Kabhi ek kahaani padhi thi maine…
Ek traveler ki.
Jo ek jungle ke beech ek lake ke paas pahucha —
Na map mein thi, na plan mein.
Bas… mil gayi.
Paani saaf tha,
jaise aaina.
Itna shaant…
jaise duniya ka saara shor uss kone mein chup ho gaya ho.
Roz nahi,
par kabhi kabhi woh laut ke aata.
Aur har baar, woh lake usse zyada apni lagti.
Jaise…
jaise lake bhi uska intezaar karti ho.
Lekin ek din,
woh kinare pe khada sochta raha…
“Agar main andar chala gaya toh?
Agar doob gaya toh?
Agar yeh sukoon, meri barbaadi ban gaya toh?”
Woh traveler…
main hoon.
Usse mila tha main.
Bas aise hi — halka sa spark,
kuch baatein, kuch muskurahatein.
Laga kuch khaas nahi.
Par jaise jaise milta gaya,
usse chahne laga.
Aur jitna main usse chahta,
woh mujhe utna hi pyaar karne lagi.
Pyaar se… zarurat ban gayi.
Woh chaahti thi mujhe —
mera waqt, meri presence, mera sab kuch.
Aur main?
Main peeche hat gaya.
Nafrat nahi thi,
dar tha.
Ki kahin main hi na toot jaun.
Ki kahin woh pyaar,
mera bojh ban jaaye.
Main jaanta hoon —
aise raaste kahan jaake rukte hain.
Kisi na kisi ka dil zaroor tootta hai.
Aur lagta hai,
iss baar meri baari hai.
Isliye main door rehne laga.
Na kam pyaar ki wajah se,
na kisi aur ke liye.
Bas… khud ke liye.
Main pyaar mein girna nahi chahta.
Main pyaar mein uthna chahta hoon.
Rise karna.
Khud ko khona nahi — khud ko paana.
Par kabhi kabhi sochta hoon…
Yeh samajhdaari hai ya bas ek bahana?
Main safe hoon… ya bas coward?
Kyuki woh lake abhi bhi wahi hai.
Waisi hi khoobsurat.
Waisi hi chaahat bhari.
Aur main…
abhi bhi kinare pe hoon,
dil haath mein liye,
yeh sochta hua…
“Kya mujhe bas dekhte rehna hai…
ya kabhi doob ke jeena bhi hai?”
