Mausam Ki Woh Baatein

 Ravi ek 25 saal ka naujawan tha, jo apne chhote se sheher se Mumbai aaya tha apne sapnon ko haqiqat banane. Uska ek chhota sa flat tha, aur uska din naukri aur raaton ko coding se bhara hota tha. Lekin uski zindagi mein ek kami thi—ek rishta, ek gahra sa junoon. Ek din, jab woh apne flat ke paas wali chhoti si dukaan se doodh lene gaya, uski zindagi badal gayi.

Wahan ek aurat khadi thi—Shalini, 38 saal ki, ek khoobsurat lekin thodi si akeli si mahila. Woh apne pati ke saath rehti thi, jo aksar kaam ke silsile mein bahar rehta tha. Shalini ek school mein teacher thi, aur uski muskaan mein ek ajeeb si mithas thi. Ravi ne usse pehli baar dekha, aur uska dil ek pal ke liye thum sa gaya. Usne socha, "Yeh aunty kyun itni alag lag rahi hai?" Lekin usne apne dil ki baat dabi rakhi.

Dheere-dheere, Ravi aur Shalini ka milna-julna shuru ho gaya. Woh aksar subah chhoti chhoti baaton par ek doosre se baat karte—kabhi mausam ke baare mein, kabhi dukaan ke purane malik ke mazakiya andaaz ke baare mein. Shalini ki hasi Ravi ke liye ek nasha ban gayi. Ek din, jab baarish shuru ho gayi, Ravi ne Shalini ko apni chhati se shelter diya jab woh bina chhata ke baahar thi. Uske paas khada hote hue, usne uski khushboo sunghi—ek madhur si chandni raat ki khushboo. Shalini ne sharma kar kaha, "Tum bade achche ho, Ravi. Tumhe koi girlfriend nahi mili ab tak?" Ravi ne muskurate hue kaha, "Ab tak nahi, lekin shayad ab dhoondh lunga."

Yeh baat ek shuruaat bani. Ravi ko Shalini ke saath waqt bitane ka shauk ho gaya. Woh aksar uske ghar jata, kabhi chai peene, kabhi uske banaye khaane ki tareef karne. Shalini ka ghar ek chhota sa jannat tha—diwaron par phoolon ki tasveerein, aur ek purani si sofa par baitha woh apni kahaniyaan sunati. Ek din, jab Ravi uske ghar gaya, toh usne dekha ki Shalini akeli thi. Usne kaha, "Aaj pati ji nahi hain, toh thodi der baith jao." Ravi ka dil zor zor se dhadak raha tha. Usne apne aap se kaha, "Yeh kya ho raha hai mujhse?"

Woh din kuch khaas tha. Shalini ne apne haathon se banaya hua khana banaya—dal makhani aur naan. Ravi ne uske saath baith kar khana khaya, aur unki baatein dil se dil tak jati rahi. Shalini ne apni zindagi ki kuch baatein batayi—kaise uska pati usse pyar toh karta tha, lekin waqt nahi de pata tha. Ravi ne uski aankhon mein ek akelapan dekha, aur uska dil uske liye dhadak utha. Usne haath badhaya aur uske haath par apna haath rakha. Shalini ek pal ke liye ruk gayi, phir usne apna haath nahi hataya.

Shaam dhalne lagi. Baarish phir shuru ho gayi, aur dono baith kar khidki se baarish dekhte rahe. Ravi ne kaha, "Aapki yeh khushi mujhe apni banani hai, Shalini ji." Shalini ne muskurate hue kaha, "Tum bade natkhat ho, Ravi. Main tumhari maa jaisi hoon." Lekin uski aankhon mein woh baat nahi thi jo usne kahi. Ravi ne dheere se uske chehre ko chhua, aur phir ek pal ke liye dono ek doosre ki aankhon mein kho gaye. Yeh chhuan ek aag si ban gaya, jo un dono ke dil mein sulag uthi.

Agli baar jab Ravi gaya, toh Shalini ne usse apne dil ki baat batayi. "Ravi, main jaanti hoon yeh galat hai. Main shaadi shuda hoon, aur tum meri umar ke aadhe ho. Lekin jab tum mere saath rehte ho, toh mujhe lagta hai ki zindagi mein kuch kami nahi." Ravi ne uske haathon ko pakad kar kaha, "Aapke liye main kuch bhi kar sakta hoon. Aapki khushi meri khushi hai." Yeh pal dono ke liye ek sapne jaisa tha.

Ek raat, jab baarish zor se ho rahi thi, Shalini ne Ravi ko apne ghar bulaya. Usne kaha, "Aaj thodi der ruko, bahar jana mushkil hai." Ravi ne haan kahi, aur dono ek doosre ke saath baith kar purani filmon ke geet sunne lage. Shalini ne apna dupatta hata diya, aur uski gardan par girti baal Ravi ke liye ek mohabbat ka samundar ban gaye. Usne dheere se uske paas baithte hue uske kandhe par sar rakh diya. Shalini ne uske baalon ko chhua, aur phir dono ek doosre ke paas aane lage.

Woh raat unke liye ek naya safar shuru kar di. Unhone ek doosre ko chhua, ek doosre ko mehsoos kiya, aur ek pal ke liye duniya bhool gayi. Shalini ke labon par ek sharmili muskaan thi, aur Ravi ke dil mein pyar ka junoon. Lekin yeh pyar chhupa hua tha—ek raaz jo sirf un dono ke dil mein samaya tha.

Dheere-dheere, yeh rishta gehra hota gaya. Ravi ne Shalini ke liye chhoti chhoti baatein ki—kabhi uske liye phool laata, kabhi uske liye ek chhota sa gift. Shalini bhi uske liye apne dil kholti gayi. Ek din, jab Shalini ka pati ghar aaya, toh Ravi ko thodi si doori banani padi. Lekin unki aankhon mein woh pyar ab bhi zinda tha.

Ek baar, jab Shalini ka pati phir se bahar gaya, Ravi ne usse kaha, "Shalini ji, main aapke saath zindagi bitaana chahta hoon. Agar aap chaho, toh hum naya safar shuru kar sakte hain." Shalini ne roti hui kaha, "Ravi, main bhi chahti hoon, lekin yeh asaan nahi. Meri zindagi mein bandhan hain." Ravi ne uske aansoon pochhe aur kaha, "Main intezaar karunga, jab tak aap chaho."

Woh rishta ek chhupa hua pyar ban gaya—ek aisi mohabbat jo samaj ke bandhanon se pare thi. Har baar jab woh milte, unki aankhon mein woh aag jalti, aur unka dil ek doosre ke liye dhadakta. Yeh kahani ek aisi mohabbat ki hai jo shayad kabhi poori na ho, lekin jo unke dil mein hamesha zinda rahegi.