Chapter 1 - The girl who took the wrong bus
Mera naam Naina hai.
Aur agar aapko lagta hai ki aapki life thodi messy hai..toh please thoda time nikalke meri kahani sunlo.
Because mere life mein problems toh kam hai par plot twists bohot jyada hai.
Mai normally sensible, intelligent and disciplined person hu. Par practically mujhe meri life har din awkward situationmai daal deti hai.
Example chahiye?
Toh aaj ke hi din ki baat karte hai.
Subah main ekdam confident mood mein uthi thi. Laptop bag, Travel list, Mindset everything was ready.
Aaj mein apne life ka sabse important decision lenewali thi.
Mein travel par jaa rahi thi.
No travel or adventure.
Proper life-changing journey.
Aur iss grand decision ka inspiration mila tha mere dadaji ki purani diary se.
Jab bhi bachpan mai, mai mere dadaji ke pass baithti wo muze aksar kaha karte,”Naina, duniya bohot badi hai…aur gharse bahar nikle bina wo samajh nahi aati.”
Unke jaane ke baad mummy ne mujhe unki ek pura i diary di thi.
Diary ke first page par likha tha, “Zindagi ko samajhna hai toh ghar ke bahar nikalna padega.”
Aur uske neeche aur ek chiz thi. Dadaji ne India ke alag-alag places likhe the jinke baremein bas maine youtube pe stories dekhi thi.
Rishikesh
Varanasi
Jaipur
Udaipur
Goa
Ladakh
Aur har jagah ke samne ek chota note bhi tha.
Rishikesh - Jab chahiye ho shanti toh yaha jana.
Varanasi - yaha life aur death dono samaz aate hai.
Udaipur - Sabse khoobsurat sheher.
Goa - Kabhi Kabhi life ko bas khulkar jeena chahiye.
Ladakh - Yaha sunne milegi tumhe pahado i khamoshi.
Diary dekhte hi mujhe ek ajeeb feeling aayi. Jaise dadaji ne ek journey adhuri chod di ho.
Aur pata nahi kyun.. Mujhe laga shayad woh journey mujhe complete karni chahiye.
Toh maine decide kiya. Bas. Ab mai bhi travel karungi.
Lekin ek choti si problem thi.
Mere parents.
Jab maine dinner table par casually bola:”Mom, Dad mein trip pe janewali hu’
Toh donone ek saath mujhe dekha. Wo wala look jo parents dete hai jab unhe lagta hai ki baccha thoda jyada hi excited ho gaya hai.
Dad ne pani peekar pucha “Trip? Matlab friends ke saath?”
Mai boli “Actually…alone “
(2 minutes everyone was silent. Mom and dad gave look to each other.)
Phir mom boli “Alone?’’
Dad ne sidha pucha “Kyu?”
Main thoda dramatic hoke diary table pe rakh di. “Dadaji ki bucket list.” Dad ne diary dekhi.
Mom ekdam worried hogyi aur muze pucha “Naina, travel thik hai…par itni saari jagah akele?”
Dad practical mode mai aa gaye. “Safety , planning and job inn sabka kya?”
Mom thoda emotional hogyi. “Par beta duniya itni simple nai hoti hai.”
Maine ek smile di and bola “dadji bhi toh yahi bolte the na…duniya badi hai”
Dad diary dekh rahe the.Phir unhone Rishikesh wala note padha.
Thodi der ke liye room silent hogaya. Maine dheerese bola,“Dad…Dadaji ki journey incomplete reh gayi. Shayad mujhe wo complete karni chahiye”
Mom ne pyaarse pucha, ‘‘Tumhe sachmai jana hai?” Maine bina kuch soche haa boldiya.
Dad ne thodider socha and fir muze bole, “ek condition”
Mai instantly alet hogyi, “Kyaa?”
Dad bole: “Har jagahpohochke phone karna.” Mom ne kaha, “Aur unnecessary risks nai lena.”
Maine khushise jorse chillaya, mom-dad ko hug kia and bola “deal done.”
Aur bas uss moment mujhe laga meri official journey start hogyi.
Toh maine decide kiya.Bas ab mai travel karugi. Dadaj ki bucket list follow karugi. India explore karugi. Life samjhugi.
All those motivational words jo instagram reels par bohot inspiring lagte hai..Aur real life mai thode confusing. Sab perfect lag raha tha. Aur jab life perfect lagti hai na… tab usually kuch na kuch ulta hone wala hota hai.
Phir main bus stand pohonchi. And waha jake mujhe realize hua maine galat bus pakad li.
Driver ne ticket dekhke mujhe pucha “Madam, apko Rishikesh jaana hai na?” Maine ekdam excitement bola “Haa.”
Driver ne seedha jawab dia, “Yeh bus Jaipur jaa rahi hai.” 3 second tak silence raha. Mera dimag process kar raha tha. Jaise laptop pe “loading” likhte hai na… waise bhi mera brain bhi loading mode mai chala gaya tha.
Phir maine kaha, “Nice, plot twist.” Drier mujhe aise dekh raha tha jaise mai koi reality show ki contestant hu.
Mai bus se utar gayi. Aur bus stand ke waha khadi soch rahi thi, “Great start Naina. Life discover karne nikli ho…Pehle geography hi discover karlo.”
Fir mujhe ek bollywood dialogue yaad aaya, “Bade bade deshon mein choti choti galtiyan hoti rehti hai.” Par problem yeh thi li yeh desh nahi..meri life hai. Aur meri life mai choti galtiya bhi full movie ban jati hai.
Tabhi kisine piche se kaha, “Tum travel karne nikli ho ya confusion create karne?"
Mai mudkar dekhi. Ek ladka khada tha…backpack ke saath…aur face pe wo annoying smile jo clearly thi ki usko ye situation bohot funny lag rahi hai.
“Mera naam Kabir ha,” usne casually kaha. “Mai Naina hoon” maine thoda irritated tone mai bola.
Kabir ne poocha,”First trip?” Mai boli, “Kaise pata?”
Kabir haskar bola, “Because experienced travellers galat bus mai nai baithte.” Maine usse ghuuse mai dekha.Phir bola, “Dekho galtiyan toh Einstein se bhi hoti thi.”Kabir ne instantly reply diya, “Haan, par Einstein Rishikesh ke liye Jaipur wali bus mein nahi baithte the.”
Mai chup hogyi. Kabhi kabhi life mai comeback milta hi nahi. Aur kabhi kabhi samnewala Kabir hota hai.
Kabir ne phir poocha, “Toh madam, plan kya hai?” Mai thoda dramatic tone mai boli, “Plan simple hai. Dadaji ki bucket list complete karni hai…aur life ko samazna hai.”
Kabir ne ek eyebrow upar karte huye kaha, “Life ko samazna?” Phir wo thoda filmy style ai bola, “Picture abhi baaki hai, mere dost.”
Maine usko confused expression diye. Kabir hasa aur bola, “Trust me Naina…jab koi insaan life samazne nikalta hai na, toh life usko pehle confuse zaroor kar deti hai.”
Maine thoda sarcastically kaha, “Great. Matlab mai already right track pe hu.” Kabir ne style mai haath pocket mai daala and bola, “Exactly.”
Phir usne bus stand ki taraf dekha aur bola, “Waise tumhari actual Rishikesh wali bus 20 minute mai hai.” Maine usse surprisingly pucha, “Tumhe kaise pata?” Kabir bola , “Simple hai mai traveller hu. Tum abhi beginner ho…aur beginners ki story hi sabse interesting hoti hai.”
Mai thoda sochne lagi. Shayad wo sahi keh raha tha. Kyuki meri life abhi tak ek perfect plan thi. Aur ab… wo ek interesting story banne wali thi. Mujhe uss moment pe samajh aa gaya…yeh trip simle nahi hone wali.
Aur mujhe bilkul idea nahi tha…Ki yeh galat bus actually meri life ka sabse bada adventure banne wali thi.
