By Malik Merchant Isabelle Prondzynski’s flick photostream (prondis_in_kenya) has some marvellous photos of the Nairobi Aga Khan hospital grounds and the surrounding neighbourhood. When asked to comment about the hospital, Prondzynsk replied: The highest profile Ismaili buildings in Nairobi are probably those of the Aga Khan Hospital. This is an excellent hospital, very beautiful too. There is a [Kitengela] sculpture ...

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Originally aired on PBS to a word-wide audience exceeding 150 million people “CANDID, THOUGHTFUL AND VISUALLY STUNNING” – Los Angeles Times Prophet Muhammad (s.a.s) changed world history in 23 years and continues to shape and inspire the lives of more than 1.4 billion Muslims around the world. Simerg and its companion photoblog are pleased to make available for their readers ...

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This a very rare collection of photos of the 48th and 49th Ismaili Imams, Sir Sultan Mahomed Shah Aga Khan and Prince Karim Aga Khan respectively, taken during their visits to Kenya. The photos are from the personal collection of Nashir Kassam and his wife Shayda of Ottawa, Canada. Nashir’s late father, Mr. Nurmohamed Kassam of Kendu Bay, Kenya, was ...

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By Malik Merchant INTRODUCTION Crazy Horse Memorial is a tribute to the culture, tradition and living heritage of American Indians and the spirit of the legendary Lakota leader, Crazy Horse. Sculptor Korczak Ziolkowski began carving the world’s largest ongoing carving in 1948. Today his family and the Crazy Horse Foundation continue the dream and work on the sculpture that will ...

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A digital portrait by Akbar Kanji This digital mosaic rendering is based on an existing photo portrait of His Highness the Aga Khan, the 49th Ismaili Imam. For graphic artist Akbar Kanji of Toronto, the concept is to “portray our Imam’s entire life and his dedications at a glance which we cannot imagine until we come closer to him.” Says ...

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BY SHARIFFA KESHAVJEE A stunning view of the Indian Ocean from the roof-top of the Bagamoyo Jamatkhana. Please click on photo for enlargement. Photo: Shariffa Keshavjee, Nairobi, Kenya. Copyright. When I was a little girl, one of my favourite pastimes was to be in the presence of adult company. As the youngest in the family I was too often labelled ...

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Tashkorgan in the Xinjiang Province of China is 295km (183 miles) South West of Kashgar. The town marked the end of the Silk Routes for Chinese traders arriving from Kashgar. Their goods would be transferred to caravans, which continued on to Gilgit and thence either south to the Indian Ocean along the Indus River, or west through Kabul, Herat, and ...

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By Malik Mirza The dome of Pir Hasan Kabirdin’s mausoleum. Photo: Malik Mirza. Copyright. THE JOURNEY BEGINS While I was on a training assignment related to micro-finance in Bahawalpur, a thought came across my mind: Why not visit the mausoleums of our ancient Pirs, and try to explore the current on ground situation of the mausoleums? After all, the devotional ...

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By Malik Merchant “…Your gift of this unique volume, which was prepared by your father, Alwaez Karim Pirani, and which contains articles and drawings by numerous Ismaili individuals as well as messages of Imam Sultan Muhammad Shah and Mata Salamat is a veritable treasure…” (message to Mr. Sadru Pirani from the Institute of Ismaili Studies) The late Karim Master, in ...

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By Muslim and Nevin Harji Summary: There are no words to describe the hospitality, kindness, love and gentleness of the Iranian people. We have ventured into over forty countries, but never have we experienced such generosity. Our bodies may be back in Montreal, but Iranian hospitality has stolen our hearts which are probably somewhere either in Esfahan or Shiraz. When ...

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