പകൽ · A day world
Barsaat
The journey of a couple over fifty years, with the rains as the backdrop, overseeing the ups and downs of their life.
The origin of this song started with my grandparents. When my grandmother passed away from cancer in 2012, it was the first time I saw my grandfather completely break down and cry. He was a very hardened man, and I had never seen him express love or sadness. But when I saw him cry in that moment, a thought hit me: how much would a couple who have been together for fifty years and more have gone through? What are the ups and downs they must have experienced?
That thought manifested into a composition I made in 2016. It first came while I was jamming on the guitar, trying to compose something for an assignment at my music college of that time, True School of Music. But when I landed on this idea, I felt it was too magical to rush for an assignment, and decided to keep honing it.
Gaurav Digga, my friend from college, came on board as the lyricist and introduced the concept of the rains overseeing the couple’s household and their journey. I then took two years, re-arranging the song several times, until I was finally happy with a version that got fixed in 2018.
After that, Barsaat set off on a multi-year journey towards an animated music video that was a true labour of love. You can read that whole story on the animation page.
Watch the film
Lyrics
Hindi
VERSE 1 बरसात के आँगन में, गूँजी है एक सदी, देखी है कभी, खुलते हुए शाम, ढलती हुई रोशनी… यूँ ही रहें हम, जैसे अब तक जिये PRE-CHORUS ये सलवटें, इन आँखों की, देखी है जिसने बेचैनी, बिखरी हुई रात, बनते हुए ख़्वाब, अपनी इस कहानी की… CHORUS [Parvathy] आसमान की परछाई है ये, या बदलता हुआ ये रंग? [Jimmy] बूँदों में ढलकर, एक दूसरे के हम, बन जायें एक दरिया आसमान से गिरे हम… VERSE 2 [Parvathy] देखा है कभी, ऐसा ये सावन [Jimmy] जो हमसे ही बनकर, हम पर ही बरसे [Parvathy] भीग के जैसे, घुल से गये PRE-CHORUS सावन ये मौसम, बरसात की कहानी, खोई है जिसमें ख़ामोशी, भीगी हुई रात, सहमी सी वो साँस, उन मुलाक़ातों की CHORUS [Parvathy] आसमान की परछाई है ये, या बदलता हुआ ये रंग? [Jimmy] बूँदों में ढलकर, एक दूसरे के हम, बन जायें एक दरिया, आसमान से गिरे हम…
English translation
VERSE 1 In this courtyard of the rains, a whole century has echoed, we have watched, evenings slowly unfolding, the light gently setting… may we stay just like this, the way we have lived so far PRE-CHORUS These creases, around these eyes, have seen all the restlessness, the scattered nights, the dreams taking shape, of this story of ours… CHORUS [Parvathy] Is it the shadow cast by the sky, or is the colour around us changing? [Jimmy] Molten into raindrops, meant for each other, we become one river, fallen together from the sky… VERSE 2 [Parvathy] Have you ever seen, a monsoon such as this [Jimmy] born from us alone, raining down on us [Parvathy] drenched in it, we seem to have dissolved PRE-CHORUS This monsoon season, this story of the rains, holds a silence lost inside it, the rain-soaked night, that hesitant breath, of those first meetings CHORUS [Parvathy] Is it the shadow cast by the sky, or is the colour around us changing? [Jimmy] Molten into raindrops, meant for each other, we become one river, fallen together from the sky…
The hands behind it
Music direction, music production, guitars and sound design by Ashwin Syam Lyrics by Gaurav Digga Lead vocals by Jimmy Francis John and Parvathy Manjunath Violin by Ajay Jayanthi Piano programming by Suhit C Bass programming by Hansel Dias and Ashwin Shanker G Mix and master engineer and sound design by Cyril Sajan Vocal recording engineer: Akash Shivakumar Guitar recording engineer: Hersh Desai Vocals recorded at Cadence Studio, Bangalore Guitars recorded at Island City Studios