After Hours
Har bazaar ki apni ek heartbeat hoti hai.
Subah shutters uthte hain, awaazein badhti hain, log aate-jaate hain, bargaining hoti hai, chai ke cup khatam hote hain, aur poora din kisi na kisi cheez ki movement mein nikal jaata hai. Lekin bazaar ka sabse sachcha chehra shayad tab dikhta hai jab woh band hone lagta hai.
Chennai ki iss market mein bhi kuch aisa hi tha.
Kuch dukaanon ke shutters aadhe gir chuke the. Kuch vendors abhi bhi kisi last customer ka intezaar kar rahe the. Neon boards abhi jal rahe the, lekin unki roshni ab customers se zyada khaali sadak par gir rahi thi. Hawa mein din bhar ki thakaan thi, lekin uske saath ek ajeeb si sukoon bhi tha. Jaise sheher keh raha ho, “Aaj ke liye bas itna hi.”
Iss waqt bazaar ka behaviour badal jaata hai.
Din bhar jo dukandaar har rupaye ka hisaab karta tha, woh ab kehta hai, “Theek hai, le jao.”
Din bhar jo customer dus dukaane ghoom kar best price dhoond raha tha, woh bhi itni bargaining nahi karta.
Dono jaante hain ki kuch cheezein profit se zyada important hoti hain. Ghar bhi toh jaana hai.
Hum apni life mein hamesha busy hours ko importance dete hain.
Kitna kaam kiya.
Kitna earn kiya.
Kitni meetings attend ki.
Kitne goals achieve hue.
Lekin koi ye nahi poochta ki din khatam hone ke baad tumhare paas kya bacha.
Kya tum itne thak gaye ki ghar jaakar kisi apne se baat bhi nahi kar paaye?
Kya tumhare bachche so gaye jab tak tum wapas aaye?
Kya tumne poore din mein ek baar bhi aasman dekha?
Ya bas notifications hi dekhte rahe?
Shayad isi liye mujhe band hota hua bazaar hamesha kuch sikha jaata hai.
Din bhar har dukaan khuli rehna chahti hai.
Lekin koi bhi bazaar 24 ghante khula nahi rehta.
Usse bhi pata hai ki roz dobara khulne ke liye roz band hona zaroori hai.
Hum hi hain jo khud ko band karna bhool gaye hain.
Hum kaam ko ghar le aate hain.
Stress ko weekend tak le jaate hain.
Weekend ko Monday ki tension mein khatam kar dete hain.
Aur phir kehte hain ki pata hi nahi chala zindagi kab nikal gayi.
Jab main uss street se nikal raha tha, ek-ek karke lights band ho rahi thi. Kuch der pehle jo jagah awaazon se bhari hui thi, ab sirf jhaadu ki halki si awaaz aa rahi thi. Bas bees minute mein poori duniya badal gayi thi.
Tab laga…
Insaan ki value is baat se nahi hoti ki woh kitni der tak bhaag sakta hai.
Kabhi-kabhi asli maturity ye samajhne mein hoti hai ki kis waqt ruk jaana chahiye.
Har din ko khatam karna bhi utna hi zaroori hai jitna usse shuru karna.
Kyuki jo insaan har raat apni thakaan utaarna nahi seekhta…
Woh ek din apni khushi bhi utaar deta hai, aur usse pata bhi nahi chalta.
