Shuhul Naar [Cold Fire], sonically, is the manifestation of a two-year long creative process that sought to highlight the complete aural magnificence of Kashmir’s rich music culture. The narrative comes full circle with both Ahmer and Junaid submitting to their reality and environment and coming to terms with the effects that the community’s collective trauma has had on them as individuals and the responsibility they bear in broadcasting the same as artists. Shuhul Naar is a return to a sense [false or actual] of control and peace with one’s inner self, and in the context of Kashmir and Ahmer, returns us to a state of mind previously experienced prior to Gumrah [Astray].
suhul naar [cold fire] ft. junaid ahmed
CREDITS:
Conceptualized, written & by Ahmer Javed.
Mixed & mastered by Henry Watkins.
Featuring performance by: Junaid Ahmed.
Production by Junaid Ahmed, Ramooz.
LYRIC BREAKDOWN
Shehjaar kiuth? su osum,
The calm before the storm I had,
Shuhul zan, aftaab asmaanas manz,
So cold and peaceful, the sunshine in the sky,
Beii chinar, shah be osus
Like a chinar tree I was, the witness,
Pholaan be gaash sahras manz
Growing and absorbing pain and joy,
Rowum yuss me cxondum,
I have lost what I found,
Korum panun paan, naaras manz,
A tormented genius,
Harud me aav bahaar’e manz,
I have seen autumn in spring too,
Zorum yi saaz, khaabas manz,
I have learnt that nothing remains,
Na rudum me naav, na rudum zameer,
They erased my name, they erased my conscience,
Jaise jee utha hun zinda phir se,
It feels like I’m alive again,
Ye woh falsafa jo rehta dil mein,
It’s a strong feeling that stays deep within,
Ye woh tarjuma, hai jiski talash mein har insaan,
These interpretations, that people are searching for,
Aur jiske alfaz humare raaz, par gera humari awaz pe usska jo be zubaan,
Are actually words, our secrets, but our voices have been suppressed by those who don’t want to speak up,
Main paida hoke ussi aag mein doondhu apne nishaan,
I’m born amidst all this chaos and oppression,
Phir se, har kadam ki waja hai pur umeed,
But this time every step I take is trying to latch on to hope,
Mera jism mera watan jaise, aur ye zakham bhi kaafi azeez,
My body is like my homeland, all these scars and wounds tell stories,
Hai khwahishon ke bane baadal, jo aate na mere qareeb,
All the aspirations have turned into clouds, they don’t come close,
Ye behta lahoo mehsoos karu toh jaanu main apna naseeb,
They want this blood to spill, so that they write my fate,
Maine, kamar pe mustaqbil hai baandha,
I’ve got the future on my back as I walk,
Jo zakhmi hoke bhi na haara,
It’s maimed and lynched, but I still carry on,
Ye haq pe goliyan hai khata,
They have tried shoot it down, but it still survives,
Khayalon pe laga hai tala,
They have tried to lock it down, but it’s still free,
Hai asliyat bani afsana,
Out here truth became fiction long time ago,
Aur Jhoot hi leta jurmana,
And lies kept demons safe,
Wajood hi mera sahara,
And in all of this, I am trying to hold on to my existence,
Ye mere haqooq ka naara,
This is my broken, shattered war cry,
Hai tuta jo taara woh juda dobara,
I hope that the shooting stars find their way home,
Aur rehne nahi wala, ye firqa, batwara,
These sects and this division ends, we are going to unite someday,
Kehne nahi wala ye zulmi zamana, kya sehlegha tu aur kya sehne nahi wala,
Tyranny won’t command us and we won’t be enslaved again,
Par kaash, hota ye sach,
Alas, I wish this was the reality,
Hota na sapna ye bas,
I was this wasn’t a dream,
Dekho inn ankho se tum bhi ab,
Look into my eyes, cuz I have seen it too many times,
Har tarfah kashmakash
The dilemma,
Na rudum mei naav,
They erased my name,
Na rudum zameer,
They erased my conscience,
Kus mei peer?
Who’s my leader?
Be Kemsund mureed?
Who do I follow?
Povhas bemaar
I have fallen sick,
Chu kus myon haqeem?
So who’s the wise man?
Kus myon chu dos?
Who is my real friend?
Bha kemsund raqeeb?
Who controls all of this?
OUTRO
Mastaan’as deywaanas kasb’uk’ui chaav
The passionate and the crazy ones, living the pipe dream,
Gireybaan rot’has kyah chui cxe naav?
First they grab your collar then they ask you what your name is,
Katti peth’e aawukh cxe kott chui gacxun?
Where did you come from? And where are you going?
Me’hasa chu qalam dal aab’e chalun
I just want to wash away my ink and reset everything,
SHUHUL NAAR
Peaceful fire,
SHUHUL NAAR
Calm fire