Baarish, Sur, aur Do Darre Huye Sapne

Mrs. Lyngdoh, jo next house mein rehti thi aur neighbourhood ki unofficial news bulletin thi, ek din gate ke paas Bina ko pakad hi leti. “Bina, tum itni serious kyun ho gayi? Ghar mein koi cyclone aaya kya?”

Bina ne bas “hmm” kiya.

Mrs. Lyngdoh ne aankh sikodi. “Mujhe pata hai, Anaya ka koi gaana-vana chal raha hai. Par bachchi hai woh. Bachche sapne dekhte hain.”

“Bachchi nahi hai,” Bina ne short jawab diya. “Aur sapne kabhi-kabhi bahut mehange padte hain.”

Mrs. Lyngdoh ne thoda sa pause liya, phir ajeeb si softness se boli, “Mehange toh sab padte hain, Bina. Safe rehne ki aadat bhi. Kabhi-kabhi log dreams se nahi, darr se thak jaate hain.”

Bina ne kuch bola nahi. Par uski aankhon mein ek second ke liye kuch hil gaya.

Ussi din Anaya church ke paas local kids ko music sikhate hue mil gayi. Woh unhe basic rhythm, clapping, aur harmony samjha rahi thi. Ek chhota sa ladka galat note pe gaaya toh Anaya hanskar boli, “Koi baat nahi, tune abhi audition nahi diya hai.”

Kids khilkhila diye. Pastor Thomas doorway se yeh sab dekh rahe the. Unhone Anaya ko baad mein side mein bulaya. “You’re doing this regularly?”

Anaya ne shoulder shrug kiya. “Bas… timepass.”

Pastor Thomas ne uski taraf dekhkar ek subtle smile di. “Timepass mein itni dedication nahi hoti.”

Anaya ne nazar chura li.

Wahi shaam Bina clinic mein late tak ruki thi. Local clinic mein kaam zyada, staff kam, aur patients ka pressure alag. Anaya kisi ka kaam dene gayi thi aur corridor se hi usne Bina ko dekha—thaki hui, back slightly bent, ek file aur patient prescription ke beech fast-fast chalti hui. Uske face pe woh usual strictness thi, par uske shoulders se jo exhaustion dikh rahi thi, woh Anaya ne pehli baar itni clearly dekhi.

Bina ne ek sath teen logon ko handle kiya, ek medicine note ki, aur phir quietly chair pe baith ke aankhen band kar liं. Bas do second ke liye. Us chhote se pause mein Anaya ko samajh aaya ki Bina kyun itni hard thi.

Woh control nahi, fear thi.

Fear ki agar life unstable hui toh kaun sambhalega? Fear ki agar talent fail ho gaya toh phir? Fear ki jo struggles Bina ne dekhi hain, woh Anaya ko na jhelne padें. Anaya ko achanak guilt bhi hua aur tenderness bhi. Usne kabhi socha hi nahi tha ki Bina ke “nurse ban ja” ke peeche itna saara darr chhupa ho sakta hai.

Do din baad Pastor Thomas ne Bina ko church hall mein bulaya. Wahan Anaya bhi thi, aur Rishi bhi, jo apni usual lazy posture ke saath wall ke paas khada tha. Mrs. Lyngdoh bhi bina invite ke aa gayi thi, kyunki obviously woh “bas passing by” thi.

Pastor Thomas ne shanti se bola, “Bina, Anaya sirf gaana nahi ga rahi. Woh local children ko teach bhi kar rahi hai. Choir ko improve karne mein help kar rahi hai. She is committed.”

Bina ne surprise aur skepticism ke mix se Anaya ko dekha. “Tumne mujhe bataya kyun nahi?”

Anaya ne dheere se jawab diya, “Kyuki mujhe laga aapko bas risk dikh raha hai, mujhe nahi.”

Rishi ne side se bola, “Risk toh har cheez mein hota hai aunty. Even boring jobs mein. Bas unka color different hota hai.”

Bina ne usko glare kiya. “Tum chup raho.”

Mrs. Lyngdoh ne turant entry maari. “Main toh pehle se bol rahi thi, yeh bachchi ka talent waste mat karo. Aur waise bhi, Anaya ka gaana sunke mere poore ghar ke pigeons bhi emotional ho gaye the.”

Rishi ne under-breath bola, “Pigeons ka review aa gaya, ab kya chahiye.”

Anaya ko hasi aayi, par aankhon mein narmi bhi thi. Bina ne sabko dekha, phir thoda sa saans liya. “Mujhe lagta tha main usko safe rakh rahi hoon.”

Pastor Thomas ne halki awaaz mein kaha, “Safety aur calling dono important ho sakte hain. Ek ko choose karne ka matlab doosre ko destroy karna nahi hota.”

Bina chup rahi. Anaya ne bhi kuch nahi bola. Kabhi-kabhi silence hi woh jagah hoti hai jahan log samajhna shuru karte hain.

Community night aayi toh church hall aur youth festival ka crossover performance plan hua. Pehle sabko idea thoda awkward laga. Choir ke log band instruments ke saath? Garage band wale church hymns ke saath? Shillong ki baarish bhi shayad us din extra attentive thi.

Stage pe pehle choir ne ek soft hymn shuru kiya. Phir Rishi ki guitar uske andar ghuli, jaisi kahani mein ek naya layer aa gaya ho. Anaya center mein thi. Usne apna original song introduce kiya, voice thodi trembling thi, par eyes sure thi.

“Yeh gaana un sab cheezon ke baare mein hai jo ghar mein bhi hoti hain, aur dil mein bhi,” usne mic pe kaha. “Baarish, pressure, hope… aur woh awaaz jo hum kabhi-kabhi chup kar dete hain.”

Phir usne gaana shuru kiya.

“Rain on the roof, and a name on my back, One hand says run, one hand says track… I’m not made of noise, I’m not made of fear, Main jo hoon, woh yahin hai—clear.”

Hall mein pehle silence tha, phir ek aisi stillness jo respect se aati hai. Rishi ne guitar pe soft harmony diya. Choir ne chorus mein join kiya. Pastor Thomas ne front row mein baithkar bas aankhen band kar liं. Aur Bina, jo hamesha apne emotions ko tightly fold karke rakhti thi, uski aankhon mein paani aa gaya.

Woh roya nahi tha. Bas aankhen bhar aayi thi. Aur Bina ke liye yeh bhi kaafi bada confession tha.

Song khatam hua toh thodi der ke liye koi nahi bola. Phir hall mein claps shuru hui—pehle slow, phir full. Mrs. Lyngdoh sabse tez taali baja rahi thi, jaise usi ne sab kuch arrange kiya ho.

Performance ke baad Bina stage ke paas aayi. Uske face pe usual strictness thi, par voice mein softness aa chuki thi.

“Pura plan mat chhodna,” usne Anaya se kaha. “Par apna talent bhi mat chhodna.”