Saaye Ki Tarah

Richa ka Pune shift naya tha — pehla din flat mein. Boxes the, saamaan tha, ek list thi kya karna hai. Landlord ne bola purani tenant 3 mahine pehle gayi thi, sab theek tha, kuch chhoda nahi. Flat saaf tha — woh sure tha. Lekin pehle din almari saaf karte waqt Richa ne ek photo nikali — ek aurat ki photo, black and white, purani lagti thi lekin quality new thi. Aurat muskaraa rahi thi — genuinely. Richa ne landlord ko bataya. Usne bola 'chhod do' — ek tone mein jo matlab tha ki iska jawab nahi chahiye tha use. Richa ne photo rakh di — ek side mein.

Doosre hafte bathroom ki tile ke peeche ek aur photo — same aurat, alag angle. Kitchen drawer mein ek chhota sa note: ek naam — 'Meghna' — aur ek date. Richa ne Google mein 'Meghna Pune flat' type kiya aur kuch nahi aaya. Woh dismiss kar sakti thi yeh sab — bhool jaana asaan tha. Lekin kuch tha us aurat ki smile mein — woh look genuinely khushi se tha, forced nahi, aur is flat mein kisi ne carefully chupaaya tha. Kyun? Koi jo khush tha kuch chhupa ke kyu jaata? Ya kisi aur ne iske baad yaadein mitayi?

Padosi aunty ne bataya — 'Meghna thi, kaafi achi ladki. Kuch family problems the, Pune chhod ke gayi bata ke gayi.' 'Kahan gayi?' 'Baar baar poochha tha kisi ne. Koi nahi jaanta.' Richa ne note kiya — family problems. Chhodi aayi bata ke. Lekin photos chhodi kyun — carefully, hidden places mein? Ek theory thi — koi tha jo photos nahi chahta tha sath. Ya — Meghna khud nahi chahti thi ki photos usske paas rahen, koi yaadgaar chhodni nahi thi jahan ja rahi thi.

Ek mahine baad Richa ko ek clue mili — flat ke meter box ke andar ek visiting card tha: 'Meghna Suresh, Photographer, Aundh.' Pune mein hi. Richa ne number try kiya — out of service. Address try ki — ek studio tha, band tha ab. Samai note tha door pe. Studio ki khidki se andar dekha — khaali tha lekin walls pe photos thi. Wahi style — black and white, real expressions. Ek dhaba waale ne bataya: 'Wahan ek ladki kaam karti thi, bahut talented, kuch mahine pehle Mumbai shift ho gayi. Job mili photography mein.'

Mystery simple thi — Meghna photos flat mein chhod ke gayi thi, intentionally. Woh ek superstition thi uski: 'Jahaan khush rahi hoon wahan apna kuch chhod jaao — jagah yaad rakhti hai tujhe.' Woh flat Meghna ke liye khushi waala tha. Richa ne yeh sab samjha aur ek cheez ki — usne ek photo rakh li apne paas bhi, ek note likha: 'Richa, 2026 — naya sheher, naya ghar, naye sawaal.' Almari mein rakh di. Yeh flat uski bhi khushi waali jagah bane — yeh iraada tha. Kuch cheezein pehle ke logon se aate hain — ek flat, ek city, ek achhi khubseerat waali smile — aur hum unhe aage le jaate hain.