– History of "Om Jai Jagdish Hare" Aarti

Last updated on: November 1, 2005 at 2:05 pm By Desh Kapoor

Today is Diwali.. and EVERY household in India recites the AARTI.. but very few even know the history of this most popular Religious Poem of modern times Here is a brief .. but little known history of the Aarti! A powerful literary figure of the 19th century Shardha Ram "Phillauri" was a Sanatani missionary. He was also a social reformer and a trend-setter in the fields of Hindi and Punjabi literatures. His contribution towards the evolution of modern Hindi is imseminal. While on his death-bed he had said, "There are two writers of Bhasha in the whole of India. To-day only one shall remain." His reference to the other Bhasha writer was to the celebrated Bhartendu Harishchandra. This dying declaration of Shardha Ram might have seemed an exaggerated estimation. However, with the passage of time, the truth stands established. Renowned critic Ram Chander Shukla writes "His language was forceful and his speech hypnotic. He was a true Hindi lover and an effective writer of his times." Read more

– USA Today Polls

Last updated on: November 1, 2005 at 2:04 pm By Desh Kapoor

Here are some interesting polls I saw in yesterday's USA today! Worth going through them Has this Presidency been a success or a Failure? President Bush: Success = 42% Failure = 55% President Clinton, one month after the House impeached him: Success = 71% Failure = 25% ================== Whats the Fair price for a gallon of gas? UK = $5.16 Germany = $4.87 South Korea = $4.11 France = $4.08 Italy = $4.05 Spain = $3.32 Australia = $2.94 Canada = $2.72 USA = $1.99 Read more

– Older MSFT still overshadows the New one

Last updated on: November 1, 2005 at 2:04 pm By Desh Kapoor

Older MSFT businesses are doing well.. but its new initiatives are not doing so well.. here is a take from Business 2.0 blog Microsoft's earnings are up a very respectable 24% to $3.4 billion for the third quarter (although probbaly not respectable enough for Wall Street). Once again, the gains were driven by Windows and Office businesses as overall PC growth picks up. Of the new businesses, only MSN eked out an operating profit (of $83 million). While overall revenues were up for the year, they were down from last quarter at a time when Google's and Yahoo's profits have been accelerating on a quartery basis. That's what happens when you still have a big dial-up ISP business that is declining 30% in revenues. Read more

– Text of "Om Jai Jagdish Hare"

Last updated on: November 1, 2005 at 5:48 am By Desh Kapoor

Here is the Hindi text of the Aarti. This is to go along with the Audio of the same devotional song. Read more

– Audio of Jai Lakshmi Mata

Last updated on: November 1, 2005 at 5:30 am By Desh Kapoor

PS: Please now listen to this Aarti here. This is the second Aarti that is sung in homes at Diwali time... HAPPY DIWALI TO ALL! Read more

– Audio of Om Jai Jagdish Hare Aarti

Last updated on: November 1, 2005 at 5:16 am By Desh Kapoor

This is the most popular devotional song that is sung in every Hindu household that celebrates Diwali. Here is streaming audio of the Aarti for everyone's use. NOTE: We have now started to upload audio on our own site. So, please listen to the Aarti here. Read more

– Militarism as a State Doctrine!

Last updated on: November 1, 2005 at 4:52 am By Desh Kapoor

I think Pakistan is a prime example of a country which sought all its keys to success in violence... which soon engulfed its ownself. At the beginning of 1990's - Pakistan's per Capita GDP was higher than India's.. and by the end of the 1990's - they were far below. Kashmir was where it was before.. Kashmiris and Muslims of the sub-continent were poorer and more divided.. and had been the most "hunted" and killed!! So is Militarism the best choice?? Militarism is the doctrine that military might is the basic source of all security. In its mildest form it argues that military preparedness delivers peace through strength. The doctrine leads inevitably to the militarization of peace as a form of permanent preparation for war. Militarism disparages peace movements as utopian and naive. Read more

– Tackling India's black economy

Last updated on: November 1, 2005 at 4:32 am By Desh Kapoor

The black economy is bigger or equal to the "main" economy in India!! If only the Government could make a dent on this economy... things could become better. But then the bribing and corruption leads to the black economy also.. where do you think the business man pays the bribes from? BLACK MONEY! So they both go hand in hand!! Revenue department officials over the past few weeks have been impounding luxury vehicles brought into the country without paying the requisite duties. The government has taken more than 50 such vehicles, including top-end Toyota Prados, Landcruisers, BMWs, Jaguars and even a Porshe. Some of these cars cost more than US$300,000, given that the tax on such imported cars can be more than 100%. Read more

Cyber Cemetery of Businessmen/Students turned "Mujahideens"

Last updated on: November 1, 2005 at 4:17 am By Desh Kapoor

Ordinary folks - businessmen... students turned into suicide bombers in Iraq... to "go for the kill".... sacrificing their careers and futures! WHat made them do such things? There are "Cyber-cemetries of the Mujahideens" Ahmad Sa'id al-Ghamidi wanted to be a doctor. The 20-year-old had enrolled at the University of Khartoum in Sudan and his family had given him money for fees and living expenses, enough to last him until he had his degree. But in the end, that money didn't go for rent or for books on how to heal the sick. Al-Ghamidi used that money to kill. Incited by the propaganda of al-Qaida and Iraqi insurgents, the young man from Saudi Arabia threw his future away. He gave up his studies and, as one Internet site gushes, he "withdrew all his money ... went to Iraq ... and became the hero of a unique operation in Mosul." Read more

– Betting on Tremors!

Last updated on: November 1, 2005 at 4:10 am By Desh Kapoor

Man is a profit loving animal.. who cannot get away from betting as a gambler to make more money. Here is a "Letter to the Editor" of Daily Times (a Pakistani Daily). The anguish and disgust of the writer is very palpable! Betting on Tremors Sir: In total disregard of the sufferings of the earthquake victims, some miscreants in the twin cities have been predicting more earthquakes on specific dates. The rumours are now so widespread that in spite of repeated assurances by geologists that such predictions are baseless the electronic as well as print media has been forced to carry some of the stories. This has caused unwarranted panic among the residents of Islamabad and its suburbs. Read more