Nepal recently promulgated its constitution and while scrolling through all those feed I noticed this particular song that caught my interest. This is a rather old song, but a patriotic one. I am not a keen fan of the new constitution due to some unaddressed issues but nonetheless it is a breath of relief for many people.
Anyway, the song I am presenting now is called ‘Yo Nepali Sir Uchali’ which roughly means ‘This Nepali by raising its head’. I like this song very much, feels very nostalgic.
You can listen to the song here. Remember that the song contains some words which have their schwa retained; this is to make it more melodious.
ENGLISH LYRICS
Yo nepali sir uchali
Sansara ma lamkincha
Junkiri jhai jyoti baali
Andhakar ma chamkincha
Yo nepali sir uchali
Sansara ma lamkincha
Chaye jhukos nilo aakash
Yo nepali jhukdaina
Chaye rukos chiso batash
Yo nepali rukudaina x2
Junkiri jhai jyoti baali
Andhakar ma chamkincha
Yo nepali sir uchali
Sansara ma lamkincha
Ekaa tira Terai ko
chare kosi jhadi chha
Arko tira ucha shikhar
Thul thula Pahadi chha x2
Junkiri jhai jyoti baali
Andhakar ma chamkincha
Yo nepali sir uchali
Sansara ma lamkincha
Janmai yahi Gautam Buddha
Shanti ka agraduta
Sagarmatha bijay garne
Yehi desh ka hun saputa x2
Junkiri jhai jyoti baali
Andhakar ma chamkincha
Yo nepali sir uchali
Sansara ma lamkincha x4
MEANING
Yo nepali sir uchali
Sansara ma lamkincha
= This Nepali by raising his/her head
Strides in this world
Junkiri jhai jyoti baali
Andhakar ma chamkincha
= Like (how) the firefly by lighting up light
Shines throughout the dark
Chaye jhukos nilo aakash
Yo nepali jhukdaina
= The blue sky may bow down
But this Nepali won’t
Chaye rukos chiso batash
Yo nepali rukudaina
= The cold wind may halt
But this Nepali won’t
Eka tira tarai ko
chare kosi jhadi chha
= Towards one side of Terai
There is Chare Kosi Forest
Arko tira ucha shikhar
Thul thula Pahadi chha
= Towards the other side the high summmits
and big, big hills are there
Janmai yahi Gautam Buddha
Shanti ka agraduta
= Born here was Gautam Buddha
Harbinger of peace
Sagarmatha bijay garne
Yehi desh ka hun saputa
= Mt. Everest, the (one that) celebrates victory
Is this country’s good son*
VOCABULARY
sir (शिर) = Head
uchali (उचाली) = A form of the verb ‘उचाल्नु’ (uchalnu) which means ‘To raise/hoist/lift’
lamkincha (लम्किन्छ) = A form of the verb ‘ लम्किनु’ (lamkinu) which means ‘To stride/walk/gait’
Junkiri (जुनकिरी) = Firefly
chamkincha (चम्किन्छ) = A form of the verb ‘चम्किनु’ (chamkinu) which means ‘To shine/glitter’
jhukos (झुकोस्) = A form of the verb ‘झुक्नु’ (jhuknu) which means ‘To Bow Down/Surrender/Yield to’
jyoti (ज्योति) = Light
ekaa tira (एकातिर) = Towards one side
Char kose jhadi ( चार कोशे झाडी) = A dense forest in Nepal located in the Terai
ucha (उच्च) = Elevated; having great height
agradut (अग्रदूत) = Pioneer; Harbinger
bijay (विजय) = Victory
saputa (सपुत) = Good son
jhai (झैँ) = Like; as; just like
ANALYSIS
The blue sky may be brought down to its knees but the spirit of the Nepali will not. The cold wind may bow and halt but this Nepali will not. This song speaks of diversity of Nepal, of the green forests to the south to the high mountains to the north. A Nepali will across the world with his/her head held high stride proudly like how a firefly flies across the night sky with its light shining brightly.
*suputa litreally means ‘Good son’. I am not sure what to call it other than this, though it sounds ‘weird’
Nepalgo 