“Kahi baar raat hone se pehle,
zindagi ek aisi roshni de jaati hai
jo andhere mein bhi muskurane ki wajah ban jaati hai.”
Sham ka waqt tha…
Mumbai CST station apne shaam ke rush mein rang chuka tha.
Office waale log bhaag rahe the,
local trains platform chhorke nikal rahi thi,
aur main —
ek solo musafir, Deccan Queen Express ke liye platform dhoond raha tha.
Train Timing: 5:10 PM
Destination: Pune
Manzil se zyada, sukoon dhoondhne ka plan.
🚉 Platform Ki Roshni Mein Woh Chhoti Si Muskaan
Apni window seat settle kar hi raha tha
ki samne ke berth par ek young couple aaya
aur saath mein unki 4-5 saal ki chulbuli si beti.
Pink frock, tiny shoes,
aur ek baal uski aankhon pe girta hua —
usne mujhe dekha… aur bas ek muskaan di.
Bina kisi reason ke.
Woh muskaan shaam ke us halke suraj ki tarah thi
jo platform ke glass se andar aakar sabko halka golden touch de raha tha.
“Kahi baar lamhe Instagram ke nahi hote…
bas ek muskurahat ki snapshot ban jaate hain.”
🍭 Toffee Aur Questions: Shaam Mein Khilta Bachpan
Jab train chali,
toh bachchi ne apna snack box khola
aur sabse pehle mujhe ek toffee offer ki.
Main hasa aur kaha:
“Itni badi dosti toh college mein bhi nahi hoti!”
Maine bhi return mein Usko apni bag se Chocolate nikal kar diya,
Fir uske questions start ho gaye:
“Aap kahan ja rahe ho?”
“Akele kyu ho?”
“Aapke paas aur bhi chocolate hai?”
Aur main har ek sawal ka jawab de raha tha
jaise uske saath hi puri shaam ka safar ho raha ho.
🌆 Train Ke Bahar Ki Shaam, Aur Andar Ka Sukoon
Train Dadar cross kar chuki thi,
aur suraj dheere dheere horizon mein ja raha tha.
Window ke bahar ek sunset ka slow motion scene tha,
aur andar ek bachpan ki khushbu thi.
Bachchi apne mom ke phone pe drawing banati rahi,
aur beech beech mein mujhe apna art dikhati.
Main “wah!” bolta,
aur uske chehre pe ek aur muskaan aa jaati.
“Sham ka waqt tha,
par uski khushi subah se bhi zyada fresh thi.”
📸 Raat Ki Aamad Aur Muskurahat Ki Yaad
Jab train 8:25 PM par Pune pahunchi,
main utarne laga,
Aue us chhoti si dost ko fir ek baar Chocolate di,
Vo cute si smile ke sath boli:
“Bye Uncle… next time mujhe story sunana!”
Main ne usko haath hila ke bye kaha,
aur train se utar gaya…
Par us muskaan ka asar
train ke bahar nikal kar bhi khatam nahi hua.
Aisa laga —
ek chhoti si smile ne mera pura week light kar diya ho.
💭 Us Shaam Ne Kya Sikhaya?
- Har solo trip mein ek aise pal chhupay hote hain
jo tumhare dil ko silently complete kar dete hain. - Safar sirf views ke liye nahi hote —
kabhi kabhi ek random insaan
tumhara favourite yaad ban jaata hai. - Aur sabse badi baat —
“Bachpan ki muskaan,
duniya ka sabse pure emotion hota hai.”
“Ek muskaan thi,
ek station tha,
aur ek kahani…
jo sham ke rang mein rachi thi,
aur raat tak yaadon mein chamakti rahi.”