Category Archives: Arts, Culture & Entertainment

This Poet Never Went to School, so She Invented Her Own Alphabet to Write Poetry

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Bandipora District, JAMMU & KASHMIR:

This Poet Never Went to School, so She Invented Her Own Alphabet to Write Poetry

Zareefa Jan has created a “language of circles” to help her document her poems. Only she can decode them.

Zareefa Jan handed me a piece of paper on which several circles were scribbled in pencil. It was only on closer look that I could make out the small differences between them – some were larger, some were not as perfectly circular, some were closer to each other, some seemed circled over and over again. They were laid out neatly in a line. As I continued trying to decipher them, she fished out a pencil and added some lines of circles on a fresh piece of slightly crumpled paper – writing from right to left, the way Urdu and Kashmiri scripts are written.

“Nobody in the world can read those lines except my mother,” Shafaat Lone, Zareefa’s son, told VICE.

Those “lines” are actually Zareefa’s very own coded language, one that she has developed as a means to archive her poetry.

“Nobody in the world can read those lines except my mother, “Shafaat Lone, Zareefa’s son told Vice.

The 65-year-old sufi poetess living in north Kashmir’s Bandipora district in India never went to school. And so, even though she can speak her native Kashmiri language, she can’t read or write in it. 

Sufism is a mystical form of Islam, an unorthodox school of practice that focuses more on the esoteric aspects of religious life, and in which Sufis strive for direct, personal experiences with God.

“This is my language, the language of circles,” she tells me proudly. “I’ve developed it over the years.”

Zareefa’s initiation into poetry started a few years after she got married, when she was in her late thirties. She had gone to fetch water from a nearby brook, when she claims she lost all sense of the world around her and fell into a kind of a trance. When she came to, she’d lost her pitcher, but also felt like a different person altogether.

“When I regained my senses, a gazal just came out of my mouth,” she said. 

A “gazal” is a poem or an ode that originated in Arabic poetry, and often has to do with themes like love, longing and loss. “Until then, I had no idea of what poetry was because I had never read it. But ever since, I have written hundreds of poems and gazals.”

She read out a few lines from one of her poems:

“Panie soaraan aam yawuniyey
Lalwuniyey thovtham naar.
Yawun myon chambi dulwuniyey
Yi chu samsara napaidaar.

(I didn’t destroy my youth as a fire kept nourishing me. My youth is insubstantial in the transient world.)”

Zareefa reading out one of her poems

When Zareefa realised that she had a penchant for poetry, her children were in school. They were learning how to read and write in English and Urdu. But her poems would come to her in Kashmiri – a neglected language whose use is declining, even in Kashmir. 

“It would have been futile and unjust to ask them to learn another language. And who would have taught them? Kashmiri, as a subject, was not part of their school curriculum like English and Urdu,” she said. “Also, I wasn’t sure whether to share my poetry with them at all.”

It took her a few years to muster the courage to tell, first, her husband, and then her children, about her poems. To her surprise, they were amazed at the content of the poems. However, she could memorise and remember only a few of her works; most were lost to memory since she had no way of documenting them.

Initially, Shafaat tried to record them on tape. Then, her elder daughter, Kulsum, tried to write them down with the little Kashmiri she knew. But Zareefa was unhappy with both ways of archiving.

If a thought occurs to Zareefa out of nowhere, she grabs the nearest pen and writes it down, even if its on her hand itself.

“I can’t take my children with me everywhere I go to read my poetry and ask them to whisper my own lines into my ear so that I can say them out loud for others,” she said. “Also, my children can’t be with me every time I have a thought and want to record it, either on tape or on paper.”

So, she devised another technique.

Whenever she had a thought, she’d grab a page and draw different shapes of things on it. Most of it would be literal. “If there was an apple as a word in my poem, I’d draw an apple; if there was a heart, I’d draw a heart,” she said.

Later, whenever her daughter had the time, Zareefa would decode those shapes and Kulsum would write down the poem in conventional script.

“But I am illiterate, and I had never held a pen before,” said Zareefa. “So everything I drew was just a different shape and size of a circle. Like, even if I drew a banana, it would be circular!”

Still, those odd, circular shapes proved to be a good cue for her to remember her lines until her daughter could note them down. That, however, came to a stop three years ago, with Kulsum’s sudden passing. 

In grief, Zareefa neglected to document her poems for a time, until she decided to revisit those circular shapes. 

Zareefa Jan while reading her coded poetry

She realised that the many years of assigning her own meaning to her circles meant she had created an alphabet of sorts. Only she could read it, but she was content with that. It’s not even a fixed lexicon where one shape always stands in for a particular meaning. It keeps evolving as she gives the circles meaning that only she can remember and decode.

Now, those pages filled with squiggly circles lie inside books that hold them together, a repository of some 300 poems she has thus written. Her family is trying to get them all published in both her coded scripture and its conventional transliteration side by side.

Some of her coded as well as decoded works

Some experts believe that Zareefa could well be the first poet in the world to have created her own alphabet to preserve her creations.

“As a student and teacher of poetry, I haven’t seen this kind of thing anywhere in the world of poetry,” said Seraj Ansari, an Urdu teacher. “If what she is saying is true, then she is probably the first poet in the world to do so.”

However, Zareefa’s son tells me how some people doubt his mother’s claim that her circles carry meaning that only she can decode. They suspect that she really remembers her poetry and only pretends to read it from her circles.

But one of the oldest and most revered sufi poets in Kashmir, Ab Kareem Parwana, believes Zareefa.

“No poet in the world can remember everything they have written,” he told VICE. “I have not seen or heard of anyone in my lifetime saying they remember their entire poetry collection. She is a mystic poet, and in mysticism, everything is possible.” 

Follow Rouf Fida on Twitter.

source: http://www.vice.com / Vice / Home> Life / by Rouf Fida / Photos by Rouf Fida / August 06th, 2021

FII Interviews: Poet And Essayist Moumita Alam Talks About Identity Politics And Cultural Elitism

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Books (incl.Biographies - w.e.f.01 jan 2018 ), Women/Girls(since May26-2021), , , , , , , , , , ,

WEST BENGAL:

In a conversation with FII, Moumita Alam discusses how she began writing poetry, and what it is like being a Muslim woman in a Hindu majoritarian state and how the voices of certain minorities have been silenced throughout Indian history.

Moumita Alam is a teacher based in West Bengal whose political poetry, over the past few years, has gained incredible popularity in South Asia due to its powerful messages and themes. As a Muslim woman, through her poems, essays and opinion pieces, she attempts to bring out the atrocities faced by the women of her community alongside critiquing the larger issue of rising Islamophobia in India. Her first and only book, The Musings of the Dark was published in 2020.

In a conversation with FII, Moumita Alam discusses how she began writing poetry, what it is like being a Muslim woman in a Hindu majoritarian state and how the voices of certain minorities have been silenced throughout Indian history, particularly in West Bengal ever since the 1947 partition. 

FII: You have, over the past few years, used your poetry to both raise awareness about and protest against the Islamophobia propagated by the ring wing in our country. Would you like to shed some light on what your writing journey has been like? 

Moumita: I began my poetic journey after 2019. In 2019, on the 5th of August, the abrogation of Article 370 happened. I had a friend who lived in Kashmir, so I lost connection with him. He was an aspiring advocate who would regularly speak with me. I, as a teacher and a single mother, would share my life journey with him in return. But in 2019, when I could no longer talk to him, a sense of guilt began haunting me — how could a land become a prison where the people couldn’t even make a phone call to the ones in the outside world?

At some point in time, I thought of writing a letter to him, but receiving a letter from here could land him in trouble. He was much younger than me but was my only friend who would listen to my feelings, my happiness, my sorrows. So, I began writing.

I am against the use of the term “migrant labourers,” because India is our own country, so how can its citizens be called migrants? — to come on the grounds and walk for miles and miles to reach their homes.

Moumita Alam

That same year, in December 2019, the Anti-CAA-NRC movement started and we suddenly became aware of our religious identities. Everyone around me would ask me, “Are you legal? Are you a Bangladeshi?” But, believe me, I was born and raised in West Bengal. I have never even seen or visited Bangladesh. Every Muslim I know — whether practising or non-practising — was being asked this question. So, after my Kashmiri friend, I lost my other friends too because their questions would hurt me. I wrote about those feelings too. 

FII Interviews: Poet And Essayist Moumita Alam Talks About Identity Politics And Cultural Elitism | Feminism in India
Source: Moumita Alam’s FB

And then again in March 2020, we saw how the unplanned lockdown forced the workers of the unorganised sector — I am against the use of the term “migrant labourers,” because India is our own country, so how can its citizens be called migrants? — to come on the grounds and walk for miles and miles to reach their homes. I could not sleep for days because I live in a village and many of my relatives and fellow villagers used to work in Kerala and Delhi as labourers. So, I also started to write poems about their plights and sufferings. 

One of my friends asked me to send my poems for publication, which had never crossed my mind because I stay far away from Delhi and its so-called “English literary circle.” But I still emailed a publisher who agreed to publish and then, my first and only book, The Musings of the Dark came out in August 2020. 

FII: Since your poems usually focus on the theme of gendered Islamophobia or the issues that Muslim women face in our country, what is it like being a Muslim woman in a country governed by the right-wing? 

Moumita: In 2021, I got to know that a few right-wing fanatics had created an app to sell Muslim women and had named it ‘Bulli Bai.’ I was so disturbed after reading the news about this because this is such a heinous thing to do — how can anyone do this in a democratic country like India?

So, I wrote this poem, “I am a Muslim woman and I am not for sale.” This poem was translated into many languages — in Telugu, Assamese, Bengali, Tamil, Kannada, and others — and was also published on various platforms. 

If you follow the news, you would know that in 2022, hijab was banned in schools across the country. Even if I don’t wear hijab, you can’t ban other women who do from getting an education. As women, we are a minority in many ways — first, as Muslims in this country and then, because of our gender. We have to bargain our choices and sometimes, we have to compromise in front of our families by saying, “I will work hard, I will wear a hijab, please let me go to the doors of education.”

When a man is interpreting religious scriptures for you, he will — whether consciously or unconsciously — view religion through a patriarchal lens. They might not allow us to gain an understanding of the equal rights that Islam gives to Muslim women.  

Moumita Alam

After becoming independent, I, as a Muslim woman, can decide for myself whether or not I wish to wear a hijab. But, you can’t put a blanket ban on hijab like that.

While I do write poems on the rising Islamophobia in our country, I also write about the oppression we Muslim women face within our own communities. Look, our society is based on patriarchal notions which means that even a lot of religious preachers are men. When a man is interpreting religious scriptures for you, he will — whether consciously or unconsciously — view religion through a patriarchal lens. They might not allow us to gain an understanding of the equal rights that Islam gives to Muslim women.  

FII: Have you ever faced censorship for having political themes and highlighting the various injustices particularly on the basis of religion, in your work?

Moumita: Thankfully, we still have some platforms that provide a space to people like me where we can raise our voices. I am thankful to the Editor of LiveWire, who recently resigned. She was an immense pillar of support for me because she never censored my work — she either accepted it or denied it from being published, but never censored it. Even the Editor of Outlook is brilliant that way.

FII Interviews: Poet And Essayist Moumita Alam Talks About Identity Politics And Cultural Elitism | Feminism in India
Source: Moumita Alam’s FB

Sometimes, however, my poems get rejected by other platforms because they say my work is too political, but I think we are living in a time during which one can’t be apolitical. If you are, then you are indirectly standing with people who are unleashing injustice towards minorities. 

FII: As a poet who writes in both English and Bengali, you have often talked about how the voices of certain minorities have been neglected even within Bengali literature and poetry — an example of which can be the Marichjhapi massacre in 1979. Is there anything that you would like to discuss about the domination of certain elite classes and castes in Bengal? 

Moumita: You might have noticed that for the non-Bengalis, West Bengal is equal to Kolkata — all of Bengal is just Kolkata for most people who aren’t from Bengal. This suggests a very Kolkata-centric attitude that most people have about Bengal. The literary world is, of course, not an exception — it’s so Kolkata-centric that people like me who are living in the margins find it almost impossible to reach the centre that is Kolkata. 

Also, the Bengali literary world has been dominated by upper-class, upper-caste people for a very long time. So, they write about only those issues that they know about and that suit their narrative. Things are changing, some voices are getting spaces. However, we still have a long way to go. »

FII: When we usually talk about the India-Pakistan partition, the discussion inevitably gets centred around the division of what is present-day Punjab with little being said about how the refugees of Bengal, particularly the oppressed even among the displaced, were impacted. As someone who has written articles on this theme for both English and Bengali publications, can you tell us a little about your understanding of the same? 

Moumita: Yes, I agree with you that the pains and sufferings of the Bengali refugees haven’t found expression in the so-called mainstream literature, particularly English literature. When I’m talking about “Bengali,” I mean both Hindus and Muslims. The plights of the oppressed class like the Namasudra community who were forced to migrate to West Bengal from the then East Pakistan is missing from the literary narrative. Equally, even the traumas and voices of the Muslims who stayed back while the other members migrated to East Pakistan are missing from the literary imagination.

Source: Moumita Alam’s FB

Most importantly, after partition, no political establishment tried to heal the wounds of the refugees. We all understand how the various European governments attempted to heal the wounds of the holocaust survivors after the second world war, but the same did not happen in India, even though the partition is often compared to the Holocaust.

Instead, every political party tried to gain political mileage from the religious fault lines. If I am not mistaken, nothing much has yet been written about internal migration. How many partition museums do we have?

FII: Every time your poems about the Babri Masjid demolition or about Kashmir get published, there are a lot of derogatory things that are often said by right-wing people— such as a lot of Kashmiri Pandits who end up claiming that their own stories need to be heard over yours. Since you have been doing what you believe in for so many years, is there any advice that you’d like to give to the young girls of our country about how they can voice their thoughts fearlessly even when they are intimidated? 

Moumita: We are living in a critical juncture of time. As witnesses of this time, we can’t let the fascists win. How are they winning? They are winning through their narrative — a narrative of hatred towards minorities, towards women. We have to tell our own stories, we have to counter their narrative by our narrative. 

So, here is my message for all women:

I wish you,

Oh women,

A savage fury

To throw all the

Dos and don’ts

Under a ravaging bus.

And begin from the beginning

All-new, all equal.»

FII: You write and publish your creative works and political thoughts as a freelancer, which means there is very little for you to gain from it as a poet. If anything, your poems and articles have mostly just led people to threaten you. What is it that motivates you to continue writing even when things don’t entirely work in your favour? 

Moumita: Silence is not an option. The hatred that engulfed my friends still haunts me. I am a villager and I know how common people are suffering every day. The silence of the intellectual people saddens me. I want to jolt them, wake them up from their hibernation. 

I am a villager and I know how common people are suffering every day. The silence of the intellectual people saddens me. I want to jolt them, wake them up from their hibernation. 

Moumita Alam

You know, potatoes are the only profitable crop in my village. This year, the poor farmers incurred a heavy loss and couldn’t repay the loans they had to take from private microfinance companies at heavy interest rates. I asked a very old farmer how they plan to survive after this loss? And he replied, “Next year we will get some profit.” I was just amazed at his belief and relentlessness. I believe we can bring a change. We have to hope because we don’t have any other option.

The interview has been paraphrased and condensed for clarity.

source: http://www.feminisminindia.com / Feminism In India / Home> Interview / by Upasana Dandano / June 09th, 2023

Mangaluru: HIF releases book titled ‘Big B’ to pay tribute to Late SM Basheer

Amazing Feats, Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Books (incl.Biographies - w.e.f.01 jan 2018 ), Community Involvement / Social Issues, Events, Exhibitions, Conferences (wef. Nov 18th, 2021), Karnataka (under research project), Leaders, Uncategorized, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Mangaluru, KARNATAKA:

In an event held at the Highland Islamic Forum (HIF) Auditorium in the city, the Highland Islamic Forum (HIF) unveiled a new book titled ‘Big B,’ a tribute to the late SM Basheer.

Subtitled ‘A Bond Beyond Brotherhood,’ the book is centered around the inspirational thoughts and life of Late SM Basheer.

Addressing the gathering at the book launch, NA Muneer, Ex-Chairman of the Kuwait Kerala Muslim Association (KKMA), shared memories of his association with SM Basheer. Muneer spoke about the charismatic personality and powerful aura that SM Basheer possessed, leaving a lasting impact on everyone who met him.

Recalling his memories, Muneer emphasized that even a year after SM Basheer’s passing, he continues to remember and honor the late leader. He praised SM Basheer’s instrumental role in organizing significant events at KKMA and acknowledged his invaluable contributions to the organization while serving as its chief.

Fatah Tayyil, Ex-President of KKMA, also paid tribute to SM Basheer, acknowledging his substantial contributions to the KKMA.

SM Rasheed, Chairman of Bearys Chamber of Commerce and Industries (BCCI), spoke about SM Basheer’s profound influence on people’s lives and commended his contributions to the BCCI.

Other speakers, including Mohammed Ali Uchchil and Rizwan Pandeshwar, shared their views on the life and impact of SM Basheer during the event.

The book ‘Big B’ was released by AK Niyaz, MD of AK Group of Companies, along with HIF India President Adil Parvez, and other guests present at the event.

Hussain Shafi, the author of the book, was felicitated by HIF for his contributions.

HIF also presented a documentary-style short video introducing SM Basheer and showcasing his life.

Prominent figures such as SM Basha, MD of SM Group of Companies, SM Farooq, KK Abdullah, officials, and executive members of KKMA and BCCI graced the occasion.

The event, hosted by AK Shaaz, concluded with supplications led by Moulana Tayyub, Khateeb Ehsan Masjid.

source: http://www.varthabharati.in / Vartha Bharati / Home> Karavali / by Vartha Bharati / December 01st, 2023

Delhiwale: Rakhshanda Jalil’s ghararas

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Books (incl.Biographies - w.e.f.01 jan 2018 ), Uncategorized, Women/Girls(since May26-2021), ,

NEW DELHI:

A peek into a precious wardrobe of strange outfits that are fast becoming invisible from Delhi evenings.

Ghararas, too, are fast becoming invisible from Delhi evenings, although Rakhshanda Jalil is often spotted wearing it in literary gatherings.(Mayank Austen Soofi / HT Photo)

The other day, we spot a strange outfit. It is neither a skirt, nor a gown, and definitely not a sari. It is also not a pajama.

What is it, we ask.

“It is gharara,” says author Rakhshanda Jalil, pronouncing the ‘gh’ from the base of the throat.

We are at Ms Jalil’s home in central Delhi. Her most precious wardrobe is a treasure-house of about two dozen ghararas. Most have been passed on to her from her mother and mother’s mother; a few are even older.

Indeed, Ms Jalil has a fascination for souvenirs of the past. One of her many books is titled Invisible City: The Hidden Monuments of Delhi. Ghararas, too, are fast becoming invisible from Delhi evenings, although Ms Jalil is often spotted wearing it in literary gatherings.

Years ago, she had worn a pink gharara for her wedding. Her two young daughters also wear it on during special occasions such as… well, weddings, particularly in Uttar Pradesh, where more people are likely to be similarly attired.

It is not unusual in Delhi weddings to see women in gharara’s sister dresses, such as the lehenga and the sharara — which is like flared pants. The gharara is more complicated. Each leg is comprised of two parts. The first goes down from the waist to the knee, and the second, which is much wider, begins from the knee and goes down to the foot.

Truth be told, Ms Jalil prefers saris and trousers for ordinary outings. But the gharara was the daily costume of her maternal grandmother, Zahida Suroor, who lived in the university town of Aligarh. “In my grandmother’s time, it was common for women to wear cotton ghararas made of chintz (called chheent by Urdu speakers) at home,” says, Ms Jalil. “Silk or satin ghararas were worn on formal occasions. And the heavy brocade, called kamkhaab, was worn at weddings.”

Each gharara should have its own kameez and dupatta, though these days one has more liberty to mix and match. Ms Jalil says that back in the day an entire gharara was sewn in four or five days. Each piece was stitched by hands. The entire hem was turned in with tiny invisible stitches. Sparkling bits of gold lace were tagged to camouflage the joints at the knees.

Ms Jalil’s mother, Mehjabeen, recently hand-stitched a red gharara for her. The happy daughter gave it a trial run at a dinner in her own home. There was much applause. The gharara came with a short white shirt. The red dupatta was lined with gold frills.

In the old days, women of a family gathered together to sew a gharara if it had to be made for a bride’s trousseau. Neighbours and friends also chipped in. Opinions were eagerly sought on the design, and the leftover cloth was never thrown away — it was used to make an accompanying batua (wallet), or jootis (sandals).

There was a time when a few cities were known to make special types of ghararas, says Ms Jalil. Benares was famous for its brocade ghararas, with master-weavers painstakingly transporting the design to lighter gauzier material for the accompanying dupatta. Lucknow favoured a patchwork design called chatapati. Delhi specialized in something called ‘farshi’, with a long train that women were supposed to hold delicately in their arms.

Perhaps the most ideal way to study this old-world costume is to ask the wearer to sit still. On request, Ms Jalil settles down beside a window with an Eric Segal novel. While the book belongs to her elder daughter, Aaliya, the gharara belongs to her great grandmother. Made of atlas (no relation to the book of maps), the fabric is so fragile that it can tear at the slightest tug. It has a blue background with yellow, orange and pink flowers. At one point, Ms Jalil looks out of the window. Her gharara ceases to be a dying tradition, and seems very much a part of the present.

source: http://www.hindustantimes.com / Hindustan Times / Home> News> Cities>Delhi News / by Hindustan Times / by Mayank Austin Soofi / October 09th, 2017

The Father Of Urdu Poetry: The Disputed Disappearance Of Wali Gujarati’s Grave

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Ahmedabad, GUJARAT:

The Father Of Urdu Poetry: The Disputed Disappearance Of Wali Gujarati's Grave

Amidst the busy roads of Gujarat that have thousands of cars passing by every day, there lies a neglected divider that holds reverence for many. A petal-strewn corner on a broken divider signifies the tomb of an Amdavadi poet credited for the advent of Urdu poetry that gave rise to a league of poets like Zauq, Mir, and Mirza Ghalib.

The poet in question is none other than the father of Urdu poetry, Wali Muhammad Wali, whose contribution towards uplifting Urdu poetry to being at par with its Persian counterpart is considered indispensable.

Challenging the notion that elite poetry can only be Persian, Wali opened up a world of poetic possibilities for Urdu poets and his influence can be seen in a piece penned by the Poet Meer Taqi Meer as a tribute to the Urdu Chaucer.

Khugar nahin kuch yun hi hum Rikhta-goi kay/
Mashooq jo apna tha, bashinda-e-Dakhan tha”

(It isn’t casually that I began dabbling in Urdu/I picked it from my lover, a native of the Deccan).

The poetic legend who died 300 years ago was buried in his family graveyard in Ahmedabad after his demise. Post Independence, Wali’s grave was separated from the graveyard and found itself situated in the middle of the road.

While the death and origins of Wani might be disputed, the razing of his grave has been linked to the communal past of Gujarat. Destroyed during the Gujarat violence of 2002, Wali’s grave was part of the riot that saw thousands murdered and the demolition of many significant Muslim shrines and Dargahs. Eliminating any and all signs of the Dargah, roads were built overnight and the atrocities of communal violence were swept under the layers of tar and repairs that ensued.

A Twitter user recently went searching for the shrine and impressively remarked on the presence of the Urdu poet’s legacy that remains etched in the mind of locals. Street vendors, shoemakers, and locals seem happy to guide and give precise directions to the grave for those looking to visit the shrine. Once an ornate shrine, the grave now portrays a sad picture of desolation and jarring neglect that can be blamed on the political powerplay as well as the ‘divide and rule’ ideologies that plague the nation.

One cannot miss the imprint of Wali’s work on Urdu poetry. It remains immortal in the hearts of people and keeps the light of consciousness alive.

source: http://www.homegrown.co.in / Homegrown / Home> #HGExplore / by Riya Sharma / August 08th, 2022

The many hues of faith

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Business & Economy, Community Involvement / Social Issues, Women/Girls(since May26-2021), , ,

KERALA:

Nasreen Anshad’s brand SAWB makes beautiful garments specially created for Namaz with dreamy designs.

Nasreen Anshad

Picture this. The next time you offer Namaz, you are in a single, free-flowing, comfortable garment adorned with flowers or stars and sometimes even polka prints. The prayer dresses or Jilbabs may not be that familiar to people in Kerala . However, 28-year-old Nasreen Anshad is bringing Jilbab into vogue among the women here through her venture SAWB. 

The whole idea is to offer dresses for Muslim women that they could wear with elegance during prayers. An MCA graduate, Nasreen’s foray into garment designing happened by chance. It all started last year when Nasreen was just searching for modest wear on the web. “I came across the prayer dresses on my search. But these weren’t available here. So I thought of making one for myself. I designed a Jilbab and my mother stitched it. After a few trials, we eventually got the attire right,” says Nasreen.

Nasreen started getting some customers  for this specially designed prayer garment. And soon it turned into a huge business with over 1,000 pieces of Jilbabs getting sold every two weeks. Usually, women wear an Abaya and a Makhana while praying. The Jilbab comes as a single piece, making it a convenient garment for the prayers. It is also easy to carry as well. “A lot of people prefer buying Jilbab because it is comfortable and convenient. It is also beautiful and elegant to wear and is travel friendly,” says Nasreen.

The prayer dresses that Nasreen makes are modelled after the kinds available in Dubai. Nasreen says the style of these dresses changes according to the country. “The prayer dresses made in London or Indonesia are completely different. The reason Jilbab isn’t available here is since it is very pricey to even import. I wanted to make them and offer them to everyone at an affordable price,” says Nasreen.

The main challenge the novice designer faced was to convince people of the faith that wearing a colourful dress while praying was okay. “There is a misconception that you should wear only white. But this is nowhere mentioned in the Quran. What the Quran says is that one should wear the best dress while offering prayers,” says Nasreen.

So, Nasreen’s Jilbabs come in a grand array of colours and patterns, all designed by her. When she started out, it was her mother who used to stitch the garments. Now she has employed a women’s collective to stitch the garments. The Jilbabs are available in three sizes — for kids, teens and adults. The garment is made out of soft crepe and will last for three to four years, she says. “I feel so happy and proud now. This is a venture that happened by chance and people have embraced it. I want to incorporate more styles into the Jilbab, like the different versions available in various countries,” Nasreen says.

source: http://www.indulgexpress.com / The Indian Express – INDULGE / Home> Fashion / by Aathira Haridas / April 13th, 2022

Indian Journalist K.K. Shahina Among Winners of CPJ’s International Press Freedom Awards

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Kochi, KERALA:

Shahina was one of the first Indian journalists to be charged under the draconian Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act for her work in Tehelka magazine.

Shahina K.K. Photo: Shafeeq Thamarassery/CPJ website

New Delhi: 

Indian journalist and senior editor of Outlook magazine Shahina K.K. is one of the journalists honoured in this year’s International Press Freedom Awards given by the Committee to Protect Journalists.

Shahina, the CPJ points out, was one of the first Indian journalists to be charged under the draconian Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act for her work in Tehelka magazine. The CPJ note continues:

“She has continued her reporting in various posts despite awaiting trial for a case opened in 2010, when local government officials in Karnataka state sought to criminalize her reporting published in Tehelka, a prominent investigative magazine where she worked at the time. Her report cast doubt on a police investigation into 2008 bomb blasts in Bengaluru, alleging that the police had fabricated witness statements to arrest a local Muslim cleric.

She faces three charges under the penal code, including criminal intimidation, intent to commit a criminal act, and criminal conspiracy, and one count under UAPA pertaining to threatening witnesses. As of June 2023, Shahina is out on bail pending trial. If convicted, she faces a maximum of three years in prison and a fine.

A Muslim by birth, Shahina has also been subjected to extensive harassment by Indian right-wing groups seeking to silence her reporting on religious minorities and vulnerable caste groups. She has faced persistent online harassment and lewd threats, and in 2020, several right-wing publications falsely implicated her in that Bengaluru bombing.

Based in Kochi, in the southern state of Kerala, Shahina has worked as a reporter, production associate, and news anchor with well-known news outlets including Asianet News, Janayugom, Open, and The Federal. She also has contributed to The Washington Post.”

The CPJ has said in its note announcing Shahina’s win that this also highlights “India’s increasingly repressive environment for press freedom, with the targeting of journalists under draconian security laws, and toxic online campaigns particularly aimed at vilifying women journalists and ethnic or religious minorities.”

Other awardees for this year include Nika Gvaramia from Georgia (founder and director of independent broadcaster, Mtavari Arkhi), María Teresa Montaño from Mexico (investigative reporter and founder and editor of The Observer, a fact-checking and investigative website) and Ferdinand Ayité from Togo (head of L’Alternative, one of Togo’s top investigative outlets).

This year’s Gwen Ifill Press Freedom Award from CPJ, which goes to “an individual who has shown extraordinary and sustained achievement in the cause of press freedom”, has been awarded to Alberto Ibargüen, who recently announced he is stepping down as president of the Knight Foundation after 18 years at its helm. “Under his leadership, the foundation invested over $2.3 billion in journalism, arts, economic development, and research. Ibargüen is the former publisher of the Miami Herald and El Nuevo Herald. During his tenure, the Miami Herald won three Pulitzer Prizes and El Nuevo Herald won Spain’s Ortega y Gasset Prize for excellence in journalism. He served on the board of CPJ from 1993 to 2005,” CPJ has said.

source: http://www.thewire.in / The Wire / Home> Media / by The Wire Staff / November 20th, 2023

Kodava Muslim Community Celebrates Puttari Festival in Gonikoppa

Agriculture (since June 07th, 2021), Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Community Involvement / Social Issues, Karnataka (under research project), , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Gonikoppal, Kodagu, KARNATAKA:

Coorg:

The Kodava Muslim Association (KMA) illuminated the night with joy as they celebrated the ancient custom of removing the traditional Kadiru (New Rice Crop) on the auspicious occasion of Puttari festival. The festivities took place on Monday night, drawing the spirited participation of hundreds of members from the Kodava Muslim community, marking the Harvest Festival of Kodavas.

At the striking hour of 8:30 PM, the Kadiru removal ceremony unfolded in the Jamma Gadde of the Kolumanda family in Aimangal village, Gonikoppa. Led by KMA President Duddiyanda H. and Sufi Haji, the event saw elders from Aimangala village, KMA members, and Kootambattira Hussain coming together to share in the holy Swalat. Boiled rice milk, a symbol of abundance, was distributed to all attendees, fostering a sense of unity and community spirit.

Key figures in the program included KMA Vice President Akkalatanda S. Moidu, General Secretary Italathanda Rafiq Tuchamakeri, Treasurer Harishchandra A. Hamsa, Joint Secretary Karatorera K Mustafa, Organizing Secretary Meetalathanda M. Ismail, and Senior Director Chimmichira K. Ibrahim (Ummani).

The presence of local Jamaat presidents, such as the head of Kondangeri Jamaat and K.M.A. Director Kuppandir K. Yusuf Haji, and the President of Katrakolli Jamaat, Alira M., added a distinguished touch to the celebration.

Residents from various areas, including Kottamudi, Cheriyaparambu, Kunjila, Kolakeri, Kondangeri, Chamiyala, Gundikere, Nalvathoklu, Ambatti Kandangala, Katrakolli, Halligattu, and Begur, joined the festivities alongside children from Aimangal.

The program, hosted by Kolumanda Rafeek, extended its warmth with a traditional Tambittu-Puttari sweet potato breakfast and dinner, showcasing the rich cultural heritage of the Kodava Muslim community.

The Kadiru, symbolizing the new rice crop, was then respectfully taken to households, marking the culmination of a joyous and culturally significant event.

source: http://www.thehindustangazette.com / The Hindustan Gazette / Home> News> Latest News / by The Hindustan Gazette / November 28th, 2023

Anjuman-e-Islam was the first Indian institution to offer mid-day meal to students

Amazing Feats, Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Community Involvement / Social Issues, Education, Education - Gold Medallists, Toppers, Merits, Achievers (wef. June 12th, 2023), Leaders, Women/Girls(since May26-2021)

Mumbai, MAHARASHTRA:

Students of Ajnuman-e-Islam
Students of Ajnuman-e-Islam

Long before India became the first country to introduce mid-day meals to children in government schools to supplement their nutritional needs and to encourage poor families to send their children to school, Anjuman-e-Islam, a Muslim institution had started the scheme in Mumbai.

Ajmunan-e-Islam ursu school was established some 150 years ago. It was the brainchild of a group of progressive Muslim intellectuals of Mumbai.

The initiative for this was taken by Badruddin Tyabji, the first Indian barrister of the Bombay High Court, Qamaruddin Tyabji, the third president of the Indian National Congress, his elder brother and lawyer Nakhuda Mohammad, Ali Roge, businessman and social activist, Ghulam Mohammad Munshi, The school came up at Babula Tank near Umarkhadi in the then Bombay province and started as a small place.

An old picture of the Anjuman-e-Islam in Bombay

In 1893, ‘Anjuman-e-Islam’ was shifted to a building opposite Victoria Terminals (presently ‘Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus’) from where it continues to operate.

At that time many facilities were provided to the students coming to study in ‘Anjuman’. The facilities included a mid-day meal comprising boiled eggs, bread, and bananas.

It was established a year before the establishment of  ‘Aligarh Muslim University’ (AMU) in Aligarh by Sir Syed Ahmed with the sole motive of providing modern education to Muslims.

‘Anjuman’ school initially ‘only admitted boys and it was much later that it opened the doors to girl students. In 1936, a separate school for girls was also started by the name ‘Saif Tayyabji Girls High School’ on Bellasis Road.

The students of Anjuman e islam taking part in a cultural programme

This school, which started on 21 February 1874 with three teachers and 120 students, has now transformed into 97 institutions. Today more than 1.1 lakh students are studying right from nursery classes to PhD – are enrolled in its educational institutions. Interestingly, 70 percent of students enrolled are the first ones from their families to receive education.

Anjuman-e-Islam played a major role in India’s freedom struggle. Many people including Moinuddin Harris and Mustafa Fakih of ‘Anjuman’ were sentenced to imprisonment during the freedom struggle. Many policy meetings for the freedom struggle were held on its premises.

‘Anjuman’ has a long history in nation-building.

Mumbai police commissioner Dr Sanjay Pandey addressing the students of Anjuman-e-Islam

Today the main administrative office of the organization is located at the same place where the seed of ‘Anjuman’ was sown. Five colleges – two catering colleges, a business-management college, a home science college, and a law college – have been established on the institute’s three-acre campus. In addition, there is a polytechnic, a junior college for women, and two schools in both English and Urdu medium.

The campus also has a large library and a research center.

Sir Karimbhoy Ibrahim, Haji Yusuf Haji Ismail Sobani, Justice A. M. Qazi, Justice Faiz B. Tayyabji, Sardar Sir Suleman Kulsoom Mitha, Hussain B. Tayyabji, Usman Sobani, Mohammad Haji Ahmed, A. I. Maskati, Hadi C. Tayyabji, Saif F. B. Tayyabji, Akbar A. Pirbhoy, A. K. Hafeez, A. R. Persons like Antulay, Moinuddin Harris, Dr. M. Ishaq Jamkhanwala, Sami Khatib made special efforts. Presently Dr. Zaheer Kazi is its President.

`Anjuman’ has two main objectives, first – ‘to provide quality education at minimum cost’ and second – ‘to prevent any student from being deprived of education due to lack of funds’

More than 50 percent of the students in ‘Anjuman’ come from economically weaker sections. Anjuman has created a ‘Special Zakat Fund’ to enable these students to complete their education. The economically weaker students are given a 50 to 100 percent discount in education fees.

Vice Chancellor of the Amjuman-e-islam Dr Sahir Qazi and Governor of Maharashtra

The Anjuman is inspired by Maulana Abul Kalam Azad’s message that ‘Education given from the heart can bring revolution in the society’, the organization has been doing this work. The ‘Anjuman’ has more than 40 percent girls on roll.

Today the institution offers courses like Engineering, Medicine, Architecture, Pharmacy, Hospitality, Catering and Hotel Management, Law, Business Administration, Home Science, and Teacher’s Training.

Some, 3000 employees work in the Anjuman institutions. In the year 2000, `Anjuman’ was awarded the ‘Best Educational and Social Institution in Maharashtra’ by the State government. Recently the institution has been awarded the ‘Sir Syed Award of Excellence’ of AMU, Aligarh University.

The alumni of `Anjuman’ are today working in high positions in various fields like business, technology, arts, sports, media, medical science, and politics in many countries. Former Chairman of Fortune Company and Indian Oil Corporation, M.A. Pathan, former Chief Minister of Maharashtra A. R. Antulay, famous actor Dilip Kumar, Ismail Merchant of `Merchant of Merchant Ivory Productions’, former Deputy Editor of `Illustrated Weekly’ Fatima Zakaria, former editor of `Mumbai Mirror’ and `Sunday Times’ Farida Naik and famous cricketer Salim Durrani. Celebrities have been alumni of ‘Anjuman’.

Students at the Convocation of Anjuman-e-Islam

Dr. Zaheer Kazi, current president of ‘Anjuman’, says, “We are constructing a state-of-the-art building in the Sabu Siddiqui College campus in Byculla. There will be an incubation center as well as post-graduation and PhD courses taught there. “Besides, there will also be an integrated center.”

Apart from this, a health education campus will be built in Kalyan-Bhiwandi or Panchgani, in which MBBS courses, Dental College, College of Nursing, Physiotherapy, and Homeopathy will be started. Pharmacy, law college, degree college, and high school for girls will be started in the Solapur campus. Also, land acquisition for catering, pharmacy, and high school-cum-college in Panaji, Goa is in the final stages.

He said, “’Anjuman-e-Islam’ has partnered with MIT University in Cambridge, England, and its five Faculties of Engineering, Master of Business Administration (MBA), Pharmacy and Elementary Education. In addition, ‘The Kalsekar School of Pharmacy’ (Panvel), and The Maryland School of Pharmacy’, Baltimore, (Washington DC) have been approached for collaboration with Anjuman-e-Islam. Philadelphia’s ‘Temple University’ asked ‘A. of Anjuman-e-Islam’ for cooperation. R. Antulay College of Law has also been contacted.”

‘Anjuman’ has 97 educational institutions including schools and colleges. These include pre-primary schools (15), primary schools (15), secondary schools (20), junior colleges (10), polytechnics (4), degree colleges (15), other institutions (10), proposed institutions (2), Consists of hostels, auditorium (3), support units (2) and orphanage (2).

source: http://www.awazthevoice.in / Awaz, The Voice / Home> Story / by Chaya Kavire, Pune / November 22nd, 2023

Retired man from Bengaluru runs only Indian restaurant in Uzbekistan’s Samarkand

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Karnataka (under research project), NRI's / PIO's, , , , , , , , , , , ,

Bengaluru, KARNATAKA / Samarkhand, UZBEKISTAN:

representational image (freepik)

Samarkand (Uzbekistan) (PTI):

Mohammad Naushad, a retired man from Bengaluru had plans to travel the world after completing his tenure in the steel industry. He landed as a tourist in Samarkand a year ago and his quest for his morning masala tea and paratha prompted him to settle here and open the only Indian restaurant in the second-largest city of Uzbekistan.

Called “The Indian Kitchen”, the restaurant came as a respite to Indian students who are studying medicine here and used to miss Indian food. The locals here also fancy the wide-ranging menu from lip dosas to chicken biryani.

“I had no plans to work post-retirement and had no experience of working at a restaurant let alone running one. When I came here as a tourist, I headed out to have my usual breakfast of masala tea and paratha.

“I have travelled to so many countries and have always found some or the other place where Indian food is available. I was surprised to find out that there is not a single eatery or restaurant which serves Indian meals,” 61-year-old Naushad told PTI.

“A week more and the vibrant culture and simplicity of people here, prompted me to give it a shot and now Samarkand is my permanent home,” he added.

According to Naushad, the restaurant receives around 350-400 visitors per day and there are catering orders for weddings and events where having Indian cuisine as an option is a hit here.

His day starts with going to the “bazaar” with his staff to buy groceries as he prefers everything to be cooked afresh at the restaurant.

“There are over 3,000 Indian students in Samarkand and they tell me often that they used to miss Indian meals. The shahi paneer and naan and the rotis used to be a rare sight here. I expected the Indians to love the restaurant but the response I have received from Uzbeks is phenomenal,” he said.

Behind the lip-smacking dishes available at the restaurant is Ashok Kalidasa, a chef who hails from Madras. He earlier used to live in Uzbekistan’s Tashkent and is now settled in Samarkand.

“We enquire from each customer about the kind of spices they like us to use, whether they want it less spicy or tangy because Uzbek food is very different. The effort to customise the popular Indian dishes to their taste is what attracts the local crowd here. Indian students come here because they get their home food and the meals are not expensive,” he said.

Kalidasa says the most popular dishes at the restaurant are “masala dosa” and “chicken biryani” which is much different from the Uzbek “Pilaf”.

Asked about her favourite pick at the restaurant, Zarina, an Uzbek woman, said “I love masala chai”.

While right now the Indian Kitchen offers meals at the restaurant, Naushad has expansion plans.

“We are also thinking of starting a tiffin service for Indian students. Also, we get a lot of tourists. So I am contemplating opening similar setups in Bukhara and Khiva which are popular tourist destinations in Uzbekistan but do not have any Indian restaurants,” he said.

According to the Uzbekistan Embassy in New Delhi, the Indian diaspora in Uzbekistan has more than 5,000 people. In pre-Covid year 2019, over 28,000 Indian tourists visited Uzbekistan. However, the number has crossed over 30,000 this year so far.

source: http://www.english.varthabharati.in / Vartha Bharati / Home> World / November 19th, 2023