Baarish Mein Safar
Us din baarish ho rahi thi… Aur main bas ghar jaane nikla
tha.
Phir… woh mil gayi.
Bus stop pe bheed thi,
baarish thi tez,
Haath mein umbrella,
aankhon mein haze,
Main bheega khada tha,
woh hans ke boli,
“Umbrella hai… par jagah hai thodi.” Maine kaha,
“Aap pehle chaliye,” Woh boli,
“Itna shareef mat baniye.”
Do minute ka tha woh chhota safar,
Par yaad reh gaya poora shehar.
Na naam poocha, na number liya,
Bas jaate-jaate mudke dekha kiya,
Dil ne kaha — “Kuch toh baat hai,”
Dimaag bola — “Bhai,
baarish ka asar hai.”
Phir mil gayi… phir mil gayi,
Wahi ladki phir mil gayi,
Jisko kal tak jaanta nahi tha,
Aaj woh dil mein kyun mil gayi?
Phir mil gayi… phir mil gayi,
Kahani jaise phir mil gayi. (ooh-aaah)
Agli shaam main wahi khada,
Baarish nahi thi, phir bhi bheega bada,
Teen din guzre, chaar shaam gayi,
Woh kahin nahi… bas yaad aayi.
Dost ne bola, “Bhai tu gaya,” Maine bola,
“Nahi, kuch nahi hua.” Phir ussi chai ki dukaan pe jaake,
Har chehre mein usko dhoondta raha.
Phir ek din phone pe message aaya,
Unknown number ne “Hi” likh ke bheja,
Neeche likha tha — “Umbrella wala?” Mera dil bola — “Bhai,
mil gaya maal!”
Coffee pe mile, woh late thi thodi,
Aayi toh boli, “Traffic thi bahut hi.” Maine kaha,
“Jhooth bol rahi ho,” Woh boli,
“Tum bhi
cute lag rahe ho.” Baatein hui toh waqt gaya ruk,
Bill aaya toh dono hue chup,
Maine bola,
“Main pay kar deta hoon,” Woh boli,
“Next time tum mujhe mil lena.”
Phir mausam badla, shehar badla,
Roz ka milna bhi kam ho gaya,
Ek din usne kaha,
“Mujhe jaana hai…” Aur mera hansna bhi kam ho gaya.
Maine poocha, “Phir kab milogi?”
Woh muskura ke boli — “Pata nahi…”
Main bas dekhta reh gaya usko,
Aur baarish phir se aa gayi.
Phir mil gayi…
phir mil gayi, Teen saal baad phir mil gayi,
Wahi baarish, wahi shehar tha,
Bas iss baar woh meri thi.
Phir mil gayi… phir mil gayi,
Jo kahani adhuri reh gayi,
Kal tak jo ek ajnabi thi,
Aaj meri zindagi ban gayi. (ooh-aaah)
Kabhi-kabhi…
Kuch log pehli baar nahi milte… Bas sahi waqt par milte hain.