Travel Diaries

 

Sometimes when we start a journey we don't know where it will end. Most of the time we believe it will happen according to us but sometimes destiny has its own plans.

This is the story of my friend’s journey. Let’s see, where the destiny takes him.

It was the early morning of first week of December, He was returning from hiking. He shivered while entering the bus.

As he got on, everyone stared him except the girl who was busy in reading a book and there was a vacant seat beside her. He quietly took that seat and made himself comfortable.With the whacking sound of engine, the bus started to move on, her eyes still in the book.

Finally after 15 min. he broke the silence.

“I guess the book is more interesting enough? He said it out loud.

“Interesting enough than a random guy who entered in a college trip bus and now trying to flirt with a girl”. she said in a single breath.

“Hey hold on, I am just trying to make a conversation so you feel comfortable as i am your companion till your city”. He justified himself.

“Stop irritating me. Go find some other seat”. She yelled at him.

From the backside of the bus a friend of her called "Hey, come join us for the dance. This is the last day of our adventure trip”.

“No, you guys carry on”. She replied to her friend.

Then again a voice came "Hey Man, could you join us?"

Before he goes back, she put her earphones on and started looking outside the window as if she was not interested. They started cheering and enjoying.

Then after going at the backside of the bus, he inquired "what happened to her. Why is she so rude?" to her friends.

Then one of her best friend Ruhi told him that “She is Aditi the topper of our college, a kind heart girl and a very down to earth person. She was in a relationship from the past one year. Recently she did break up because the boy cheated on her. She has joined this trip to move on”.

In the evening the bus stopped nearby a restaurant.Everyone got off the bus.Taking advantage of the situation He took her book and put it in his bag and went to the restaurant.When the bus started everyone took their seat. She was puzzled as she couldn’t find her book.

“Hey what happened, you looking anxious? He asked her.

“I can't find my book. I put it here before going out.” She replied to him.

“I think the book got bored of you. Don't worry I will give you company”. He started giggling.

“That was my favourite book and I haven’t even completed it”. She sat sadly on the seat.

“Well I am not a book lover but i think it is about some random guy and his journey from poor to being rich after finding treasure just like all typical old stories”. He teased her.

“Will you please shut up I am not interested in you”. She frowned at him.

She gave him a furious look and turned her face towards the window.

“I have an amazing story to tell more exciting than your book. You are in my company till the journey ends so it's my duty to make you feel good”.

“It’s my bad luck that you got stuck to me. Now I have to bear you till Jaipur. Ok go ahead I'm listening”.

But I have one condition before I carry on let's know each other. He said.

“I know this has to happen”.

I am Rohan from your city .Engineering Student and a free soul traveller by a choice. What about you. He said all this in one breathe.

Aditi, another Future Engineer. She said.            

“Correct me, if I am wrong. You are a book lover, animal lover, beauty with brain and that type of girl who listen only English songs”? He teased her.

“Will you start your story or Else i will sleep”.

Ok, ok, so my story starts like this.

"Once a girl, who loved her father very much and her father treated her like a princess. She had no mother and they both took care of each other. As the time passed, she completed her school and it was time for her to choose a college. Her father wanted her to be an Engineer but she wanted to be a doctor. So you tell me what she Choose?

“I think she chooses medical”. She replied confusingly to him.

“And why do you think so”? He fires question again.

“Because engineering sucks”. She started laughing.

“But she prefers to be an Engineer to complete her father's dream. She studied hard in the college. She topped every semester. She won many prizes in cultural activities too. She was offered a good package by a reputed company. But in last year she falls in love with a guy. They both are likely to be the perfect couple together. A fairy tale thing, later she realizes that this guy was cheating on her. She broke down and was disheartened, always crying”.

Now you tell me “Will the girl continue the relation with that boy because she loves him so much or the girl will leave all this behind and move on to a new beginning where she can do whatever she wants?

“The girl should leave that guy”. She replied after thinking for some time.

"Why? I mean she loves him so much". He put up a question again.

“Yeah, But love is only built on trust. If the other person cheated on you there is no point in having relation with that person whether it is a boy or girl. In fact as you told that girl has a job offer she could accept it and start a new life. Why to cry for a person who cheated you". She completed her answer like a judgement.

“Exactly, this is how quickly we take decision for others. When the same thing happens in our life, we know everything but we are not strong enough to stand out from all this”. He said.

“What do you mean? Don't confuse me be clear what you want to say.

“This is your story Aditi. I got to know from your friends. You are strong enough to decide what to do next. You have a beautiful future ahead you have a job offer.Think about your father, what will happen to him when he comes to know about all this. But today if you leave all this behind and start seeing things from different perspective your life will change totally. May be one day you will make your father proud”.                  

“What the hell are you talking? You don't know anything about me. It's none of your business. Just stop all this shit theories and don't try on me”. She shouted all this to him.

She put her earphones on, a tear rolled down her cheek and she closed her eyes.

In the morning, her friend woke her as they had reached college, when she took her Bag she found the book on the seat where he was sitting last night. She took the book and opened it. She found a note in the last page.

"Chase your dreams one day you'll also find a treasure box. Remember sun shines everyday even after the darkest night. Just take a deep breath and look around the world is still beautiful."

After one month on 1st January

Rohan goes to a Restaurant to meet his friend. When he entered there, He founds a similar voice. When going in the direction of that voice he saw Aditi there.

She is on the stage narrating a story to the audience behind her there is a banner "Towards a New Beginning" written on it. After seeing him there, she ended by saying “My name is ADITI and this is my story. Thanks to that person for I am today by pointing at him”.

There is a complete Silence in the Restaurant. Everybody looked at him.

He steps towards her when they came closer. She whispered to him "Today I am a totally different person from that day and all credit to you MR. Soul Traveller from my city" and smiled at him.

“But you are complete idiot, you don't have manners how to say goodbye to a pretty girl”. She complains.

“I am not used to goodbyes. Let's do one thing be my side forever so I don't have to say goodbye to you”.  He said.

Both smiles and hugged each other. The Audience started clapping. 

"Keep loving keep living and believe in yourself".

बारिशें

ये बारिश, बारिश की कुछ बूँदें और तुम।

मानो जैसे इन तीन शब्दों में मैंने अपना सब कुछ बयाँ कर दिया हो।

उसे बारिश में भीगना पसंद था और मुझे वो।

कैसे उसके एक फ़ोन करने पर मैं बिना कुछ सोचे समझे, भीगता हुआ उसके घर पहुंच जाया करता था।

क्योंकि उसे मुझसे बारिश में नाचते हुए अपनी तस्वीरें जो खिंचवानी होती थी।

शायद उसके घरवालों ने उसका नाम बिल्कुल सही रखा था- "मयूरी" ।

वो जैसे बारिश में अपने परों को लहराकर मोर नाचते हैं ना या वो बारिश के बाद आसमाँ में जो सात रंग दिखाई देते हैं।

ठीक वैसे ही सारी कलाएँ, सारे रंग मानो जैसे उसने खुद के अंदर बड़े ही सहज तरीके से समेट लिए हों।

लेकिन शायद उसे ये नहीं पता था कि उसने एक बेरंग इंसान की जिंदगी में इतने रंग भर दिए हैं।

कुछ अलग ही अंदाज़ था उसका रूठे हुए को झठ से मना लेती थी, रोते हुए को हँसा देती थी, अंजान लोगों को भी अपना बना लेती थी और बातों में तो वो सबकी उस्ताद थी।

चेहरे पर उसके एक अलग ही नूर था, आँखों में किसी शोर से पहले की खामोशी और लबों पर एक दिलकश कहानी थी।

जब ज़ुल्फें लहराती थी तो लगता था कोई ठंडी पुरवाई चल रही हो।
एक बार कोई उसके साथ वक़्त गुज़ारने बैठ जाए तो पता ही नहीं चलता था कि कब सुबह से शाम और कब शाम से सुबह हो गई।
कुछ ऐसी ही थी वो सबसे अलग सबसे अलहदा।

एक बार किसी शाम उसने ऐसे ही मुझसे पूछ लिया कि- 'ध्रुव!  तुम्हें पता है तुम्हारे नाम का मतलब क्या है?'

फिर कुछ सोचते हुए अपने ही अंदाज़ में आसमाँ की तरफ इशारा करते हुए बोली कि, तुम वो ध्रुव तारे हो जो आसमान में सबसे ज्यादा चमक रहा है। जिसे देखकर हर कोई उसे पाना चाहता है पर वो किसी के हाथ नहीं आता।

तब मैंने पूछा कि तुम्हारा मतलब क्या है?

तब मुझे बड़े ही प्यार से समझाते हुए बोली कि- तुम मेरी जिंदगी में उस ध्रुव तारे की तरह हो, जो अपनी रोशनी से मुझे हमेशा सही रास्ता दिखाता है।

फिर मैंने हैरत से उसे देखते हुए पूछा कि- तुम्हारे नाम का क्या मायना है?

पहले तो वो बहुत खुश हुई पर फौरन ही उदास होकर बोली कि - ' मैं वो मोर हूँ जो बारिश होने पर अपने परों को लहराकर आसमान की ओर देखते हुए खुशी से नाचता है इस चाहत में की एक दिन वो आसमान जरूर छुएगा। पर फिर उसे लगता है कि वो आसमान कभी छू नहीं पाएगा और उसे छूने की ख्वाहिश में दर दर भटकता है।'

ठीक उस मोर और आसमान की तरह हम दोनों भी कभी एक नहीं हो पाएंगे।
ये कहते ही वो वहाँ से चली गई।

इतना सुनते ही मैं सुन्न हो गया। ऐसा लगा कि मैं कोई हसीन ख़्वाब देख रहा था और किसी ने मुझे बुरी तरह झकझोर दिया हो।

वहाँ बैठकर मैं खुद से ही ये कहने लगा कि- "काश! काश! काश! तुमने अपना फैसला सुनाने से पहले मुझसे एक दफ़ा अपना हाल-ए-दिल तो पूछ लिया होता। मैं तुम्हें बता पाता कि जिसे तुम अपनी जिंदगी की डायरी का महज एक पन्ना समझ रही हो। उसने तुम्हें अपनी जिंदगी की वो डायरी माना है जिसे उसका लेखक बेतहाशा मुहब्बत करता है और ताउम्र उसे अपने पास सहेजकर रखता है। और किस तरह वो उस डायरी के खाली पड़े सफेद पन्नों पर रंग बिरंगी स्याही से बेहतरीन कहानियाँ लिखता है।"

अब जब भी बारिशें आती है, अपने साथ तुम्हारी यादें भी ले आती है,
अपने दिल के मकाँ से तुम्हारे ख्याल अब निकाल देता हूँ मैं,
अक्सर अब बारिशें यूँही गुज़ार देता हूँ मैं।।

मैंने बड़े क़रीब से देखा है।

समँदर किनारे बैठकर,
लहरों को गुज़रते हुए,
मैंने बड़े क़रीब से देखा है।।

साहिल पर बने मिट्टी के,
घरौंदों को बिखरते हुए,
मैंने बड़े क़रीब से देखा है।।

जिंदगी के इस कारवाँ को बढ़ते हुए
और आफताब की तरह डूबते हुए
मैंने बड़े क़रीब से देखा है।।

अपनों को अपनों से बिछड़ते हुए,
सूखे पत्तों की तरह मुरझाते हुए,
मैंने बड़े क़रीब से देखा है।।

यार तो सबके दिल फ़रियाद होते हैं,
उन जान से प्यारे यारों को झगड़ते हुए,
मैंने बड़े क़रीब से देखा है।।
                                          

                                           ~'सूफ़ी'

बचपन

गूँजती थी घर के आँगन में मेरी किलकारी जो,
खो गयी है आज दुनिया की इस भीड़ में वो।
ना जाने क्यों वक़्त के साथ मैं बड़ा हो गया,
वो बचपन ना जाने अब कहाँ खो गया।

आती थी जो नींद मुझे मेरी प्यारी माँ की उस गोद में,
गायब है वो आज इस महँगे बिस्तर की मौज में।
चलना सिखाया था पापा ने मुझे उंगली पकड़ कर तब,
खड़ा हूँ उनकी वजह से आज अपने पैरों पर अब।।

टाँग कर बस्ता काँधे पर, पापा ने मुझको स्कूल पढ़ने भेजा था,
याद है मुझको वो पल तब मैं खूब रोया था।
कहाँ इल्म था मुझको की एक दिन मैं फिर ऐसे रोऊंगा,
उस प्यारी सी स्कूल से जब हमेशा के लिए मैं दूर होऊँगा।।

बचपन जो था मेरा, यादों का वो एक बक्सा था,
ना जाने क्यों वक़्त को वो अखर गया।
आये जो दिन जवानी के, बचपन शीशे सा बिखर गया,
वो बचपन ना जाने अब कहाँ खो गया।।
                             

                                                     ~ 'सूफ़ी'