Bistarai
by Swar
"Bistarai" (meaning "Slowly") is a soulful, melodic indie-rock ballad by the Nepali collaborative musical project Swar, released on February 10, 2023. Fronted by the iconic vocals of Swapnil Sharma (lead singer of The Shadows 'Nepal'), the track features masterful music production by Rohit Shakya, alongside Gautam Tandukar on drums, Suramya Sthapit on bass, and additional keys by Abhishek Bhadra. Moving away from traditional rock configurations, the track features an expansive, sweeping orchestral arrangement composed by Emily Geerkens and conducted by Sadaharu Muramatsu.
Lyrically, the song is a heartfelt and poetic confession of love, devotion, and safe harboring. Written and composed entirely by Swapnil Sharma, the narrative explores how a partner's presence gradually and quietly alters one's reality, transforming them into a constant daily anchor ("Bistarai, bistarai timi mero varipari, sahaara bandai chau timi mero dinakaa din"). The verses use deep romantic metaphors to convey total vulnerability and protection, where the lover promises to shelter their partner's insecurities by metaphorically transforming into the vast protective sky ("Aakash banera dhaaki timro laaja"). The official music video, produced by Fuzz Factory Productions and directed by Rohit Shakya, mirrors this grand, melancholic beauty by interweaving cinematic storytelling visuals with high-quality performing imagery of the orchestral musicians.
बिस्तारै, बिस्तारै तिमी मेरो वरिपरि
सहारा बन्दै छौ तिमी मेरो दिनका दिन
मुटुको भित्र छौ तिमी मेरो आवाज बनी
ढुकढुकी बनेर मभित्र बस्छौ तिमी
सहारा हौ तिमी जीवनको मेरो
विश्वास दिन्छु म तिमीलाई घरीघरी
हाँसोजतिले सजाउला तिम्लाई आज
आकाश बनेर ढाकी तिम्रो लाज
मेरो जीवन हौ, तिमी मेरो
विश्वास दिन्छु म, तिमी मेरो
साहस हौ तिमी मेरो जीवनको
धड्कन हौ तिमी मेरो यो मनको
बिस्तारै, बिस्तारै तिमी मेरो वरिपरि
सहारा बन्दै छौ तिमी मेरो दिनका दिन
मुटुको भित्र छौ तिमी मेरो आवाज बनी
ढुकढुकी बनेर मभित्र बस्छौ तिमी
सहारा हौ तिमी जीवनको मेरो
विश्वास दिन्छु म तिमीलाई घरीघरी
हाँसोजतिले सजाउला तिम्लाई आज
आकाश बनेर ढाकी तिम्रो लाज
