळ असीम प्रकाशाचा एक झोत शोधत, धावत धावत गुहेच्या बाहेर निघू पाहतो, आणि तेवढ्यात, तेवढ्यात चांडाळी मनाचे अघोर खेळ सुरू होतात. रंगसौंदर्याने माखलेली ती गुहा बीभत्स दिसू लागते, चित्र अधिकाधिक भयानक, राक्षसी वाटू लागतात. समोर प्रकाशाची एक जोत दिसते, तिचा साक्षात्कार होताच एक विचित्र किंकाळी असीम चा पाठलाग करते, कानांना त्रास होतो, मेंदू निष्काम ठरतो. त्या किंकाळीपासून स्वतःला लांब, लांब लोटत असीम गुहेच्या बाहेर पडतो.

आणि आज, इतक्या दिवसानंतर असीम च्या लक्षात येतं, की "आपण गुहेत नाही, तर गुहा आपल्यात शिरली आहे". अजिंठा.

English Translation

In a trance and unaware of his enchanted surroundings, Aseem kept exploring the dark depths of the cave, which tried to swallow him in. With each step, the cave unveiled its darkness and presented Aseem with its magical art; hypnotizing and welcoming him into its world. Aseem was almost lost in its clutches, when the deafening noise of the silence started its dance of chaos. Aseem realized that this art-possessed cave was trapping him in. Astonished and dazed, when Aseem reached the weathered cave’s heart, it screamed at him, “You shouldn’t be here, go away! Get out this very instance! Go!”

Wounded and tired, Aseem searched for the light that would take him out of this cave only to have his delusional mind start playing ruthless tricks upon him. The art-adorned walls of the cave became horrendous- the landscapes turning horrifying, the characters turning into monsters. As soon as he found the ray of light among this pandemonium, an ear-splitting scream followed him- hurting his ears, stopping his brain. Ridding himself from the voice’s greedy clutches, Aseem pushed himself out of the cave.

After all these days, Aseem realizes that he didn’t enter the cave; the cave entered into him. Ajintha.

By Shivam Namdeo Shinde