Dr Zainul Aabideen, with his patient, a 5-year-old Ugandan girl.
Abu Dhabi/Thiruvananthapuram :
A Malayali doctor in Abu Dhabi wrote himself into record books when he performed the first pediatric stem cell bone marrow transplant in the UAE.
Dr Zainul Aabideen, a native of Kannur in Kerala, presently Head of the Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology at Burjeel Medical City successfully performed the advanced allogeneic procedure on a five-year-old girl from Uganda with sickle cell disease.
Billed as the first such surgery done in the UAE, the patient’s 10-year-old sister donated her bone marrow for the transplant treatment at Burjeel Medical City, a flagship hospital of VPS Healthcare.
Sickle cell disease is a genetic disorder, which results in an abnormality in the hemoglobin found in red blood cells, causing them to become sickle-shaped and leading to several complications including anemia, swelling in the hands and feet, frequent pain, acute chest syndrome, and sometimes stroke.
Prior to the treatment, the child has been regularly admitted to the hospital due to complications arising from her disease since birth.
“As this was a life-threatening condition, the only curative option was bone marrow transplantation. Before this procedure, the patient suffered a lot. The entire care team here at the hospital and the child’s parents are delighted that the transplant will relieve this pain from her life,” said Zainul Aabideen, who headed a team of highly specialised doctors, including a pediatric intensive care team, for the procedure.
The patient has responded well to the treatment and will be discharged in a few days after a five-week stay at the hospital.
Earlier, pediatric patients in the UAE who had to undergo allogeneic stem cell bone marrow transplants travelled to the US, the UK, India, and other European countries.
Zainul Aabideen, completed his MBBS from Calicut University in Kerala and a post-graduate degree in Pediatrics from the University of Mumbai.
He then moved to the United Kingdom to specialise and undertake further training in pediatric hematology, pediatric oncology, and pediatric bone marrow transplantation in various hospitals in the UK.
source: http://www.awazthevoice.in / Awaz / Home> Health / by awazthevoice.in / April 20th, 2022
Anthologist and translator Dasu Krishnamoorty’s ebook ‘The Greatest Telugu Stories Ever Told’ gives a tapestry of Telugu experiences for readers.
The Greatest Telugu Stories Ever Told (Aleph Book Company) provides us a glimpse into the huge Telugu literary realm. Spanning virtually a century of literary works by a number of the most interesting writers of short tales, the gathering mirrors the Telugu-speaking individuals’s perspective of the world.
Co-authored by anthologist and translator Dasu Krishnamoorty along with his daughter Tamraparni Dasu, the anthology incorporates works of 21 writers, proper from Chalam and Kanuparthi Varalakshmamma to Vempalli Gangadhar and Vempalle Shareef.
Influence on society
Elaborating on the factors in choosing the tales, the writers say they seemed for brokers of change. “Vempalle Shariff’s ‘Curtain’, for example, is a diatribe against the norms that keep Muslim women behind a curtain of patriarchy and prevent them from participating in the wider society. Sometimes, the story is so compelling in its cathartic message that it requires no other reason than its merit to be included.
‘Mother’s Debt’ (Mohammed Khadeer Babu) and ‘Predators’ (Syed Saleem) both highlight the wretched lives of those compelled to live in poverty at the edges of society,” says 93-year-old Krishnamoorty, connecting with us from New Jersey.
On selecting works of writers like Kanuparthi, Illindala Saraswati Devi, Achanta Sarada Devi and Chalam — who wrote about social inequity — Krishnamoorty says the brand new technology of writers continues to push that battle ahead in new instructions and develop into energetic devices of social change, as evidenced by Boya Jangiah, Jajula Gowri and others. “Writers alone cannot cause a change but are certainly a big part of the process,” he says.
On being requested if some writers are both overrated or underrated, Tamraparni responds, “All the writers in the anthology, and many more that could not be included, deserve their reputation and accolades. The younger ones are perhaps underrated simply because the world doesn’t know of them yet. We hope that our anthology helps them gain the recognition they deserve.”
Diverse works
The anthology consists of works by six Muslims, 5 ladies and 5 Dalits. Krishnamoorthy says their goal was to provide a platform for the varied assortment of expertise significantly in underrepresented communities. “Telugu Muslims have always been a beacon of literary excellence. Only they can write with such passion and knowledge about their lived experience that comes through with such heart-wrenching intensity in ‘Adieu, Ba’ and ‘A Mother’s Debt’,” he provides.
Speaking of the challenges in translating, Tamraparni says, “Translation is inherently tricky; matching the idiom of the original with an equivalent one in English, rather than a literal translation; finding the equivalent of unique words, for example a word like ‘ thaayilam’ (a special treat, typically sweet, for a child) in Dada Hayat’s ‘The Truant’; retaining the voice of the original writer intact; avoiding the temptation to editorialise or tamp down unorthodox content as in Chalam’s ‘Madiga Girl’; how to preserve the musicality of the original language, as in ‘Molakala Punnami’.”
Describing working together with her father as a excessive octane expertise, Tamraparni says story choice was a degree of rivalry. “Some of the differences were generational, and some were temperamental. We agreed on most stories but there were four or five that needed energetic debate,” she provides.
Support system
Krishnamoorty had moved to the US to dwell along with his daughter’s household after he misplaced his spouse and there, he discovered translation a solution to keep engaged to tide over the powerful interval. “He brought an amazing level of intensity and enthusiasm to it even though he was almost 80 at that time,” says Tamraparni who alongside together with her father, launched a literary non-profit organisation, IndiaWrites Publishers, to assist the interpretation of up to date Indian short fiction into English. Together additionally they revealed a month-to-month on-line literary journal, Literary Voices of India, for a number of years. And 15 years later, the father-daughter duo revealed their second anthology The Greatest Telugu Stories Ever Told.
”I’m grateful that translation has given me such a stimulating and rewarding expertise to share with my father,” says Tamraparni.
Dr. Shamsheer Vayalil, Chairman and Managing Director of VPS Healthcare Group, has announced a donation of AED1 million to the 1 Billion Meals initiative, the largest of its kind in the region, which aims to assist and provide sustainable food support to the underprivileged and most needy groups in 50 countries in the Middle East, North Africa and the world – in particular children, refugees, displaced persons, and victims of disasters and crises.
The 1 Billion Meals initiative, organised by the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives (MBRGI), provides food support in coordination with the United Nations’ World Food Programme (WFP), the Food Banking Regional Network (FBRN), the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Humanitarian and Charity Establishment (MBRCH), the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the UAE Food Bank, as well as a number of local charity and humanitarian organisations in beneficiary countries.
Dr. Shamsheer Vayalil said: “We are honoured to contribute to the 1 Billion Meals initiative organised by MBRGI to provide aid and relief to those undernourished, which supports the global battle against hunger and represents the values of the UAE and its wise leadership in giving and expanding the scope of humanitarian work. This is especially true given the escalation of the global hunger crisis and the increase in the number of people affected by it, especially children, refugees, displaced persons, and victims of disasters and crises.”
The initiative, organised by the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives (MBRGI), is a continuation of last year’s 100 Million Meals campaign, which ended up distributing 220 million meals, prompting the new goal of one billion meals.
Donors can contribute to the 1 Billion Meals initiative through the following donation channels – the campaign’s official website: www.1billionmeals.ae; bank transfer to the campaign’s account at Emirates NBD, number: AE300260001015333439802.
Donors can also opt to donate AED1 a day through a monthly subscription by sending “Meal” or “وجبة” via SMS to 1020 on the du network or 1110 on the Etisalat network.
Donations can also be made through campaign’s call centre via a toll-free number 8009999.
Becoming the youngest female lifter wasn’t an easy task but Maryam Mohammed’s focus helped her achieve it
Maryam Mohammed lifting weight during the tournament
Bengaluru:
Among the many champions who participated in the event, it was 13-year-old Maryam Mohammed who became the youngest female lifter to set a deadlift record in the Push-Pull Championship. Sports establishment Professional Raw organised the first championship at Onyx Fitness which Mohammed was a part of. There were over 300 athletes from across the country who registered themselves for the event.
It’s not the first win for the young lifter either. Speaking to CE, she says, “It’s the fourth competition that I have won so far. I started powerlifting two and half years ago, when the pandemic started and schools went online.” Her father, Mohammed Azmat, who is a powerlifter himself, has been doing it for over three decades now. “He’s my biggest inspiration. He’s the one who trains me and my younger brother has also started participating in competitions now,” Mohammed says.
She spends her weekdays on school work and uses her weekends to train. The basement of their home has been converted into a gym set-up which has helped her practice more. “I know there are many strong people out there but all I do is focus on the bar and just lift it. There’s nothing else to do,” she says, adding that her younger brother is more focused, something she is working on.
While Mohammed is hoping to get better and win more awards, her father encourages another strategy. “Medals can always be achieved but if they grow up without character, it won’t be of any use,” he says, pointing out that Mohammed always grew up watching him practice in their home set-up. “After she was born, my wife needed my help at home. So, I set up a gym to spend more time at home. Maryam grew up watching me lift weights and when she was finally ready, she showed interest,” he explains.
He adds that neither of the children was ‘forced’ into following in their father’s footsteps. “Seeing them be happy with what they want to do is what I encourage them to follow. They were never forced to follow my footsteps but it’s definitely an icing on top for them to have shown interest,” Azmat says.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Bengaluru / by Anila Kurian, Express News Service / April 18th, 2022
Once again showing her excellence in the field of education, Kishtwar girl identified as Sana Fatima Siddiqui Daughter of Syed Ajaz Ahmed Resident of Bunastan Kishtwar was awarded University Gold Medal for standing First in Order of Merit in Integrated BSc- MSc Zoology program, Class of 2019 at 10th Annual Convocation Ceremony of Lovely Professional University by Mr. Michael Ashwin Satyandre Adhin, Hon’ble Vice-President of Suriname (South American Country).
The convocation was recently held at Ludhiana.
Speaking to Early Times, Sana attributed her success to her parents, siblings, friends and family members added that without support from parents and family it is not possible for girls to get her admissions in universities which are far away from home. She said that she will continue her hardwork to bring lure for her parents and Kishtwar District in future as well.
She also thanked her teachers who guided her from time to time through out her life.
source: http://www.earlytimes.in / Early Times / Home> News Details / by Early Times Report / September 10th, 2019
Making amends for wrongs done requires compassion and a human touch, says Sandeep Virmani of Hunnarshala Foundation
In 2013, Muzaffarnagar in Uttar Pradesh experienced one of the worst communal riots in recent history. Some 62 people died and more than 50,000 were displaced.
Hunnarshala Foundation helped resettle about 250 families who could not return to their original villages. It was a challenging project for the not-for-profit organisation, which has been working with communities in the area of housing and infrastructure for over 20 years now.
Muzaffarnagar Diaries: A Post-Riot Resettlement Story talks of how the project fell in place. Sandeep Virmani, Executive Vice-Chairman of Hunnarshala, spoke about the importance of empathetic resettlement in the context of this project. Excerpts from the interview:
What is the magnitude of the problem of internally displaced persons (IDPs) in India?
IDPs are people displaced from their homes and communities due to natural disasters, conflicts or development projects. In India, at any given point, we have between 40 lakh and 80 lakh people living in camps, away from home. Of these, about 20,000 are displaced due to conflicts — ethnic, armed, communal, or even targeted violence. India consistently features in the 10 worst affected countries in the world. Conflict victims are the worst hit since invariably, the state is involved in abetting violence or allowing it to happen. For this reason, unlike after natural disasters, very few people come forward to help.
How does Indian law fall short when it comes to reparative justice, especially for victims of incidents such as the 2002 Gujarat riots or the 2013 Muzaffarnagar riots?
Unlike cross-border refugees, IDPs don’t have any rights. Even though the Constitution requires the state to take responsibility for the safety of its citizens, there are no laws, policies, or statutory frameworks for reparative justice. The UN has ‘The Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement’ but these are not binding. Consequently, almost every such event requires the intervention of the courts to provide justice.
Ruins of a house in Kutba, Muzaffarnagar, after the riots.
The government grants compensation; ₹15 lakh was given per family after the Muzaffarnagar riots. But you call this the ‘compensation trap’?
Invariably, governments directed by the courts want to weigh the losses of IDPs financially and get away with compensation. While compensation for families who lost a member was raised to ₹15 lakh, displaced families who will never be able to return to their villages got ₹5 lakh. But making amends for wrongs done, so that the scars of displacement and loss are healed, requires compassion and a human touch. It requires apology, handholding until they are physically settled, integrated into a new society, so that they and their children can let go of fear. The shock and betrayal, sometimes even unfounded guilt, never leaves one.
When you took up this project, you went to Kutba to see the ruins of the destroyed homes. Can you talk a bit about the ‘culture of spaces’?
The design and skills used in building homes is the collective cultural expression of a community’s values. When you lose everything, you look for hope in two places: community and expression. The process of rebuilding provides both. However, after incidents like the Muzaffarnagar and Shamli riots, most families were scattered in unfamiliar places. It became difficult for them to get new homes. Most used the compensation to rebuild livelihoods and get some land but could not build homes. We helped the community procure land together, so that they were reunited. Giving a house is charity; one is grateful, but it doesn’t rebuild lost confidence. And, invariably, donors and governments give ‘modern’ houses, disregarding cultural moorings.
We wanted to understand their histories, ways of living, skills, aesthetic expressions, identities, before we facilitated the rehabilitation. So, we went to their old village in Kutba. It was difficult; there was fear of the dominant Hindu community, at whose hands they had experienced betrayal, violence, death. People with whom they had lived over generations, people who had convinced them not to migrate to Pakistan in 1947. A mason named Nawab finally agreed to take us there with police escort.
The central stairway in a new house built in Kairana, Shamli district (the ‘chulha’ or stove keeps changing places).
We found a unique lifestyle. For example, the khat (bed) determines the width of the veranda and even the staircase (it is carried to the first floor). The chulha (stove) shifts through the year from kitchen to veranda to courtyard. The old men sit at the juncture of street and house in a unique space called the ‘gallery’. The mother-in-law sits at the other end of the gallery, at a spot from where she can see every part of the house. The sitting room must be accessed straight from the street through a separate door. The houses always have potential for expansion to make room for newly-weds. Families make intricate patterns on coloured cement oxide floors with stencils made from newspapers. They mould concrete into aesthetic forms. The more elaborate the gate, the more the prestige… we found many such features.
A new house in Arya Puri, Muzaffarnagar district, for a rehabilitated family. The house incorporates the classic archways and verandah and makes room for the all-important ‘khats’ (cots).
Your book speaks of how the villagers rejected open-brick facades for painted concrete. Is it a challenge to promote low-cost or green building in the hinterland?
On the contrary, villages are familiar with the advantages of, say, earthen walls or mud mortar for putting bricks together. It is possible to have an informed conversation with them, unlike urban people who reject such technologies based on bias or get fixated on a technology even when not appropriate. In rural homes, many parts of the house are left unplastered due to lack of funds, so exposed material has a different connotation — it means poverty. That is why they wanted to plaster and colour their walls.
Western UP is a seismic zone, but existing building practices are poor due to lack of resources; there is hardly any foundation, very thin mud mortar walls hold up heavy roofs. One shudders to think of earthquakes. We insisted on increasing costs by 15-20% to ensure safe housing. The villagers are extremely proud of this; they say they have the strongest homes in the city now.
Sandeep Virmani of Hunnarshala Foundation.
What is the nature of the partnership you entered into with the community?
In Shamli, we signed an agreement with each family articulating the roles of the family, the rehabilitation committee, and our organisations. We financed one room, the staircase, and the sanitation. The families paid for the rest.
Misereor Germany gave funding and HT Parekh Foundation supported all sanitation work. It was the government’s responsibility to provide roads, water and electricity, but finally we had to raise money for that too. The villagers were extremely resourceful. They got cheap material and support from former employers. Many local people helped, including a supplier who not just gave extensive credit, but also cash when funding was delayed.
NGOs Sadbhavana and Vanangna supported the rehabilitation committee to ensure that children gave their board exams in their old exam centres and didn’t lose a year. We helped with enrolments into schools, new identity papers, and resuming pensions. We also conducted psycho-social counselling with the children to help them overcome the trauma of loss and separation.
You insisted, for instance, that women be part of the Rehabilitation Committee. Do you think such interventions can have a lasting impact on social mores?
When a big social upheaval happens, it provides opportunities for making paradigm shifts in social norms such as patriarchy. Women are ready to change their roles in a new location where everyone has to contribute; men are ready to turn a blind eye to women in unconventional roles. This provides women the opportunity to not only demonstrate their abilities but also assure men that it doesn’t threaten them. For instance, women are very good at bringing consensus on difficult decisions. It particularly helps the girl child, as they see what is happening and adopt the changes permanently.
And what did you in turn learn from these families?
Perhaps the biggest contribution from the IDPs of Muzaffarnagar has been the building of the daat chat or shallow domes. When we visited the old homes in Kutba, we saw an array of beautifully crafted roofs made with bricks. These roofs look flat but are in fact very shallow domes, where all the bricks are in compression. It allows for flattening the top of the roof and building another storey on top. The masons who build these roofs are expert craftsmen. The importance of the shallow dome roof is that it can reduce the use of cement and steel by 70-75%. This is important; these two contribute most to carbon emissions from the building industry. The roof is cheaper than RCC and more durable. We saw homes with roofs that are 300-400 years old!
We researched and tested the roofs for seismic safety and invited the artisans to share their knowledge at a national conference in Delhi. Since then, many architects are adopting the shallow dome. Artisans are invited to architecture schools to demonstrate and teach the next generation.
Perhaps this is a befitting recognition of a culture and a people who did not deserve to be violently removed from their ancestral homes.
vaishna.r@thehindu.co.in
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Society – In Conversation / by Vaishna Roy / April 16th, 2022
By the time Mohammed Javed participated in his first Ironman competition, he was already 53 – an age when most people have begun making retirement plans.
But, for Javed, now a lithe 62, the Ironman competition in Port Elizabeth, South Africa, in March 2015, marked the beginning of a new life: one that took him on globe-trotting adventures around the world as he participated in more such challenges in France, Germany and Malaysia, among others.
“These are all ‘finisher’ medals,” he told the GDN proudly, pointing to an array of medals he brandished in one hand. “They are given to every athlete that participates in these competitions, regardless of which position they finish in.”
Given the tough nature of the Ironman Triathlon, which requires a 3.8km swim, a 180.2km bicycle ride and a marathon 42.2km run to be completed in under 17 hours, Javed had every reason to beam as he did.
“Even though it was my first Ironman,” he said, referring to the Port Elizabeth event, “I completed it in just over 14 hours and came seventh in my age category. I was extremely happy to just be able to participate in it and to complete it in the time that I managed was the icing on the cake, especially after the really taxing swim in the very rough sea.”
He repeated the feat in Malaysia, almost mirroring the time he managed in South Africa and actually bettered that in the next Ironman he registered for, which was in Nice, France.
Outperform
“It was just by a few minutes and still just over 14 hours,” Javed laughed. “But, as every athlete will tell you, when you compete in such events, you’re not just competing with others, you’re also trying to outperform your previous attempt and trying to improve on it. So I was really happy about that.”
As someone who is essentially only a part-time athlete juggling a full-time job with his passion for running, Javed explained, he approached every competition with the clear understanding that winning was never an option – and that, just the thrill of being able to participate would have to do.
“There’s no way that someone like me, who works 12-14 hours and only gets a couple of hours to train every day, could hope to compete with elite, professional athletes, who are able to devote every day of the year to their training,” he added.
“But, again, I am so happy and blessed that I have been able to participate in these competitions, rub shoulders with those athletes, watch how they go about their business and learn and apply that to my own preparation.
“It’s all due to the very generous support I have been given by my benefactors who have sponsored me and enabled my participation in these events. I am especially grateful to the late Shaikh Ebrahim bin Abdulla Al Khalifa, who was the chairman of Bahrain Road Runners for over a decade, and the very generous Fouad Hussain Showaiter. Both these gentlemen went out of their way to financially support my participation in all these international events.”
The biggest blessing, Javed said, as he looked back on the 40 years he has spent in Bahrain since arriving here as a 22-year-old from Karnataka, India, in 1982, is the opportunity he’s had to grow and flourish as an athlete.
When he first landed in Bahrain, he worked initially as a labourer before a leading construction company hired him as a heavy machinery operator. Then, in 1989, he applied to a leading hotel and was hired in housekeeping and soon made the transition to bell captain.
And then, came the first of many lucky breaks. “The hotel used to have inter-department sports competitions,” Javed said. “I took part in one – a 3km race – and I finished it in 9 minutes 27 seconds. That was it – the trajectory of my life changed from then on.”
The hotel’s general manager was so impressed by his performance that he decided to encourage Javed by granting him access to the health club and swimming pool – usually only allowed to hotel guests and top management.
“I was always a good sportsman – in fact, I was, and still am, a good cricketer too,” Javed explained. “And, suddenly, my athletic ability had a chance to be nurtured and prosper. So I really focused on long-distance running after that. I had run sprints – 100m, 200m – in school, but this was a different ball-game altogether.”
He started participating in every long-distance race that took place in the kingdom, thereafter, and eventually ended up becoming a member of the Bahrain Road Runners, a group that focuses on long-distance running and cross-country races.
“I never missed a single race,” Javed exclaimed, proudly. “Triathlons, biathlons, duathlons, aquathlons … you name it, I participated in it! And I won most of them!”
Now, though, despite the fact that he is still running competitively – he just took part in a Half Ironman event in Dubai in March – Javed is grappling with a difficult decision.
“The last few years have been a bit tough, professionally,” he said, contemplating his medals which he had spread out on a table. “Especially after Covid-19 and now, while I do have a job with a food delivery company, I’ve decided to go back to India next month.”
Then, he perked up again.
“While it would be nice to go back to my village and live a quiet life,” he grinned, “I know I won’t be able to run competitively again. And so, just when I thought I’d made up my mind definitively about moving back, I received a call just today from one of my benefactors who urged me to consider staying back so that I could compete in more competitions. So, maybe, I’ll do that instead!”
source: http://www.gdnonline.com / GDN Online, Gulf Daily News / Home> Other Sports / by Adnan Sipra / April 16th, 2022
Passionate about photography: Aziz Mahdi, a Persian scholar, who teaches youngsters in Delhi
Aziz Mahdi, a Persian scholar, on how he balances his love for images and the language of his forefathers
To get us, in Delhi, at least a little bit curious about understanding Iran, Aziz Mahdi, a Delhi-ite who lived for a decade in Tehran, where he studied Persian and then taught the language, is showcasing a pictorial exhibition. On display are 40 photographs (selected arduously out of 50,000 images) in different sizes, of this West Asian nation that gives us a glimpse into its culture and history. Aziz, or Dr. Mahdi, as he is fondly called by his Iranian and Indian students in Tehran and Delhi, has used handmade German paper to print on, ensuring the pictures last a lifetime.
Little is known in India about Iran, barring its “political and bureaucratic side”. On the other hand, there’s a fair amount Iranians know about our country. “Some people think Iran is a desert country. Even my father’s friend asked me if I got adequate drinking water in Tehran. I had to explain to him that there are reservoirs all across the country.”
Travel tales
Between 2005 to 2016, when Aziz lived there, doing a Ph.D. at Tehran University, he would get asked questions relating to Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan. He’s watched Sholay in Persian, while travelling on a bus there. “Most Iranians know that India is a nation of diversity and democracy. They describe India as Haftado do Mellat . In English, it would mean a nation of 72 ethnicities.”
Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque
As a history student at Jamia Millia Islamia in Delhi, Aziz had come across a classical dome of Persian architecture umpteen times in his textbooks. But the moment of seeing the Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque was something else. A perfect example of preserving heritage, it was built during the Safavid Empire, in the early 17th century, and has now been designated by UNESCO as a world heritage site.
“It was almost a surreal experience. Architecturally speaking, Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque has a perfect dome. Domes are usually uneven structures. It also has glazed tiles. It was a palace of princess; royal women would go through the tunnel and come back.”
Everyday life and some of the exotic
The exhibition has different aspects of daily life, along with architecture. There’s the Zoroastrian side of Iran with the Chakchak Fire temple; a ring seller leaning on his bike, the confidence in the way he wears his hat; the scissor-maker, an elderly man, with eyes sans pessimism, despite his years. Tehran as a cosmopolitan city comes through in a picture of a wedding where the bride and groom wear Western attire.
Early on, one of his friends gave him “sane advise” that if he wanted to be an Iranologist, he needed to know the country inside out. One way was to study it; the other, was through travel. “I explored this scenic country. However, I still like describing myself as a part Iranologist,” says the 36-year-old, who stands at six feet, four inches.
Persian heritage
Iranian Wedding
Aziz’s father, Akhtar Mahdi, retired as professor of Persian language and literature from JNU. “While growing up, I was guided by him and learnt how Persian is important from the historical perspective. From the 11th century onwards, all our official documents, land deeds of the State and historical texts were printed in Persian. So for 800 years, Persian was the official language until the Mughal rule ended and the British abolished it.”
In fact, Urdu is the daughter of Persian. “It was used during Nadir Shah’s military campaign. It was basically a camp language which was spoken by Persian and Turk soldiers.”
Musician playing a flute
He has roots in Persia too, with his forefathers migrating during the Mughal reign. As for photography, he’s dabbled since childhood, but he began taking it seriously only in Iran. “The sheer beauty of Iran supported the artist in me. Architecturally, it grabs the eye.”
Living in Delhi, where he was used to seeing smoky skies, Aziz was bowled over by blue skies of Tehran (also seen at the exhibition). “They were a welcome relief. Cleanliness and absolute stunning weather are other features of this country.”
His next step is to do a coffee table book. “Not many Indians have stayed in Iran for so long,” says Aziz, on a parting note.
Rowzaneh: Iran Through my Lens is on at the India International Centre Annexe until July 30th
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Entertainment> Art / by Madhu Tankha / July 26th, 2019
Hundreds of devotees attend the rathotsava (chariot or car festival) at the historic Chennakeshava temple in Belur, Hassan district of Karnataka on April 13, 2022. | Photo Credit: Prakash Hassan
Moulvi reads excerpts from the Quran (Koran) to mark the beginning of the rathotsava (chariot or car festival) at the historic Chennakeshava temple in Belur
“I have been participating in the festival for the last 50 years,” says Syed Sajjad Khaji of Dodda Meduru, who read out excerpts from the Quran (Koran) to mark the beginning of the rathotsava (chariot or car festival) at the historic Chennakeshava temple in Belur on April 13.
His forefathers had read out excerpts from the Quran (Koran) during the festival in the past, and his children would continue the tradition in future, he says. “Whether you read Bible, Bhagvad Gita or the Koran, all texts spread the same message,” he adds, philosophically.
While Karnataka has seen several instances of Muslims being barred from putting up shops during temple festivals, the rathotsava at the 900-year-old Chennakeshava temple struck a different note by staying with the syncretic tradition. The festival began only after the moulvi recited the Koran, a custom whose origins are not clearly known in the temple built by Hoysala rulers.
K. Vidyullatha, Executive Officer of the temple, said that the custom is mentioned in the temple manual, which dates back to 1932. “We are following the customs mentioned in the manual. I am told this tradition has been followed for centuries. According to the chief priest, the custom began with the objective of involving people of all religions in the festival,” the officer said.
The temple regularly gives foodgrains to the families that play a role in the festival, as per the manual.
The festival saw around 15 Muslim shopkeepers putting up stalls in the temple premises, with civil society groups putting pressure on the authorities not to exclude them.
Ahead of the festival, members of Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal had submitted a memorandum to the taluk administration seeking a ban on Muslim traders during the festival. They demanded that no Muslim be allowed to put up stalls during the festival, like in temples in Shivamogga and Sirsi. They succeeded in closing a shop run by a Muslim in a building that belongs to the temple. The Executive Officer ordered closure of the shop citing the Karnataka Hindu Religious Institutions and Charitable Endowments Act, 2002, which restricts allotment of space in Hindu religious institutions to non-Hindus.
Later, members of Dalit Sangharsha Samiti, Communist Part of India (Marxist), Raitha Sangha and other progressive organisations organised processions in Hassan and Belur to put pressure on the district administration not to comply with the demands of the Hindutva organisations. They wanted the district administration to facilitate the temple festival in a harmonious manner and participation of every community in the event. Elected representatives of the district too stressed on the need for participation of all communities., resulting in permission for all entrepreneurs to set up stalls during the festival.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> National> Karnataka / by The Hindu Bureau / Hassan, April 14th, 2022
Tall marble pillars frame photos, automobiles and more, as the Bhopal royals open up their past at the Jehan Numa Palace Hotel
Over the years, the Jehan Numa Palace in Bhopal — built on the slopes of the Shyamla Hills in 1890 by General Obaidullah Khan, commander-in-chief of the Bhopal State Force, and the second son of Nawab Sultan Jehan Begum — has worn many garbs.
The white marble edifice, which melds British Colonial, Italian Renaissance and Classical Greek architectural styles with facets of Art Deco, was constructed as the general’s office, and then used as his sons’ secretariat. After Independence, it became a government hostel, and later, the offices of the Geological Survey of India.
In 1983, after restoring the five-acre property, the general’s grandsons reopened it as a heritage hotel — its colonnaded corridors showcasing sepia-toned portraits, and the interiors housing rooms, four restaurants, two bars and a spa. Now, the pandemic has given it another facet: a museum, which came together almost like a “jigsaw puzzle”, says Faiz Rashid, director of the Jehan Numa Group of Hotels and a member of the Bhopal royal family.
Faiz Rashid
A colonnaded showcase
“[Over the last 20-odd months] we tried to come up with innovative ways to nurture hospitality. Because of the time on hand, we started looking at family archives and thought why not share the legacy with the world,” says Rashid. He tells me about putting together memorabilia: artefacts, attire, “lovely letters in Urdu” written to his great grandfather, documents, “invoices of the cars the royal family bought [like a Ford Phantom and a customised Bentley]” — all of which are now on show at the hotel.
“General Obaidullah Khan accompanied his mother, the last begum, on her foreign trips. He was inspired by different architectural styles, and the display is a pictorial history of the hotel’s evolution from the time it was built in the 19th century,” he says.
The corridors along the central courtyard, with its famed 100-year-old mango tree, were chosen as the ideal backdrop for the display. I take a virtual tour of the elegantly-framed archives, arranged in clusters on the walls of the chequered black-and-white marble and granite corridors, zooming into the photographs, and taking in glimpses of the life and times of a pre-Independence royalty that was progressive and involved, wealthy but not flamboyant, stylish but never garish.
From letters to thoroughbreds
The family took the help of Joe Alvarez, the well-known jazz singer who has written a coffee-table book on Bhopal, to curate the memorabilia.
“We divided them into nine subjects, starting with the four begums, the last nawab, dignitary visits, nawabi sports and the outdoors, and such,” says Alvarez, who has also generated a voice-over, and added a QR code to enable a Walk-In Museum audio guide.
The track at the Jehan Numa Palace Hotel
He expounds about the images of a thriving stud farm, something that continues till date (a trotting track set up when the hotel opened gives visitors a peek into the royal family’s passion for breeding thoroughbreds), of custom-built automobiles, branded guns and weapons, and official visits by dignitaries.
The begum’s photo from the archives
“The nawab begums of Bhopal were very dynamic and built the city differently from male rulers. They focussed on all areas, from education to women’s empowerment. We realised so much of their contribution — like building hospitals, enhancing the railways, opening schools — while putting this together,” shares Rashid, adding that, in 1889, Shah Jehan Begum funded the construction of Britain’s first purpose-built mosque at Woking. The collection is still evolving as more memorabilia makes its way to them slowly, from the extended family. A plan to restore and display the wedding dresses of the begums is also in the pipeline.
The museum is open to all. Rooms at the hotel are from ₹8,000 onwards. Details: jehannuma.com
Bori Safari Lodge
Spot the tiger at Bori Safari Lodge
Another post-pandemic hospitality initiative is Bori Safari Lodge, an eight-room wildlife camp started by Rashid’s brother, Aly, in the Satpura Forest. “When we started the Reni Pani Jungle Lodge [a two-and-a-half hour drive away] in 2009, it was about experiencing the diversity of the forest, with river safaris, walking trails and birding. With the Bori, the tiger comes centre stage,” says the trained naturalist, who has partnered with the state tourism department.
Aly is a trained naturalist
A tiger relocation programme successfully initiated four years ago has revitalised the habitat and the local population. “The tigers have not only flourished, but have actively begun mating.” Aly — who has great memories of spending his childhood in the forests — also leads expeditions to spot snow leopards in Ladakh and seek out the red panda in the Northeast. “This [project] is a means to conserve the landscape. The alternate income for the locals will recharge the community, support conservation, and will help wildlife be seen as an asset.”
From ₹25,000 onwards (all inclusive)
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Entertainment> Art> Weekend Travel Special 2022 / by Priyadershini S / April 15th, 2022
