Veer cheezein khota rehta tha।
Pencil box — kho gaya। Water bottle — kho gayi। School ki diary — do baar kho gayi।
Maa kehti thin — "Veer, tu ek din khud ko kho dega!"
Veer 13 saal ka tha। Class 8। Kishangarh ka sabse tez bowler — apni galli ka। Aur uske paas ek cheez thi jo woh kabhi nahi khona chahta tha —
Ek laal cricket ball। Dadaji ki di hui।
Dadaji ne woh ball Veer ko uske 10th birthday pe di thi। Aur saath mein ek line —
"Yeh ball nahi hai beta। Yeh mera bachpan hai। Ab tera hai।"
Dadaji khud zabardast bowler the apne zamane mein। Gaon waale unhe "Kishangarh Ka Kapil Dev" bolte the। Ab 74 saal ke the — ghutne jawab de gaye the, lekin aankhon mein wahi chamak thi।
Har shaam Dadaji aangan mein kursi daal ke baithte — aur Veer ko bowling karte dekhte। "Kalai ghuma! Seedha! Shabash!"
Aur phir — ek din — woh ball kho gayi।
Ball Kahan Gayi?
October ki ek shaam thi। Veer ne galli mein match khela tha। Aakhri over mein usne aisi ghoomti hui ball daali ki batsman ka wicket ud gaya — aur ball bhi।
Sab dhoondha। Naali mein। Chhat pe। Sharma aunty ke garden mein — jahan jaana mana tha।
Ball nahi mili।
Veer ghar aaya toh chehra utra hua tha। Dadaji ne poocha — "Kya hua champion?"
"Kuch nahi Dadaji।" Veer seedha kamre mein chala gaya।
Woh bata nahi paya। Kaise batata ki Dadaji ka bachpan kho gaya?
Woh Galli — Jo Pehle Kabhi Nahi Thi
Agle din school se lautte waqt Veer ne ek shortcut liya — purane bazaar wali galli se।
Aur wahin usne dekha — ek dukaan jo pehle kabhi wahan nahi thi।
Purani lakdi ka darwaza। Neela rang — jagah jagah se udta hua। Upar ek board tha, tedhi si handwriting mein —
"KHO GAYA? MIL JAYEGA।"
Veer ruk gaya। Ajeeb baat yeh nahi thi ki dukaan nayi thi। Ajeeb baat yeh thi ki woh dukaan purani lag rahi thi — jaise 100 saal se wahin ho। Lekin Veer is galli se hazaar baar guzra tha।
Darwaza khud khul gaya। Jaise intezaar kar raha ho।
Andar — duniya thi।
Shelf pe shelf। Chhat tak। Aur har shelf pe — khoyi hui cheezein।
Patangein — sainkdon patangein, jo kabhi kat ke ud gayi thin। Kanche — ek poore jar mein, har rang ke। Ek shelf pe sirf single moze the। Ek shelf pe purani chitthiyan — jinke address mit gaye the। Ek jar mein — Veer ko yakeen nahi hua — awaazein band thin। Jar pe likha tha: "School ki chhutti ki ghanti — 1987"
"Aao Veer।"
Veer uchhal pada। Counter ke peeche ek buzurg baithe the। Safed daadhi। Golden chashma। Aur aankhein — jinme itni kahaniyan thin jitni dukaan mein cheezein।
"Aapko mera naam—"
"Yahan wahi aate hain jinki koi cheez khoyi hoti hai।" Buzurg muskuraye। "Aur tumhari toh bahut khaas cheez khoyi hai। Hai na?"
Keemat
Buzurg counter ke neeche jhuke — aur jab haath upar aaya, toh Veer ka dil zor se dhadka।
Laal cricket ball। Wahi। Dadaji wali।
"Meri ball!" Veer aage badha। "Kitne ki denge? Mere paas 40 rupaye hain — aur 60 gullak mein—"
Buzurg ne haath utha diya।
"Yahan paisa nahi chalta beta।"
"Toh phir?"
Buzurg ne Veer ki aankhon mein dekha। Aur dheere se kaha —
"Yahan keemat hoti hai — ek yaad। Jo cheez wapas chahiye, usse judi ek yaad deni padti hai। Hamesha ke liye।"
Veer hansa। "Bas? Ek yaad? Yaadein toh bahut hain mere paas!"
"Soch lo।" Buzurg ki awaaz mein kuch tha — koi warning nahi, bas ek udaasi। "Sab yahi kehte hain।"
"Pakka! Deal!"
Buzurg ne ball Veer ke haath mein rakhi। Aur ek second ke liye — dukaan ki saari lights dhundhli ho gayin।
Veer ke haath mein ball thi। Woh jeet gaya tha।
Toh phir yeh khaali-khaali kyun lag raha tha?
Jo Chala Gaya
Ghar pahunch ke Veer seedha aangan mein bhaga। "Dadaji! Ball mil gayi!"
Dadaji ka chehra khil gaya। "Wah! Chal phir — dikha ek ghoomti hui!"
Veer ne ball pakdi। Run-up liya। Aur—
Ruk gaya।
Kalai... kaise ghumani thi?
Veer ne phir try kiya। Ball seedhi gayi — bina ghoome। Phir teesri baar। Phir chauthi।
"Kya hua beta?" Dadaji uthke aaye। "Woh grip bhool gaya? Arrey maine sikhaya tha na — us din, baarish ke baad, jab tu 10 saal ka tha—"
Veer ne Dadaji ki taraf dekha। Aur uska pet thanda ho gaya।
Use woh din yaad nahi tha।
Ball yaad thi। Birthday yaad tha। Lekin woh shaam — jab Dadaji ne geeli mitti pe apni kaanpti ungliyon se Veer ki kalai pakad ke pehli baar spin sikhayi thi — woh shaam uske dimaag se gayab thi। Jaise kabhi thi hi nahi।
Yahi keemat thi।
Dukaan ne ball wapas di thi — aur badle mein woh yaad le li thi jisne us ball ko keemti banaya tha।
Veer ki aankhein bhar aayin। Ball haath mein thi — lekin ab woh sirf ek ball thi। 6 rupaye wali laal rubber ki ball। Jaise koi bhi ball।
Wapsi
Veer bhaga। Poori taakat se। Purane bazaar wali galli tak।
Dukaan wahin thi। Darwaza khula tha।
"Wapas lo!" Veer haanpta hua counter pe pahuncha। Ball rakhi। "Ball wapas lo — meri yaad wapas do!"
Buzurg ne dheere se chashma utara। Aur pehli baar — woh sach mein muskuraye। Aankhon tak।
"75 saal ho gaye is dukaan ko। Tum pehle ho jo koi cheez wapas karne aaya hai।"
"Mujhe ball nahi chahiye।" Veer ro raha tha ab। "Ball toh bazaar mein mil jayegi। Lekin woh shaam — Dadaji ki ungliyan — woh kahin nahi milegi। Woh sirf meri thi।"
Buzurg bahut der tak Veer ko dekhte rahe।
Phir unhone ball wapas li। Aur Veer ke sar pe haath rakha।
"Jaao beta। Tumhari yaad tumhare paas pahunch gayi hai।" Phir dheere se — jaise khud se keh rahe hon — "Aur aaj maine dekh liya — kuch bachche ab bhi jaante hain ki asli keemat kis cheez ki hoti hai।"
Veer darwaze tak pahuncha — phir ruka। "Ek baat poochun? Aap yeh dukaan kyun chalate hain?"
Buzurg ne dukaan ki taraf dekha — patangon, kanchon, chitthiyon ki taraf।
"Kyunki log cheezein dhoondhte hue aate hain — aur kabhi kabhi samajh ke jaate hain ki dhoondhna kya chahiye tha।"
Us Shaam
Veer ghar pahuncha toh yaad wapas aa chuki thi — poori ki poori। Geeli mitti। Dadaji ki kaanpti ungliyan। "Kalai aise ghuma — jaise chabi ghumate hain।"
Veer aangan mein gaya। Dadaji kursi pe baithe the — udaas se, haath mein chai।
"Dadaji।"
"Haan beta?"
"Ball toh nahi mili।" Veer muskuraya। "Lekin aap mujhe phir se sikhaoge? Bilkul shuru se? Jaise us din sikhaya tha — baarish ke baad?"
Dadaji ki aankhein chamak uthin। Kursi se aise uthe jaise ghutne 20 saal jawan ho gaye hon।
"Nayi ball la। Aaj Kishangarh Ka Kapil Dev khud khelega!"
Us shaam aangan mein do bowler the। Ek 74 saal ka, ek 13 saal ka। Aur hansi itni thi ki Sharma aunty ne deewar se jhaank ke dekha।
Veer phir kabhi woh dukaan nahi dhoondh paya। Galli wahi thi, deewar wahi thi — lekin neela darwaza kabhi nahi mila।
Shayad dukaan ka kaam poora ho gaya tha।
Ya shayad — Veer ka।
Kahani Ki Seekh
Cheezein kho jaayein toh mil jaati hain। Yaadein kho jaayein toh kahin nahi milti।
Veer ne ek din mein woh seekha jo kuch log poori zindagi mein nahi seekh paate — ball ki keemat 6 rupaye thi, lekin us ball se judi shaam anmol thi।
Tumhare ghar mein bhi jadui cheezein hain — Dadaji ki kahaniyan, Dadi ke haath ka khaana, Maa-Papa ke saath khela hua ek game। Yeh sab ek din yaadein ban jayengi।
Isliye aaj unke saath waqt bitao — kyunki jadui dukaan sirf kahani mein hoti hai।
