शादी का रंग

Dadaji 82 saal ke hain. Dadi — 78. Shaadi ko 58 saal ho gaye. Maine pucha — "Dadaji, 58 saal? Bore nahi hote?" Dadaji ne chasma saaf kiya. Muskaraaye. "Beta, jab tum roz subah wahi suraj dekhte ho — bore hote ho? Nahi. Kyunki har subah suraj thoda alag hota hai. Wahi suraj — par roshni nayi. Teri Dadi bhi waise hi hai. Wahi chehra — par har din kuch naya dikhaati hai. 58 saal mein maine woh sab dekha jo tum 58 minute mein nahi dekh sakte." Dadi — kitchen se aayin. Haath mein chai ka tray. "Kya gossip ho rahi hai?" Dadi ne pucha. "Poochh raha hai ki bore nahi hote ek doosre se," Dadaji ne kaha. Dadi hansi. "Bore? Inhe dekho — 82 saal ke hain, par jab main saree pehnti hoon toh aaj bhi waise dekhte hain jaise pehli baar dekha tha." "Pehli baar bhi aisi hi khubsoorat thi," Dadaji ne kaha — naturally, bina effort ke. Dadi ki cheeks pink. 78 saal mein blushing. "Buddhe ho gaye ho, par baatein abhi bhi wohi hain." --- Shaam ko — park mein walk. Dono saath. Dadaji dheere chalte hain — ghutne dard karte hain. Dadi ka haath pakad ke chalte hain — "support ke liye," kehte hain. Par Dadi ka balance perfect hai. Woh support ke liye nahi — pyaar ke liye haath pakadti hain. Bench par baithe. Ice cream khayi. Dadaji ko vanilla pasand hai, Dadi ko butterscotch. "58 saal mein ek bhi baar same flavour nahi liya," Dadaji ne kaha. "Kyunki different hona zaroori hai," Dadi ne kaha. "Agree karna zaroori nahi — saath rehna zaroori hai." --- Raat ko — Dadi ki dawai ka time. Dadaji yaad dilaate hain — roz. BP ki goli, thyroid ki goli, calcium. "Itni dawaiyan," Dadi kehti hain. "Kabhi kabhi lagta hai bas dawaiyon pe zinda hoon." "Dawaiyon pe nahi," Dadaji kehte hain. "Mere pe. Main hoon na — yaad dilaane ke liye, paani laane ke liye, aur mushkil mein haath pakadne ke liye." Dadi kuch nahi boltin. Bas dawai kha letin hain. Par aankhon mein — sab likha hota hai. --- Maine pucha — last sawaal — "Dadaji, pyaar ki ek definition do. 58 saal ke experience se." Dadaji ne socha. Deri tak. Phir kaha — "Pyaar woh hai jab tum 82 saal ke ho, ghutne dard karte hain, aankhein kamzor hain, yaaddaasht jaati hai — par ek chehra kabhi nahi bhoola — aur nahi bhulana chahte." Woh Dadi ki taraf dekha. Dadi unki taraf. Koi shabd nahi. Koi zarurat nahi. 58 saal ka pyaar — khamoshi mein bolta hai. Zyada. Gehri.

Priya conference ke liye Hyderabad gayi — 3 din. Pehli baar shaadi ke baad itne din alag. Day 1 — "Freedom! Main jo chaahun karunga. Pizza order karunga. Late night gaming. No one to say 'so ja'!" Reality: 8 PM — Pizza order kiya. Cheese burst. Extra toppings. Akele khaaya. 4 slice ke baad — mann bhar gaya. Priya hoti toh kehti — "Ek aur le na, patla hai tu." Aur main le leta — kyunki uske kehne se bhookh aa jaati hai. 10 PM — Gaming shuru kiya. 30 minute mein boring laga. Priya hoti toh peeche se "yeh kya bakwas khel raha hai" bolti — aur wohi commentary entertainment thi. 11 PM — Bed par gaya. Side khaali. Takia uthaya — uski jagah rakh diya. Takia gale nahi lagaata. Takia "paaon thande hain" bolke paaon mujhse chipkaata nahi. 12 AM — neend nahi aayi. Phone uthaya. Message kiya — "So gayi?" Reply — 1 minute mein — "Nahi. Tu?" "Main bhi nahi." "Akela lagta hai?" "Nahi." [Jhooth] "Mujhe lagta hai." [Sach] Phone par baat ki. 2 ghante. Wahi baatein — "khaana khaaya?" "AC ka temperature?" "darwaza lock kiya?" Par awaaz — uski awaaz — woh ghar se zyada ghar thi. Day 2 — office gaya. Tiffin nahi tha. Canteen mein khaaya. "Yeh kya hai?" — sab kuch bland laga. Priya ki roti mein jo namak hota hai — woh kisi canteen mein nahi milta. Shaam ko — ghar aaya. Dark. Quiet. TV on kiya background noise ke liye. Priya hoti toh TV ki zarurat nahi — woh khud background noise hai. Best waali. Day 3 — airport jaane se pehle ghar saaf kiya. Flowers laaya — "welcome back" ke liye. Kitchen mein chai banayi — 2 cup. Airport par — arrivals gate. Bheed mein usse dhundha. Dikhte hi — woh daudi. Bag chhod ke. Gale lag gayi. Airport pe. Logon ke beech. "Miss kiya?" usne pucha. "Bilkul nahi," maine kaha. Aankhein bheegi. "Jhoothe." "Haan." Ghar aaye. Chai thi — thandi ho chuki. Microwave ki. Saath mein pi. "Flowers?" usne dekhe. "Tumne lagaye?" "Haan." "Tumhe flowers ka naam bhi nahi pata." "Google kiya." Woh hansi. Main hansa. 3 din ki doori — 3 minute mein khatam. Par ek baat samajh aayi — pyaar woh nahi jo tum saath hoke feel karo. Pyaar woh hai jo tum dur hoke realize karo. Woh khaali bed, woh bland khaana, woh quiet ghar — sab kehta hai: "Yeh insaan — teri zindagi hai. Iske bina sab hai — par kuch nahi hai."

3rd wedding anniversary. Maine bhool gaya. Completely. Totally. 100%. Subah uttha — normal din. Office gaya. Meetings. Lunch. Wapas aaya. Ghar par — Swati ne darwaza khola. Saree pehni thi. Ghar sajaa hua tha. Candles. Balloons. Meri favourite biryani ki khusbhoo. "Surprise!" usne kaha. Mera chehra — deer in headlights. "Happy Anniversary!" usne kaha. Mere pet mein gadhha. Anniversary. ANNIVERSARY. Aaj. Maine bhool gaya. Koi gift nahi. Koi plan nahi. Koi flowers nahi. "H-Happy Anniversary!" maine kaha. Fake smile. Internal panic. "Gift?" usne expectantly pucha. "Gift... gift toh hai." Nahi tha. "Par woh... delivery mein hai. Kal aayega." "Kal?" Uski smile slightly drop. "Haan... special order tha... Germany se aa raha hai." Germany?! Kya bol raha hoon main?! "Achha? Kya hai?" "Surprise." Crisis. Mission: 12 ghante mein anniversary bachao. 9 PM — Swati kitchen mein thi. Maine bathroom mein phone uthaya. Amazon — overnight delivery. Kya gift? Kya?! Search history: - "best anniversary gift wife" — 2.4 million results - "last minute anniversary gift" — bhi bahut - "anniversary gift jab bhool gaye ho" — oddly specific results the Ordered: Personalized photo frame — shaadi ki photo — "Tum meri duniya ho" engraved. ₹1,299. Delivery — next day 10 AM. Par raat toh guzaarni thi. Dinner — biryani. Candles. Music. Swati khush thi. Maine usse 3 saal ki har achhi memory bataayi — improv — "Yaad hai jab Goa mein bike kharab ho gayi thi? Aur hum 5 km chale the? Best walk of my life." "Achha? Tab toh tum ro rahe the — 'joote kaat rahe hain.'" "Par tumhare saath tha na. Toh achha tha." Nice save. --- Agle din — 10 AM. Doorbell. Delivery. Photo frame. "Yeh hai tumhara Germany wala gift?" "Haan." "Amazon ka sticker hai." "Germany ki Amazon." Swati ne frame dekha. Photo dekhi — shaadi wali. Aankhein bheegi. "Yeh achha hai," usne kaha. "Sachchi?" "Haan. Par ek baat batao — tum bhool gaye the na?" Silence. Caught. "Haan," maine sheepishly kaha. Woh hansi. Zyada hansi. Bahut zyada. "Mujhe pata tha. Subah se tumhara chehra padh rahi thi. Germany se order — seriously?" "Tum naraaz nahi ho?" "Naraaz? Main toh dekh rahi thi ki tum kya karte ho. Aur tumne — puri raat achhi baatein kahi, biryani ki tareef ki, 3 saal ki memories sunaayi — sab guilt mein. Par sab sachhi. Shayad Anniversary yaad hoti toh itni achhi baatein nahi kehte." "Toh... forgiven?" "Is baar. Agla Anniversary bhool gaye toh — Germany nahi, actual Germany jaana padega. Mujhe leke." Deal.

Shaadi ke baad — pehla din naye ghar mein. Chhota sa 2BHK. Rent — 18,000. Furniture — second-hand. Kitchen — ek gas stove, do bartan, aur ek kadhai. "Kya banayein?" Prerna ne pucha. "Kuch bhi. Kuch bhi jo tujhe aata ho," maine kaha. "Mujhe sirf Maggi aati hai." "Mujhe bhi." Dono ne ek dusre ko dekha. Phir hanse. Pehla dinner — Maggi. Do plates. Kitchen ke zameen par baith ke khayi — dining table abhi aaya nahi tha. "Yeh humare ghar ka pehla khaana hai," Prerna ne kaha. "Historic moment." "Maggi se history banti hai?" "Hamari banti hai." --- Pehla hafte — YouTube se cooking seekhi. "Dal kaise banayein — beginners." Video 10 minute ka, humein 2 ghante lage. "Pressure cooker mein paani kitna daalna hai?" maine pucha. "Video mein bola — 2 cups." "Yeh 2 cups ya 2 glasses?" "Same cheez hai." Same cheez nahi thi. Dal paani ban gayi. Humne usse "soup" bol ke pee li. Innovation. --- Pehla mahina — progress. Roti gol nahi banti thi par khaane layak thi. Sabzi mein namak zyada hota tha. Chawal chipak jaate the. Par — har meal saath mein banaate the. Main sabzi kaatata, woh masala daalti. Main roti belata (triangle shape), woh sekte. Music lagaate — Kishore Kumar — aur kitchen mein dance karte karte khana banaate. "Tu roti belne mein itna bura kyun hai?" usne pucha, meri triangle roti dekhke. "Geometry weak thi." "Toh main shape dungi, tu gas pe rakh." Team work. --- Chhah mahine baad — Prerna ki daal famous ho gayi. Padosi — Sharma aunty — ne recipe puuchi. "Recipe kya hai?" Prerna ne mujhe dekha. "Pyaar, thoda namak, aur YouTube." "Aur patience," maine add kiya. "Bahut saara patience." --- Aaj — 3 saal ho gaye. Kitchen ab fully equipped hai. Spice rack, mixer, OTG, air fryer. Roti ab gol banti hai — mostly. Par kabhi kabhi — deliberately — Maggi banaate hain. Zameen par baith ke khaate hain. Woh pehle din ko yaad karte hain. Kyunki pehli rasoi — woh ghar nahi banaati. Ghar toh dono milke banaate hain. Ek triangle roti aur ek gol roti — saath mein.

Mujhe dengue hua — shaadi ke doosre saal. 104 bukhar. Platelet girte ja rahe the. Hospital admit. Riya — meri wife — office se chutti leke aayi. 7 din. Poore 7 din hospital mein. "Tujhe office jaana chahiye," maine kaha, kamzori mein. "Office har mahine salary deta hai. Tu sirf ek hai. Priorities." Woh soyi nahi — 3 din. Nurse se zyada alert thi. "Yeh drip slow hai. Speed badhao." "Temperature check karo." "Doctor kab aayenge? 2 ghante ho gaye." Nurses darne lagi usse. Raat ko — jab ward mein sab so rahe the — woh mera haath pakad ke baithi rehti. Kabhi kabhi aankhein band ho jaati — par haath nahi chhodti. "Riya, so ja," maine kaha. "Teri platelet 40,000 hai. Main 1,00,000 hone tak nahi soungi." "Yeh medical science nahi, obsession hai." "Pyaar hai. Same spelling." --- Day 5 — doctor ne kaha situation stable hai. Platelet badh rahe hain. Riya — pehli baar — soyi. Hospital ki kursi par. Sir meri bed ki railing par rakhe. Meri ungliyon mein uski ungliyan. Nurse aayi vitals check karne. Riya ko dekha. Mujhe dekha. Muskuraayi. "Aapki wife..." nurse ne kaha. "Haan?" "Lucky hain aap." "Pata hai." --- Day 7 — discharge. Ghar aaye. Riya ne poora ghar saaf kar rakha tha — pehle se. Bed par fresh bedsheet. Kitchen mein haldi wala doodh tayyar. "Yeh sab kab kiya?" maine pucha. "Kal raat. 2 baje. Jab tu so raha tha hospital mein." "Tu nahi soyi phir bhi?" "Soungi. Aaj. Tere bagal mein. 12 ghante." Aur sach mein — woh soyi. 14 ghante. Maine utha nahi — bina hile 14 ghante pada raha. Kyunki 7 din usne meri neend ka khayal rakha — ab meri baari thi. --- Log kehte hain pyaar shaadi ke baad kam hota hai. Galat. Pyaar shaadi ke baad dikhta hai — beemar hone par, mushkil mein, jab duniya mein koi nahi hota — aur woh hota hai. Kursi par, haath pakde, bina soye. Yahi pyaar hai. Glamorous nahi. Thaka hua. Neend se bhari aankhon wala. Par asli.

Papa subah 5 baje uthte hain. Roz. Bina alarm ke. 25 saal se. Pehla kaam — chai banana. Do cup. Ek — strong, kam cheeni. Doosra — halki, zyada cheeni. Halki cheeni wala cup — Maa ke bedside table par rakh dete hain. Bina jagaaye. Bina awaaz kiye. Maa 6 baje uthti hain. Chai thandi hoti hai tab tak. Woh microwave karti hain — phir peeti hain. "Papa, Maa toh 6 baje uthti hain. Tum 5 baje kyun banate ho?" maine ek din pucha. Papa ne chai ka ghoonth bhara. "Jab nayi nayi shaadi hui thi — Maa 5 baje uthti thi. Dono saath chai peete the. Phir bachche aaye, neend kam hui, woh thak-ke late uthne lagi. Par meri aadat nahi badli." "Toh alarm laga do 6 baje ka." Papa muskuraaye. "Beta, chai 5 baje banti hai — kyunki pyaar 5 baje shuru hota hai. Woh chai — usmein 'good morning' hai, 'aaj bhi hoon' hai, aur 'tumhari neend mujhse zyada zaroori hai' — sab hai. Microwave kare ya na kare — pyaar garam rehta hai." Main chup. Us din se — maine notice karna shuru kiya: Papa Maa ka dupatta seedha karte hain — bina bole. Maa Papa ki dawai plate mein rakh deti hain — bina yaad dilaaye. Papa Maa ki favourite serial ke time TV remote nahi chhedte — cricket chal rahi ho tab bhi. Maa Papa ke joote polish karti hain — Sunday ko. "Achhe dikhne chahiye office mein," kehti hain. Koi "I love you" nahi. Koi flowers nahi. Koi anniversary dinner nahi. Par 25 saal — roz — subah 5 baje — ek cup chai. Yahi pyaar hai. Quiet. Consistent. Bina bole. Maine apni girlfriend ko yeh story sunaayi. Usne kaha — "Mujhe bhi chai chahiye roz subah." "Main 5 baje nahi uthta." "Toh 7 baje banana. Par banana." "Done." 25 saal baad dekhenge — aadat bani ya nahi. Par Papa ke hisaab se — banti hai. Zaroor banti hai.