Jab Ghar Ki Dhun Badal Gayi

Dimapur ke us chhote se middle-class gali-mohalle mein shaam ka time kuch alag hi hota tha. Dhoop dheere-dheere chhaton ke piche chali jaati, aur har ghar se alag-alag smells aati—kahin chai ki, kahin pakode ki, kahin wet mitti ki. Rai family ke ghar mein toh shaam ka matlab hi tha courtyard mein band practice. Ek taraf Aarav ka guitar, doosri taraf Tashi ka drum pad, Meera ka keyboard, aur neeche stool par baithi hui chhoti Lina ka backup mic.

Neighbourhood wale pehle-pehle bas curiosity se sunte the, phir dheere-dheere aadat ho gayi. Kuch aunty log gate ke paas khade ho jaati, do minute sun leti aur bolti, “Bacche achha kar rahe hain.” Bina Aunty ka chehra tab thoda soft ho jaata. Woh waise toh hamesha seedhi, practical aur kaam ki baat karne wali aurat thi, lekin jab bacche music bajate, uski aankhon mein ek alag si thakan ke beech halka sa pride bhi dikh jaata.

Aarav hamesha sabse pehle aata tha practice ke liye. School se seedha bag kandhe pe leke, guitar case khol ke, strings check karta, tuning karta, phir bina kisi drama ke bolta, “Chalo, ek baar intro se.” Uski aadat thi sab kuch perfect rakhne ki. Bahar se woh cool lagta, jaise duniya ka koi pressure us par asar hi nahi karta, but andar se uska dimaag har waqt chal raha hota—fees, ghar ka kharcha, Bina Aunty ke chehre ki tension, Ami ki dawaai, aur phir festival performance.

Usse lagta tha ki agar woh thoda aur achha bajata, thoda aur disciplined hota, toh shayad ghar ka burden kam ho jaata. Music uske liye passion bhi tha aur escape bhi. Jab guitar ki strings pe fingers chalti, toh kuch der ke liye sab pressure halkasa fade ho jaata.

Meera, jo sirf 14 ki thi, keyboard ke aage baithte hi poora attitude le aati. “Mujhe sab pata hai,” bolkar woh hamesha sabko tease karti. Par sach yeh tha ki woh family ke mood ko sabse pehle pakad leti thi. Kisi ke tone mein thoda bhi change ho, toh Meera notice kar leti. Phir bhi woh jokes maar ke sabko hasa deti, jaise tension ka naam hi uske ghar mein allowed na ho.

Tashi, 17 ka, zyada bolta nahi tha. Drummer tha, aur uske beats bhi uski personality jaise the—steady, no-nonsense, exact. Woh practice ke beech mein bas itna hi bolta, “Timing off hai,” ya “Phir se.” Lekin family mein sabko pata tha ki agar kuch serious ho, toh Tashi quietly sambhaal lega. Uska apna ek hidden sapna tha—local festival mein unki band aisa perform kare ki poora neighbourhood bole, “Yeh toh hamare bacche hain.” Usko lagta tha ghar mein pehli baar kuch aisa ho raha hai jisse sabko proud feel ho.

Lina sabse chhoti thi, 12 saal ki, aur uski awaaz mein ek alag hi innocence thi. Woh zyada serious nahi hoti thi, bas har time gaane ke liye ready. “Main backup singer hoon, main important hoon,” bolke woh apni chhoti si chin upar karti. Sab has dete. Par sach yeh tha ki Lina ghar ke mood ko sabse pehle mehsoos karti thi. Jab Bina Aunty chup ho jaati, jab Ami thoda zyada sofa par let jaati, jab Aarav zyada quiet ho jaata—Lina sab samajh jaati. Bas bolti nahi thi.

Ami, family ki 72 saal ki grandmother, sabse alag thi. Woh old-school thi, witty thi, aur itni warm thi ki ghar ke sab log uske around automatically thoda soft ho jaate. “Arre, itna tension kyun lete ho? Dawaai bhi time pe lo aur chai bhi,” woh aksar bolti. Lekin uski aankhon mein dard bhi hota, jo woh smile ke piche chhupa leti. Ghar wale unhe bachane ki koshish karte, par Ami ko sab pata hota. Woh sirf yeh chahti thi ki koi bhi apne aap ko akela na samjhe.

Us din subah se hi hawa ajeeb thi. Aarav school se aaya toh Bina Aunty kitchen mein khadi thi, mobile ka display dekhte hue. Uske forehead par woh line aa gayi thi jo tab aati thi jab kuch serious ho. Meera ne whispered tone mein pucha, “Kya hua?”

Bina Aunty ne pehle answer nahi diya. Phir thodi der baad boli, “School se reminder aaya hai. Fee pending hai.”

Meera ka face ek second ke liye blank ho gaya, phir usne forced smile ke saath bola, “Arre, reminder hi toh hai. Warning toh nahi.” Bina Aunty ne uski taraf dekha. “Aur Ami ki reports bhi aayi hain. Doctor ne tests aur medicines dono bola hai.”

Kitchen mein ekdum silence. Gas par chai ubal rahi thi, lekin kisi ko dhyaan nahi tha. Aarav ne apna bag side mein rakha aur bas itna bola, “Kitna?”

Bina Aunty ne numbers bataye toh sabke chehre thode aur tight ho gaye. Itna paisa ek saath nikalna asaan nahi tha. Ghar mein savings thi bhi, toh emergency ke liye hi thi. Bina Aunty ne saaf bol diya, “Abhi practice band kar do. Festival baad mein dekh lenge. Pehle ghar ka kaam.”

Yeh sunte hi Meera ka mood bigad gaya. “Band band kar denge toh kya problem solve ho jaayegi?” usne kuch zyada hi sharply bol diya. “Music hi toh hai jo sabko thoda theek rakhta hai.”

Aarav ne uski taraf dekha. “Aur ghar ka bill music se pay hoga?” Meera ne bhi turant reply kiya, “Aur stress se ghar ka bill pay hoga?”

Tashi ne kuch nahi bola. Bas drumsticks ko table par rakh diya. Uska silence alag tarah ka tha—gussa bhi, disappointment bhi. Lina ek corner mein khadi thi, pehli baar usne mic ko haath bhi nahi lagaya. Usse laga jaise ghar ka hawa hi heavy ho gayi ho.

Bina Aunty ka patience bhi tootne laga. “Tum logon ko lagta hai main yeh sab mazaak mein bol rahi hoon? Fee bhi chahiye, dawaai bhi chahiye, aur tumhe festival bhi chahiye. Main kaise manage karun?”