Mr. Amer Ali Khan, News Editor of Siasat Urdu Daily received a letter from six police stations including Bahadurpura and Langer Houz requesting him to arrange for the burials of nine destitute Muslim dead bodies.
In accordance with these requests, these dead bodies were procured from Osmania and Gandhi General Hospitals. They were buried in Tharthareshah Muslim graveyard, Secunderabad under the supervision of Mr. Syed Abdul Mannan, Mr. Samiullah Khan and Mr. Abdul Jaleel.
Mr. Syed Shah Inamul Haq, Imam of Jamia Masjid, Afzal Jung led the funeral prayer.
source: http://www.siasat.com / The Siasat Daily / Home / by Sameer / September 13th, 2018
According to the report furnished by Mr. Iftekhar Husain, Secretary of Faiz-e-Aam Trust, a sum of Rs. 2.99 crore was spent on various schemes of financial assistance to poor students and families.
In 2016-17, the trust spent Rs. 59.81 lakh for primary education, Rs. 21.21 lakh for technical education, Rs. 29.5 lakh for relief and Rs. 7.85 lakh for treatment of patients.
In this manner, from April 2017 to January 2018, Rs. 40.46 lakh, Rs. 21.21 lakh, Rs. 18.68 lakh and Rs. 3.58 lakh were spent on the above mentioned works.
So far, the trust has help 625 students of primary education, 731 of SSC, 1237 of Intermediate, Degree, PG, Engineering, MBA, MBBS and Paramedical Courses.
He further told that the trust was established in 1983 by his brother-in-law, Mr. Zulfekhar Husain. It enjoys full support from Mr. Zahed Ali Khan, Editor of Siasat Urdu Daily. The trust is now helping 1456 students ranging from primary school to Engineering and Medical courses. It is also extending financial help to 1256 patients. It rehabilitated 2280 persons.
Faiz-e-Aam Trust helped Kareemunnisa whose husband, an autodriver had left her helpless. Her sons, Syed Hasan and Syed Yaseen and daughter, Saba Begum were adopted by the Trust for educating them. Syed Hasan completed MBBS whereas Saba Begum is doing the same course. Her eldest son, Syed Yaseen has completed Hifz-e-Quran.
Ms. Farukh Parveen Jamal, Chairperson of Trust, Aurangabad and Mr. Siraj Tahir, Trustee of Faiz-e-Aam Trust attended the meeting and listened to the details of the poor families.
In collaboration with Siasat Millat Fund (Clothes bank) it helped 1552 families. Destitute Muslims of Muzaffar Nagar received help through Siasat Millat Fund. It also helped Salwa Fatima and Sania Siddiqui for their ambitions to become pilots. For Old Age Home of Siasat, the trust gave a donation of Rs. 5 lakh.
The trust also helped Nuzhat Fatima, a student of MBBS, Shaik Nazeer Ahmed and Ayesha, students of MD.
During the past three years, the trust has spent Rs. 1.6 lakh for primary education, Rs. 43.33 lakh for technical education, Rs. 71.15 lakh for rehabilitation, Rs. 23.35 lakh for treatment of patients.
It may be mentioned that Syed Hasan had secured a free seat in MBBS. Mr. Ali Asghar played a key role in getting financial help for this family.
Hajera Begum is a second year MBBS student. Her father is a tailor and her mother manufactures beedis. She has two sisters. The expenses of her MBBS fees were paid by her parents by mortgaging ornaments. Dr. Makhdoom Mohiuddin’s wife, Dr. Shaista Mohammedi Husaini received a message on WhatsApp for helping Sabera Begum which she forwarded to Secretary of Faiz-e-Aam Trust who arranged Rs. 1.27 lakh for getting back the ornaments which were mortgaged.
Mr. Rizwan Haider, Trustee welcomed the guests. Ms. Amena Saher conducted the meeting.
These details were given in a special meeting held at Faiz-e-Aam Trust which was attended by Ms. Farhat Yasmeen and Mr. Siraj Tahir, Trustees.
The other persons who attended the meeting were Dr. Samiullah Khan (Director Shadan College and MESCO member), Dr. Saukat Ali Mirza (Chairman Helping Hand), Mr. Ali Abedi (Social worker, London), Mr. Mudasir Alam (US), Mr. Jameel Haider (US), Fakhri Saheb (US), Anees Iftekhar Ali (US), Ruqayya Begum (US), Syed Haider (member, Faiz-e-Aam Trust), Aijaz Husain (US), Jafar Ahmed (US), Syed Jafar Husain (Sada-e-Husaini), Hamid Ali, Prof. Shaukat Hayat and Mr. Ahmed Basheeruddin Farooqui (former Dy.DEO).
source: http://www.siasat.com / The Siasat Daily / Home / by Sameer, The Siasat News / January 18th, 2018
“Baaraat” of Sajid Khan, a national level skater and coach, skating its way to marriage venue in Bhopal on Sunday night.
Bhopal:
Bhopal, the capital of central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, witnessed a unique wedding wherein “Baaraat” (the wedding procession of the bridegroom) on Sunday night skated its way to wedding venue on roller skates.
The “Baaraat”was that of Sajid Khan, a national level skater and roller skating coach in local Delhi Public School, who adopted this unique move to attract people’s attention towards skating and promote the game in the state and ensure recognition to it in international events.
The bridegroom and the “Baratis” all put on their skating shoes to roll on in the marriage procession from Gauhar Mahal to Bagh-o-Bahar, the wedding venue, as vehicular traffic on the VIP road nearly came to a screeching halt. Budding skaters, the disciples of groom Sajid, also danced to the beating of drums as the procession moved on with passersby halting down to have a clear glimpse of this unique “Baaraat”.
Sajid, who is also president of Speed Roller skating Association, Bhopal, skated to have a rendezvous with his bride Shaista Yasmeen, who also happens to be a skater and a roller skating coach. Several national and international junior skaters such as Huzaifa Zafar, Akshay Sharma, Syeda Masooma Fatima, Ahsas Shrivastava, Gautam Sharma, Shayali Kumbhare, Aamir, Nilesh, Sami Khan, Hrithik Khare and others also joined the “Baaraat” with their skates on.
Sajid revealed that it was their students who planned the one-of-its kind wedding and he was happy to accept the unique idea. The wedding shall be remembered for long, not for its grandeur, but for the mode of transport the groom and the members of the “Baaraat”chose to reach the marriage hall.
“It is a historic moment in my life as the people who witnessed the wedding procession shall be attracted towards the roller-skating sports. “We are advertising the skating game through the procession. I spend my whole time in skating and as such I and my students decided to take out wedding procession on skates which is something unique”, Sajid told media persons as he rolled on skates to meet his soul-mate and bring her home.
Meanwhile, Nikah was solemnized at the historical Taj-ul-Masajid, one of the biggest Masjid in Asia, between the Asr and Maghrib prayer timings on Sunday evening. Elite of the town along with large numbers of sportspersons attended the Nikah.
It may be pointed out here that a couple has also tied nuptial knot while rappelling at Kerwa Hills in the city in the past.
source: http://www.ummid.com / Ummid.com / Home> Life & Style / by Parvez Bari (pervezbari@eth.net) / September 19th, 2011
A fusion of solemnity, dedication and exquisite craftsmanship is on display as tazia-makers race against time to complete their work at Rauza-e-Kazmain in old Lucknow on Monday, two days before the Islamic month of Moharram beginning on September 12.
A fusion of solemnity, dedication and exquisite craftsmanship is on display as tazia-makers race against time to complete their work at Rauza-e-Kazmain in old Lucknow on Monday, two days before the Islamic month of Moharram beginning on September 12.
The grand, double-storey gateway that leads to the Nawabi era structure in the densely populated Saadatganj area is packed with makeshift shops displaying colourful ‘tazias’, a replica of Imam Hussain’s mausoleum in Iraq.
Inside, several people are busy erecting makeshift shops for the convenience of those who will arrive to buy the tazias, the prices of which range from Rs 500 to Rs 10,000 each.
Munni Begum, a traditional tazia maker and her family is at work at the rear of the 19th century structure, which is said to be a replica of the tomb of Imam Musa Kazim and his grandson, the ninth Imam Mohammad Taqui of Khorasan in Iran.
“We are running late this time. There are three more tazias left to be completed,” says Munni Begum, who is in her late forties, while placing glitter carefully on a semi-finished tazia made of bamboo shavings and cardboard.
She says making tazias is her ancestral trade and hers is perhaps the third generation carrying forward the family legacy.
“I still remember my mother and grandmother making tazias. In fact, I learnt the art from them. But its preparation is not as easy as it seems. Each one of these (tazias) is an outcome of relentless efforts by all my family members,” says Begum, pointing to around 70 finished tazias, their height ranging from 10 inches to 8 metres.
The preparations began months ahead of Muharram.
“All members in a family have a different role to play. The men make the frame using bamboo shavings,” says Mohammed Saeed, a family member of Munni Begum.
“Only a trained and knowledgeable craftsman can prepare a tazia as it has to look like the mausoleum of Imam Hussain. One has to be careful,” Saeed adds.
Once the frame, either of bamboo, cardboard or empty cigarette boxes, is ready, the other family members take up the remaining work.
“The women ensure the framework is well covered with rough paper, followed by a coating of colourful papers. Children make sure they use the glitter to decorate the tazia,” he says.
Tazia-making this year got delayed due to a delay in procuring a loan from a local money lender, he says.
“We solely depend upon the income from selling tazias. We have to take loans from local money lenders to carry out the work every year. This year, the money lender delayed the funds. With the prices of raw material sky rocketing, it’s really becoming difficult for us to do our work,” he adds.
Like Saeed, there are around 150 families involved in tazia making in the state capital. “We believe it’s a dying art and the government is a mute spectator,” says Mohammed Shahansha, another traditional tazia maker from Kazmain.
“Until two decades back, many families in Faizabad, Kanpur, Agra, Moradabad and other districts were involved in tazia-making. But over the years, their income reduced and the prices of raw material increased drastically, forcing many to give up the ancestral craft,” Saeed says.
Meer Jafar Abdullah, member of a royal family of Awadh, says during Muharram, Shias keep tazias at their respective imambaras in their houses. The tazias have to brought a day before Muharram begins.
“Those who do not have enough space, often use a small portion of the house to keep tazias, commemorating the martyrdom of Imam Hussain in the battle of Karbala,” says Abdullah.
Exquisite craftsmanship is on display at Rauza -e-Kazmain in old Lucknow. (HT Photo)
“Mostly, the tazias are buried on the 10th day of Muharram. Some families bury them on Chehellum, the 40th day of the martyrdom of Imam Hussein. Some bury it on the last day of Muharram,” Abdullah says.
In Lucknow, Shias bury the tazias in Tal Katora Karbala, in Purana Najaf and Kala Imambada (opposite Ghantaghar in old Lucknow). The Sunnis bury tazias at Phool Katora in the Mahanagar area of Lucknow.
source: http://www.hindustantimes.com / Hindustan Times / Home> Lucknow / by Oliver Fredrick, Hindustan Times,Lucknow / September 11th, 2018
Shaik Ahmed, a roadside tea seller, plans to contribute his earnings on Saturday for rain relief works in Kodagu. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
A tea seller at Channarayapatna has contributed his day’s earnings towards the relief works in flood-affected Kodagu. Shaik Ahmed, 60, opened his shop on Bagur Road at 5 a.m. on Saturday with a board stating that whatever he got on the day would go to the flood relief funds.
Till 6 p.m., he had collected a little over ₹7,000. “My aim is to collect at least ₹10,000 for the relief work. I will keep the shop open till 9 p.m. and will hopefully reach the target,” he said.
Mr. Ahmed, a native of Sakleshpur taluk, has been living in Channarayapatna for the past three decades. For years he worked in hotels, but about six months ago he decided to open a tea stall of his own.
Mr. Ahmed, a father of three, was moved by the plight of the victims on news media. “I felt bad for the people affected. My wife and children also supported my decision. We have decided to make Bakrid a simple affair this year,” he said. He added that the business on the day was better than most days. On a normal day, he requires 25 litres of milk, but on Saturday he needed 40 litres.
“I did not give tea or coffee to any customer on credit today.My customers obliged. Many of my friends came to my shop just to give me some business,” he said. He plans to hand over the money to the authorities on Sunday.
Many organisations, including the Hassanunit of Red Cross, have collected donations from people for relief works in Kodagu and Kerala. Members of Prakruti Seva Samudaya, which works for the welfare of transgenders, have also raised funds for flood victims.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> States> Karnataka / by Special Correspondent / Hassan – August 18th, 2018
The booklet edited by Department of Culture chronicles the dargahs of Hyderabad and sets right some of the preconceived notions about them
How many Dargahs does Hyderabad have? It is easy to remember. There is the Yousufain Dargah, Jehangeer Peer Dargah, Shah Khamoush Dargah, Husain Shah Wali Dargah, Shah Raju Qattal Dargah… And there ends the list for an average citizen of Hyderabad. The list, in fact, is quite substantial.
In an age where religious lines are hardening, the dargahs in India remain comparatively open spaces where the faith of the person is not questioned while entering. The people who come to find solace range from men sitting in corners in a forlorn way to women who come with their families and friends and sit outside, and then there are couples who pray for the intercession of the saints buried in the dargahs. Said dargahs also keep the social and spiritual life thrumming as they become epicentres for local festivals dictated by the lunar calendar. Urs, sama, chiragaan, sandal are few of the events inside dargahs that people living in the area wait for.
“Telangana is a confluence of different cultures, religions and beliefs. From the very rustic and rural Bonalu to the newer faiths like Christianity, people in the region have accepted and adopted all streams of beliefs. This book is a tribute to that,” says Mamidi Harikrishna, head of the Department of Culture who has edited the booklet called Culture of Amity being distributed free. The booklet lists 51 dargahs scattered across the city. “The list is exhaustive and we have discovered more. We will be listing 81 dargahs in the next edition of the book,” says Vasanta Sobha Turaga, an architect, who has edited the book along with Harikrishna.
Between the pages
Without delving into each specific religious space the booklet has information about the dargahs and what goes on in them and how they shape beliefs. “The earliest and the oldest are from the 13th to 14th centuries: the Pahadi Shareef (1266) and Jehangir Peer Baba (1318). And the latest is less than 15 years-old.” The booklet also tracks the progression and change in architectural style. “We have looked at the architectural style of the buildings. But we have also tried to look at the rituals and traditions. There is a lot of intermingling of practices and colourful rituals,” says Turaga who has plans to expand the work into something more substantial.
The booklet also sets right some of the beliefs which people have about the various dargahs. It calls out the belief that the structure atop Moula Ali hillock is a dargah while in reality, it is an ashoorkhana with a few practices of a dargah like the urs that is celebrated in the Islamic month of Rajab.
sources: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Society> History & Culture / by Serish Nanisetti / September 10th, 2018
Prince Mishaal Bin Majed, governor of Jeddah, presents Abdullah Abdul Mateen Usmani the key of the car he won as first prize in the Quran memorization project
Jeddah :
Abdullah Abdul Mateen Usmani, an Indian expatriate, has recently been declared winner of the annual Qur’an memorization contest organized by Jamia Tahfiz-ul-Quran Makkah region.
One thousand huffaz (memorizers of the Holy Qur’an) participated in the event with 13 of them scoring marks between 95 and 99. In the second competition that ensued Abdullah Abdul Mateen Usmani was declared the winner.
Prince Mishaal Bin Majed, governor of Jeddah, was the chief guest at the gala event with hundreds of senior officials, philanthropists and parents of the participants in attendance.
Prince Mishaal distributed prizes among the winners with first prize going to Hafiz Abdullah Abdul Mateen who was given a car.
Jamia Tahfiz-ul-Quran is an institution and center established for the students to memorize and recite Holy Qur’an.
The Jamia holds the competition every year to encourage students and other participants.
Hafiz Abdullah Abdul Mateen Usmani belongs to the southern Indian city of Hyderabad.
The award winner’s father, Mateen Usmani, thanked Almighty Allah for the honor bestowed on his son and lauded the efforts of Jamia Tahfiz-ul-Quran in memorization and recitation of the Holy Qur’an.
source: http://www.saudigazette.com.sa / Saudi Gazette / Home / by Syed Mussarat Khalil / September 08th, 2018
Remembering the past S Rahima, daughter of A M Shahul Hameed. | Photo Credit: M MOORTHY
A film industry stalwart’s daughter recalls the glory days of Central Talkies in Tiruchi
The glossy reprints on S Rahima’s bed are all that remain of a golden era that once defined her life as the daughter of film producer and theatre owner AM Shahul Hameed. The black-and-white pictures, taken in shooting spots and actors’ homes, hark back to a time when the sheen of show business was cemented by real relationships.
For movie buffs in Tiruchi, Central Talkies on Eda Street, Gandhi Market, once used to be the theatre to catch big banner productions of the day.
Started by Shahul Hameed in 1947, the 22,000 square foot complex opened for business with Payithiyakaran, the Tamil film produced by and starring N S Krishnan, the actor’s first assignment after his acquittal in the Lakshmikanthan murder case.
“My father was already constructing the theatre when he was running his rice business in the 1940s,” says Rahima. “Everything, from equipment to seating, was imported from England.”
Shahul Hameed also marketed films through his company called Central Talkies Distributors.
“He was the sole distributor of the 1958 Hindi film Madhumati in Tamil Nadu (starring Dilip Kumar and Vyjayanthimala Bali). He screened it at a special matinee show for the family in Central Talkies. Madhumati ran for over 100 days in the State, without dubbing,” says Ms Rahima.
Philanthropists
Shahul Hameed was the son of A Mohamed Hussain, a freedom fighter and prominent syrup merchant in Gandhi Market. Interestingly, though partially obscured by encroachments, it is still possible to see a plaque with Hussain named as the benefactor who gifted the Gandhi Market arch to the city of Tiruchi in 1928.
A.M. Shahul Hamid, movie producer and theatre owner, in an official portrait after receiving the Khan Bahadur title from Lord Mountbatten in 1945. | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
Son Shahul Hameed made his name as a rice merchant, with his Hameedia Rice Mill based in Ariyamangalam. “Like my grandfather, my father was a philanthropist who would readily donate to any worthy public cause,” says Rahima, who is one of seven children born to Shahul Hameed’s second wife.
“He was honoured for his services to the British Government during the Second World War with the title of Khan Bahadur and a gold medal by [the last Viceroy of India] Lord Mountbatten in 1945.”
After Independence, then-Prime Minister Jawaharalal Nehru lauded Shahul Hameed’s generous donation of several truckloads of rice to the Indian troops fighting the Indo-Chinese war in 1962.
Central Talkies also brought the merchant into contact with prominent Indian film personalities.
“Quite early on, my father had gained a reputation as a saviour of films that were stuck in production due to financial problems,” says Rahima. “He helped TR Ramanna to successfully complete the production of Koondukili (1954), and Chinnappa Thevar’s Thaikkupin Tharam (1956), but only as a friendly gesture. Father never indulged in moneylending, because it is against our religious beliefs,” she says.
Becoming a producer
In 1962, Shahul Hameed helped actor-director AP Nagarajan with money to complete the shooting of his directorial debut Vadivukku Valaikappu, starring Sivaji Ganesan, Savitri, VK Ramasamy, MN Rajam and others.
After much persuasion, Shahul Hameed eventually agreed to Nagarajan’s request to produce the film Navarathri in 1964.
“All the stars were signed on for a salary of ₹3 lakhs each,” remembers Rahima. “In those days, you could buy a bungalow for ₹1 lakh in Thillai Nagar.”
A landmark 100th film for Sivaji Ganesan, the movie earned positive reviews for the nine distinct roles essayed by the thespian. It was subsequently remade in Telugu in 1966 with the same title and Akkineni Nageswara Rao in the lead, and in Hindi in 1974 as Naya Din Nayi Raat with Sanjeev Kumar.
Tragedy strikes
The success of Navarathri led to Nagarajan proposing his next film, a mythological, to be produced by Shahul Hameed, in 1965. Originally advertised as Siva-Leela, this was to be later renamed as Thiruvilaiyadal.
“These days, people would probably object to a Muslim producing a Hindu mythological film, but my father never let class or creed affect his friendships,” says Rahima. “He took a personal interest in the film’s production.”
Inspired by the Thiruvilaiyadal Puranam, a collection of 64 Saivite devotional stories written in the 16th century, the film was a critical and commercial success, running for over 25 weeks in theatres.
But it also had a thread of tragedy attached to it, for this was to be Shahul Hameed’s last production.
“A few days after the completion of filming, my father fell sick due to a heart ailment, and passed away on May 20, 1965, at the age of 58. It was as if the light went out of our life immediately,” says Rahima.
Finale
While Thiruvilaiyadal did well, winning awards and setting new standards for Tamil epic films, the lives of Shahul Hameed’s family members were thrown into turmoil.
“My husband Mohamed Kasim had been running the Central Talkies on lease on behalf of my father. Though we initially had a good run, with major films releasing here, my husband was unable to sustain the business due to rising rents,” says Rahima.
Mounting debts forced Shahul Hameed’s heirs to close down Central Talkies in 1983. The complex was sold in 1993.
“The trauma of losing Central Talkies affected my husband’s mental health badly, and he was confined to bed for 18 years,” says Rahima, who nursed him until his death on August 29, 2002.
Living in dire straits in rented accommodation near the Airport, Rahima, now a 70-year-old who suffers from age-related ailments, is supporting an adult son with neurological problems. Protracted property disputes have estranged her from her relatives, says Rahima.
The days of glittering movie premieres are a distant memory. Finding money to pay the bills is a daily challenge for this senior citizen.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Entertainment> Movies / by Nahla Nainar / August 31st, 2018
Explore a little-known facet of Goan history with our Quick Guide to the Safa Masjid
Set on the edge of a large tank just outside Ponda town, the Safa Masjid, built in 1560, is the only surviving mosque of the 27 shrines that Ibrahim Adil Shah of Bijapur constructed. Broken columns surround the mosque, which once graced a garden with laterite walkways. It’s among the few ancient Muslim monuments left in a state that has a long association with Islam and its solitude is evidence of the energy with which the Portuguese battled Muslim rulers.
Muslims – who now form just over five per cent of the state’s population – have lived in Goa since at least the 10th century CE, when the Kadamba rulers urged merchants from East Africa and Arabia to settle in the state.
But the kingdom’s affluence soon brought it to the attention of raiders. The raids, which started in the 10thcentury, reached a crescendo with strikes by Allauddin Khilji in 1294 and Muhammad Tughlaq in 1325. After briefly being held by the Vijayanagara Kingdom, Goa in 1358 came under the sway of Alla-ud-din Hasan Shah of the Bahmani family. When the Bijapur sultans took over from the Bahmanis in 1490, Yusuf Adil Shah started a construction campaign, building a mosque and a palace.
Ismail Adil Shah’s defeat in 1510, at the hands of the Portuguese Commander Alfonso de Albuquerque, had disastrous consequences for Goa’s Muslims. Angered that Muslims had helped Adil Shah’s defence, Albuquerque’s soldiers hunted them down viciously.
source: http://www.outlookindia.com / Outlook Traveller / Home> Explore> Story
This sleepy and now maligned town on the Karnataka coast boasts of a unique cuisine embracing Konkan and Middle-Eastern influences
Bhatkali biryani is topped with fried onions, curry or mint leaves.
Bhatkal is a small port town on the Arabian Sea, near Mangaluru. Between the 8th and 15th centuries, it was one of the chief ports on the western coast, specializing in the trade of rice, sugar, spices and horses. Yemeni horses would be brought from the port of Hormuz in Iran to Bhatkal, and traded across the country. Over the centuries, traders from Iraq, Iran and Yemen settled in Bhatkal and formed the Navayath (newcomers) community. Some of them intermarried with the locals, many of whom belonged to the Jain community, and were influenced by their customs, languages and culture. This, in turn, led to a unique and multicultural food practice.
In recent times, however, whenever Bhatkal shows up in the news, it is with reference to radical Islamist elements and polarization between religious communities. As a result, the spotlight is rarely turned on this unique cuisine. Other than the Bhatkali biryani, little else is known and even less represented in mainstream restaurants, even in its home state of Karnataka.
The Alibaba Cafe and Restaurant on Bengaluru’s busy MM Road in Fraser Town is one of the few places that is changing this trend. The décor seems straight out of an Arabian Nights tale. Coloured glass lanterns hang from the ceiling and the mud-plastered walls are reminiscent of a Yemeni village home. There are Indian references too. The restaurant’s heavy wooden door has a lotus motif and large copper cooking pots in the corner look curiously Mangalurean. Shaad Hassan Damudi, the owner, greets visitors while taking orders on the phone in rapid-fire Konkani.
Damudi is from the Navayath community and his restaurant’s menu reflects his heritage. “What you see on the menu here is centuries of cultural amalgamation between the various communities, resulting in a very unique cuisine,” Damudi explains. The meat-heaviness is also reflected in the star dish on the menu—the Shaiyyo biryani, made from vermicelli (shaiyyo) instead of rice. The vermicelli adds a uniquely Konkani touch to the distinctly Middle-Eastern flavours of the dish, featuring layers of delicately spiced meat and a generous helping of browned onions. Shaiyyo is sun-dried in vast quantities in early summer, so it can be prepared and enjoyed throughout the long west-coast monsoon. “Navayath cuisine tends to have milder flavours than traditional south Indian coastal cuisine,” says Damudi. “We use local Byadagi red chillies, known for their bright red colour and slightly sweeter taste.”
Any conversation about Bhatkali food always turns to Bhatkali biryani, made with basmati rice flavoured with saffron and whole garam masala. Tender pieces of mutton, chicken, fish or prawns are cooked separately with spices. Some even describe it as a korma and rice dish which is assembled in layers and finally topped with fried onions, curry or mint leaves.
Seafood is a staple of Bhatkali cuisine. Fish, prawns, mussels, clams, oysters and squid, available in plenty along the Konkan coast, are combined with local spices to create preparations like the laun miriya mhaure, where sliced fish (typically seer) are cooked in a traditional salt and red chilli paste, or shinonya nevri, steamed mussels stuffed with a spicy rice and coconut mixture.
Aftab Husain Kola, a Bhatkal native and a food and travel writer, says that although modern influences have crept into traditional Navayath cuisine, many of the old traditions of seasonal food have been preserved. He also throws light on some of the other Navayath home specialities like haldi pana nevri, rice pancakes steamed in turmeric leaves, and mudkuley, tiny steamed rice-flour balls in a delicately spiced curry. The community also gets together during weddings and festivals, for dawats or feasts which celebrate Navayath fare.
The wide range of Bhatkali desserts reflects the cultural intermingling of communities. Shaufa pana (dill leaves) feature in a variety of desserts, from poli (bread) to appo (pancakes), even puddings. Saat padra navariyo, a baked, layered dessert, reminiscent of Goa’s bebinca, and tariye khawras, a semolina, coconut and cashew pudding, are unique to the region. Some of the desserts have interestingly Middle-Eastern hybrid names too. Al basra poliand aflatoon poli are two such delicious concoctions—baked pancakes made with combinations of milk, coconut, egg and sugar. The Bhatkal version of kheer is godan—it has various manifestations, but the base always comprises coconut milk and jaggery.
The culinary diversity of this little coastal town is quite mind-boggling and more conversations about this and other aspects of Bhatkal’s rich culture could present an alternative narrative to those of terror and violence.
Aflatoon poli
Serves 4
Ingredients
2 tbsp refined flour
2 cups milk
4 eggs, beaten
1-2 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp broken cashews
1 cup coconut milk
K cup condensed milk
2 tbsp ‘ghee’
Method
Add the refined flour to the milk and stir over a low flame until it thickens. Leave aside to cool. Add in eggs, sugar, nuts, coconut milk and condensed milk, and mix thoroughly.
Grease a baking tin with ‘ghee’ and pour the mixture into it. Bake at 160 degrees Celsius for about 20 minutes. Check if it is done by inserting a toothpick into the pancake; it should come out clean. Remove from the baking tin and serve warm.
source: http://www.livemint.com / LiveMint / Home> Leisure / by Sriram Aravamudan / September 02nd, 2018
