Chai Garba Aur Ek Chhota Sa Heartbreak

Ahmedabad ki Garba nights ka apna hi level hota hai. Raat ka hawa mein dhol ki thap, rang-birangi chaniya cholis ka jhanjhanata sound, aur corner pe chai ki khushboo—bas, samajh lo poora shehar ek hi beat pe nach raha hai. Aur us beat ke beech, old city ki ek narrow gali ke end pe, Chacha Saheb ka thela khada hota tha. Thele pe purana sa steel ka dabba, ek side cutting chai ka kettle, aur doosri side local gossip ka full-time department.

Chacha Saheb, yaani Abdul Rehman, 58 saal ke the, par energy aise jaise 28 ke ho aur jagah-jagah ka jugaad unki pocket mein permanently fit ho. Unki safed topi thodi tedhi rehti, moustache mein ek alag hi confidence, aur aankhon mein woh mischievous sparkle jo bata deta tha ki aaj kisi na kisi ko tang kiya jaayega. Aur unka favorite target? Arjun.

Arjun 12 saal ka tha, school ka sharp boy, thoda sensitive, thoda smart, aur garba season mein Chacha Saheb ka regular partner-in-crime. Log sochte the dono bas ek dusre ko chhedte rehte hain, par asli baat yeh thi ki Arjun ko har saal Chacha Saheb ka prank ka intezaar rehta tha. Woh front pe irritate hone ka act karta, “Bas karo Chacha, aapko aur koi kaam nahi?” aur Chacha Saheb hans ke bolte, “Arre yaar, tu bina tang kiye toh season complete kaise hoga?”

Is baar Arjun ka ek naya confidence tha. Usne apna hearing aid pehna hua tha, neatly fit, aur woh chahta tha ki is baar crowd mein bhi woh bilkul normal lage. Usne school mein bhi kisi ko zyada nahi bataya tha, kyunki bacche kabhi kabhi bina soche kuch bhi bol dete hain. Arjun ko bas itna chahiye tha ki garba ke beech woh khud ko alag mehsoos na kare. Aur Chacha Saheb, jaise hamesha, uski seriousness ko bhi prank material samajh rahe the.

“Sun, Arjun,” Chacha Saheb ne thele pe chai filter karte hue bola, “iss saal main aisa prank karunga na, sab hasega. Tu bhi hasega, dekh lena.”

Arjun ne aankh ghuma ke bola, “Aap bas chai banao, Chacha. Prank-wrank mein aapka dimag zyada hi chalne laga hai.”

“Dimag?” Chacha Saheb ne haath se chest pe tap kiya. “Yeh jo hai na, Ahmedabad ka original software hai.”

Arjun ne hansi rok li. Yeh unka routine tha. Chhedna, tokna, phir dono ka khul ke hasna. Garba ground ki taraf se loud music aa rahi thi, aur crowd dheere-dheere jamna start ho gaya tha. Bua bhi apni balcony se dekh rahi thi, haath mein chai ka cup aur expression aisa jaise poori society ki CCTV wahi ho.

“Arre, yeh dono phir se natak kar rahe hain,” Bua ne apne aap se bola. “Kal bhi yahi drama tha, aaj bhi yahi.”

Par Bua ka “natak” dekhne ka style thoda alag tha. Woh comment bhi karti thi aur nazar bhi rakhti thi. Usko pata tha Chacha Saheb ka mazaak kabhi kabhi zyada ho jaata hai, aur Arjun ka chehra kab khil jaata hai aur kab thoda sa tight ho jaata hai, yeh woh turant pakad leti thi.

Shaam dheere-dheere garba raat mein badal gayi. Thele ke paas log chai le rahe the, koi jalebi ki baat kar raha tha, koi dhol ki beat pe already foot tap kar raha tha. Chacha Saheb ne Arjun ko dekhte hue apna plan shuru kiya. Unhone ek local boy ko bulaya aur kuch whisper kiya. Boy ne aankh maari aur crowd mein ghus gaya.

Thodi der baad, Chacha Saheb ne zor se announce kiya, “Attention attention! Arjun bhai ne free jalebi jeeti hai!”

Crowd mein ek chhota sa wave utha. Kuch bacche “kahan, kahan?” bolte hue idhar-udhar dekhne lage. Arjun ne pehle toh pretend kiya ki usse farq nahi pada, par uske kaan tak laal ho gaye.

“Chacha!” Arjun ne gusse ka act karte hue bola, “aap na, bilkul pagal ho.”

Chacha Saheb hase, “Arre, prize lene mein sharam kaisi? Chal, jalebi le.”

Arjun ne dramatic style mein haath jhatak diya, aur wahi moment tha jab crowd ke beech ek dhakka laga. Arjun ka balance thoda sa bigda, aur usne apne kaan ke paas haath le jaake feel kiya. Uska face ek second mein change ho gaya.

“Hearing aid...,” woh dheere bola.

Chacha Saheb ne pehle suna nahi. “Kya?”

Arjun ne phir se kaha, is baar voice mein tension thi, “Mera hearing aid gir gaya.”

Chacha Saheb ka smile ekdum fade ho gaya. Unka pehla reaction wahi purana tha—“Arre itna tension kyun le raha hai? Mil jaayega”—par Arjun ke chehre pe jo panic tha, woh unko pehli baar clearly dikha. Garba ka music high tha, log bol rahe the, laughing, shouting, clapping, aur Arjun ke liye woh sab ek hi noise mein merge ho raha tha. Uska face thoda pale pad gaya.

“Tu yahin ruk,” Chacha Saheb ne turant kaha. “Main dekhta hoon.”

Arjun ne hasti huyi awaaz mein bolne ki koshish ki, “Aapko lagta hai main yahin khada rahun? Mujhe bhi dhoondhna hai.”

“Pehle yeh bata, aakhri baar kis side tha?” Chacha Saheb ne poocha.

Arjun ne crowd ki taraf dekha. “Jab woh jalebi wala drama hua, tab tak tha. Shayad... chai thele ke paas?”

Chacha Saheb ka chehra serious ho gaya. Ab prank ka mood gayab. Unhone thele ke neeche, chai ke dabbe ke paas, ground ki edge pe, sab jagah dekhna start kiya. Arjun bhi unke saath tha, par uski body language alag thi—woh har jagah dekh raha tha, par clearly lost feel kar raha tha. Log usse kuch bolte, aur woh lip movement dekh kar guess karta. Kisi ne side se “beta, idhar aao” kaha, par Arjun ko sirf rhythm ka vibration feel hua, words nahi.

Chacha Saheb ne yeh notice kiya. Pehli baar unhe samajh aaya ki hearing aid Arjun ke liye sirf ek machine nahi hai. Woh uski duniya ka bridge tha. Bridge ke bina Arjun yahin khada toh tha, par jaise crowd ke beech akela pad gaya ho.

“Arjun,” Chacha Saheb ne thoda soft hokar kaha, “tu tension mat le. Mil jaayega.”

Arjun ne aankhen neeche kar li. “Aapko lagta hai mujhe bas tension ho rahi hai? Aapko toh hamesha mazaak hi dikhta hai.”

Chacha Saheb thode defensive ho gaye. “Arre, mazaak ka kya matlab? Main care nahi karta kya?”

“Care?” Arjun ki awaaz mein hurt tha. “Aapko lagta hai yeh sab prank ka part hai. Kabhi dupatta switch, kabhi fake announcement, kabhi kuch aur. Aapko samajh hi nahi aata ki mujhe kab serious hona hota hai.”

Woh bol kar chup ho gaya. Crowd ka shor aur bhi zyada lag raha tha. Chacha Saheb ne ek second ke liye kuch nahi bola. Unki aadat thi har baat pe turant reply karne ki, par is baar unke paas answer nahi tha. Unhe bas Arjun ka woh face dikh raha tha jo normally hansi mein chhupa rehta tha.

Bua, jo side se yeh dekh rahi thi, turant neeche aayi. “Arre, kya hua idhar?” unhone haath kamar pe rakhte hue poocha. “Tum dono fir se ulta-seedha kar rahe ho kya?”

“Bua, hearing aid kho gaya,” Arjun ne short mein bola.

Bua ka expression instantly change hua. “Oh ho. Chalo, ab natak band. Sab log idhar-udhar dekhte raho. Main society wale bacchon ko bolti hoon.”

Aur phir scene genuinely search mission mein badal gaya. Bua ne nearby aunties ko alert kiya. Chacha Saheb ne chai thele ke paas ke sab logon ko bola. Local kids, jo ab tak garba ke beat mein jump kar rahe the, ab ground ke kone-kone mein jhuk jhuk ke dekhne lage. Crowd ka chaos, jo pehle nuisance lag raha tha, ab support ban gaya.

Chacha Saheb ne Arjun ko apne paas rakha. “Sun, tu mere saath chal. Dheere dheere. Kya pata kahin pair ke paas ho.”

Arjun ne bina kuch kahe nod kiya. Uska gussa ab bhi tha, par panic usse zyada tha. Woh crowd mein direction miss kar raha tha. Chacha Saheb ne pehli baar uski speed match ki, uske shoulder ke paas chalne lage, jaise ek silent guard.

Kuch der baad ek chhoti si ladki chillayi, “Mila! Mila!”

Sab us taraf daude. Ground ke paas, ek rangoli ke pattern ke kinare, ek chhota sa hearing aid chamak raha tha. Koi uske upar pair rakhne hi wala tha ki Bua ne tezi se bola, “Arre sambhal ke! Hat jao!”

Chacha Saheb ne jhuk ke woh device uthaya. Dust us par lagi thi, par toot nahi tha. Unhone usse apni palm mein rakha aur ek second ke liye bas dekhte reh gaye. Arjun bhi paas aa gaya, lekin uske chehre pe relief aur embarrassment dono the.

“Mila?” Arjun ne dheere poocha.

Chacha Saheb ne haan mein sar hilaaya. “Mila.”

Arjun ne ek lambi saans li. Jaise uske andar ka saara load ek dum se nikal gaya ho. Usne hearing aid lene ke liye haath badhaya, par Chacha Saheb ne pehle usse wipe kiya, apne kurte ke corner se dhyan se saaf kiya. Phir hi diya.

Yeh chhota sa gesture tha, par Arjun ke liye bahut bada. Kyunki usmein mazaak nahi tha. Bas care thi.

Chacha Saheb ne usually wali tone mein bola, “Ab se prank sirf tab, jab tu ready ho. Samjha?”

Arjun ne pehli baar us raat halka sa smile kiya. “Aur aap loud jokes mat maara karo. Warna main sach mein bhaag jaunga.”

Chacha Saheb ne hansi dabayi. “Theek hai, theek hai. Ab main soft jokes karunga. Ahmedabad ka premium version.”

Bua ne side se taana maara, “Soft jokes? Tumse?”

“Arre Bua, aaj mood mat kharab karo,” Chacha Saheb ne kaha. “Bacche ka equipment mil gaya, bas.”

Arjun ne hearing aid lagaya. Jaise hi device fit hua, duniya ka sound wapas aane laga—dhol ki beat, logon ki baatein, chai ke kettle ki seeti, kisi bacche ki hansi. Sab kuch ek saath aaya, par is baar woh overwhelm nahi hua. Is baar usne comfort feel kiya. Chacha Saheb uske paas the, aur yeh enough tha.

Woh dono phir garba ground ki side chale. Chacha Saheb ne apna thela thoda side pe chhoda, bina kisi tension ke. Aaj chai se zyada important kuch aur tha. Arjun ne unki taraf dekha aur quietly bola, “Aap ne sach mein poora ground dhoondh liya.”

Chacha Saheb ne shoulder uthaaya. “Arre, tu mera bhatija hai. Aur main itna bhi bekaar nahi hoon.”

Arjun ne grin kiya. “Haan, bas thoda zyada nautanki ho.”

“Woh toh main hoon,” Chacha Saheb ne accept kar liya. “Par aaj se ek rule. Tera comfort pehle. Mera mazaak baad mein.”

Arjun ne bas “hmm” bola, par uske face pe jo softness thi, woh sab kuch keh rahi thi. Woh ab Chacha Saheb ko sirf prankster nahi dekh raha tha. Usne aaj dekh liya tha ki jab baat serious ho, toh Chacha Saheb sabse pehle uske liye khade hote hain. Unka mazaak ek layer thi, unka pyaar asli cheez.

Garba ki beat phir se unke around fast ho gayi. Kids circle bana rahe the, aunties clapping kar rahi thi, aur dhol ki dhun raat ko aur zinda bana rahi thi. Chacha Saheb ne Arjun ko elbow se lightly touch kiya. “Chal, ek round?”

Arjun ne smile ke saath haan ki. “Par is baar koi fake announcement nahi.”

“Arre, yaar,” Chacha Saheb ne dramatic sigh diya, “tu kitna strict ho gaya.”

“Main nahi, aapki responsibility strict ho gayi hai,” Arjun ne reply kiya.

Dono has diye. Aur woh hansi fake nahi thi. Woh uss raat ki sabse genuine cheez thi.

Thodi der baad, jab Arjun crowd ke beech confidently dance kar raha tha aur Chacha Saheb side se chai thele ke paas khade usse dekh rahe the, Bua ne quietly muskurate hue kaha, “Dekha? Dono ko drama ke bina chain nahi.”

Chacha Saheb ne cup uthaya aur bola, “Drama toh rahega. Bas ab dhyan bhi rahega.”

Aur yeh bolkar unhone Arjun ki taraf dekha, jo ab bilkul normal lag raha tha—thoda thaka hua, thoda relieved, but safe. Chacha Saheb ne samajh liya tha ki masti aur responsibility ko alag nahi rakha ja sakta. Jo rishta mazaak se shuru hota hai, woh kabhi kabhi care pe aake rukta hai. Aur wahi sabse khoobsurat hota hai.

Raat ka end aaya, log ghar jaane lage, thele pe chai ki last round bachi thi, aur garba ground ki roshni dheere-dheere kam ho rahi thi. Arjun ne apna hearing aid touch kiya aur Chacha Saheb ke saath side by side chal diya. Koi bada emotional speech nahi hua. Kisi ne sorry-sorry ka scene nahi banaya. Bas ek samajh thi, jo shabdon se zyada gehri thi.

Chacha Saheb ne gate ke paas aake Arjun ke sar pe halka sa haath rakha. “Kal school jaake bolna, Chacha Saheb ne aaj bhi hero ka kaam kiya.”

Arjun ne aankh ghumaayi, par smile rok nahi paaya. “Aur aap kal chai mein kam cheeni daalna. Hero ka blood sugar control mein rehna chahiye.”

“Arey wah,” Chacha Saheb hans pade. “Ab toh tu bhi full Chacha material lag raha hai.”

Arjun ne unki taraf dekha, phir crowd ki taraf, phir phir se Chacha Saheb ki taraf. Aur usne bas itna kaha, “Aap theek ho na, Chacha?”

Chacha Saheb ka face soft ho gaya. “Haan, beta. Ab theek hoon.”

Aur us ek simple answer mein poori raat ka shor, tension, mazaak aur pyaar sab settle ho gaya.

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