Monsoon, Motor aur Maa ka “Main Sambhal Lungi”

Thrissur ke backwaters par monsoon ka alag hi mood hota hai. Paani ka rang ekdum chai jaisa brown, aasman itna low ki lagta hai haath badhao aur baadal ko touch kar lo, aur hawa mein wet mud aur coconut oil ka mixed smell. Lakshmi ke houseboat yard mein subah se hi same routine chal raha tha — floor scrub, life jackets check, engine oil, towels fold, aur tourist list ka last-minute cross-check. Uska business family wala tha, lekin management corporate level ka. Har booking, har rupee, har phone call, sab uski nazar se guzarta tha.

Lakshmi ke liye sabse important cheez thi control. Agar koi usse bol de ki “Aunty, thoda relax karo,” toh woh aise dekhti jaise सामने वाला uske boat ka engine kholne wala ho. 52 ki age mein bhi uski energy full boss mode mein thi — crisp cotton saree, hair bun tight, aur voice mein woh authority jisme discussion kam aur verdict zyada hota tha. Aur uske saamne Anoop tha, 27 saal ka beta, jo har dusre din koi na koi “new idea” leke aa jata tha.

“Ammumma-style pricing nahi chalega, Ma,” Anoop ne morning coffee ke saath bola tha. “Instagram reels, sunset package, aur eco-tourism tie-up… proper reach milegi.”

Lakshmi ne bina dekhe reply kiya, “Reach se boat nahi chalta, cash se chalta hai.”

Anoop ne huff kiya. “Haan, aur aapke ‘cash se chalta hai’ wale theory se business 1998 mein hi freeze ho gaya hai.”

Lakshmi ka eyebrow utha. “Tu zyada smart mat ban. Pehle booking sheet dekh, phir lecture dena.”

Balan, jo paas wale jetty par engine ka purana part tighten kar raha tha, dono ki baat sunke sirf muskura diya. 60 ka tha, chehre par salt-and-pepper beard, aur aawaz mein ek aisi shaanti jo sirf un logon mein hoti hai jinhone bahut saare gharon ke jhagde dekh liye hote hain. Woh Lakshmi aur Anoop ka old family friend bhi tha aur local boat mechanic bhi. Officially woh “helper” tha, but practically pura emotional traffic police.

“Dono ka breakfast ho gaya?” Balan ne dry tone mein pucha. “Ya pehle hi business bandh karne ka mood hai?”

Anoop ne kaha, “Balan uncle, aap hi bolo. Main galat hoon kya?”

Balan ne boat ke side se haath hata ke bola, “Beta, yeh sawaal ghar mein mat puchh. Iska answer kabhi seedha nahi hota.”

Lakshmi ne snort kiya. “Dekha? Even Balan knows. Tu overthink karta hai.”

Anoop ne aankh ghuma di. “Main overthink nahi karta, Ma. Main future think karta hoon.”

“Future ka loan liya hai kya?” Lakshmi ne turant kaat diya.

Yeh daily ka scene tha. Pyaar tha, par pyaar ko express karne ka style alag. Lakshmi ka pyaar checklist mein tha — khana khaaya? Raincoat pehna? Phone charge hai? Boat proper tied hai? Anoop ka pyaar suggestions mein tha — “let’s do better,” “let’s change,” “let’s grow.” Dono ek dusre ko samajhte bhi the aur irritate bhi karte the.

Us din dopahar tak sky aur bhi dark ho gaya. Weather alert phone par blink kar raha tha — heavy rain, flood risk, water level rise. Meera, local tourism officer aur flood alert volunteer, ek chhoti si jeep mein aayi. Uski shirt collar crisp thi, clipboard haath mein, aur expression bilkul no-nonsense.

“Lakshmi ji,” Meera ne seedha bola, “alert serious hai. Low-lying docks mein water level shaam tak aur badh sakta hai. Aapko boats safer zone mein shift karni chahiye. Aur bookings temporarily hold kar do.”

Lakshmi ne calmly, almost too calmly, uski taraf dekha. “Itna bhi kuch nahi hoga, Meera. Har baar alert aata hai, aadha din mein nikal jaata hai.”

Meera ne ek breath liya. “Madam, this time current different hai. Satellite update bhi same bol raha hai.”

Anoop turant bol pada, “Exactly. Main subah se yahi bol raha hoon.”

Lakshmi ne uski taraf dekha bina expression badle. “Tu chup reh. Har baat mein hero banna zaroori hai?”

Anoop ka face tight ho gaya. “Hero? Ma, main bas safety bol raha hoon.”

“Safety safety bolke business ka gala mat kaat,” Lakshmi ne thoda teekha jawab diya. “Tourists aa rahe hain. Cancellation se refund, refund se loss. Loss se account down. Itna simple hai.”

Balan ne engine ke paas se sar uthaya. “Simple toh yeh bhi hai ki paani agar boat ke floor pe aa gaya, toh account ka kya karegi? Floating ledger?”

Meera ki lips pe halka sa smile aaya, but woh serious rahi. “Lakshmi ji, I’m not saying panic karo. I’m saying practical bano. Aapke jaise business ko survive karna hai, toh damage se pehle action lena hoga.”

Lakshmi ko practical word se allergy nahi thi, bas jab koi aur uske hi ghar ke business ko practical bolkar question karta tha, toh uska control aur tight ho jata tha. Usne one second ke liye khidki se bahar barish ko dekha. Paani ki boondein ab hard ho rahi thi, jaise koi roof pe chhote pathar maar raha ho.

Tabhi front gate par ek van aakar ruki. Tourist group aa gaya tha — do families, ek couple, aur teen bachche jo already excited the. Unhone booking sunset cruise ki thi. Ab sunset kam aur storm zyada lag raha tha. Anoop ne unko dekhte hi kaha, “Ma, yeh time pe aaye hain. Boat cancel kar dete hain. Agar abhi nikaal diya toh safe rahega.”

Lakshmi ne instantly mana kiya. “Nahi. Unki booking hai. We can manage.”

Anoop ne disbelief mein dekha. “Manage? Ma, weather dekh rahi ho?”

Lakshmi ka tone aur hard ho gaya. “Main weather nahi, business dekh rahi hoon.”

“Business ke naam pe logon ko risk mein daalogi?”

“Tu mujhe moral lecture mat de,” Lakshmi ne sharp reply kiya. “Maine yeh business tere paida hone se pehle sambhala hai.”