can’t understand
बुझात नइखे
Bhojpuri Song
~6-10 mins
Voice and Music by Sunaina (Sunil Ram); Conceptualised by Piyush Kashyap; Written by Raju Ranjan and Piyush Kashyap
2024
This is an original song made as part of Lattar- a devised Launda Naach performance; Collectively authored by Sunaina (Sunil Ram), Raju Ranjan, Piyush Kashyap & Sipahi Lathor; Comissioned by Maraa Media & Arts Collective for Stone Flowers 2024
Written as a reflection on masculinity, the song is about a person scouring for themself in a straw hut they have built. The song explores Nirgun: a form of thinking and singing (an art form and a philosophy). Briefly put, Nirgun is to recognize the world and things as ungraspable, and thus, to practice intelligence (and intelligibility) via materiality and scenes from daily life.
click below to play/pause the song
Lyrics of the Bhojpuri song with English Translation —
बुझात नइख़े
केकरा से बोली
सुझात नइख़े
कौन शबदा में बोली
बुझात नइख़े
खम्भा कटनी
खर कटनी
रची रची कोना के बनहनी
सुझात नइख़े
कौन शबदा में बोली
कूचा लगवनी
बोरा बिछवनी
मढ़ाई के आपन सजवनी
बुझात नइख़े
सतपुतिआ, कोहरा, बैंगन, मरिचा, चाउर, नून, ऐनक, ककही, रिब्बन, लिप्सिटिक, कोपी, किताब, पेंसिल, खेलौना, करेजा
करेजवा के मढ़ई में कोनवा ना भेटाइल
टोहातानी टोहातानी
माया काया
कोनवा ना भेटाइल
केने बाडू हो?
can’t understand
whom to say
can’t think
what words (I) can speak
can’t understand
which tongue (I) can tell
I cut bamboo
I cut straw
making every corner
tying everything together
can’t understand
I swept the floor
laid gunny sacks
I decorated my hut
decorated so much
can’t understand
Greens, Pumpkin, Brinjal, Chilly, Rice, Salt, Mirror, Comb, Ribbon, Lipstick, Notebook, Book, Pencil, Toys,
Feels
inside my hut
(I find) no corner for my feelings
(I am) scouring
(this) world, body
nothing finds me
where are you?
Sunaina (Sunil Ram) performing their song on stage