Do Biscuit

Karobar ke silsile me aksar main sheher se bahar hi rehta tha. Kabhi Mumbai, kabhi Gujarat. Plane se zyada mujhe train me safar karne me maza ata tha kyunki un lambe safar me bade hi dilchasp logo se mulaqat hoti rehti thi. Aise hi ek dilchasp khandaan se meri mulaqat delhi se Ooty jaati hui train me hui. Second AC ki 6 berth me se 5 par unlogo ka qabza tha. Bangla me baat kar rahe the magar meri samajhmein sab araha tha kyunki itna safar karne ki wajha se  nayi nayi zabane seekhne ko milti hai. Do din ke is safar me mujhe unka poora routine samajh aane laga tha. Kaafi waqt ke paband log the. Itni had tak ke vehshat hone lage. Subha 6 baje uthkar chai peete the. Phr 10 baje kuch poori sabzi jaisa wazandar nashta, phir dopahar do baje khana, phir sham 5 baje tak sona. Sham ko phir chai aur raat ko saadhe dus baje khana. Aur is waqt ki pabandi pe kisi ko aitraz bhi nahi tha. Mujhe to beech me hi itni baar bhook lagti thi ke har chai wale ko rok kar samosa wale ya kisi aur khane wale ko bulane ke liye kehta tha. Un logo ko ye ajeeb bhi lagta hoga magar maze ki baat ye hai k main wahan un sab se dubla tha. Ab wo bangali the to dosti karne ka shauq bhi rakhte the. Ek sham jab mere sath un sabne bhi apne waqt ke mutabiq chai khareedi, to unme se sabse buzurg ne, jo mere samne wali berth pe bethe the, mujhse poochha “biscuit khayenge?”, maine formality jatate hue kaha “nahi nahi… koi zarurat nahi hai”…

“Are lijiye lijiye”… unhone biscuit badate hue kaha “do biscuit to lijiye”

‘Do biscuit?’... maine dil hi dil me socha… ‘magar do hi kyu?... shayed kisi brand ka naam hoga do biscuit’, maine khud ko samjhate hue kaha.

“Arre lijiye na…” unhone phir israr kiya aur mujhe do biscuit thama diye.

Tab mujhe ehsass hua ke wo log waqai do biscuit hi khate hain chai ke sath. Magar do hi kyu? Meri ammi to poora dabba samne rakh deti thi ke beta jo khana hai jitney khana hai khalo. AC second class me safar kar rahe the to ghareeb bhi nahi the. Phir ye do biscuit wala kya mamla hai?

“Ek hi kaafi hai”… main ek wapas karte hue bola

“Arre nahi nahi… humare yahan do hi khaye jate hain ek se kya hoga?” unhone bada tao dikhate hue bola

‘Jaise ek aur do me bada farq hai, ek khao to bhooke maro aur do khao to char din tak kuch na khao…’ maine dil me socha ‘humare yahan to aise bol rhe hain jaise raja rajwade ke khandan ke ho aur ye rule nikala ho ke do biscuit nahi khaye to sar qalam kardenge’

Main biscuit kha hi rha tha ke meri nazar unki 4-5 saal ki beti par padi jo apni maa ke paas rakhe hue biscuits ko badi hi lalchati nazar se dekh rhi thi. “Ma… ekta aaro khabo? (Maa ek aur khalu?)” usne apni maa se poochha

“Duto kheyechho to…(Do khaye to)” uski maa ne aankhe dikhate hue kaha “pore dinner korte parbi na (baad me khana nhi khapaogi)”

‘Waah…’ maine dil me socha… ‘jaise sham ko 6 baje do biscuit khakar allah miyan ka noor ajata hai pet me… do se teen hojane par bhook nahi lagegi.’ Main sar peetne ke liye deewar dhundne laga.

Un logo se baat krne par maloom hua ke poora khandan ooty ghoomne ja rha tha. Wahan se phr kerela me aur kai jagha jaane ka plan tha. Main dil hi dil me ye soch rha tha ke unka hafte ka biscuit ka kitna kharcha hai kyunki calculate karna hi itna asaan jo tha.

Ooty aane pe sab log apne apne raste chale gye aur mujhe mere office ki gaadi lene ayi. Jab office ke arrange kiye hue hotel me pahcha to chai lekr baira aya. Jaate hue usne mud kr mjhse poocha… “Sir kuch aur laadu aapko?... kuchu pakode waghera?”

Maine hans kar bola “Do biscuit milenge?”