Rajiv Chowk Ki Bheed Mein

Shaam ka time tha, aur Rajiv Chowk ka mood bilkul apne peak pe. Metro se nikalti hui hawa mein AC ka thanda jhatka, bahar road pe honking ka shor, chai ke stall se uthti elaichi ki smell, aur CP ki lights ka woh familiar sa glow—sab kuch milke ek aisa scene bana rahe the jaise Delhi ne bol diya ho, “Bhai, ab real life shuru.”

Aarav Mehta stairs ke paas khada tha, one hand pocket mein, dusre mein phone. Uske face pe woh usual calm expression tha, jo dekh ke lagta tha ki banda har situation handle kar lega. Par andar se uska mind already 10 tabs khol chuka tha. Sana late ho gayi toh? Kabir kahaan gaya? Meera ne message seen karke reply kyun nahi kiya? Aur sabse important, agar aaj group ka plan mess ho gaya toh phir log usko hi responsible samjhenge na?

“Arre, yahin hoon!” Sana ki awaaz aayi, aur woh speed mein stairs se utarti hui dikhi, ek haath mein phone, doosre mein tote bag, aur face pe woh expression jo bol raha tha, main late nahi thi, bas Delhi thi. “Traffic tha yaar. Aur ye Rajiv Chowk waale exits na, kisi maze se kam nahi,” usne bolte hue around dekhte hi ek sigh diya.

Kabir already bahar footpath side pe khada tha, camera neck pe latka hua, aur uski aankhon mein woh same curiosity thi jo har jagah usko photo mode mein le jaati thi. “Waah, shaam ka light perfect hai,” usne bina kisi greeting ke bola aur metro ke gate ki taraf lens point kar diya. “Logon ke faces pe jo chaos hai na, ekdum cinematic.”

Meera thodi door khadi thi, ek haath mein water bottle, dusre mein metro card. Woh hamesha ki tarah sabse pehle notice kar leti thi ki kaun kahan hai, kis direction mein jaana hai, aur kis exit pe crowd kam milega. “Aarav, tum jo plan bol rahe the na, pehle snack, phir Janpath, phir coffee—uske liye Gate 7 better rahega. Wahan se outer circle easily nikal jayenge.”

Aarav ne ek chhota sa nod diya. “Perfect. Chalo, main lead karta hoon. Bas close rehna, okay?” Usne ye line casual tone mein boli, par uske andar ek alag hi satisfaction tha. Haan, yahi toh hai. Main manage kar lunga. Main hi toh responsible one hoon.

Un logon ka plan waise simple tha. Pehle kuch chaat, phir Janpath pe thodi walk, aur end mein CP ki kisi coffee place pe baith kar weekend ki bakchodi. Normal Delhi evening. Normal friends. Normal chaos. Par Delhi mein normal cheezein bhi aksar thodi dramatic ho jaati hain.

Woh log gate se nikalte hue bhi half attention mein the. Sana ek message type kar rahi thi—“5 mins mein aa rahi”—Kabir photo le raha tha, Meera route confirm kar rahi thi, aur Aarav un sabko ek jagah gather karne ki कोशिश mein tha. “Guys, left side se aao, right side pe auto wale chipak jaayenge,” woh bol raha tha. “Bro, main koi school trip pe nahi hoon,” Sana ne hansi mein kaha. “Delhi mein har step school trip hi hota hai,” Kabir ne camera se bina dekhe reply diya.

Phir hua woh jo Rajiv Chowk mein aksar hota hai—ek hi moment mein sab kuch crowd ban gaya. Metro se logon ki ek wave nikli, jaise kisi ne floodgate khol diya ho. Office log, students, families, tourists, delivery guys, sab ek saath. Ek minor push hua, ek uncle ne “Arre bhai, side ho jao” bola, kisi ka bag Sana ke shoulder se takraya, aur Aarav ne instinctively sabko apne paas pull karne ki koshish ki.

“Guys, idhar!” Par next second ek wrong turn, ek aur push, aur group do parts mein split ho gaya. Aarav aur Meera ek side, Kabir aur Sana doosri side. Beech mein bas logon ka stream tha—white shirts, dupattas, backpacks, metro announcements, aur Palika ki taraf jaati hui crowd.

“Aarav?” Sana ki awaaz aayi, par noise mein ghul gayi. “Kabir! Meera!” Aarav ne zyada zor se bola, lekin uski voice bhi traffic aur crowd ke beech gayab.

Us moment mein Rajiv Chowk ne apna asli roop dikha diya—ek aisi jagah jo map pe sirf ek station lagti hai, par ground pe ek living organism. Sign boards, escalator lines, hawkers ki calls, aur logon ka pressure—sab kuch ek saath. Aarav ka calm face pehli baar crack hua. Usne phone nikala, screen unlock ki, aur group chat kholi.

“Where are you?” usne type kiya. Seen nahi. Phir call ki. No signal.

Sana ne bhi phone nikala. “Arre yaar, network bhi abhi drama karega?” Uske tone mein irritation thi, par us irritation ke neeche ek chhota sa fear bhi tha. Woh hamesha easygoing dikhne ki aadat rakhti thi, koi baat nahi yaar, ho jaata hai, but ab jab crowd usko alag direction mein kheench raha tha, uski practical mask ke neeche ka exhaustion bahar aane laga. Hamesha main hi chill kyun dikhun? Koi ek baar mujhe dhyaan se dekhe toh sahi.

Kabir ne camera ko neeche kar diya. Ab uski aankhen lens se zyada serious ho gayi thi. Woh har cheez ko frame mein sochta tha, par is baar frame ka control uske paas nahi tha. “Yaar, ye actually bad timing hai,” usne bina joke ke bola. “Main sabko spot kar sakta tha, but crowd mein… damn.” Usne idhar-udhar dekha, phir ek pillar ke paas khade ek police constable ko notice kiya. “Main gate ke paas dekh ke aata hoon.”

Meera ne sabse pehle deep breath li. Uski aadat thi panic ko pehle observe karna, phir handle karna. “Okay, listen,” usne Aarav se kaha, voice low but steady. “Hum panic nahi karenge. Gate number yaad hai? Clock tower side ka exit? Wahi pe milne ka bol dete hain.” Aarav ne uski taraf dekha. “Haan… maybe. Par abhi sab alag hain.”