INTRODUCTION
As a short lesson on improving your vocabulary and introducing you to the wonderful world of Nepali music, I shall be focusing on a song today that is short but full of powerful words. The song is titled होला (holā) by Bartika Eam Rai.
I’ve tried translating the text literally, so I have attached an analysis of the lyrics as well.
LINKS
Youtube – link
Spotify – link
VOCABULARY
शायद (śāyad) = Perhaps
अघि बढ्नु (aghi baḍhnu) = To move forward
झुटो (jhuṭo) = Lie
आखिर (ākhir) = After all; Ultimately
प्रष्ट (praṣṭa) = Clear (as in, concise); Fluent
देह (deha) = (archaic) Body
वास्तविकता (vāstaviktā) = Reality
अपरिचित (aparicit) = Unfamiliar
खोक्रो (khokro) = Empty; Hollow
काल (kāl) = (here) 1. Epoch | 2. Death
धुम्मिनु (dhumminu) = To fog up
बतासिनु (batāsinu) = To fly along (with the wind)
विधाता (vidhātā) = (here) 1. Fate | 2. Creator | 3. Manager
झरी (jharī) = Rain
बन्नु (bannu) = (here) 1. To turn into (something) | 2. To be created
झमझम (jhamjham) = (here) 1. Onomatopoeia for rain falling | (slang) 2. Onomatopoeia for feeling intoxicated
छमछम (chamcham) = Onomatopoeia for the sound a ghungroo (a musical anklet) makes from its small metallic bells
बिलाउनु (bilāunu) = To melt
आतिनु (ātinu) = To panic
जाबो (jābo) = Insignificant; Trivial
भएभरको (bhaebhar-ko) = All of (something)
होला (holā) = Maybe
दोष (doṣ) = Fault; Blame
सारा (sārā) = All (of)
अधिकार (adhikār) = Authority; Jurisdiction
TEXT
शायद कथा यसरी नै अघि बढ्दो हो (śāyad kathā yasarī nai aghi baḍhdo ho)
तर मनलाई कसरी झुटो बोल्छौ? (tara man(a)-lāī kasarī jhuṭo bolchau)
आँखामा त आखिर देखिन्छन् प्रष्ट (ām̐khā-mā ta ākhir dekhinchan praṣṭa)
देहमुनिको तिम्रा सारा वास्तविकता (deha-muni-ko timrā sārā vāstaviktā)
अपरिचित छायाहरू बगेका छन् (aparicit chāyā-harū bagekā chan)
तिमी पहिला हुने ठाउँमा (timī pahilā hune ṭhāum̐-mā)
खोक्रा कालहरू धुम्मिएर (khokrā kāl(a)-harū dhummiera)
बतासिँदै छन् हाम्रो विधाता (batāsim̐dai chan hāmro vidhātā)
हो फेरी तिम्रै सम्झना आयो (ho pherī timrai samjhanā āyo)
त्यही दिनहरू झरी बनी (tyahī din(a)-harū jharī banī)
बर्सदै छन् झमझम छमछम (barsadai chan jhamjham chamcham)
तर बिस्तारै बिलाउँदै छन् (tara bistārai bilāum̐dai chan)
सम्झनाहरू कहाँ, कहाँ? (samjhanā-harū kahām̐, kahām̐)
खुशी हुन्छु सोचेथेँ, तर किन हो? (khuśī hunchu socethem̐, tara kina ho)
आतिन्दै छ जाबो मुटु (ātindai cha jābo muṭu)
आफैले आफैलाई भन्छ, (āphaile āphailāī bhancha)
“ए मुटु! बिर्सिदे न, भएभरका उसका सम्झना”(e muṭu! birside na, bhaebhar-kā uskā samjhanā)
होला, शायद केही थियो, होला (holā, śāyad kehī thiyo, holā)
त्यो झरीको के दोष? (tyo jharīko ke doṣ)
समय मात्र नि हैन (samaya mātra ni haina)
होला, शायद केही थियो, होला (holā, śāyad kehī thiyo, holā)
मेरा सारा शब्दहरूमा त (merā sārā śabda-harū-mā ta)
तिम्रै थिए अधिकार (timrai thie adhikār)
मात्र भएनौ कहिले तिमी मेरो (mātra bhaenau kahile timī mero)
TRANSLATION
शायद कथा यसरी नै अघि बढ्दो हो (śāyad kathā yasarī nai aghi baḍhdo ho)
तर मनलाई कसरी झुटो बोल्छौ? (tara man(a)-lāī kasarī jhuṭo bolchau)
= Perhaps the story moves forward like this,
But how can (you) speak lies to (the) heart?
आँखामा त आखिर देखिन्छन् प्रष्ट (ām̐khā-mā ta ākhir dekhinchan praṣṭa)
देहमुनिको तिम्रा सारा वास्तविकता (deha-muni-ko timrā sārā vāstaviktā)
= In your eyes after all can (it) be seen clearly
(The) entire reality under your body
अपरिचित छायाहरू बगेका छन् (aparicit chāyā-harū bagekā chan)
तिमी पहिला हुने ठाउँमा (timī pahilā hune ṭhāum̐-mā)
= Unfamiliar shadows have flown [like a river],
At the place (where) you were first
खोक्रा कालहरू धुम्मिएर (khokrā kāl(a)-harū dhummiera)
बतासिँदै छन् हाम्रो विधाता (batāsim̐dai chanhāmro vidhātā)
= Empty epochs fog up (and)
Our fate(s) are flying along (with the wind)
हो फेरी तिम्रै सम्झना आयो (ho pherī timrai samjhanā āyo)
त्यही दिनहरू झरी बनी (tyahī din(a)-harū jharī banī)
= Yes, your memory came again
By turning into rain, those (same) days
बर्सदै छन् झमझम छमछम (barsadai chan jhamjham chamcham)
तर बिस्तारै बिलाउँदै छन् (tara bistārai bilāum̐dai chan)
= Are raining down, pitter patter
But slowly (it) is melting
सम्झनाहरू कहाँ, कहाँ? (samjhanā-harū kahām̐, kahām̐)
खुशी हुन्छु सोचेथेँ, तर किन हो? (khuśī hunchu socethem̐, tara kina ho)
= (The) memories, (but) where, where?
I thought I’ll be happy, but why is it?
आतिन्दै छ जाबो मुटु (ātindai cha jābo muṭu)
आफैले आफैलाई भन्छ, (āphaile āphailāī bhancha)
“ए मुटु! बिर्सिदे न, भएभरका उसका सम्झना”(e muṭu! birside na, bhaebhar-kā uskā samjhanā)
= This insignificant heart is panicking,
It says to itself,
“Oh heart! Please forget, all of his memories”
होला, शायद केही थियो, होला (holā, śāyad kehī thiyo, holā)
त्यो झरीको के दोष? (tyo jharīko ke doṣ)
= Maybe, perhaps it was something, maybe
What fault of that rain?
समय मात्र नि हैन (samaya mātra ni haina)
(…)
मेरा सारा शब्दहरूमा त (merā sārā śabda-harū-mā ta)
= It is not only (the) time
(…)
In (the) entirety of my words, after all
तिम्रै थिए अधिकार (timrai thie adhikār)
मात्र भएनौ कहिले तिमी मेरो (mātra bhaenau kahile timī mero)
= You had the jurisdiction,
Only (that) you never became mine
ANALYSIS
The song basically laments the loss of a budding relationship. The song is built upon the word “maybe”, which serves as the focal point upon which the singer focuses on various aspects such as missed opportunities and what-if’s. The singer contemplates if her life story simply moves forward, but asks the other person if this is what they truly want. After all, the reality of their desires can be clearly seen in their eyes.
Time and again, the uncertainty flows by, which is represented by the “unfamiliar” shadows flowing past, which is likely insecurities and fears they hold. Although the other person gave much priority before, now much time has passed, letting their fates just evaporate with the wind. The singer affirms that their memories come again and again, and they come as if they were rain falling on her, akin to nostalgia. However, she also says that the memories are slowly fading away, and she does not where it is fading to.
She though that she’ll end up happy, but deep inside, she’s worried. Her heart begs itself to forget all of the memories. She wonders if it truly was something, and decides that the blame did not lay on the days she spent with them. Although she had her heart for them, she laments that ultimately, she could not call them her’s.
EXERCISES
1. In the line बर्सदै छन् झमझम छमछम (barsadai chan jhamjham chamcham), what is the significance of the second onomatopoeia (chamcham) used?
2. Although the root adjective is खोक्रो (khokro), why does it appear as खोक्रा (khokrā) in the song?
3. Why is it तिम्रै थिए अधिकार (timrai thie adhikār) and not तिम्रै थियौ अधिकार (timrai thiyau adhikār)
4. Find two synonyms for: झरी (jharī)
5. What is the significance of न (na) in बिर्सिदे न (birside na)? What form is the verb (birside) in?
ANSWERS (illustrative purposes only)
1. The sound of the metallic bells of the anklet is likened to the sound rain makes when it falls
2. Plural declension
3. The verb is declining for अधिकार (adhikār), which is in third person, however it is declined in plural to show some level of respect
4. पानी (pānī), वर्षा (varṣā)
5. Softens the tone of the imperative (command). The verb is in imperative and conjugated for 2nd person (low respect)