Content Tagged with India
The competition was judged by Vincent Johnson, master chief petty officer musician, Subedar Pargat Singh from the Indian Army, and music composer Shardul Sakhale. 14 bands from Mumbai, Secunderabad, Surat, Hyderabad and Pune took centre stage.
For generations the Ismaili community is known for their love for music. The stage was set at the Hasanabad grounds in Mazgaon for an all-India band competition of Scouts and Guides bands from Mumbai, Secunderabad, Surat, Hyderabad and Pune. A total of 14 bands took centre stage. The competition was an opportunity for the Scouters and Guiders who have been playing for the band and also training other kids to play in the band to fulfil a time-honoured tradition.
The landmark events that you live through create milestones in your memories, highlighting your life’s progress. You can look back at your life so far and these events, like postcards, will flash through your mind: your first pay cheque, the day you got married, the moment you first laid eyes on your newborn baby. The Jubilee of an Imam is one such event that holds a lasting impression and a sense of joy in the mind and heart of a murid. Some people are lucky to experience more than one Jubilee of an Imam. Some even luckier, experiencing Jubilee events of two different Imams in their lifetime. But it is a rare few that are blessed enough to experience two Diamond Jubilees of two successive Imams within their lifetime.
As much as India needs the rain, it doesn’t need the floods. Last year’s monsoon season saw several major cities paralysed by the onslaught of endless rains, bringing havoc and devastation to several communities.
In Gujarat alone, as 17 districts witnessed extensive flooding, the government launched an extensive relief campaign and in the small town of Babra, as the Indian Air Force air dropped relief packages, the Ismaili community’s Taj volunteers joined them side-by-side.
Diamond Jubilee can be summed up in one word for 15 million Ismailis all over the world: celebration. Celebration of our faith, celebration of our Mawla, and celebration of our proud community. And the celebration of 60 years was made 60 times more joyous by none other than the iconic musician duo Salim-Sulaiman, who, with their music made this event, come to life.
A step towards Clean India: Aga Khan Agency for Habitat India administers oath of cleanliness to 3000 participants at a public meeting held at Rajula in Gujarat.
The older generation has made us who we are. They have moulded the lives of the generations that came after them – giving them better education, better opportunities, and the possibilities of better lives. For our part, the present generation can return this invaluable gift by helping to make the lives of their parents and seniors more comfortable and enjoyable in this - the ‘golden phase’ of their lives.
With the objective of English literacy for all women in Thane council jurisdiction, a small batch of twenty women were selected to impart lessons in English with two trainers, as a pilot project.
Some important breakthroughs in any institution create an impact that not only increases the quality of life of people but also becomes an inspiration for others to follow. One such endeavor is the UBCL, an exemplary alliance between all the bakers of the Ismaili community in Hyderabad. The first meeting of UBCL was held in the year 2000. It was founded in 2011 with 72 members as part of the association which has now reached a total of 279 members who work on this extraordinary joint venture with the spirit of a family business where each member is like a family to the other.
As a curious learner, I was always fascinated to learn about the work of The Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC) – especially their work in India and the restoration process of historical sites. Therefore, when I learnt of the site visit planned by the National Communications Team, India, I immediately signed up for that. This site visit was a cultural excursion and opportunity for us, as members of the Jamat, to understand and explore the impact of the projects carried forward by the Aga Khan Trust for Culture in India. At the beginning of our site visit, AKTC officials and historians leading the restoration work received us and guided us inside the Humayun’s tomb complex. The high-rise ceilings carved with Quranic Ayats, calligraphy on walls, and sophisticated geometric patterns on the Tomb Complex teleported us all to medieval times.
‘Without music, life would be a mistake’, said Freidrich Neitzche.
Music is one magical thing which can heal wounds, lift up spirits and put some enjoyable moments in one’s life. Jubilee Concerts, a Diamond Jubilee initiative to commemorate the 60 Diamond years of Imamat of Mawlana Hazar Imam comes with a message of ‘celebration through music.’ Jubilee Concerts are a series of global events by artist of international repute. Some of them being Sachin-Jigar, Kailash Kher, our very own Salim Sulaiman and Tajik Artist Nobovar Chanorov. The Jubilee concerts also highlight the concept of ‘Ethical Inclusiveness’ wherein people of the wider community can also participate and be a part of the Diamond Jubilee celebrations.
A tiny, white or red spot or sore on the tongue could be the sign of something more serious!!! Yes Indeed!
In order to spread awareness on this in the masses, the National Communications team joined hands with Aga Khan Health Service, India and Aga Khan Health board for India along with the esteemed Prince Aly Khan hospital, Mumbai for a programme named ‘Nidaan’ (Diagnosis). Spread across two days, the aim of Nidaan was not only to raise awareness on Oral Cancer, but also to offer free checkup, guidance and support to deal with it, if detected.
Council for Junagadh in partnership with the Women’s Activity Portfolio, initiated a program called ‘Break For A Day’ at Junagadh Dhal road Jamatkhana. The sole objective of the programme was to encourage women to spend some time for their own happiness. Me-time is absolutely essential as is the time for others. Women of the community were encouraged to not develop a sense of guilt if they were spending some quality time for themselves.
With the arrival of our 46th Imam Hasanali Shah in India in the mid nineteenth century from Iran, there was a turning point in Ismaili history. The Imamat base shifted from Iran to India, and remained here till our 48th Imam Sultan Mahomed Shah shifted base to Europe in the early 20th Century. Various structures and monuments were established and maintained during this period in India. ’The Heritage walk’, one of the programs by the Communications team of the National Council for India aims to make our community and particularly the youth aware of the importance of our cultural and historical heritage and inculcate a sense of pride and appreciation of our historic cultural heritage. It also aims to help the community develop a harmonious relationship with our historical past. In pursuit of this objective, the Communications team has been regularly conducting walks in three historic areas of Darkhana, Agahall and Hasanabad in Mumbai since June 2017.
As participants lined up for pre – auditions of Jubilee Arts at the Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Technology, Mumbai, the sight was indeed magical… artists of all ages, in so many different areas, engaging with so many different art forms… made one think, it was a whole different world altogether. One which promised beauty and splendour and expression and a chance to view life in all it’s glory. Jubilee Arts is a new international programme established during the Diamond Jubilee year to celebrate the global Jamat's vast artistic skills and cultural traditions.
