Machhi Bazaar Ki Silai

Kochi ke fisher town mein subah ka scene alag hi hota tha. Machhli ki namkeen smell hawa mein ghuli hoti, galiyon mein baarish ki halki nami chipki rehti, aur har kone se kisi na kisi machine ki awaz aa rahi hoti. Leela aur Rohan ki chhoti tailoring shop bhi isi rhythm pe chalti thi—ek purani si shop, do kursiyan, ek kaafi purani silai machine, aur deewar pe chipka hua ek faded calendar jismein pichhle teen mahine ka page abhi bhi ulta latak raha tha.

Leela, 52, shop ki co-owner thi, aur waise bhi ghar aur dukaan dono ka load wahi sambhalti thi. Uski aadat thi seedha point pe aana. “Baat kam, kaam zyada,” ye uska unofficial slogan tha. Rohan, 26, uske saath helper tha—stitching bhi, customer handling bhi, delivery bhi. Aur customer handling mein toh woh aisa ghulta tha jaise koi local comedian ho. Aunty log uske bina shop aakar bhi poochhti thi, “Aaj woh hasi wala ladka nahi aaya kya?”

Rohan ka style hi alag tha. Agar koi aunty blouse ki fitting pe tension le rahi ho, toh woh bol deta, “Aunty, fitting tight nahi hai, aapki personality powerful hai.” Aur koi uncle pant ka hem dekh kar nakhre kare, toh Rohan seedhe bol deta, “Sir, aapki pant nahi, confidence ka length adjust karna hai.” Log has dete, aur shop ka mood halka ho jaata. Leela ko kabhi-kabhi lagta ki ye ladka kaam se zyada nautanki karta hai. Par customers ko khush rakhna bhi toh kaam hi tha, ye baat woh maan leti thi—bas mann se nahi, thoda daant ke saath.

Problem ye thi ki Rohan ka smile hamesha same nahi hota tha. Kabhi-kabhi woh hansa hua dikhta, par aankhon mein thakaan chipi hoti. Leela ne notice kiya tha, bas usne usse naam nahi diya tha. Uske hisaab se, “Late uthta hai, kaam mein dhyaan nahi deta, aur har baar mood ka excuse.” Bas itna hi. Fisher town mein waise bhi log seedhe hote hain—jo dikhta hai, wahi sach maan lete hain.

Us din local festival ke liye uniforms aur alterations ka ek bada order tha. Shop mein subah se bheed lagi hui thi. Teen aunty ek saath blouse ki neck pe discuss kar rahi thi, ek uncle apni pant ka waistband lekar emotional ho rahe the, aur ek teenager apne kurte ki sleeve “thoda attitude wali” chah raha tha. Rohan full on busy tha—measurement le raha, jokes maar raha, delivery list bana raha. Leela bhi machine ke paas khadi thi, lagatar kaam mein lagi hui.

Lekin jaise hi crowd thoda kam hua, Rohan machine ke saamne baitha aur achanak blank ho gaya. Usne measuring tape uthayi, phir rakh di. Needle ko dekha, phir side mein dekhne laga. Leela ne notice kiya, par kuch bola nahi. Tabhi ek customer ne haste hue kaha, “Arre beta, tum toh itne funny ho, thoda mere husband ko bhi aise hi manage kar do.” Rohan ne forced smile ke saath reply diya, “Aunty, husband manage karne ka extra charge lagta hai.”

Sab has diye. Par agle hi pal uske haath kaanp gaye. Measuring tape uski ungliyon se fisal gayi. Leela ki nazar seedha us par padi.

“Rohan, ye kya kar raha hai?” Leela ne sharp voice mein poocha. “Ek simple measurement bhi galat? Kaam mein mann nahi hai toh bol de. Dikhawa kyun kar raha hai?”

Shop mein ek second ke liye silence aa gayi. Rohan ne smile kiya, wahi purana smile, jo ab thoda cracked lag raha tha. “Arre Leela bua, bas thoda haath slip ho gaya.”

“Haath slip ya dimaag?” Leela ne seedha bol diya. “Festival ka order hai, time pe kaam karna hai. Har waqt joke maarne se kaam nahi hota.”

Rohan ne kuch nahi bola. Usne tape uthayi, aur bina aur kuch kahe kaam continue kar diya. Lekin uske shoulders pe ek ajeeb si heaviness aa gayi thi, jaise kisi ne uske andar ka switch off kar diya ho.

Raat ko shop band hone ke baad Leela ghar chali gayi, par uska mann kuch theek nahi tha. Use laga Rohan bas drama karta hai. “Itna bhi kya thakna,” usne socha. “Main bhi toh subah se khadi hoon.” Lekin jab woh raat ko kisi kaam se wapas shop ke backroom mein gayi, toh usne Rohan ko wahan zameen pe aadha lette hue dekha. Na dinner, na chai, bas uske paas ek purani notebook thi aur woh usi mein kuch likh raha tha.

Leela ne khankhar kar awaaz di. “Yahin so gaya kya? Khana khaya?”

Rohan ne turant notebook band ki, jaise pakda gaya ho. “Bas aise hi, bua. Thoda baith gaya tha.”

Leela ne uske face ko dekha. Aankhon ke neeche dark circles the. Chehra hamesha se zyada dull lag raha tha. Usne phir bhi apni usual tone mein kaha, “Baat kam, kaam zyada. Aur dinner skip? Kya hero ban raha hai?”

Rohan hansa, par woh hansi thodi der mein khatam ho gayi. “Haan, hero hi toh banna hai na.”

Leela ne us taraf dekha, par us waqt usne aur kuch nahi poocha. Usne socha, kal subah dekhungi. Par agle do din mein tension aur badh gayi. Rohan aur zyada quiet ho gaya. Customers ke saamne woh ab bhi jokes maarta tha, par un jokes mein pehle wali spark nahi thi. Jaise koi aadmi stage pe khada ho aur script yaad karke line bol raha ho, dil se nahi.

Aunty log bhi notice karne lagi thi. Ek ne whisper kiya, “Aajkal Rohan itna chup kyun rehta hai?” Doosri boli, “Shayad girlfriend ne block kar diya.” Teesri ne bina matlab add kiya, “Nahi, ye sab phone ka nasha hai.” Leela ne unki baat sun li, par kuch bola nahi. Uska apna dimag bhi uljha hua tha.

Agle din ek aur incident hua. Ek customer blouse ki delivery lene aayi thi aur Rohan ne galti se uske order ka tag doosre packet se mila diya. Galti chhoti thi, par Leela ka patience us waqt khatam ho chuka tha.