Sheher Jo Kabhi Nahi Sota Tha, Phir Ek Raat

Us sheher ka naam log alag-alag lete the, lekin ek baat sab ek jaisi bolte the: “Yeh sheher kabhi sota nahi.” Din ho ya raat, yahan traffic ki awaaz hoti thi, chai ki tapriyaan khuli rehti thi, aur footpath par bhi zindagi chalti rehti thi.

Main bhi usi sheher mein rehta tha. Har raat office se laut-te waqt mujhe lagta tha jaise is city ki saansein kabhi rukti hi nahi. Upar se neon lights, neeche honking cars, aur har kone mein koi na koi apni kahani leke khada hota tha. Lekin phir ek raat aayi, aur sab kuch badal gaya.

Woh Thursday ki raat thi. Baarish ke baad ki thandi hawa chal rahi thi. Main ghar ki balcony mein khada tha, chai ka cup haath mein tha, aur usual city noise ka intezaar kar raha tha. Par kuch ajeeb tha. Na horns, na metro ki ghurr-ghurr, na delivery bikes ki bhaag-daud. Pehle laga shayad main thoda late ho gaya hoon, sab so gaye honge.

Phir neeche dekha. Road bilkul khaali thi. Red light blink kar rahi thi, lekin uske saamne koi gaadi nahi thi. Dhoondli streetlights ke neeche ek auto khada tha, driver seat empty. Aur jo sabse zyada darane wala tha, woh yeh ki sheher mein ek bhi awaaz nahi thi.

Main neeche utar gaya. Building ke guard ne mujhe dekha aur bas itna bola, “Aaj bahar mat jao, sir. Sab log ghar ke andar hi reh rahe hain.” Uski awaaz mein darr tha, lekin reason nahi.

Main ne poocha, “Kyun? Kya hua?”

Woh guard thoda sa peeche hata aur bola, “Pata nahi. Bas kuch logon ne ek hi baat boli—raat ke 1 baje ke baad kisi ko khidki par khada mat dekho.”

Mera dil ek pal ke liye ruk sa gaya. Main hansa, par woh hansi khud mujhe fake lagi. Tabhi third floor ki ek building mein ek khidki khuli. Andar se ek chhoti si light bahar aayi. Phir shadow dikhi—ek aadmi ki, jo khidki ke paas khada tha.

Hum dono ne upar dekha. Woh shadow dheere-dheere piche hat gayi. Phir uske baad ek aur khidki. Aur ek. Jaise poora sheher ek hi waqt mein kisi ko dekh raha ho, ya kisi se chup raha ho.

Us raat ke baad maine jaana ki silence hamesha peace nahi hoti. Kabhi-kabhi silence warning hoti hai. Sheher jo kabhi nahi sota tha, usne us raat pehli baar aankhen band nahi ki thi—woh kisi ka intezaar kar raha tha.

Subah jab news aayi, toh kisi ne kuch clear nahi bataya. Log bas itna keh rahe the ki us raat poore area mein power cut nahi, fear cut hua tha. Aur jab darr ek sheher mein failta hai, toh lights jalti rehkar bhi sab andhera lagne lagta hai.

Aaj bhi jab main us road se guzarta hoon, toh mujhe woh ajeeb silence yaad aati hai. Woh khali road, woh band auto, woh khidkiyon ke peeche chhupi shadows. Aur ek sawaal jo ab tak jawab nahi paaya:

Us raat sheher soya nahi tha... ya kisi ne use sone nahi diya?