~Link to video~

Song Credits:

Poem by Habib Jalib
Music composed by IdioticBaka1824

Resource Credits:

vocal synthesis software: https://dreamtonics.com/synthesiserv/
voicebank: Eleanor Forte AI (Lite)
midi editing/composition: Orgmaker (and orgmid)
music production: https://www.soundtrap.com/
subtitling: https://aegisub.org/
video editing: https://kdenlive.org/

Notes:

This poem was written in 1962 by Pakistani leftist poet Habib Jalib in protest of General Ayub Khan ending direct democracy. It later also became popular during the anti-CAA-NRC protests in India around 2019. See the Wikipedia page for more details. My translation is pretty straightforward, not much to say about it. I personally first heard this poem in this short film of the same name at the Inter IIT Cultural Meet 2019. IIT Kharagpur's entry, the film takes a look at the strained relation between Kashmiris and the Indian government. It went on to win first place. Take a look at it. (Incidentally, I was in the Meet as part of IIT Hyderabad's Quiz Club. We did not come close to winning anything lol)

Lyrics:

only in palaces does this lamp brightly shine
only to a select few its guidance confined
only nurtured and raised with self-interest in mind
I say, this paradigm,
this eternal night-time,
I do not abide, I do not recognise

I do not fear the rope, tell the powers that be
victory will be ours, tell them to wait and see
why with walls of the prison do you threaten me?
this grotesque tyranny,
this idiocracy,
I do not recognise, I refuse to agree

oh, it's springtime, the flowers are budding, you swear
they were gasping for breath, they can now breathe fresh air
and the wounded and injured can heal, you declare
this deception abject,
such that reason hath wept,
I do not recognise, I refuse to accept

you have robbed us for ages of all peace of mind
but your spell will no longer ensnare us, you'll find
you pretend you're the saviour, do you think we're blind?
you are no saviour,
even if some aver,
I do not recognise, I refuse to concur

Original:

diip jis ka mehellaat hi meN jale,
chand logoN ki KHushiyoN ko le kar chale,
wo jo saaye meN har maslehat ke pale,
aese dastuur ko,
sub-he-be-nuur ko,
maeN nahiN maanta,
maeN nahiN jaanta.

maeN bhi KHaaif nahiN taKHta-e-daar se,
maeN bhi mansuur huun, keh do aGHyaar se,
kyuN Daraate ho zindaN ki diivaar se,
zulm ki baat ko,
jehl ki raat ko,
maeN nahiN maanta,
maeN nahiN jaanta.

“phuul shaaKHoN pe khilne lage” tum kaho,
“jaam rindoN ko milne lage” tum kaho,
“chaak siinoN ke silne lage” tum kaho,
is khule jhooTh ko,
zehn ki luut ko,
maeN nahiN maanta,
maeN nahiN jaanta.

tum ne luuTa hae sadioN hamaara sukuun,
ab na ham par chalega tumhara fasuun,
chaaragar dardmandoN ke bante ho kyuN?
tum nahiN chaaragar,
koi maane magar,
maeN nahiN maanta,
maeN nahiN jaanta.

Transliteration notes:

t th d dh = त थ द ध = دھ د تھ ت  (respectively) (Urdu is left-to-right here)
T Th D Dh = ट ठ ड ढ = ڈھ ڈ ٹھ ٹ
kh KH = ख ख़ = خ کھ
gh GH = घ ग़ = غ گھ
q = क़ = ق
N = anusvaara/chandrabindu/nuun-e-GHunna

Music