Monthly Archives: October 2023

Kerala: Veteran Mappilapattu singer Ramla Beegum dies

Kozhikode District, KERALA:

The veteran Maappilapattu singer, Ramla Beegum, passed away at her residence in Kerala’s Kozhikode district on Wednesday, September 27, 2023, at the age of 85.

In addition to her renown as a Maapilapaatu singer, Ramla gained fame as a Kathaprasangam artist, captivating audiences with her unique storytelling style that weaved together tales from both Muslim and Hindu cultures.

Her performances graced stages both nationally and internationally.

To this day, Ramla’s Mappilapattu songs and lyrical narratives, such as “Husnul Jamal Badrul Muneer,” continue to captivate the hearts of art enthusiasts. Some of her most cherished renditions included “Aalam Udayon…” and “Iruloka Jayamaniyum…”

Ramla has performed narrations of literary classics such as Kesavadev’s ‘Odayil Ninnu,’ Kalidas’s ‘Shaakuntalam,’ and Kumaran Asan’s ‘Nalini’ on international platforms.

Her exceptional talent has earned her numerous awards, including the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Academi Award and the Folklore Academi Award, to name a few.

source: http://www.maktoobmedia.com / Maktoob Media / Home> India / by Maktoob Staff / September 27th, 2023

Ashraful Madaris Urdu medium school of Hyderabad bags the K-12 WOW award

Hyderabad, TELANGANA:

At the recently concluded Global K-12 Summit, organised by Business Reconnect in Hyderabad on 8th September 2023, Ashraful Madaris High School, an Urdu Medium High School of Hyderabad was awarded for “Excellence in imparting value education and spirituality”.

Global Business Reconnect, is an event management company based in New Delhi. Started in 2000, it has executed corporate events PAN India & throughout the Globe on several occasions for several industries.

The Global K-12 Summit is an event of Global Business Reconnect where one can network with top school Directors/Principals, business people in related industries, important educators, and some of the most well-known thought leaders, corporate executives, government officials, consultants and policy makers.

In 2023, they held the K-12 Summit in Hyderabad. They award schools that have added innovative features in the methodology of teaching whether in their day school, boarding schools, residential school, etc.

This year the award went to Ashraful Madaris High School of Hyderabad which has a unique feature of “day boarding”, where the students of Urdu medium come to school right from the morning prayers at 5:30 AM after which they do some physical exercises, study Islamic tenets and the Holy Quran, then join regular classes after a nutritious breakfast, then are provided lunch in the afternoon. In the evening after classes, they stay back and do their homework, offer the night prayer, have their dinner and go home.

“I had applied for the award and forgotten all about it. When I got the news that our school has been chosen for the award, I and my team were exhilarated. We have been struggling to keep the school functioning smoothly, which despite being aided by the government is running with hiccups because the government has stopped recruiting teachers in place of the retired ones. Hence, we are recruiting private teachers and are paying the teachers’ salaries from our pockets” explained Khalid Hasan, who is an Advocate and now the Academic Administrator & PRO of the school. He received the award on behalf of the school.

“We are managing the school with donations from generous donors and have started an English Medium school to cover at least some of the expenses.

This is the first award received by Ashraful Madaris High School in its 110-year history. “I am sure this school will witness many more glorious days ahead”, said Khalid Hasan who has been at the helm of the affairs of the school from the last one year and whose tenure has been extended till 2026 as the Academic Administrator of the School.

Ashraful Madaris standing on 2 acres, has a large playground with sports facilities, a well-equipped library, 30 classrooms, and qualified staff. Other highlights apart from the day boarding school, are its moral and Islamic education, Arabic language curriculum, Quran Nazerah and other subjects of Deeniyat.

This Urdu medium school has produced several successful students who have gone to achieve great laurels in their careers. Two of the alumni who stand out are Padma Bhushan awardee, late Syed Abid Hussain, who was Indian Ambassador to the USA and IAS bureaucrat late Syed Turabul Hassan.

source: http://www.twocircles.net / TwoCircles.net / Home> Indian Muslim> Lead Story> TCN News / September 25th, 2023

Indian National League hails Kerala port minister Ahammad Devarkovil for initiating big port project in Vizhinjam

KERALA:

New Delhi:

The Indian National League (INL), a part of the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) coalition government in Kerala, has lauded its leader, Ahammad Devarkovil, who serves as the Minister of Ports in the state cabinet, for initiating a massive international seaport project in Vizhinjam near Thiruvananthapuram.

Marking a historic milestone in the development of Indian port, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan waved the green flag on Sunday to welcome the first-ever ship at the Rs 7,700 crore deep-water international Vizhinjam port.

He was joined by Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan, Kerala’s port minister Ahammad Devarkovil, Congress Member of Parliament Shashi Tharoor, various state ministers, and APSEZ CEO Karan Adani.

They waved a green flag, signaling the tugboats to guide the massive Chinese ship, Zhen Hua 15, from the wharf to the docking yard.  This under construction seaport is India’s first deep-water container transshipment port with the capacity to host large cargo ships and the world’s largest luxury cruise ships.

Owned by the Government of Kerala, it will be operated by the Adani Group for 40 years, handling 75 percent of India’s container trans-shipment needs and reducing reliance on ports in other neighboring countries upon full commission.

Emphasizing its international importance, the Chief Minister announced that it would be commissioned by May next year. However, the flagging-off ceremony sparked political controversy, with both the ruling LDF and the opposition UDF claiming credit for the project. Congress leaders argued that former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy was the driving force behind the project, but the LDF dismissed the claims.

During a press conference at the Press Club of India here on October 16, leaders of the INL spoke on various issues, including the Palestine-Israel conflict, opposition coalition INDIA, the caste census, News Click raids, and the minority character of Aligarh Muslim University.

INL National President Prof. Mohammed Suleiman, Kerala State Chief Ahmed Devarkovil, its All India General Secretary Muzammil Hussain, National Committee Member CP Anwar Sadat, Delhi Head Rafi Ahmed Khan, and General Secretary Qamar Ali addressed the media.

Addressing the press conference, Prof. Suleiman said that India’s support for Israel was tarnishing the country’s international image. He demanded a national-level caste census to ensure the welfare of minority communities and protect their rights. Expressing concerns over the media raids, Prof. Suleiman said that the raids against NewsClick and other journalists were a continuation of the Union government’s attempts to intimidate the media.

The INL, working in 11 states since its establishment in 1994, issued a press release stating its commitment to working nationwide against the Hindutva forces led by Narendra Modi. The statement said, “the party aims to establish a secular and democratic coalition called “INDIA” to eliminate communal and fascist influences from the national political landscape. The INL started its campaign in Kerala as well as other states to make the voters ready to strengthen the anti BJP platform.”

Praising Ahammad Devarkovil, the INL emphasized that in his role as the Minister of Ports, he has showcased his acumen and talent, as evident from Sunday’s ceremony when a large ship from China was anchored at Vizhinham.

Calling on the international community for opening the blockade of Gaza and ensure supply of medicines, food, water and electricity to the suffering people of Gaza, the INL said that the party supported the persecuted Palestinians who were fighting against the illegal occupation of their land by the Zionist regime of Israel. To ensure durable peace an independent, the INL demanded a sovereign Palestine state must be established.

Strongly objecting to what it described as the BJP government’s nefarious designs to abolish the autonomy and minority status of Aligarh Muslim University, the party has called for the reinstatement of the AMU Amendment Act of 1981. Moreover, it demands the prompt commencement of the process to appoint a permanent Vice-Chancellor and the immediate scheduling of elections for the AMU Student Union.

The INL has also announced that Dr. Baseer Ahmed Khan, former Pro Vice-Chancellor of Indira Gandhi Open University and former Chairman of the AMU Students’ Union, has joined the Indian National League.

source: http://www.indiatomorrow.net / India Tomorrow / Home> Development / by Anwarulhaq Baig / October 17th, 2023

India’s Millet Man Dr Khadar Vali says eating coarse grains is way to healthy life

Purdadtoor Town (Kadapa District), ANDHRA PRADESH:

Dr Khadar Vali, the Millet man of India
Dr Khadar Vali, the Millet man of India

Coarse grains or millets are ancient foods which contain key nutrients like vitamins, zinc, beta-carotene, and magnesium. These foods keep blood sugar under control and reduce obesity. If one eats healthy food one can simply avoid disease and medicines.

This is the message from India’s leading agronomist Dr. Khadar Vali, who is also called the Millet man of India.

Dr. Vali is an independent scientist and food expert. He has brought back five species of millet that had disappeared from the world. Today, at 66 years of age, Vali is one of the leading proponents of millet cultivation in the world. He has made world realize the importance of grains.

Millets are available not only in India but everywhere in the world. These are known by different names in each country. To date, people around the world have eaten 200 different types of whole grains.

It’s important to note that the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) declared 2023 as the International Year of Millets at the insistence of India.

Khadar Vali says that the cultivation of millets can solve problems of soil erosion and irrigation also. The food we eat creates an imbalance in blood glucose levels. It makes people sick. But all this can be avoided if we use coarse grains. If you eat millet, you never need medicine.

He says it’s a misconception that coarse grains are food for animals and birds. He says these are super foods that can prevent disease as these contain fiber that cleanses the body. These grains protect the human race and other species. Millets are food for the whole planet.

Fox millet or Bajra

Dr Khadar Vali hails from Purdadtoor town in the Kadapa district of Andhra Pradesh. He has been working for 20 years to revive Sridhanialu, an Indian concept about food habits that are in sync with the nature and the human body.

Earlier, he worked in a good position in the USA. Dr Vali is a post-graduate from the Regional Institute of Education, Mysore, and did his PhD on Steroids from the Indian Institute of Sciences, Bengaluru.

Vali did his postdoctoral research on a fellowship in Environmental Science from the United States. His research focused on the inactivation of deadly chemicals such as Agent Orange and dioxins. His research came at a time when food was becoming increasingly commercialized.

Around 1986-87, Dr. Khadar Vali raised the issue of food-related consequences in society when he came across a case of a girl who started menstruating at the age of 6. He decided to return to his country.

He returned to India in 1997 and worked hard to revive five different varieties of millets in Mysore that were rapidly disappearing. More than two decades later, India’s ‘Milletman’ Dr. Khadar Vali was awarded the Padma Shri on the occasion of the 74th Republic Day celebrations.

awazurdu

Dr. Khadar Vali says that millet has long been part of the mainstream diet but over the past 75 years, corporations marketing rice and wheat have Institutions subjected them to “systematic destruction”.

He has told the world about the benefits of coarse grains along with the negative effects of other grains from his long research on millet. Some points of his research are as follows. His research on food grains has led him to categorized them as negative, neutral, and positive.

Negative: These Grains cause diseases and include paddy rice and wheat. The fiber content of these grains is below 2 percent.

Neutral: Grains don’t cause new diseases, however, can’t help to cure health disorders and diseases. These are jawar, bajra, finger millet, proso millet, etc which carry fiber content from 3 to 6 percent.

Positive: Grains, which help to cure health diseases and disorders. These are Foxtail millets, Barnyard millets, Browntop millets, Little millets, and Kodo millets; which have fiber content from 8 to 12 percent. He named these millets Siri Dhanyaalu. Siri means wealth, which is indirectly health. .

Based on Dr. Khadar Vali’s research and findings, below are the diseases and disorders cured by the positive millets (Siri Dhanyaalu)

 1. Foxtail Millet Rice: nervous system, psychological disorders, arthritis, Parkinson’s, epilepsy

 2. Kodo Millet Rice: blood impurities, anemia, weak immunity, diabetes, constipation, insomnia

 3. Barnyard Millet Rice: liver, kidney, excess bad cholesterol, endocrine glands

 4. Little Millet Rice: uterus, PCOD, male and female infertility

 5. Browntop Millet Rice: digestive system, arthritis, hypertension, thyroid, eye, obesity

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given the name Shree Anna to coarse grains.

The year 2023 was declared by the United Nations as the International Year of Coarse Grains, after which the Grammy Award-winning Indian-American singer Fallo prepared a song, saluting the efforts of Prime Minister Modi.

In one of his tweets, Fallow mentioned the Prime Minister’s support in producing the song. This song has been prepared with the aim of promoting coarse grains and helping farmers to cultivate them and encouraging efforts to eradicate hunger from the world.

source: http://www.awazthevoice.in / Awaz, The Voice / Home> Story / by Mansooruddin Faridi / October 07th, 2023

Of healing and healers

NEW DELHI :

Hakim Nabina has passed into legend.

Three years older than Hakim Ajmal Khan, one was reminded of him when Ajmal Khan’s great-granddaughter came for admission to Hamdard University last week, accompanied by her father.

While Ajmal Khan’s name lives on beyond his ancestral haveli, Sharif Manzil in Ballimaran, Hakim Nabina had no fixed abode and believed to have been born in the Walled City too, got most of his fame in South Delhi where he was brought by some dealers in Unani medicine.

Born in the same year as Rabindranath Tagore, he was 105 when Dr. S. A. Ali of Hamdard met him in 1965 to seek medication for a digestive problem. The hakim, who had probably been born blind or had lost his vision in childhood, felt the patient’s pulse and diagnosed that his heart and liver were in good trim but not his digestive system. “Did you by any chance eat arbi (yams)?” he enquired. Dr Ali confessed that he had in fact had a piece of the vegetable though he was not fond of it. The hakim told him to have light food in future and prescribed some medicine which cured his ailment.’

Syed Ausaf Ali, himself an octogenarian now, says Nabina lived at Hazrat Pattey Shah’s dargah, behind Humayun’s Tomb. What he prescribed was dispensed by dealers in Unani drugs. When someone complained that the charges were very high, he advised them not to go to the dispensers but take medicine from him directly.

Pattey Shah or the saint amid tree leaves was actually named Shamsuddin Ataullah and died in AD 1300 during the reign of Alauddin Khilji. He got the nickname because whenever Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya visited his khanqah or hospice, he would hide behind bushes and tree leaves, saying he was not worthy of coming face-to-face with the Auliya. This is what has been affirmed in Sadia Dehlvi’s book on the Dargahs of Delhi. It is said that the Shah belonged to the Chishti silsila or order of saints. “During the day he would light a fire and cover himself with its ashes, while at night he slept in a grave-like hollow (something emulated by the eccentric Spanish painter Salvador Dali, who spent his nights in a coffin). When he died Hazrat Nizamuddin led the funeral prayers as per the Shah’s last wish. Hakim Nabina seems to have developed a spiritual rapport with Pattey Shah and lived most of his long life at the latter’s shrine. When he died is not known but it was probably during Indira Gandhi’s first prime ministership, which would mean that he was nearly 110 years old at that time.

The hakim is not to be confused with Hafiz Nabina Doliwale, the blind mendicant who lived under a tree near the southern gate of the Jama Masjid. Nobody knew his real name also, except that he was one who could recite the Quran by heart (Hafiz), was blind (Nabina), wore no clothes and loved to travel free in a doli or palanquin. He and Hakim Nabina were both born in the same year (1860), when Bahadur Shah Zafar was passing his last days in Rangoon. But Hafiz Nabina died at the age of 87 much before the hakim sahib. Everybody in the city knew him and he also finds mention in Ahmed Ali’s “Twilight in Delhi” as he often visited the hero of the book, Mir Nihal. He was regarded as a majzoob (a man possessed), lost in himself and supposed to be in contact with the jinns, without much care for hygiene.

However Hakim Nabina, despite his mystical leanings, never gave the impression that he was a majzoob. His direct communion was with Pattey Shah and he passed his life in the service of those who came to him to be healed. That he could tell a patient what his illness was merely by touching him and pointing out, “Thou ailest here and here,” was a sign of his deep knowledge of human nature and anatomy and the Unani system of medication. Like Hafiz Nabina, he was a recluse but of a different sort who did not discard the ways of the world in matters of dress, behaviour and etiquette. Old-timers remember him as a worthy contemporary of Hakim Ajmal Khan, who had acquired the halo of Massiha (messiah) of the ailing populace!

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Features> MetroPlus> /Down Memory Lane / June 22nd, 2014

Dr Mohammed Khan Received The 14th Bharat Ratna Dr A P J Abdul Kalam Award 2022

INDIA / Dubai, UAE:

Dr Mohammed Khan, President & CEO of Khans Media City, Dubai, was Honoured with the Bharat Ratna Dr A P J Abdul Kalam Award by the Hon. Governor of Maharashtra, Shri Bhagat Singh Koshyari, as “The Global Media Celebrity” (GMC) in a function organized by Dr A P J Abdul Kalam Global Foundation held at Raj Bhavan, Mumbai, India.

The Governor, while congratulating the Awardees’, said they all deserve this recognition for their contributions to social causes and work for making our nation better and wished them greater successes in all their future endeavours. 

While receiving the award, Dr Khan, who had also been crowned earlier with many international recognitions by many Governments, Organizations like FIFA and Olympic Committee etc., said he was proud to receive an award in his native country again and considered this as most valuable since it’s named after one of the greatest Visionaries the world had ever seen. He dedicated this award to the great Visionaries, Gurujis, Scientists and Masterminds behind the developments of today’s India. 

The 14th award function was organized by the Dr A P J Abdul Kalam Global Foundation, and the event was managed by Parwez Media. Chairman Dollarai Kottega, Padmashree Kalpana Saroj etc., were present at the function. Kargil War Hero Col. Shailendra Singh, Great musician and playback singer Sri Udit Narayan, Sri Mufti Manzur Ziyaee, Mukesh Manveer Singh, International celebrity and model Ketki Walse, Dr. Bu Abdulla from UAE were also part of this year’s award winners. 

source: www.ahmedabadmirror.com / Ahmedabad Mirror / Home> Others> Specials> Other Specials / September 15th, 2022

Asian Games: Mumbai’s hijab-clad woman named ‘Officiating Referee’ for Karate

Mumbai, MAHARASHTRA:

The hijab-clad Karate maestro Shaheen Akhtar, 52, barely looks what she is — a 4-time National Champion in Karate, chopping her way surgically in all top events worldwide, is now appointed the first and only woman ‘Officiating Referee’ at the ongoing 19th Hangzhou 2022 Asian Games in China.

Packing up her bags to serve as the International Technical Official or Officiating Referee, Shaheen is a smiling but simple granny whose daughter Sana Hava and son Ayaan Ansari are also National Champions in Karate.

She learned her first Karate kicks, stances, punches, blocks and chops aged 13 while a schoolgirl at the Christ Church School, Byculla, excelled while studying for her B.Com degree from H.R. College, Churchgate and loved it enough to make it a full-fledged professional career as a ‘karateka’.

Over four decades since, she has punched her way from Youth League to Premier League to South Asian Championships to Asian Championships to Commonwealth Championships to World Championship events globally, earning medals and honours for her discipline and laurels for the nation, both as a participant and as a referee.

“In Hangzhou, I shall be the Officiating Referee for all events of Karate at the men’s and women’s events scheduled between October 5-7, with top champions participating from 42 Asian countries… It’s a very crucial responsibility,” said Shaheen softly, in a chat with IANS.

Discussing her upcoming challenges as Officiating Referee, Shaheen said that “handling pressure” will be the most critical part of her assignment — when over two billion pairs of eyes from all over Asia will scrutinise her every move and decision.

“All countries are coming there and vying for the medals… Besides the top-class champions from all countries in the ring, there will be top games experts from different countries, sports officials, VIPs, judges and viewers in the stadium and at their homes… Any wrong decision on my part can lead to havoc right inside the stadium,” Shaheen added.

Inside the ring, when the medal-hungry champions from different competing nations would be lunging at each other, the experience will be another trial even for Shaheen, herself an established and acclaimed figure in the sport.

“My job will be to control these rivals in the ring, command them to obey and adhere to the rules of the games, if they falter then there are levels of warnings, penalties, etc. to rein them in… And all under the watchful eyes of many,” Shaheen smiled.

Only on rare occasions, the moderator ‘Kansa’ (Match Supervisor) intervenes and also equally rarely the ‘third umpire’ or the video review supervisor, mainly while appealing for points is resorted to, she explained patiently, without clenching her deadly fists or flailing her arms.

In her new role, the former 4-time National Champion, 6-time Maharashtra Champion, a 8th Degree Black-Belt holder, Shaheen is also the highest and most qualified World Karate Federation and Asian Karate Federation female Referee in the country and in South Asia.

Now, Shaheen is passing on the baton to the gen-next through SAMA (Shaheen’s Academy of Martial Arts) affiliated to Karate India Organisation, and striving to groom future state-national-international champions and referees.

“I hope my long journey inspires the younger generations to take up Karate as a serious and viable career option… India has tremendous untapped potential and there could be many young champs waiting in the wings to grab their moment of glory given the right opportunity…I am always here to help anybody,” Shaheen declared.

source: http://www.muslimmirror.com / Muslim Mirror / Home> India> Indian Muslims> Sports / September 25th, 2023

City-based Assamese poet Shaheen Akhtar wins literary award

Guwahati, ASSAM:

City-based Assamese poet Shaheen Akhtar has been awarded the ‘Independence Day Literary Honour’.

Shaheen Akhtar

Guwahati :

City-based Assamese poet Shaheen Akhtar has been awarded the ‘Independence Day Literary Honour’ by “Motivational Strips – World’s Most Active Writers Forum” in collaboration with the Gujarat Sahitya Academy (Under the Government of Gujarat).

Shaheen was declared as a recipient of the award “owing to her brilliance in poetry which is considered to be at par with world standards”.

The Independence Day Honour’ is conferred annually to the best poets worldwide jointly by the ‘Motivational Strips’ and the ‘Gujarat Sahitya Academy’ . The literary awards are given as a tribute to India’s Independence Day and the honor is considered as the most valued in the global poetic circle. Shaheen was accorded the honour on August 15, 2021.

The awarding procedure undergoes an exhaustive evaluation process, where the poet’s literary acumen, behaviour, global interactions and inclusions are taken into consideration before the recipient is conferred with the honour. A total of 440 poets from 82 countries were selected for this award.

‘Motivational Strips’ includes writers from more than 160 countries. The average visitors to this forum are beyond 7.2 million every month.

source: http://www.sentinelassam.com / The Sentinel / Home> Cities> Guwahati / by Sentinel Digital Desk / August 27th, 2021

Meet Dr Shaikh Muna Afroz; India’s first female Muslim Gastroenterologists surgeon

Aurangabad, MAHARASHTRA:

truth. on Instagram: "⚡INSPIRING: Success comes to those who believe in  hard work, and this expression applies to Dr Shaikh Muna Afroz, who is  about to attend the All India Institute of
pix: instagram.com /thetruth.india

Success comes to those who believe in hard work and this sentence fits the case of Dr Shaikh Muna Afroz, who is all set to join the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) and probably become the first Muslim female Gastroenterologist (GI) surgeon in India.


In a message to the youth, Dr Muna says, “Perseverance and determination are the keys to success. I have experienced that my consistent efforts have enabled me to surmount every obstacle on my path to success.” Intending to become an academic surgeon, she struck an optimum balance between patient care, teaching, and research. She has authored more than five indexed research publications.


Dr Muna has presented her research papers at numerous conferences and won many accolades. Her inspiration is her grandfather, who is a General Surgeon and has been serving the community since 1967.


Dr Afroz hails from Maharashtra’s Aurangabad and bagged the All India Rank (AIR) third in MCh GI-HPB Surgery in the INI-SS 2023 and she also secured an All India Rank (AIR) – 10 for the Minimal Invasive Surgery Fellowship in 2021.

Prior to it, she aced CET-UG by securing the 93rd rank and completed her MBBS in 2017 from GMC Aurangabad.


In 2022, she acquired the Membership of the Royal College of Surgeons (MRCS) in Edinburgh, UK. Having cleared the licensing examination from Dubai Health Authority (UAE) in 2022, Dr Muna is currently licensed to practice medicine in India, the United Arab Emirates, and the United Kingdom.

This report is filed by ANI news service.

source: http://www.thenewsmill.com / The News Mill / Home / by ANI / pix: edited / June 04th, 2023

Tibetan Muslim community builds strong bonds in Kashmir

Srinagar, JAMMU & KASHMIR:

tibetan muslim community builds strong bonds in kashmir – The News Mill

Inside the picturesque city of Srinagar, nestled in Jammu and Kashmir, an extraordinary community of Tibetan Muslims has found a thriving home.


Welcomed as co-religionists in this predominantly Muslim area, approximately 1,500 Tibetan Muslims have not only preserved their unique culture and traditions but have also established deep connections with their Kashmiri neighbours. Through their vibrant restaurants and cultural endeavours, they have fostered a sense of unity and understanding, exemplifying the power of cultural integration.


Unlike most Tibetan refugees who sought shelter in Dharamshala after fleeing their homeland six decades ago, these Tibetan Muslims view their arrival in Kashmir as a return to their ancestral origins. Their ancestors migrated from Kashmir to Lhasa centuries ago, where they intermarried with Tibetans, embraced the Tibetan language, and formed a distinct community. Their lives in Lhasa were marked by religious freedom and unhindered business endeavours.


Since settling in Kashmir, the Tibetan Muslim community has primarily found a home in Srinagar, particularly near the historic Hari Parbat Fort. The neighbourhood now thrives with Tibetan restaurants and establishments that proudly showcase the cultural roots of its inhabitants.

Among them, the Lhasa Restaurant, managed by Ahmad Kamal Zarief, has become a local favourite. Tibetan dishes, such as the beloved Momos, have garnered immense popularity among younger Kashmiris, forging stronger bonds between the communities. For Zarief, the restaurant holds deep sentimental value as it allowed his father, Abdul Rehman Zarief, to reconnect with his Tibetan heritage. Through the flavours of Tibetan cuisine, Abdul found solace and cherished memories of his ancestral village. The Lhasa Restaurant not only serves as a testament to the preservation of Tibetan traditions but also as a bridge that connects Tibetan Muslims and Kashmiris through shared culinary experiences.


Intercommunity marriages, though not commonplace, have occurred between Tibetan Muslims and Kashmiris, bringing the communities even closer.


Nighat Qazi, who married a Tibetan man and has three children, initially faced resistance from her family. However, with time, her decision has been appreciated and embraced, as it exemplifies the potential for greater integration and understanding through inter-community unions.


The younger generation of Tibetan Muslims has gradually let go of the longing for their ancestral homeland, which remains under Chinese control. As a result, they have adopted Kashmiri customs, language, and preferences, blending seamlessly with their Kashmiri friends.


At the Tibetan Public School, where the revered Dalai Lama delivered a speech in 2012, most students are local Kashmiris. The influence of their Kashmiri peers is evident, as they share activities and aspirations, forming strong bonds that transcend cultural boundaries.


Despite assimilating into Kashmiri culture, Tibetan Muslims have managed to preserve their national language. Within their homes, they continue to communicate in their language, honouring it as one of the finest dialects of Tibetan.


Despite residing in Kashmir for over six decades, it was only in 2019, when the Indian government revoked the region’s semi-autonomous status, that Tibetan Muslims received official citizenship and the right to permanently reside in the area. Throughout their time in Kashmir, they have experienced warm hospitality and acceptance from the Kashmiri people, fostering a sense of belonging and community.


The thriving Tibetan Muslim community in Kashmir is a testament to the power of acceptance, cultural exchange, and integration. Through their unique journey, they have not only preserved their heritage but have also formed deep bonds with the local Kashmiri population.
Embracing their present reality, Tibetan Muslims have found solace and prosperity in Kashmir, intertwining their rich traditions with the vibrant tapestry of Kashmiri culture.

This report is filed by ANI news service.

source: http://www.thenewsmill.com / The News Mill / Home / by ANI / June 20th, 2023