This is one of my favorite ghazals from Mirza Ghalib - with some words of translated below each verse. Here is the audio file in Jagjit's voice (not the full version of the poem though)

1. baazeechaa-e-atfaal hai duniya mere aage
hota hai shab-o-roz tamaasha mere aage

[ baazeechaa = play/sport, atfaal = children ]

2. ik khel hai auraNg-e-sulemaaN mere nazdeek
ik baat hai 'eijaz-e-maseeha mere aage

[ auraNg = throne, 'eijaz = miracle ]

3. juz naam naheeN soorat-e-aalam mujhe manzoor
juz waham naheeN hastee-e-ashiya mere aage

A nice article on how Columbus - the man who discovered a new continent and virtually changed the future of the next many centuries of the world - ultimately died a Failure! Something that is remiscent of the last days of Alexander.

A little genocide here, some slavery there, several mutinies, and multiple executions of crew members later, and Columbus fell out of favor with the Spanish crown and the public. When he died he was surrounded by family and by the trappings of his substantial income. But he went to his grave with the gouging sense of injustice he couldn’t forgive and of failure he couldn’t explain.

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."

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

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!

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.