Story by MALIK MERCHANT Publisher-Editor Simergphotos, Simerg, and Barakahwith photographs by the author and SHAFIN JAMAL A close-up of a tulip at the Aga Khan Park, Toronto. The tulip is seasonal, and blooms in early May for a period of 7-14 days. Photo: © Malik Merchant / Simergphotos. Camera: Olympus E-M10. There are two beautiful outdoor events that attract tens of ...
By MUSLIM HARJI Nevin Harji with her Catalonian buddy at a delightful fruit stand. Photo: © Muslim Harji. As a regular contributor to Simergphotos as well as its two sister websites Barakah and Simerg over the past 10 years, I am delighted to present photos of my visit to Barcelona's famous La Boqueria market. As in my previous tours around the ...
My Sister Zeenat's Autograph Book By SHARIFFA KESHAVJEE An autograph book is a book for collecting the autographs of others. Traditionally, they were exchanged among friends, colleagues, and classmates to fill with poems, drawings, personal messages, small pieces of verse, and other mementos. Their modern derivations include yearbooks, friendship books, and guest books. They were popular among university students from the ...
By NURIN AND MALIK MERCHANT IF YOU ARE IN THE OTTAWA/GATINEAU REGION, PLEASE SEE THIS SPECTACULAR SHOW OF NATURE - IT IS STILL ON AS OF OCTOBER 19, 2019 AND IS NOT GOING AWAY FOR A FEW DAYS! O'Brien beach parking area, Gatineau Park. Photo: © Malik Merchant / Simergphotos. Camera Olympus E-M10. Our 2 -- or may be 3 -- ...
By NURIN AND MALIK MERCHANT Note: The trip was done on Wednesday, October 9, 2019. Photos are followed by a short textual summary of an ideal day trip to Algonquin Park from Ottawa or Toronto. Our trip started in Ottawa, and we made the entry into the park at the East Gate on Highway 60. Vehicles from the west or Toronto ...
Compiled by MALIK MERCHANT (Publisher-Editor, Simerg,Barakah and Simergphotos) This post has been prepared from material received from the Aga Khan Museum. There is only 1 week left for members of the public to view a fantastic display of photographs by youth who participated during the summer in the Frederic Roberts Photography Workshop, an eight-day course designed to empower high school ...
Prepared by MALIK MERCHANT (Publisher-Editor, Simerg,Barakah and Simergphotos) THE PILGRIMS’ JOURNEY TO MECCA Between 1900 – 1920. To Sinai via the Red Sea, Tor, and Wady Hebran. Mecca pilgrims on deck a ship. Photo: US Library of Congress / G. Eric and Edith Matson Photograph Collection. ~~~~~~~~ Between 1900 – 1920. Hajj pilgrims on train for Mecca. Photo: US Library ...
Photographs and Text compiled from NASA Website by MALIK MERCHANT (Publisher-Editor Simergphotos, Simerg and Barakah) Summary of the Apollo 11 Manned Mission to the Moon Official crew photo of the Apollo 11. From left to right are astronauts Neil A. Armstrong, Commander; Michael Collins, Command Module Pilot; and Edwin E. Aldrin Jr., Lunar Module Pilot. Date of Mission: July 16-24, ...
By ABDULMALIK MERCHANT Publisher-Editor Simergphotos, Simerg, and Barakah Enjoying the moment – Malik Merchant of Simergphotos. The parade’s start time of 10 AM had passed by the time I boarded a bus on Wynford Drive for Eglington Station. I found myself seated in front of an excited 4 year boy named Qayyum who kept on challenging his dad, Alykhan, with ...
By ABDULMALIK MERCHANT Publisher-Editor Simergphotos, Simerg, andBarakahThe Aga Khan Museum welcomes the public to Doors Open held on May 25-26, 2019. Photo: © Simergphotos/Malik Merchant. The 2019 version of Doors Open Toronto event celebrated 20 years on the weekend of May 25-26, drawing thousands of visitors to more than 150 buildings across the city. Visitors got a chance to explore ...
By ABDULMALIK MERCHANT (Report and photos) and ZUL JIWANI (Video) The Aga Khan Museum Light Show, Sunday, December 30, 2018. Photo: Simergphotos/Malik Merchant. Tonight, December 31, the Aga Khan Museum in Toronto, Canada, hosts a special New Year’s Eve program of dinner, music and dance for which all tickets have been snapped up ($150.00 for a pair or $100.00 for ...
Introduced by ABDULMALIK MERCHANT This is a collection of 4 rare pictures from Dar es Salaam that (Alwaez) Ali Rajabali shared with me during my visit to Vancouver. They should be of immense interest to students who are in the photos, especially the first group photo in which they are pictured with their class teachers and members of the Aga ...
By MUSLIM HARJI 1. Al Hambra – A Breathtaking Gateway to Muslim Civilizations in Europe On October 9, 1998, Mawlana Hazar Imam, His Highness the Aga Khan, presented the eighth cycle of the prestigious Aga Khan Award for Architecture at the Al Hambra Palace in Granada, Spain, one of the most well-known Islamic monuments in the West. Speaking at the ...
Life of Jehangir, a poster that adorned Alwaez Jehangir’s room at Normanna. By ABDULMALIK MERCHANT Editor/Publisher Simergphotos, Simerg and Barakah .Com Alwaez Jehangir Merchant, loving husband of Alwaeza Maleksultan, dear father of Alnoor, Fahar and Abdulmalik, and a cherished and proud ‘dada’ (grandfather) of Naim and Nurin died at Normanna Living on May 27, 2018 at the age of 89. ...
By MUSLIM HARJI “Yes! We are a community that welcomes the smile!” The quote is from a speech made by Mawlana Hazar Imam, His Highness the Aga Khan, at the opening of the Ismaili Centre in Toronto on September 12, 2014. During the past year, I have seen nothing but smiles from the Montreal Ismaili Jamat which I regard as ...
___________ Moscow: Mawlana Hazar Imam’s 80th Birthday ~~~~~~~~~~~~ Silk Road Journey Passu Suspension wooden footbridge across the Hunza river. Photo: Copyright © Ali Karim. ~~~~~~~~ A stunning view of the sprawling roof-tops of homes around Altit Fort, Hunza. The flat roofs are used for multiple activities like drying fruit, clothes, etc. Photo: Copyright © Ali Karim. ~~~~~~~~ The Total Solar ...
By ARIF BABUL (Special to Simergphotos) A dusky picture of the surroundings in the small town of Stanley, Idaho, as the sun goes out. It felt much like deep twilight, like 30 minutes after sunset. Stanley is the gateway to the Sawtooth Mountains, one of the epic mountain ranges in the USA. August 21, 2017, Stanley, Idaho. Photo: Arif Babul. ...
By ZAHIR K. DHALLA (Special to Simergphotos). Bagamoyo Beach Landing. Photo: © Copyright Zahir K. Dhalla 2017. This is a present-day photo of Bagamoyo Beach, Tanzania, where sea-going vessels have dropped and weighed anchor since time immemorial. It was taken in August, 2017, from the front portion of the German Customs House built in 1895, the lone pillar still standing ...
Ali and Dislhad Karim have been travelling since 1977. Their latest journey took them to numerous cities, towns and villages along the the Silk Road in Xinjiang, China, and Hunza, Pakistan. Here they are pictured at the banks of the Hunza river with the stunning Cathedral Peaks in the background. The foot of the mountains at the right is etched ...
Ali and Dilshad Karim at Altit Fort, strategically located, precarious for enemies. Legends speak of the spot where they are standing as the capital punishment spot where enemies were simply pushed over the cliff. Photo: Ali Karim. Copyright. I conclude my Silk Road Series for Simergphotos, with this 6th and final piece that covers the last stage of our stay ...
Ismaili youth performing at Moscow concert against a backdrop photo of Mawlana Hazar Imam’s visit to Tajikistan. Introduced by Abdulmalik Merchant The Luzhniki Sports Arena became the venue on December 11, 2016, for the Ismail community in Moscow to gather for a special concert to celebrate the 80th birthday of Mawlana Hazar Imam, His Highness the Aga Khan, 49th hereditary ...
PREPARED BY ABDULMALIK MERCHANT (Publisher/editor — Simergphotos, simerg and barakah) (The photos on this page are representative of some thirty photo pieces that we published in 2016. The photos are not shown in any specific chronological order. The detailed piece for each photo may be read by clicking on ‘See more’ in the photo caption. Mawlana Hazar Imam’s family in ...
Ismail Gulgee (1926 – 2007) COMPILED AND ADAPTED BY ABDULMALIK MERCHANT Editor/publisher, Ismail Gulgee was born in Peshawar, Pakistan, in 1926. Since his childhood, Gulgee’s heart was in the visual arts. He dabbled in paint, inspired by his artistic grandfather. However, he chose to follow his father’s advice to acquire a formal education. The brilliant student paved his path to ...
BY MUSLIM HARJI Cake and sherbet (2016 Salgirah celebration, Montreal headquarters jamatkhana). Photo: Muslim Harji. Copyright. On December 13th and 17th, 2016, tens of thousands Ismailis across Canada gathered at their respective jamatkhanas to celebrate the milestone 80th birthday of Mawlana Hazar Imam, His Highness the Aga Khan, making him the oldest serving Imam in Ismaili history. On the actual ...
Please send this page link to your friends and family members everywhere! (ed.) Ali Karim and his wife Dilshad at the banks of the Hunza river with the stunning Cathedral Peaks in the background. The foot of the mountains at the right is etched with the words “Welcome to Pasu Our Beloved Hazar Imam 1987.” Photo: Ali Karim. Copyright. In ...
Introduced by Abdulmalik Merchant WATCH 2 VERY INTERESTING VIDEOS IN WIDE FORMAT AND READ TRANSCRIPT With an Advisory Aboard consisting of distinguished educators and scholars representing different faiths, the Religion & Ethic Newsweekly of PBS has set itself apart by providing distinctive, cutting-edge news coverage and analysis of national and international events in the ever-changing religious world. “The show has ...
BY ALI KARIM Spectacular scenery on the Karakorum Highway (KKH) during our drive from Kashgar to Tashkurgan, the very last town before the border between China and Pakistan. KKH runs approximately 1,300 km (810 miles) from Kashgar, China, to Abbottabad, Pakistan. Photo: Ali Karim. Copyright. In my 3rd Silk Road installment, More Kashgar and Spectacular Drive to Tashkurgan, readers learnt ...
BY MUSLIM HARJI INTRODUCTION: A sacred space is any space or area that has been dedicated for a religious or sacred purpose. All world religions have places set aside that are treated as holy, and where individuals gather with utmost humility and respect to carry out prayers and rituals for spiritual development and growth. It is in these sacred spaces ...
BY ALI KARIM Please click on photos for enlargement. Spectacular scenery at Lake Karakul, located 12,000 ft above sea level. Photo: Ali Karim. Copyright. In this third piece of my multi-part travelogue on the Silk Road, I complete our visit to Kashgar with more photos of the Id Kah mosque, as well photos of “old” old Kashgar and the bustling ...
A REFUGE FOR SPIRITUALITY IN URBAN DHAKA, SELECTED FOR ITS BEAUTIFUL USE OF NATURAL LIGHT. The prayer hall is a carefully scaled and proportioned volume that is contemplative in nature, is evenly lit to enhance the feeling of all as equal. Photo: Photo: Aga Khan Trust for Culture/Rajesh Vora. Qibla direction is marked by a slit of light penetrating the ...
BY ALI KARIM A magnificent desert landscape outside Turpan. Photo: Ali Karim. Copyright. In this second installment of my multi-part travelogue on the Silk Road, I continue with more photos of my visit with my wife Dilshad to Turpan, a desert oasis in the Xinjiang, and then travel 1400 kms to Kashgar, another historical city on the ancient Silk Road ...
Intrepid travellers Ali (right) and Dilshad enjoy a snack of noodles and tea at a local café in Urumqi during their “trip of a lifetime” to portions of the ancient Silk Road. Photo: Ali Karim. Copyright. Introduction to Our Recent Trip to Western China, Xinjiang and Hunza BY ALI KARIM My wife Dilshad and I had been dreaming about travelling ...
BY MUSLIM HARJI This is the dargah of one of the most famous Sufi saints, Nizamuddin Auliya. Situated in Nizamuddin West, it also houses the tomb of poet Amir Khusro and Mughal princess Jahanara lying adjacent to the complex. Thousands of Muslims, Hindus and those of other faiths and religions visit it every week, especially on Thursdays to witness the ...
Prepared by Abdulmalik Merchant with the assistance of Rheanne Tejani Few can resist the temptation of freshly baked goodies. They take you back to your childhood and bring a smile to your face. At an age where children are obsessed with the latest video game or phone 12 year old Renaye Tejani, an Ismaili girl from Mumbai, India, with her ...
BY RIYAAN MAHERALI Adnan Dahlvani of Team USA with brothers Qayl (left) and Riyaan (right), both wearing the FC Barcelona soccer camp jerseys. I first met Adnan on my way to the Global Village.* He and his team were walking towards us when I recognized the team USA shirts. I wanted to take a picture with them, and of course ...
Mr. Frank Pattrick (d. 1991) with his wife Mrs. Doris Pattrick (d. 2002). Mr. Pattrick worked for His Highness the Aga Khan in Kenya during the 1960’s and later. Photo: Linda Baxter Collection, United Kingdom. INTRODUCED BY ABDULMALIK MERCHANT Publisher-editor, and As publisher and editor of this photo blog, which has an emphasis on the Ismaili Muslim community, nothing is ...
“I DREAM OF PEACE,” SAYS THIS YOUNG BOY IN A FANTASTIC WELCOMING CEREMONY FOR THE FANOUS IN PAKISTAN BY SULTAN JESSA From some of the densest urban areas to the remotest corners of this earth, the fanous or lantern of the second Ismaili Jubilee Games has been welcomed worldwide by hundreds of thousands of Ismailis with deep joy, and has ...
BY ABDULMALIK MERCHANT Publisher-editor, Simergphotos and Simerg A boy proudly holds the Ismaili Jubilee Games lantern on Sunday, June 19, 2016, at the annual soccer camp which is being attended by 198 young Ismaili girls and boys in Burnaby, British Columbia. The highly successful camp is being held over two-weekends, June 18/19 and June 25/26, 2016, and supported voluntarily by ...
Editor’s note: Inspired by the message of His Highness the Aga Khan on the important role that individuals can play to drive progress and positive change, a team of dedicated Ismaili educators established a school in Nairobi for poor children to give them a head start. The story presented on this page by Zafeera Kassam, a co-director of the school, ...
BY NURIN MERCHANT Five years ago, in the summer of 2011, my dad took me to visit two of his most favourite places on earth, Salt Lake City in Utah, and Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming. He had spent some time in 1979-80 doing a project in Salt Lake City, and visited Yellowstone some twenty years later during a road ...
