Finding My Melody After Retirement

Zindagi ke 35-40 saal kaise nikal gaye, pata hi nahi chala. Department of Posts mein as a Senior Accounts Officer kaam karte karte, mera pura din bas files, numbers, aur financial reports ke beech nikal jata tha. Kaam ki pressure aur Delhi ki bhaag-daud mein waqt kab mutthi se nait nikal gaya, samajh hi nahi aaya. Ab main retire ho chuka hoon aur Gurgaon mein apne bade bete aur uski family ke saath rehta hoon. Vaise toh mera parivaar hamesha se hi music lover raha hai. Meri wife ko music ka bahut shauk hai aur mera poora ghar ka mahaul hamesha se suron se juda raha hai, lekin mere liye music hamesha ek door ka sapna hi raha.

Agar main purani baat karoon, toh flute ka ek chhota sa armaan mere dil mein hamesha se tha. Mujhe yaad hai, saalon pehle maine ek sadak chhap hawker se ek sasti si baansuri khareedi thi. Bas aise hi shauk mein main usey bajane ki koshish karta tha. Ek din mere chacha ne mujhe baansuri bajate huye dekh liya. Woh khud Sitar bajate the, toh unhe samajh aa gaya ki mere andar ek chhota sa artist chhupa hai. Unhone mujhe ek metallic flute gift ki aur saath mein ek chhoti si basic flute learning book bhi di. Wahi wo pal tha jab mere andar is hobby ki chingaari jaagi. Par sach kahun toh life ke ups and downs mein wo flute ghar ke kisi kone mein kahin dab kar reh gayi. Bas kabhi kabhi YouTube par videos dekh leta tha, par seekhna kabhi dhang se ho nahi paya.

Retirement ke baad ek ajeeb sa khaali-pan lagne laga. Jab aapne poori zindagi itne bade office mein kaam kiya ho, toh ghar baithe rehna mushkil hota hai. Main kuch naya seekhne ke liye bechain tha. Wahi purana sapna phir se jaagne laga. Tabhi meri nazar Harsh Dave ji ke ek webinar par padi. Unhone online platform par classical music aur flute ke basics ke baare mein bataya. Us webinar ko dekh kar mujhe laga ki bas, yahi wo mauka hai. Maine decide kar liya ki ab aur deri nahi karni. Us din maine Sir se online seekhna shuru kiya aur meri asli musical journey wahan se start hui.

Lekin shuruat itni asaan nahi thi. Maine pehle YouTube se seekhne ki koshish ki thi, magar dissatisfaction bahut zyada tha. Main videos dekhta tha, ungliyan chalata tha, par wo 'baat' nahi aa rahi thi. Sab kuch bahut ineffective lag raha tha. Kayi baar lagta tha ki kya is umar mein mujhse ye ho payega? Bread control karna, fingers ko stretch karna—kabhi kabhi frustration hota tha ki main seekh bhi raha hoon ya bas waqt barbaad kar raha hoon. Aisa lagta tha ki shayad mujh mein wo talent hi nahi hai. Par mujhe pata tha ki agar dhang se seekhna hai, toh ek sahi Guru aur discipline zaroori hai.

Meri life ka sabse bada turning point 26 January 2026 ko aaya. Hum log mera 65th birthday celebrate karne ke liye Jaipur gaye the aur hum Hotel Taj mein ruke huye ithe. Subah ka waqt tha, bohot hi pyaara mausam tha. Maine wahan ek professional flutist ko dekha jo hotel ke garden mein badi suhani dhun baja raha tha. Usey sunte sunte mere andar kuch hua. Main uske paas gaya aur usse request ki, "Kya main aapki flute thodi der pakad sakta hoon?"

Usne mujhe apni flute di. Maine ek gehri saans li aur wahan baithe dher saare tourists ke saamne purani film ka ek gaana—'Kaise Kate Din Raat'—bajana shuru kiya. Jab maine wo dhun bajayi, toh wahan maujood log ruk gaye. Breakfast karne aaye huye tourists hairaan ho kar mujhe dekh rahe the. Jab maine khatam kiya, toh un logo ne appreciate kiya. Woh moment mere liye sab kuch tha. Us din mujhe jo satisfaction aur courage mila, wo main shabdon mein bayan nahi kar sakta. Mujhe ehsas hua ki main bhi logo ko apni music se attract kar sakta hoon. Us din taur par maine tai kar liya ki ab music mera raasta hai.

Is journey ne mujhe andar se badal diya hai. Pehle mujhe stage par jaane se ya logo ke saamne kuch karne se darr lagta tha, par ab wo darr gayab ho gaya hai. Abhi haal hi mein meri niece ki shaadi thi. Wahan maine socha ki aaj testing ka din hai. Meri niece ne mujhse kaha, "Chacha, starting mein aap ek gaana bajaiye." Maine saari jhijhak chhodi aur flute uthayi. Jab maine bajana shuru kiya, toh stage ka wo darr jo bachpan se tha, bilkul khatam ho gaya. Flute ne mujhe ek naya confidence diya hai.

Aaj jab main apni flute pakadta hoon, toh wo sirf ek instrument nahi lagta. Wo meri life ka ek target ban gaya hai. Aaj mera parivaar mujhse umeed karta hai ki main roz unhe kuch naya sunaoon. Wo log bhi khush hote hain mujhe yun suron mein khoya hua dekh kar. Main jaanta hoon ki abhi mujhe bohot kuch seekhna baaki hai, bohot lamba raasta hai. Magar ab mere paas ek maqsad hai. Flute ne mujhe retirement ke baad ek nayi pehchaan di hai aur sabse badhkar, ek inner peace aur sukoon diya hai.

— MILIND POPHALI Gurgaon, Haryana