Band, Baraat aur Thoda Sa Jugaad

Agli subah rehearsal ka scene laga. Mohit ne band walon ko ek line mein khada kiya, “Bhai log, pehle standard tune, phir meri cue pe sudden pause, phir dhol ka blast.” Harsh side mein khada timing dekh raha tha, har cheez note kar raha tha—kaun sa instrument late aa raha hai, kaun sa player half-hearted hai, aur kis wire mein issue hai. Chacha Ramlal, jo abhi bhi fully convinced nahi the, apni moustache pe haath phirte hue bole, “Agar meri shehnai ka mazaak bana toh yaad rakhna.” Mohit ne turant serious face bana ke bola, “Chacha, mazaak nahi, makeover hai.”

Tabhi ek aur problem aa gayi. Sound setup mein ek key wire loose nikli, aur dhol ka base expected jaisa punchy nahi aa raha tha. Harsh ka dimaag turant damage control mode mein chala gaya. Usne electrician ko bulaya, extra tape mangwayi, aur side mein ek spare speaker arrange karne ke liye nearby friend ko call kiya. Mohit, jo usually impulse mein bolta tha, is baar chupchaap dhol ke skin ko adjust karne laga. Dono bhai ek hi kaam kar rahe the, par alag tarike se—Harsh planning mein, Mohit feel mein. Pehli baar unke beech ka gap thoda kam hota hua laga.

Usi dopehar chacha ko ek purani shaadi yaad aa gayi. Woh bolne lage, “Ek time tha jab hum log bina mic ke bhi poora mandap hila dete the. Log humare dhol ki beat pe khud se thumke lagate the. Tab energy machine se nahi, logon ke dil se aati thi.” Mohit ne turant bola, “Bas wahi toh chacha. Ab us energy ko thoda format de dete hain.” Chacha ne pehle aankh tedi ki, phir halki si muskuraahat aa gayi. Harsh ne ye dekh liya. Usko samajh aaya ki chacha ka resistance ego ka nahi, darr ka tha—darr ki kahin unki zindagi ka sabse bada pehchaan hi fade na ho jaaye.

Rival planner Vikram shaam ko godown ke paas aaya, suit-boot mein chamakta hua. Usne thoda superior tone mein kaha, “Aap log abhi bhi band pe depend kar rahe ho? Market badal gaya hai. People want premium experience.” Harsh normally usse argue karta, par is baar usne bas itna kaha, “Premium experience ka matlab boring nahi hota.” Vikram hansa, “Let’s see.” Uski hansi mein challenge kam, overconfidence zyada tha. Mohit ne peeche se dheere se bola, “Bhai, isko kal dekhna. Class bhi bolegi, desi bhi.”

Wedding night aayi. Jaipur ki hawa mein thoda thandak thi, par baraat side pe excitement full charge mein. Lights, floral arches, and that typical shaadi ka shor—sab kuch mix ho raha tha. Harsh ne final checklist ek baar aur dekhi. Mohit ne band walon ko last briefing di. Chacha Ramlal ne apni shehnai pakdi, aur pehli baar unke chehre pe tension ke saath thodi si curiosity bhi thi. Meena chachi ne mandap side se dekhte hue bas itna bola, “Bas yaad rakhna, entry mein jaan honi chahiye. Aur haan, extra mirchi wale samose rakhna, log dance ke baad bhookhe ho jaate hain.”

Jab baraat ka time aaya, Harsh ne signal diya. Pehle ek familiar traditional tune chali—clean, warm, full of nostalgia. Log thoda seedha khade hue, phones nikaalne lage. Phir Mohit ke cue pe ek second ka pause hua. Crowd ne confuse hoke ek dusre ko dekha. Aur phir—ekdum se dhol ka aisa blast aaya ki saamne khade uncle tak ke shoulders hil gaye. Shehnai ne beat ko lift kiya, aur band walon ne call-and-response style mein crowd ko involve kar liya. Mohit ne mic pe chillaya, “Jaipur waalon, haath upar!” Aur surprisingly, logon ne haath upar kar diye.

Pehle to baraat ke log jhijhke. Phir ek chhota sa bachcha dhol ki taraf naachne laga, uske peeche uski mausi, phir do cousins, phir family ke uncle bhi. Energy contagious thi. Harsh ne side se dekha—jo cheez usse risky lag rahi thi, woh ab live pulse ban chuki thi. Chacha Ramlal ne shehnai mein ek old signature flourish diya, aur crowd ne waah-waah kar diya. Vikram, jo pehle taunt mode mein tha, ab apne hi logon ko dance floor pe khinchne se rok nahi paaya. Uska polished image bilkul melt ho gaya. End mein woh khud bhi ek step maar baitha, aur phir embarrassed sa hoke hans diya.

Entry ke baad log band ke paas aake bolne lage, “Bhai, kya setting thi!” “Aisa band toh maine pehli baar dekha!” “Traditional bhi, mast bhi!” Harsh ke phone par ek ke baad ek enquiry messages aane lage. Mohit ki aankhon mein woh serious wali shine thi jo usko kabhi kabhi hi milti thi. Chacha Ramlal ne band ke instruments ko dekhte hue lambi saans li aur dheere se bole, “Theek hai. Zamaana badal gaya hai. Par hum bhi khade rahenge, bas thoda tune-up ke saath.” Meena chachi ne turant reply maara, “Haan ji, finally aapne meri baat sun li. Is ghar mein meri baat ko generally late samjha jaata hai, par galat kabhi nahi.”

Harsh ne Mohit ki taraf dekha. “Tera idea kaafi risky tha,” usne kaha. Mohit ne shoulder shrug kiya, “Risky tha, but childish nahi.” Harsh ne pehli baar uske kandhe pe haath rakha. “Nahi. Aaj samjha ki tu sirf masti nahi karta. Tu scene samajhta hai.” Mohit ka grin wide ho gaya, par usne emotional moment ko zyada lamba nahi khinchne diya. “Bas bhai, serious appreciation ka overacting mat kar. Kal se mujhe schedule bhi dena, main value prove karunga.”