Romance in Mumbai's Struggles

Romance in Mumbai's Struggles Category: Drama Labels: Rent Struggles, Mumbai Local, Monsoon, Relatable, House Hunting ---

Chapter 1: Pehli Mulaqat (Auto Mein Jam)

Mumbai ki baarish ka koi bharosa nahi tha, bhai. Ek pal dhoop, doosre pal aisa paani ki lagta hai bhagwan ne upar se bucket hi phenk di ho. Uss din bhi wahi hua. Main, Arjun Kumar, 26 saal ka junior accountant, Andheri station par khada tha, apni office ki file ko plastic ke cover mein bachane ki koshish kar raha tha. Train late thi—kuch technical fault bola tha announcement mein.

"Bhaiya, Andheri West chaloge?" Maine ek shared auto ke driver se pucha.

"Baitho, baitho. Chacha bolte hain mujhe. Aaj toh bheed jyada hai, train late hai na," bola woh uncle, jinhone apni auto mein already chaar logon ko bithaya hua tha.

Main andar ghusa toh... arre baba, kya bataun. Itni jagah thi jitni channe ke daane mein tel. Lekin Mumbai mein aadmi adjust hona seekh jaata hai. Main ek corner mein baitha, aur phir...

"Excuse me, thoda side dena?"

Awaaz itni komal thi ki maine socha shayad koi bachchi ho. Lekin jab dekha toh... ek ladki khadi thi, geeli baarish mein bina chhatri ke, uske haath mein ek heavy bag tha jo shayad books se bhara hua tha. Uske baal paani ki boondon se chipke hue the, aur aankhein... arre, kya bataun, aisi aankhein jo seedhe dil mein utar jaayein.

"Haan, haan, baitho," maine turant jagah banayi.

Woh aayi, aur jab auto chala... dhakkan! Ek sudden brake. Woh mere bilkul paas aa gayi. Mere haath uske haath se takraaye. Garam pani ki tarah kuch mehsoos hua. Sharmate hue usne apna dupatta sahi kiya.

"Sorry," maine kaha.

"Koi baat nahi. Mumbai ki auto mein yeh toh normal hai," woh muskura di. "Main Shikha."

"Arjun," maine haath badhaya, aur phir socha auto mein haath milana mushkil hai. Dono has diye.

"Kahan jaate ho?" usne pucha.

"Andheri West, Yadav Nagar. Office hai wahan ek CA firm mein junior accountant hoon," maine bataya.

"Main bhi wahin! Lokhandwala ke paas rehti hoon. Teacher hoon, primary school mein," Shikha ne kaha.

Chacha ne peeche se kaha, "Dekho bhai, aaj toh cupid ne tum dono ko mila diya baarish mein. Train late, auto full, aur tum dono ek hi jagah ja rahe ho. Kismat hai!"

Hum dono sharma gaye. Lekin baat shuru ho gayi.

Chapter 2: Kiraye Ka Dard

"Tu Bihar se hai na? Accent se lag raha hai," Shikha ne pucha.

"Haan, Patna se. Do saal ho gaye Mumbai aaye hue. Chacha ji—matlab mere mama ke bhai—ne yahan bulaya tha. Unhone hi flat dilaaya, job dilaayi. Warna toh..."

"Samajhti hoon," Shikha ne sir hilaaya. "Mumbai mein apna ghar banana kitna mush hai. Main toh yahan paida hui, badi hui, phir bhi rent ke liye itna struggle karti hoon."

"Kya matlab? Tum toh local ho na?" maine hairaani se pucha.

"Local hone se kya hota hai? Papa ki death ke baad mummy aur main akeli ho gayi. Abhi jis flat mein rehti hoon... woh Aslam Khan ka hai. Umr ke 45-50 saal honge. Pehle toh theek tha, lekin pichle kuch mahino se..." uski aawaz dheemi ho gayi.

"Kya hua?" maine pucha, dil mein kuch ajeeb sa dard utha.

"Kuch nahi, chhodo. Aaj kal ke landlord," woh muskuraane ki koshish ki, lekin uski aankhon mein cheenta tha.

Auto ne humein Shikha ke ghar ke paas utara. Maine uska heavy bag uthaaya. Books thi—bachchon ke liye.

"Thanks," usne kaha. "Aur haan, agar kabhi free ho toh... meri school mein bachche hain jo pads aur books afford nahi kar sakte. Unki madad chahiye thi. Tu accountant hai, toh socha thoda budget manage karne mein help mil jaaye."

"Zaroor! Kal Sunday hai, miloon?" maine pucha, jaan bujhkar, kyunki woh jaanna chahta tha ki uske saath kya chal raha tha.

"Thik hai. CCD, Lokhandwala, 4 baje?"

"Haan."

Woh chali gayi. Maine uska number liya tha—"professional help" ke liye. Lekin mann mein kuch aur hi chal raha tha.

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Chapter 3: Dusri Mulaqat - Pehli Daraar

Sunday ko main pahuncha toh Shikha already wahan thi. Usne simple blue kurta pehna tha, baal khule chhod rakhe the. Woh coffee stir kar rahi thi, lekin uska dhyaan kahin aur tha.

"Hey," maine kaha.

"Arjun! Baitho," usne muskurate hue kaha, lekin woh muskaan asli nahi thi.

"Kya hua? Tum theek ho?" maine pucha.

Woh kuch der chup rahi, phir boli, "Woh Aslam Khan... kal raat woh ghar aaya tha. Mummy ghar par nahi thi—nanaji ki tabiyat kharab thi, woh unke ghar gayi thi. Aslam ne darwaza khud khol liya. Kehne laga ki rent late hai."

"Late? Tum toh keh rahi thi time par deti ho?"

"Deti hoon! Lekin woh bahane dhoondhta hai. Usne kaha ki... ki agar main uske saath dinner pe chaloon toh woh ek mahine ka rent maaf kar dega." Shikha ki aankhen nam ho gayi.

Mera khoon khaul utha. "Usne aur kuch kaha?"

"Haath pakadne ki koshish ki. Kehne laga ki 'Shikha ji, aap itni achhi ladki ho, akele rehti ho, madad chahiye hogi.' Main dar gayi, Arjun. Maine kaha ki mummy aa rahi hain, toh woh chala gaya. Lekin..."

"Police complaint karo," maine kaha.

"Aur kahan jaaun? Mumbai mein itne paise nahi ki dusra flat le sakoon. Mummy ki medicines, school ki salary itni nahi... hum kahan jaaye?" uski aawaz toot rahi thi.

Maine apna haath table par uske paas rakha. "Daro mat. Main hoon na. Hum kuch na kuch karenge. Pehle woh study materials ka kaam karte hain, phir dekhte hain."

Usne meri taraf dekha. "Tu kyun madad kar raha hai? Hum toh ajnabi hain."

"Mumbai mein koi ajnabi nahi hota, Shikha. Sab apne hi lagte hain," maine kaha, aur is baar meri muskaan asli thi.

Humne books ke budget pe baat ki. Maine kuch NGOs ke contacts diye jo free stationery dete hain. Woh khush hui. Lekin jaane se pehle...