The excitement, the anticipation, the colorful chaos that swept the room as dancers were rushed between hair, make-up, and fittings was a memorable sight to see. The behind-the-scenes of what would make today possible went by unbeknownst to the Jamat, as the Diamond Jubilee hall outside the room began to fill with chatter and laughter. It was an hour before these dancers took the stage, and their months of hard work and practice would finally be performed for our Jamat. Scanning the room, one thing became abundantly clear: this remarkable occasion of Mawlana Hazar Imam’s Diamond Jubilee had brought together women from all walks of life. What had started as a community of dancers volunteering their time to perform on Imamat Day, had become a sisterhood of women uniting to express their love for the Imam and his Jamat.
Standing in admiration at the sight before me, I spoke with uniformed volunteer, Alyna Merali, who was getting ready to shift gears and change for her dance performance. She spoke with such love and passion as she shared her experience of the day thus far, and the time leading up to this moment. When I asked her what this day meant to her, her words were filled with emotion. Since the Golden Jubilee, Alyna had been given the humble honor of volunteering in Tajikistan for the Time and Knowledge Nazrana. It was during her time in Tajikistan that she was first introduced to her love for Tajik dances, as she was immersed into a culture that she had never dreamed of experiencing. For Alyna, today brought everything full circle, as she was to perform in the Tajik group dance at the Seattle Diamond Jubilee Celebrations. “Coming together as One Jamat, being able to serve the Imam...shukar,” Alyna said. All the hard work, dedication, countless hours of service leading up to this day is an experience Alyna wishes would never end.
Alyna recalls her time in India, East Africa, Canada, and Central Asia where her family had the privilege of serving and receiving Hazar Imam’s deedar. The Diamond Jubilee dance performance brings to light how we are connected across the world. Each of us come from different walks of life, but as Hazar Imam has reminded us, we are all one Jamat.
The Diamond Jubilee Celebration serves as a reminder of our unity, and on this spectacular occasion we are all given a glimpse of the beauty that comes from working together to express our love for the Imam. I thank Alyna, and take one final glance around the room. The stunning costumes representing the various cultures of our Jamat make me feel as though I am a part of every one of them. I smile, as I glance around and see a world of Ismaili sisters joyful and encouraging each other,as they come together to perform for the Jamat.
