Naina was in her hotel room, tossing and turning on the bed, not understanding why she was not sleepy while Preeti actually passed out after the long but beautiful day in the valley of the heaven on earth as they say, Kashmir. After trying to sleep for past one hour, she sat on the bed, frustrated. She looked at Preeti, who was into deep sleep and she decided to go to the window and get some fresh air. She grabbed her shawl and covered herself and reached to the huge window that opened to a scene to die for, beautiful stars, the moon and....and some music, it wasn't usual that she was hearing some music in the middle of night. She looked near the bank of the river and saw a person, in fact a silhouette of a guy due to the bright moon. Perhaps he was the one singing. She didn't know, she was kind of drawn towards him.
Tamanna chaani deedarukh
(Beloved, how I yearn for you)
Chumo yimberzaley bumbro
(Like the Yemberzal for her bee!)
Phaejis yamat, laejjis wechney
(Ever since I bloomed, I'm seeing the truth)
Gaejis Chaaney Kaley bumbro
(And I'm all melted by your love)
She took a jacket and slid in her phone and a pepper spray, just in case and headed to the music that was kind of soothing yet very unsettling, quite the irony. She reached to the person and looked at him. A young man in his mid twenties, beautiful hair and, unusually old dressing sense, 90s to be precise. She sat beside him, on the rock. "You sing beautiful." She said without looking at him. He smiled, she could see his smile from the corner of her eyes. "Shukriya Naina." She heard him. He knew her name and she was startled, scolding herself mentally for coming here and he could be a possible danger. She grabbed the pepper spray and was in attack mode, "Sorry, mujhe aapka Naam nahi pata. Bas Dil Ko Laga ki jiski aankhein itni khoobsoorat hain unka Naam Naina hi hona chahiye." She saw him chuckle. That relaxed her a bit. "Flirt kar rahein hain aap? Waise mere Naam Naina hi hai" She asked. That made him chuckle more. "Ek aur Naina nein yahi kaha tha." He said and strum the chords of the guitar again.
Tamanna chaani deedarukh
(Beloved, how I yearn for you)
Chumo yimberzaley bumbro
(Like the Yemberzal for her bee!)
Phaejis yamat, laejjis wechney
(Ever since I bloomed, I'm seeing the truth)
Gaejis Chaaney Kaley bumbro
(And I'm all melted by your love)
"Aap local hain idhar ke?" Naina asked. "Hmm." She heard him say. She, saw his face and those eyes had her heart. They say, eyes are the windows to your soul, they say the truth. "Itni raat ho gayi, neend nahi aa rahi?" She heard him ask. "Nahi. Mujhe kuch Sukoon mil Raha idhar." She replied with a smile. They didn't talk much, maybe they enjoyed just the silence of each other.
Karaan mehjoor Chu husnas Gath
(Paying homage to beauty, Mehjoor)
Wanaan yaaras pato akh Kath
(Makes this pledge to his friend)
Karaan mehjoor Chu husnas Gath
(Paying homage to beauty, Mehjoor)
Wanaan yaaras pato akh Kath
(Makes this pledge to his friend)
She could see the little sunlight in the sky and that's when she realised it's been long. She got up and was about to leave. "Sameer, mera Naam Sameer hai! Aapse mil ke accha Laga." She heard him say while his gaze was still fixed on the river in front. "Mujhe bhi. Subah mulaqaat hogi." Naina said but didn't hear a reply. She moved towards her hotel while she could still hear him sing and play the guitar, leaving her with a smile.
Yi Dil dewane Gov Che path
(This heart is fallen only for you)
Beyis seth na Raley bumbro
(And will never fall for anyone else)
Yi Dil dewane Gov Che path
(This heart is fallen only for you)
Beyis seth na Raley bumbro
(And will never fall for anyone else)
After a while, she reached to her room and saw the clock stuck 4 in the morning. She looked outside the window and he was nowhere to be found. She reached to the bed and everything just took over her and she slept, only to be awaken by Preeti. "Behen kab tak soyegi, it's 7 already. Chal jaldi nahi toh breakfast nahi milega." Preeti shook Naina to the best of her might. Naina, got up, with a hope to meet Sameer again and got fresh as soon as possible and both the sisters rushed to the buffet breakfast. While Naina was looking for Sameer amidst the host and the guest at the hotel, Preeti was busy gorging on the Kashmiri cuisine as if she had no food all the life that she was on the planet.
Tamanna chaani deedarukh
(Beloved, how I yearn for you)
Chumo yimberzaley bumbro
(Like the Yemberzal for her bee!)
Phaejis yamat, laejjis wechney
(Ever since I bloomed, I'm seeing the truth)
Gaejis Chaaney Kaley bumbro
(And I'm all melted by your love)
Naina was bit sad that Sameer didn't come. Everyone headed to the next tourist destination with their Guide, Yassir Bhai. "Yassir Bhai, woh ladka Kahan rehta hai jo raat Ko Nadi ke paas Gaana ga Raha tha?" Naina asked at last when they were returning to the hotel room after the day's excursion. "Raat Ko? Aapko sunayi diya kya?" Yassir bhai asked shocked. "Haan, in fact main aayi bhi thi. Meri baat bhi hui Sameer se." Naina told. "Sameer?" Preeti asked. "Ek minute, shhh. Mujhe phir sunayi de Rahi uski awaaz." Naina tried to hear. She followed that voice and reached to the same spot, seeing him sitting at the very same place, in the very same clothes. She sat beside him and closed her eyes to take in the beautiful music.
Kahan maykhaney ka darwaza Ghalib aur Kahan waaiz
(The preacher and the bar's entrance are way apart, Ghalib)
Kahan maykhaney ka darwaza Ghalib aur Kahan waaiz
(The preacher and the bar's entrance are way apart, Ghalib)
Par itna jaante hain kal, woh jaata tha ki hum niklein
(Yet I see him entering the bar as I was leaving!)
Par itna jaante hain kal, woh jaata tha ki hum niklein
(Yet I see him entering the bar as I was leaving!)
Hazaaron khwahishein aisi ki har khwahish mein dum nikle
(Thousands of desire, each worth dying for)
Bahut nikle mere Armaan, Lekin phir bhi Kam nikle
(Many of them I have realised, yet I yearn for more)
Yassir Bhai and Preeti followed Naina and saw her sitting alone. "Inhein Sameer Chaudhary dikhai deta hai." Yassir said looking at her. "Sameer Chaudhary Kaun?" Preeti asked. "Sameer Chaudhary, ek Kashmiri Muslim singer jise Naina Naam ki ek Kashmiri pandit se ishq ho Gaya tha. Phir 1990s mein jab Kashmiri pandits Ko Jaana pada yahan se toh shayad unn dangon mein Naina ki death ho gayi thi. Par kuch log kehte hain usnein suicide Kiya tha Kyun ki gharwale uski zabardasti kahin aur shaadi kara rahe the." Yassir bhai said thinking deep.
Khuda khud meer-e-majlis Bood andar laamaakan, Khusrau
(God himself was master of ceremonies in that heavenly court, oh Khusrau)
Khuda khud meer-e-majlis Bood andar laamaakan, Khusrau
(God himself was master of ceremonies in that heavenly court, oh Khusrau)
Muhammad shamma-e-mehfil bood Shab jaaye ke mann boodam
(Where the face of the prophet Muhammad too was shedding light like a candle)
Muhammad shamma-e-mehfil bood Shab jaaye ke mann boodam
(Where the face of the prophet Muhammad too was shedding light like a candle)
Nami danam Che Manzil bood Shab jaaye ke mann boodam
(I wonder what was the place where I was last night)
Baharsu raqs-e-bismil bood shab jaaye ke Mann boodam
(All around me were half slaughtered victim of love, tossing in agony)
"Phir?" Preeti asked, while she was still looking at her sister smiling and talking to God knows who. "Phir kya, Sameer aur Naina nein yahan Milne ka faisla Kiya tha aur phir kahin door chale Jaana chahte the. Par Naina kabhi aayi hi nahi. Sameer intezaar karta Raha kuch saalon tak aur Gaana Gaya karta tha. Kuch log kehte hain ki usnein iss Nadi mein kood kar Jaan de di thi par kisi Ko uski body nahi Mili. Kabhi kabhi logon Ko uska Wahi Gaana sunne Ko mil jaata tha par woh kahin Nazar nahi aata tha. Pichle kuch saalon se woh bhi sunayi Dena band ho Gaya tha par aaj Naina ji Ko....." Yassir Narrated everything he knew of it. Preeti was terrified. She ran to Naina and pulled her and took her to the room, all this while, Naina was protesting and she didn't know what got into her. She felt someone was trying to separate her from her own flesh and blood. Once, in the room, Preeti narrated everything to her leaving her shocked. She looked out of the window, he was still singing and looking at the river that was casted my the full moon's beauty.
Tamanna chaani deedarukh
(Beloved, how I yearn for you)
Chumo yimberzaley bumbro
(Like the Yemberzal for her bee!)
Phaejis yamat, laejjis wechney
(Ever since I bloomed, I'm seeing the truth)
Gaejis Chaaney Kaley bumbro
(And I'm all melted by your love)
"Ek aur Naina nein bhi yahi kaha tha." That rung in her head. She looked outside again, she could see him disappearing into the thin air while his song echoed in the beautiful valley of the paradise on earth.
Hazaaron khwahishein aisi ki har khwahish mein dum nikle
(Thousands of desire, each worth dying for)
Bahut nikle mere Armaan, Lekin phir bhi Kam nikle
(Many of them I have realised, yet I yearn for more)
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Phew! Done. Kaisa Laga? I don't know how it turned out but I wish I did justice to the beautiful song. You guys should definitely hear to it. Also, translation is rough, translation always looses the beautiful essence but still. Do drop in to let me know how it was, please. It will mean a lot to me.
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