“I dedicated my second life to specially-abled people; especially helping the wheel-chair bound cricketers make their careers. Nowadays they are the talk of the town; they are scoring runs and playing well,” Ghazal Khan, CEO of Divyang Cricket Control Board of India (DCCBI), says.
Ghazal Khan, 28, from Agra, Uttar Pradesh, is the youngest woman in the world to be involved in the promotion of wheelchair cricket. She is also the Vice Chairperson of the International Council of Wheelchair Cricket and the Secretary of International Affairs of the International Cricket Council for the Physically Challenged.
Ghazal Khan narrated an incident from her childhood that changed the course of her life,
At the age of 21, Ghazal had a close shave with death. “On 22 December 2015 when I was preparing for the examination of the second semester of the MBA my blood pressure suddenly fell. I was riding a scooter when it happened. I fainted and fell off it. I opened my eyes after 9 days in the ICU of a hospital in Agra.”
Ghazal Khan with the winning team after a tournament
Ghazal spent 20 days in the ICU. He was told that she was in critical condition and on a ventilator for 2 days. Doctors had declared her almost dead and given her only a 2% chance of survival.
“I was reborn on December 24 that year on my birthday. I had been in a coma for 9 days. My face was sewn up to close the injuries. I lost the beauty of my face. When I looked in the mirror, I couldn’t recognize myself.”
After this experience, Ghazal wondered why she survived even after doctors had given her a 2 percent chance.
“I asked myself, why did He (Allah) save me..? During this period, I received several calls from disabled cricketers from my father’s association.”
Ghazal Khan with her father Haroon Rashid (right) and another official
Ghazal’s father Haroon Rashid was a famous pacer of the Indian team. He too met with a mishap and had to give up cricket on doctors’ advice.
He founded the Divyang Cricket Control Board of India (DCCBI) to enable cricketers facing disabilities to pursue their interests. He is the general secretary of the Board and Ghazal the CEO.
Ghazal says, “I volunteered to help them during the first Asia Cup in 2015. It also helped me develop a good relationship with disabled cricketers.
“I realized that I had lost the beauty of my face, but they lost their body parts and yet they are very happy and thankful to the almighty. So, why should I be ashamed of my ugly face?
“I realized that Allah has saved me for a reason; I decided to prepare for UPSC civil services examination and become an IFS officer.
“I was sure of cracking the examination on the first attempt. However, I day before my preliminary exam, I fought with my fiancé. Thereafter I became depressed and was diagnosed with severe clinical depression.
Ghazal Khan posing with officials and the winning team
“Suddenly I behaved like a child of 8-9 years’; had a loss of memory. Biologically, I was 23 but mentally I was 8 years old. I had lost all senses.
“One day while playing with the wheelchair cricketers before the IWPL tournament, a miracle happened. I felt normal. It was a pleasant shock for my family.”
Ghazal decided to work for the disabled cricketers. “This was the moment when I realized why Allah saved me. From that day till now I have given all my time and energy to Divyangjan’s cricket.
Ghazal is also Vice President of the International Council for Wheelchair Cricket (ICWC) and is secretary, International Affairs in the International Council for the Physically Challenged Cricket (ICPCC).
Almost four years ago she launched the Divyang Premier League DPL T-20.
Ghazal says she aims to elevate disabled cricketers to the status of others. Due to her efforts, on the lines of IPL, the Divyang Premier League IPL was played between 6 teams in 2021 at the Sharjah International Cricket Stadium in Dubai.
Ghazal Khan with players
She gives the credit for her success to her father.
Ghazal Khan said she is also influenced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. She was impressed by Modi’s remarks in o address ‘Mann Ki Baat’ on December 27, 2015, which said that physically challenged people have a divine ability and for this, they should be called Divyangjan and not disabled.
Ghazal Khan recently received the Global Excellence Award from the Samarth Seva Sansthan of Rajasthan. Last year she received the Icons of Asia Award.
Ghazal Khan told Awaz-The Voice that she is also planning to work for women’s disability cricket, improving the commentary of the game and setting up a sports business industry.
source: http://www.awazthevoice.in / Awaz, The Voice / Home> Story / by Onika Maheshwari, New Delhi / March 29th, 2023
A repository of historic Islamic manuscripts, documents, books and rare artefacts is crying for attention at the Rajasthan Government’s Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Arabic & Persian Research Institute (APRI) in Tonk. A significant project for the conservation and digitisation of manuscripts has come to a standstill following a change of guard at the institute.
Tonk, situated 103 km south of Jaipur, was the only Muslim princely state in the erstwhile Rajputana before Independence. It was considered a major centre of art and culture, as the Nawabs patronised the scholars and invited them to inhabit the town. As a result, many poets, artists and historians came to live in Tonk and made it a hub of intellectuals and professionals. In addition, the Islamic religious preachers established a culture of Quranic sermons and teachings in the town.
The APRI, established as an independent Directorate of the Rajasthan Government in 1978, boasts of a rare collection of historiography, orientology and Islamic studies and has over 8,000 hand-written volumes. Researchers from India and abroad have been visiting the institute to study manuscripts belonging to the medieval period. Besides, prominent people, such as the Vice-Presidents, Governors and Union Ministers, have visited the institute and seen its rich collection.
In the treasure trove of historical books, the main attractions include a 17th-century copy of the Holy Quran in bold Naksh calligraphy, autographed by Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb, Hamail Shareef (commentary on the Holy Quran) of 11th century and Unwan-ul-Sharaf of 19th century, comprising five subjects with a single running text. The APRI also has the world’s largest copy of the Holy Quran, prepared in Tonk in 2014.
Most of the rare books and manuscripts in the institute are those shifted from the Saeedia Library of the erstwhile Tonk princely state after 1961 when it was established as the district office of the Rajasthan Oriental Research Institute. The books were collected by Mohammed Ali Khan, the third Nawab of Tonk, who was deposed by the British and exiled to Varanasi.
The collection of books in the APRI may be ranked equal to those in the famous Raza Library in Uttar Pradesh’s Rampur and Khuda Baksh Oriental Library in Patna. The copies of famous books of the Mughal era, Shahjahannama and Tuzuk-i-Jahangiri, are also in its collection. In addition, the institute has about one lakh judgements of Tonk’s Adalat Sharah Shareef (canonical courts), which have been published in several volumes. Besides, there are documents related to Rajasthan’s political and cultural history with special reference to the Tonk state.
The project for the conservation and digitisation of these books and manuscripts was launched four years ago, but it slowed down during the covid pandemic. It picked up pace after the pandemic when the task was assigned to the Patna-based Heritage Consortium in view of the expertise required to deal with the fragility of papers and ink used in the books. A 20-member team was engaged in testing the material of books and their treatment with the appropriate chemical elements.
The local youths were also given a fortnight-long training to join the conservation work with the de-acidification of papers, consolidation of ink, flattening of folios and stitching and binding of books. As a result, the team working at the institute completed the preservation of 80,000 folios after a sluggish pace during the pandemic. In the tedious work, the experts could conserve only 10% of the APRI’s collection, but they also preserved the threads and glue used in the books for research in future.
The digitisation project in the institute adopted the meta data format prescribed by the National Mission for Manuscripts and the National Archives of India. The digitisation was carried out by the APRI staff with the state-of-the-art scanners, while the State Government-owned Rajcomp Info Services Limited was also involved in the exercise.
All of these activities have reached a standstill with the recent change of guards at the institute. Syed Sadiq Ali, the new Director of APRI, who took over on February 22, said the State Government’s Art & Culture Department had appointed a Curator to review the conservation and digitisation work and decide on its continuation. The move followed the appointment of a committee on the project in December 2022, when the Director’s post was vacant.
Even as the art and culture experts have expressed concern over the conservation project having been halted, the APRI is organising a series of events, seminars and festivals to promote the Khattati (calligraphy) art and Chaar Bayt (four stanzas) performances. Ali, a retired Associate Professor in Urdu Department at the Government Post-Graduate College, Tonk, has evinced interest in holding the events regularly.
A five-day calligraphy art festival, organised from March 15 to 19, witnessed the participation of a large number of experts and different days were devoted to Chaart Bayt, Mushaira, Ghazal rendition and Qawwali singing. Similarly, a three-day seminar on Insaniyat Ka Paigham (message of humanity) was organised between March 15 and 17 with the participation of 40 experts from across the country. These events elicited a huge response and witnessed the enthusiastic participation of students, researchers and the public.
Ali pointed out that the international researchers also regularly visited the institute since he took over as the Director. They included a research team from France and individual researchers on Islamic manuscripts from Jordan and Iran. Ali said the classes in Arabic and Persian languages, which were stopped earlier, would be restarted, an extension lecture series would be organised during the Rajasthan Mahotsav in March-end, and all the vacancies in the APRI would be filled up shortly.
Former Vice-President Mohammed hamid Ansari at APRI, Tonk
The institute also plans to establish a museum on its premises to display rare manuscripts and artefacts in different sections. Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot announced the construction of a Publication and Museum Block in the APRI while replying to the debate on the Finance and Appropriation Bill in the State Assembly on March 17.
Former Vice-President Mohammed Hamid Ansari during his visit to APRI, Tonk.
source: http://www.indiatomorrow.net / India Tomorrow / Home> Education / by India Tomorrow Correspondent / March 27th, 2023
Bazme Sadaf International (BSI) award is to be given to famous Urdu poet Shahida Hassan while Ambareen Salahuddin was selected for the new generation writer award, according to a statement received in Doha.
Ibrahim Kamal Khan (Qatar), Zahoorul Islam Javed (Abu Dhabi) and Sheraz Ali ( UK) were selected for Urdu Movement awards.
The awards will be presented in Doha at a grand ceremony on January 26-27, followed by an international literary festival and poetry symposium.
Delegates and eminent literary personalities from 12 counties are expected to attend the gala event.
Speaking at a press conference in Patna, India, BSI director Prof Safdar Imam Quadri announced the names of awardees of 6th BSI awards and enumerated their literary achievements.
Shahida Hassan is a Canada-based Urdu poet who has published three acclaimed anthologies of poems and also translated select pieces from contemporary literature of other languages into Urdu.
The new generation award, given to a promising writer below 50 every year, has been bagged by Pakistani academic and poet Ambareen Salahuddin. Both the awardees will be arriving in Doha to receive their awards and participate in the literary festival too.
BSI also gives awards to individuals who have served the cause of promotion of Urdu language and literature.
For 2020, this award has been given to Ibrahim Kamal Khan who, as the founder president of Anjuman Mohibban e Urdu in Doha, has provided significant service to the cause of Urdu language in Doha.
Abu-Dhabi-based poet Zahoorul Islam Javed would be given this award for 2021 and UK-based academic Sheraz Ali for 2022.
In the last two years, this award has been renamed after the late Sabih Bukhari, who was the chief patron of BSI until his death.
BSI chairman Shahabuddin Ahmad, in a message sent from Doha, congratulated all the winners and informed that eminent Urdu poets and literary figures from 12 counties have confirmed their participation in the event.
They include Shahida Hassan (Canada), Khalid Irfan (US), Zahoorul Islam Javed (Abu Dhabi), Hassan Kazmi, Safdar Imam Quadri, Azm Skakiri, Shadab Azmi and Dr Shakil (India), Ambareen Salahuddin and Ali Zariyun (Pakistan), Sadaf Mirza ( Denmark), Ateeq Anzar, Ahmad Ashfaq, Nadeem Jilani Danish and Wasiul Haq Wasi (Qatar), Masood Hassas (Kuwait), Ayesha Shaikh Aashi (Dubai) Jamil Ahsan ( Sweden), A M Tahir (Germany) and renowned journalist Dr Mohammed Gauhar.
BSI chief patron Hassan Chougule congratulated the awardees and requested all Urdu lovers to attend the poetry symposium in DPS-Modern Indian School auditorium, Al Wakra on January 27.
BSI Doha chapter president Dr Nadeem Zafar Jilani also expressed his happiness at the announcement of the awards and congratulated the winners.
source: http://www.gulf-times.com / Gulf Times / Home> Community / January 19th, 2023
Judge Shama Hakim is the first South Asian American woman and the first Muslim American woman on any appellate court in United States.
New York:
In a first, Indian-American Democrat Shama Hakim Mesiwala has been unanimously confirmed as associate justice of the Third District Court of Appeal in Sacramento, California.
Mesiwala, 48, was administered the oath of office this month by Chief Justice Patricia Guerrero, chair of the Commission on Judicial Appointments.
She was confirmed by a unanimous vote of the three-member commission, which included Chief Justice Guerrero, Attorney General Rob Bonta, and Acting Presiding Justice Ronald B. Robie.
Judge Mesiwala, who would now be the first South Asian American woman and the first Muslim American woman on any appellate court in the country, would fill the vacancy created by the retirement of Justice Coleman A. Blease.
She has served as a Sacramento County Superior Court judge since 2017 and was a commissioner there in 2017.
Mesiwala is the co-founder of the South Asian Bar Association of Sacramento and the president of the Schwartz/Levi Inn of Court.
She served as the Americans with Disabilities judge for the Sacramento County Superior Court Hall of Justice and created the first Indian Child Welfare Act courtroom in Northern California.
Armed with a Juris Doctor degree from the University of California, Davis School of Law, Mesiwala also teaches appellate advocacy as an adjunct professor in the same university.
source: http://www.ummid.com / Ummid.com / Home> United States / by ummid.com with inputs from IANS / February 28th, 2023
The National Barista Championship in Bengaluru featured 60 baristas from across India and from some of the best coffee houses in the industry and home brewers.
This past week was abuzz with caffeine-induced energy at the 21st National Barista Championship 2023, held between February 14 to 19 at the Orion Mall in Rajajinagar, Bengaluru.
Jaseem Abbas, a home brewer who goes by his handle @ninedotcoffee on Instagram, was crowned the winner, and in June, he will travel to Athens to represent India at the World Barista Championship 2023.
“This used to be a very subtle, small event where we did not have coffee traders, cafe owners, or even equipment manufacturers participate. So, we made it bigger by allowing brands to exhibit their products and expose Indian coffee to the audience,” D. M. Purnesh, President of the Speciality Coffee Association of India, revealed to YS Life.
Jaseem Abbas, Winner of the National Barista Championship 2023
A stroll through the exhibition section will give one insight into how big the event has become. From coffee estates and bean roasters, to cafe owners, and equipment makers, every stage of the coffee bean’s journey is represented.
Attendees could mingle with industry leaders, sample exquisite coffee blends, learn about coffee preparations, equipment and techniques, and enjoy live music and entertainment.
The National Barista Championship featured 60 baristas from across India—some of the best coffee houses in the industry and home brewers who competed for the title of the National Barista Champion. The jury members included certified Q Graders (professionals skilled in the sensory evaluation of coffee), technical judges, and a World Barista Championship Committee-recognised head judge.
The technical judges look at what the barista does behind the counter—station management, skill with the espresso machine, the tamping, coffee extraction times, etc. The sensory judges (Q Graders) evaluate the ‘crema’ of the espresso, the aromas of the beverages, harmony and balance in the taste, the temperature and tactile experience while sipping the beverage, and the functionality of the vessel.
“The barista will tell us how their beverage is supposed to taste. We listen to them for the accuracy of their descriptors too,” explained Mandappa, Divisional Head (Coffee Quality) at the Coffee Board, a certified Q Grader and one of the sensory judges at the championship.
At the National Barista Championship 2023 in Bengaluru
Each barista serves three beverages—first, an espresso, second, an espresso-based milk beverage, third, an espresso-based signature beverage.
“We’re not looking at Latte art here. We’re looking at sheen, synergy, and contrast between the milk and coffee when judging visuals. When we take a sip of the beverage, we see how the espresso is in harmony with the milk,” Mandappa added. The current edition of the rules allows for only cow’s milk, but future editions will allow branded plant-based milk alternatives.
The signature beverage gives baristas the liberty to come up with their own concoctions, as long as the base remains a shot of espresso. “My coffee had pineapple, green grape, mulberry, black tea, Demerara sugar syrup, strawberry syrup, and butter, which I had melted with coffee,” said Suhas Dwarakanath, Owner at Benki Brewing Tools, and one of the contestants.
“These ingredients played with the flavour of the espresso and brought out completely new flavours, like how mixing red with yellow gives us another colour. In the end, my coffee had notes of muskmelon, papaya, salted caramel, and a black tea finish,” he described.
Winner Abbas’ Nitrogen Oxide-infused signature brew had notes of sweet lime, jasmine, orange candy, and sweet papaya. “I used coffee from Tat Tvam Asi Estate as it was one of the most organic and naturally-processed coffees I could find,” he said. “The pressure is intense; there’s no room for error. No sudden movements, no spillage. It’s a beautiful situation to be in. The perfect balance of pressure and cannot be experienced unless one goes up on stage,” Abbas added.
Speciality coffee and Bengaluru have a symbiotic relationship. Karnataka is one of the largest coffee-growing regions in India. The city has a growing cosmopolitan population with the awareness, time, and willingness to experiment with new flavours.
Speak to any brewer or barista, and they’ll have the same things to say: Coffee is not just bitter. One can notice sweetness, florals, fruitiness, and a pleasant bitterness that makes it beautiful and interesting. It’s like tasting a fine wine or a scotch whiskey.
“Coffee can change completely profile-wise with different types of roasting (light, medium, or dark), grind sizes, and brewing equipment. In fact, I came across a variety of cups that allows the coffee to aerate, allowing for more flavour to come out,” said Purnesh.
According to Dwarakanath, one of the challenges in making speciality coffee mainstream is shifting consumers away from the chicory-infused, sugary filter coffees Bengaluru is used to.
“Speciality coffee doesn’t have to be overwhelming. I understand it’s more expensive, but selling smaller portions so they’re affordable is something we do at the Benki cafés. We don’t sell anything above Rs 150, and we use the same premium coffee I used in the competition today,” he added.
Mandappa staunchly believes in drinking what one enjoys while taking the time out to experiment with new food and drinks to develop a refined palate. “It’s always good to experiment and see how a different ingredient tastes, maybe a berry or an exotic fruit,” he said.
“When one is starting, make descriptions easier for yourself and look at basic nuances like sweetness and bitterness (favourable bitterness like bitter gourd, dark chocolate, and stout beer; and unfavourable bitterness like astringent and burnt). The common consumer should first look for a balanced coffee,” added Dwarakanath.
Coffee journeys often start with the quintessential bottle of Nescafe’s instant coffee powder. Speciality coffee, however, works differently.
Right from the quality of the soil and the manure fed to it to the skill of the barista pouring out your drink—each step is crucial in brewing a good cup of coffee.
“It’s about appreciating the journey of the coffee bean. It’s a chain reaction. The farmers, the roasters, the barista—there are hundreds of steps before it reaches your cup,” said Abbas.
“A coffee planter’s job is 365 days, round-the-clock work,” added Purnesh. “We nurture plants through the year for a single crop. The last few years have seen climate change, and the current challenge is adjusting to changing patterns of rain,” he added.
Many coffee planters have developed multi-cropping systems by growing pepper, areca nut, cardamom, avocados, and assorted fruits and vegetables. This keeps a steady flow of income and adds nuances to the flavour of the coffee.
The Speciality Coffee Association of India was set up by passionate coffee planters who wanted to put India’s coffee on the world coffee map. “Everything happens with the support of the Coffee Board, controlled and funded by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India. They help us promote coffee in India and the world market. They are one of the main sponsors and supporters of the National Barista Championship,” said Purnesh.
With the close of the 2023 edition of the championship, Abbas is looking forward to his competition in Athens this June. “I’d like to thank my roaster, who introduced me to the coffee I used for the championship. And, since I’m representing India, I want to represent India’s coffee on the world stage. I’ll be going up against the best of the best,” he added.
source: http://www.yourstory.com / YourStory.com – YS Life / Home> Events / by Arjun Mehta / edited by Suman Singh / February 22nd, 2023
Later, he also visited Sira town in Tumakuru district and distributed Saudi Riyal 500 and other essential items to 26 pilgrims.
Congress MLA Zameer Ahmed Khan. (File Photo)
Bengaluru :
Chamarajpet Congress MLA BZ Zameer Ahmed Khan on Saturday arranged Umrah (an Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca) for 16 Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHA) workers at Jagjivan Ram Nagar ward office and distributed Saudi Riyal 500 (Rs 11,097) to each of them.
Taking to Twitter, the MLA said that a pilgrimage send-off programme was organised in his constituency during which he distributed the money and also other Umrah essentials to the workers. Later, he also visited Sira town in Tumakuru district and distributed Saudi Riyal 500 and other essential items to 26 pilgrims.
Meanwhile, the BJP hit out at the MLA saying he was indulging in such activities only to attract voters ahead of the Assembly elections. They have also demanded that the police file a suo motu case immediately and take necessary action.
K Somashekhar, state president, ASHA Workers Association, said that he was not aware of the programme organised by the Congress leader. The MLA was not available for a comment.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / New Indian Express / Home> States> Karnataka / by Express News Service / February 27th, 2023
American Specialty Foods Co, on February 19 celebrated its 10th anniversary in Dubai with Valerie Brown, Regional Agricultural Counselor at USDA, US Consulate General Dubai attending the event as the Guest of Honor.
American Specialty Foods Co. that serves the taste of American flavors to over 50 countries with 20 product categories unveiled a brand new catalogue boasting over 650 products. The catalogue was unveiled by worldwide CEO of American Specialty Foods Co. Hany M Haneef, a prominent and dynamic NRI entrepreneur hailing from Mangalore.
“When I founded this company, it was a dream that I aimed to accomplish through passion. Despite the struggles we went through and the challenges we accomplished, it is the undying support of everyone which has enabled the company to achieve more than what we envisioned,” Hany M Haneef said during the event.
Valerie Brown, lauded the company and its achievements adding that the company was epitome of a company that “gets it”.
“They are deliberate, diligent and dynamic in promoting the best the US has to offer. I am delighted to celebrate them,” Valerie said.
Another guest Moroslav Hosek, spoke about the intensity with which Hany works as a professional.
“I have known Hany for five years now, but it feels like I have known him for at least 10 years. So intense a personal and business relationship it is indeed,” he said.
Incorporated in the USA 10 years ago, with a corporate office in Maryland, and a marketing office in New York, American Specialty Foods Co. includes a wide variety of products across 20 categories, including sauces, dressings, mayonnaise, tortilla chips, salsa, potato chips, popcorn, syrups, olives and more.
American Specialty has increased its global footprint, with regional offices in Dubai, London and Mexico.
The company is now venturing into the B2C segment to reach an increased number of households and bring the goodness of American taste to all, a press statement from the company said.
source: http://www.english.varthabharati.in / Vartha Bharati / Home> Gulf / by Vartha Bharati / February 25th, 2023
It was 1836 when William Celenso, a Christian missionary from Cornwall in England, first stumbled upon the mysterious Tamil Bell in a remote Maori village in New Zealand. It was being used as a cooking pot by some of the local people, who told the fluent Maori speaker that it had been found under the roots of a large tree, swept up from the ground by a storm many years prior.
Upon inspection, Celenso discovered a series of markings and runes in an unfamiliar language. Realizing the strangeness of the find, he traded it for a cooking pot, and deposited the curiosity in the Otago Museum in Dunedin. It was later bequeathed to the Dominion Museum, which today is the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa in Wellington.
Deciphering the Strange Inscriptions on New Zealand’s Tamil Bell
In 1870, ethnographer J. T. Thompson chanced upon the bell, and puzzled by the strange archaic writing, he took photos and sent them all around India in the hope of producing a translation. Just two months later, Thompson had replies from Ceylon, which is modern-day Sri Lanka, and Penang, a settlement on the Malaysian Straits.
The obscure inscriptions had been identified as ancient Tamil, a language that hadn’t been in use for hundreds of years. The primitive words that adorned the curious metal oddity were Mohoyideen Buks , which were translated to mean “Bell of the Ship of Mohaideen Bakhsh.”
This led to several fascinating revelations. It illustrated that the owner was a Muslim Tamil, of high stature and probably from a famous Indian shipping company based in Nagapattam, in the south-east of India. This was because his name was Arabic, and his first name came from the Tamil phrase meaning “owner of ships.”
Later, in 1940, the age of the Tamil Bell was estimated to be 400 to 500 years old, dating back to the period between 1400 to 1500 AD. This was a remarkable surprise, suggesting that outside contact with New Zealand had been made hundreds of years before English captain Thomas Cook landed on the windswept coast of Poverty Bay in 1769. But had it really?
Facsimile of inscription on the Tamil Bell. ( Public domain )
Evidence of a Tamil Colony in New Zealand
Only 7 years later, another perplexing discovery would further mystify the people of New Zealand, leading to a possible explanation for the out-of-place artifact. In 1877, a shipwreck was discovered half-buried in sand between the ports of Raglan and Aotea. It was first assumed to be a modern ship, as the New Zealand coast was renowned for being extremely dangerous and accidents were common. But this was different.
The vessel appeared to be of Asian origin and extremely old. C. G. Hunt noted how the ship was constructed of teak beams that were placed diagonally and secured by wooden screws, strongly suggesting it was built in South East Asia. Inside, a brass plate with Tamil inscriptions and a plank of wood containing the familiar name Mohoyd Buk were found.
Inexplicably both pieces of tantalizing evidence vanished in Auckland, and experts were never able to compare it to the timeworn letters of the Tamil bell. Nevertheless, several early theories were put forward by the historians of the day. Some argued this was proof of an early Tamil colony on New Zealand. Others maintained that the skillful construction and expertise of the Tamil seafarers made it perfectly possible they could have sailed to New Zealand.
On the other hand, the evidence for such arguments remains scarce. As far as historical record is concerned, the eastern-most frontier for Indian sailors was the island of Lombok, next to Bali in current-day Indonesia. Furthermore, the Spice Islands of West New Guinea, where nutmeg, mace, and cloves could be exclusively found, although in use, were never controlled by the Tamils and instead remained in the hands of local magnates of Ternate, Tidore, and Amboyna. Add to this that no other Indian relics have ever been found in New Zealand.
Facsimile of inscription on the Tamil Bell. ( Public domain )
A Lost Portuguese Trading Ship?
Another theory put forward is that the Tamil Bell was originally Portugese, and from a lost ship sent as part of a fleet by the Portuguese emperor to secure the Spice Islands. From the 1490s, the Portugese became a major player in the Indian Ocean trade network, securing Asian goods for a booming demand back in Europe. In 1511 the Portuguese even established a trading colony on the Malacca Straights and in many places on the Indian mainland.
One of these places was Goa, and in 1521 the Portuguese Viceroy sent out a fleet of three caravels captained by Cristovas de Mendonca, to explore the lands beyond the Spice Islands. Only Mendonca’s caravel returned, the other 2 being lost at sea and never seen or heard from ever again.
In 1877, the shipwreck found on the New Zealand coast was identified as being constructed in Goa, precisely where the Portuguese ships had set out from. Tamil was widely spoken in Goa which neatly explained the Tamil writing on the bell.
However, all of this is incredibly unlikely. There is no direct evidence that points to a bell being on the Portuguese caraval. Lastly, the Portuguese had already established an incredibly lucrative trade system, which meant there was no motive for them to explore further as the known world of the Indian Ocean was already providing them sufficiently.
Spanish Castaways or Anthropological Science Fiction
One of the most famous and controversial theories was advanced by Robert Langdon in his book The Lost Caravel , in which he proclaimed that the Tamil Bell was brought to New Zealand by a group of Spanish sailors from the East Indies who became disorientated and eventually settled in New Zealand, hundreds of years before Thomas Cook’s arrival.
He wrote that in 1524 the King of Spain ordered an expedition to the Spice Islands, sending a sortie of six ships. A maelstrom of disasters ensued, with two wrecked on the coasts of Patagonia and the Philippines, one reaching Mexico, another returning to Spain, and the remaining two disappearing. One of the stray caravels, the San Lesmes, which contained the Tamil Bell, was last observed in 1526, voyaging across the Pacific Sea.
After running aground at Amanu, an atoll of French Polynesia, where four cannons were later discovered, the crew repaired their ships and sailed on to the atolls of Ana and Raiatea, where several of them settled down and married the native woman. Later on, in a bid to return to Spain, the weary seamen set out west, discovering New Zealand in the process and deciding to make a home on its verdant shores.
The descendants of the castaways explored further, discovering new lands as far as Easter Island, and introduced new cultures, customs, and languages to the Polynesian people influenced by their Basque origins. Langdon was convinced that the additional discovery of a Spanish helmet dated from the 16th century in Wellington Harbor in the 1880s gave his hypothesis more credibility.
However, like the Tamil and Portuguese ship propositions, Langdon’s argument has been highly criticized for its extravagant interpretation of available evidence. Bengt Danielsson, an academic from French Polynesia, described it as “anthropological science fiction.” Throughout his account, Langdon disregarded all existing archaeological and historical literature of the Pacific which often contradicts and disproves his ideas.
The existence of Caucasian-like individuals with fair-skin, red hair, and blue eyes on many Pacific Islands was deemed proof of his hypothesis. While there is no doubt that these traits existed, even in the earliest contact with Polynesian natives, Langdon argued the Spanish castaways were the only source of these genetics, a fact that is impossible given that there were only reportedly 20 to 50 castaways in the forgotten band. It was equally as unlikely that they had travelled to all of the Polynesian Islands .
Next, Langdon pointed to linguistic anomalies as a sign that Spanish words were absorbed into the local dialects. However, there are no identifiable Spanish words in the languages of Eastern Polynesians. Without a shred of evidence, Langdon explained that this was because the children only learned the language of their mothers, leading to the decline and eventual disappearance of the Spanish, Basque, and Galician languages of the fathers. He even proposed that the lack of sounds in the Polynesian tongue meant that Spanish words could easily have been changed beyond recognition after only a day or two.
On the other hand, in all other cases of European and native intermixture in Polynesia, European languages were adapted into the local speech. A diverse array of English words still remain in Polynesian languages today after being incorporated 200 years ago. For example, on the Pitcairn Islands, where only one Englishman lived with eight native women, his descendants still speak English!
In addition, Langdon believed that the indigenous beliefs of Polynesians were derived from the Christian faith of the Spanish diaspora. He utilized sources from 1874 from Catholic missionary Albert Montiton, who remarked on how Christian the native religion seemed to him. Yet Langdon completely ignored the wide conversion of natives to Christianity that happened from 1817 onwards, which presents a more reasonable explanation.
Finally, Langdon cited the “talking boards” of Easter Island, a series of stone tablets discovered in the 1860s with archaic runes, as a type of script invented by the Spanish castaways. Yet his main source for this point was a native guru called Hapai, a man who claimed that Europeans had inhabited Easter Island, and whose evidence was subsequently found out to be fabricated. In the end, Langdon’s farfetched argument was systematically disproven, and the confusion over the Tamil Bell persisted.
There are many examples of ghost ships found floating at sea without any sailors. ( muratart / Adobe Stock
The Derelict Theory: Did the Tamil Ship Drift to New Zealand?
After years of fantastical hypothesizes, Brett Hilder entered the debate with a theory more rooted in reality. His so-called derelict theory re-invigorated the earlier claim that the bell came from a Tamil ship. Hilder’s theory attacked the assumption prevalent in most theories that the crew who possessed the Tamil bell were alive. In the choppy, capricious oceans, there had been many instances of intact wooden ghost ships being found without any sailors.
The Flying Dutchman was perhaps the most famous example, having been discovered with full sails and without anyone on board. Nearer the Pacific, the wreck of the sailboat Joyita, on a journey from Apia to the Tokelau Islands, was observed to have no remaining personnel when it was detected half-submerged in the sea.
These “derelicts” were usually still floating, even after many years at sea, because of the buoyancy of their hulls. Hilder entertained the idea that the Tamil Bell originated from a Tamil merchant ship that was caught in the eastward sea current between Antarctica and the southern parts of the continents.
During the late 1400s and 1500s, when the bell was dated, Tamil seafarers dominated the trade networks of the vast Indian Ocean. Muslim Tamils were particularly skilled navigators, plying their wares across the sea as far as the eastern coast of Africa. Indeed, modern examples of the power of the great Southern Current, which stretches from New Zealand to the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa, cement his idea.
For instance, in June 1973 it was reported in the Nautical Magazine of Glasgow that an unmanned lifeboat had travelled 7,000 miles from the coastline of East London, South Africa, to the Princess Royal Harbor in Albany, Australia. Thirty jars of barley, sugar, and lifeboat biscuits were found in perfect condition, sealed in two compartments. It is more likely, then, that a similar fate befell a Muslim Tamil ship, and that the preservation of its wooden hull helped bring the Tamil Bell to a wild new frontier of the world.
@tamilancient
Enduring Enigma of the Tamil Bell
Since its discovery in 1836, most theories surrounding the Tamil Bell were highly speculative and lacked the sufficient evidence to be taken seriously. Unlike others, Brett Hilder’s focus on the Great Southern sea current, a real geographical phenomenon, presented a case for the Tamil Bell that finally made sense without the mental leaps and bounds taken by other theorists such as Langdon, whose sole proof that the crew of the San Lesmes reached Amanu and married the native woman was the fact that four rusty old cannons had been found there.
Yet even Hilder’s theory has weaknesses. All of the theories incorporated the 1877 shipwreck as a key piece of evidence that identified if the bell was brought by the Tamils, Portuguese, or Spanish. Yet by 1890 the shipwreck, said to be half-sunken in the sand, had mysteriously disappeared, never to be seen again. Subsequent attempts to re-find the wreck, as late as 1975, were all unsuccessful.
“The problem with all these and other ‘mystery’ items, such as ancient shipwrecks on New Zealand’s wild west coast beaches that are reputed to be uncovered briefly in storms, is that in the absence of hard evidence to explain their existence and context, numerous fanciful interpretations are often placed upon them according to particular agendas,” explained Katherine Howe, summing up the situation perfectly. Thus, the mystery of the Tamil Bell lives on.
Top image: Representational image of a tamil bell from inside of Meenakshi Hindu temple in Tamil Nadu, South India. Source: Владимир Журавлёв / Adobe Stock
Eight minarets of Hamid Manzil, a magnificent building that houses the world’s famous Rampur Raza Library located some 200 kilometers from New Delhi, is a great symbol of pluralism in India.
The first part of the library minaret at the bottom is built in the shape of a Mosque; the part just above this resembles a Church, the third part reflects the architectural design of a Sikh Gurudwara, and the top-most part is built in the shape of a Hindu temple.
The religious symbols
This spirit of inclusiveness promoted in the princely State early on continues to inspire the people of this Uttar Pradesh district to live in harmony.
Rampur also famous for the Rampuri Chaku (knife), is one of the few princely states in India where no major communal riots or disturbances ever took place during the British colonial era or in the years afterward.
What makes the symbolism of the building remarkable is that it was constructed between 1902-05 much before India got its Independence and the nawabs were in the power of the 15-gun salute Princely State. They consciously chose to keep the sequence of symbolism with a secular spirit.
The unique architecture of the library building tells a long story about the nature and politics of the erstwhile Rampur Princely state. The interior of the building is also inspired by European architecture. The architect of the building was French architect W.C. Wright, who made the structure on the instructions given by Nawab Hamid Ali Khan.
The interiors of the library
The Nawabs of Rampur were Rohilas, who had their origin in Roh, Afghanistan, and were renowned for their secular and liberal outlook. They patronized the arts, culture, and education, and were known for their love of music, poetry, and architecture. They also promoted social and religious harmony by patronizing scholars and religious leaders from all faiths, including Hindus, Muslims, and Sikhs. Raza library continues to be one of the most important cultural institutions in India and houses a vast collection of rare manuscripts, books, and other artifacts.
The library is now managed by the Government of Uttar Pradesh but remains closely associated with the Nawab family. Its minarets capture the true soul of the syncretic traditions of India. The Rampur Raza Library collection was started by Nawab Faizullah Khan in 1774. But the building came up much later.
The library initially had the personal book collection of Nawabs of Rampur who were patrons of the arts and avid collectors of books and manuscripts. Over the decades, the library has grown to become one of the largest collections of rare books and manuscripts in the country.
The library houses a vast collection of 17,000 manuscripts, including 150 illustrated ones with 4413 illustrations and about 83,000 printed books besides 5,000 miniature paintings in albums, 3000 specimens of calligraphy, and 205 palm leaves. Many rare and valuable texts are in Arabic, Persian, Urdu, Hindi, and other languages. The collection includes works on a wide range of subjects, including history, philosophy, science, literature, and religion.
The Raza Library is also home to several rare artifacts, including miniature paintings, coins, and other objects of historical and cultural significance. The library has a conservation lab that works to preserve these artifacts and ensure that they are protected for future generations. Nawab Murad Ali Khan, the son of the last nawab Murtaza Ali Khan has been on the board of the library management. His brother Nawab Kazim Ali Khan was also involved.
He has been MLA for five straight terms from the Suar constituency. He has twice been a Minister in Samajwadi as well as the Bahujan Samaj Party Government of Uttar Pradesh. He has continued the legacy of his ancestors in furthering a tolerant and secular culture in his region. Maulana Azad was the first MP from Rampur, who also became the first education minister of independent India. The Nawabs of Rampur were particularly famous for their patronage of Urdu poetry and music.
The general view of the library
Nawab Yousuf Ali Khan learnt poetry from Mirza Ghalib, who had been employed by his court. The nawabs were avid collectors of musical instruments, and many famous musicians and singers, including Ustad Allauddin Khan and Ustad Faiyaz Khan, were associated with the Rampur court.
The Rampur-Sahaswan gharana of classical music is named after the princely state and continues to be popular among music enthusiasts in India. Even though Rampur was a predominantly Muslim state, the Nawabs encouraged the development of Hindu temples and other places of worship for non-Muslims.
They also supported interfaith marriages and were known for their efforts to bridge the gap between different communities in their state. Rampur Raza Library is today one of the biggest symbols of India’s syncretic heritage and continues to attract visitors from across the world.
source: http://www.awazthevoice.in / Awaz, The Voice / Home> Stories / by ATV / Posted by Shaista Fatima / February 22nd, 2023
Sahebaan Business and Professionals Group (SBPG) and Sahebaan UAE conducted a Business and Professionals Meet at Al Jumairah Ballroom of Crowne Plaza Hotel, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai, on 5th February 2023 from 2.00 PM onwards.
The event, sponsored by the Sahebaan Business Community UAE, was a success, with Sahebaan Community delegates from UAE, GCC, and India in attendance.
The event commenced with a recitation of verses from the Holy Quran. The convenor of SBPG, Althaf M.S., welcomed the gathering and explained the purpose of this maiden initiative.
The Program thereafter commenced with a panel discussion moderated by Althaf M.S., an EPC Oil and Gas Professional. The panel consisted of Dr. Abdul Rahiman Beig, a Professor at Khalifa University Abu Dhabi; Mrs. Ambreen Sheik, a Businesswomen and also an Honorary President of the Indian Ladies Association, Abu Dhabi; Mr. Mumtaz Hussain, an established Businessman from Qatar; Dr. Waleed Ahmed, Fellow of the Royal College of Psychiatrists (UK) and a well- known consultant and Mr. Syed Siraj Ahmed, Ex banker & Risk Management Consultant.
While speaking during the event, Mr. Imran Hidayath, CEO of Hidayath Group, Dubai, dwelt on his entrepreneurial journey to success.
Mr. Suhail Kudroli, Chartered Accountant, urged all to participate in such gatherings.
While speaking at the sidelines of the meeting, UAE Sahebaan Convenor Mr. Afroz Assadi and Mr. Siraj Ahmed appreciated the initiative and urged all to lend their support.
Business presentations were made subsequently by Mohd Salman on his startup business “The Stepup Ventures,” followed by Sahebaan ladies, Sahara Asif on “Life Skills Education” and Waseem Shaikh & Thanziya Khan on “Tru Choco & Nuts.”
The event’s highlight was Speed Networking, which evidenced active participation by delegates and interaction on a one-to-one basis with every delegate.
The Program was managed by Althaf M.S, Mohd. Samiulla, Mohd Sufiyan, and Faizaan Khateeb and anchored by Mohd. Sufiyan.
source: http://www.english.varthabharati.in / Vartha Bharati / Home> Gulf / by Vartha Bharati / February 13th, 2023
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