GANDHI'S FAVORITE BHAJAN
GANDHI'S FAVORITE BHAJAN
Ragupati ragava raja ram, pathita pavana sita ram!
Chanted over & over to the accompaniment of clapping hands, this Song of
Ram has for generations been Hinduism's most popular hymn. It was a favorite
with Gandhi, who believed that mere repetition of the name of the god Ram was
an effective means of banishing fear. Gandhi added two lines of his own to
the song: "Ishvar [Hindustani for God] and Allah are both thy names; give
wisdom to all." Gandhi encouraged the use of the amended version to promote
Hindu-Moslem harmony.