Shaam dhal rahi thi. Andhera dhire-dhire basti ki galiyon mein utar raha tha, lekin us chhoti si gali mein abhi bhi ek roshni ka bulb jala hua tha—us roshni ke neeche khadi thi Suman. Neela saadi, sidhi mang mein sindoor, aur aankhon mein kuch adhoori baatein liye woh usi dukaan ke shutter ke paas khadi thi jahan din bhar sabzi waale, chai waale, aur silai karne wali aunty ki awaaz gunjti rehti thi.
Suman ki aankhon mein thodi bechaini thi, lekin us bechaini ke peeche ek intezaar chhupa tha. Uska haath kamar par tha, jaise kuch kehna chahti ho, ya shayad kuch soch rahi ho. Uske samne se aate hue ek aadmi—Ravi—muskurata hua chal raha tha. Haath mein ek chhoti si peeli polythene thi, jisme shayad thodi si chai-patti ya sabzi ho sakti thi. Uska chehra relaxed tha, jaise har roz ka kaam nipta kar ab ghar jaa raha ho. Magar uski muskaan mein ek narmi thi—ek pehchan, ek purani yaad, ek rishte ki jhalak.
Ravi ne Suman ko dekha, aur uski muskurahat aur gehri ho gayi. Suman ne thoda sa jhuk kar nazar milai, lekin fir nazar hata li. Un dono ke beech koi lafz nahi bola gaya, par unki aankhon mein kai saalon ka guftagu tha.
Woh mohallah purana tha, par har kone mein kahaniyon ka jangal basa tha. Suman aur Ravi ek zamane mein school ke dost the. Ek hi gali mein rehne ke karan bachpan kaafi waqt saath guzra. Par phir Ravi ki shaadi kisi aur se ho gayi, aur Suman ki kahani kisi aur mod par chali gayi. Suman ki shaadi baad mein toot gayi thi, aur ab woh apne maa ke saath yahin rehti thi. Ravi apni patni aur do bachchon ke saath mohalle ke thik peeche waale gali mein shift ho gaya tha.
Zindagi ne dono ko alag modon pe le jaa chhoda tha, lekin mohalla wahi tha, log wahi the, aur raat ko jalti bulb ke neeche khade hokar ek dusre se nazar milana ab bhi ek aadat thi.
Ravi ne halki si awaaz mein bola, "Aaj kuch zyada thak gayi lag rahi ho, sab theek hai?"
Suman ne halka sa muskara kar kaha, "Sab kuch toh theek hi hota hai yahaan. Bas kabhi-kabhi sochne ka mann karta hai."
Ravi ne polythene ko haath mein ghumaya, aur fir thoda ruk kar bola, "Kabhi chai pe bulana. Purani baatein yaad aati hain."
Suman ne aankhon se hi jawaab diya, ek aisa jawaab jisme haan bhi thi aur shayad na bhi. Phir usne poocha, "Bachche kaisa hai?"
"Tez ho gaye hain dono. Ek din mere phone se tumhari purani photo dekh li... bola, yeh kaun hai? Maine kaha, ek achhi dost," Ravi ne haste hue bataya.
Usi waqt, peeche andhere mein do auratein chalte hue guzri—shayad pados wali Sheela aur uski beti. Dono chup chap un dono ko dekh kar nikal gayi. Galiyon ke andheron mein rishte zyada roshan hote hain, aur mohalle ki aankhen kabhi soti nahi.
Woh pal sirf kuch minute ka tha, lekin usmein poori kahani thi. Ek kahani jismein mohabbat nahi thi, nafrat bhi nahi thi, bas ek samajh thi. Do log jo apni-apni zindagi jee rahe the, lekin ek doosre ki khamoshi samajh lete the.
Bulb ki roshni ab kamzor ho rahi thi. Ravi ne peeli polythene uthai aur muskurakar kaha, "Chalun, ghar pe sab intezaar kar rahe honge."
Suman ne sir hila diya. Ravi mud gaya, lekin ek baar fir palat kar dekha. Suman ab bhi wahi thi, magar uski aankhon mein ek alag si shanti thi.
Mohalle ki woh shaam jaise usi bulb ke neeche qaid ho gayi thi—ek pal, ek lamha, jismein dard bhi tha aur sukoon bhi.
Ant mein...
Zindagi kabhi kabhi humein wahi log lauta deti hai jinhe humne waqt ke kisi mod pe chhod diya tha. Shayad sirf itna hi hota hai kismat ka khel—milna nahi, sirf dekh lena. Bas, ek baar aur.
"Mohalle Ki Ek Shaam" – Ek kahani jisme lafzon se zyada aankhon ne baatein ki.
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