Category Archives: Community Involvement / Social Issues

Reading Rumours uncovers truth of 20th century Muslim women writers in Kerala

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

Kozhikode, KERALA :

Their work focused on Muslim women writers and their contributions to magazines in Kerala during the period.

Reading Rumours curators Haneena P A and Jazeela Basheer

Kozhikode :

Victorian-era English novelist and poet Mary Ann Evans famously adopted the pseudonym George Eliot to escape the constraints of social norms and patriarchy.

As times changed, female writers increasingly gained the courage to publish under their own names. However, in Kerala – a region still grappling with significant gender disparities – women defied the odds and entered the publishing industry as early as the 1900s. Yet, tracing the contributions of some, particularly Mappila women, proves challenging.

The exhibition titled Reading Rumours, held at Silk Street in Kozhikode, shed light on the hidden history of women’s involvement in Kerala’s print culture between 1900 and the 1950s. Curated by research scholar Haneena P A and exhibition designer Jazeela Basheer, the event is the result of two years of research by the collective Around The Sufrah. Their work focused on Muslim women writers and their contributions to magazines in Kerala during the period.

“Print culture flourished in Kerala from 1900 to 1950, and readership grew. But the contributions of women writers from this era have largely been overlooked,” Haneena told TNIE.

“Reading Rumours brings together the micro-histories of these women writers, encouraging visitors to engage with their stories and legacies.” The title, Reading Rumours, symbolises women’s quest for knowledge and their fight for recognition.

“Rumours are often seen as statements without a reliable source of truth, frequently associated with women. Much of women’s knowledge, history, and experiences are dismissed as mere gossip. The title is also a play on the traditional vayanashaala, or reading rooms, where men would gather to read and discuss,” Haneena explained.

The idea for Reading Rumours originated from a desire to present Haseena’s postgraduate thesis in a more accessible, popular format.

“This exhibition is an extension of my thesis, which focused on Mappila women in print. We are generally aware of only a handful of female writers from the early 1900s, but my research uncovered around 25 Muslim women who were actively involved in writing for magazines and other publications,” she said.

The three-day exhibition, which began on October 4, received enthusiastic support from the public. “The response has been overwhelming,” Haneena noted.

“Many visitors expressed surprise at discovering the significant role Muslim women played in Kerala’s early print culture,” she said.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Kerala / by Lakshmi Athira / October 07th, 2024

Udupi district Muslim Okkoota (R) to host award ceremony on Nov 10

Community Involvement / Social Issues, Karnataka (under research project)

Udupi, KARNATAKA :

 Udupi district Muslim Okkoota (R) will host an award ceremony to recognize individuals who have made significant contribution to society and various communities meeting at Basel Missionaries Memorial auditorium on November 10.

Mohammed Idrees, general secretary Udupi district Muslim Okkoota, addressing the media in the press meet held on October 14 said, “The awards include the ‘Manava Ratna’ for those who have upheld human values and the ‘Seva Ratna’ for social service, and also introduced a new award this year the ‘Souharda Ratna,’ aimed at honouring those who work towards communal harmony.”

Sasikanth Senthil, a former deputy commissioner of Dakshina Kannada and current member ofparliament, has been selected for the ‘Manava Ratna’ award. The ‘Seva Ratna’ will be awarded to K S Nisar Ahmed, a businessman originally from Karkala who has made his mark in Dubai. Additionally, Fr William Martis, a Christian clergyman and social activist from Udupi, will be the first-ever recipient of the ‘Souharda Ratna’ award.

In addition to the awards, six individuals who have made outstanding contributions in various fields such as education, literature, folklore, organization, and social service will be honored. Among them are a distinguished writer and speaker Dr Gananath Ekkar, political leaders Saraswati D Bangera and Sarala Kanchan, a Dalit leader and social activist Annappa Nakre, and social workers Nityananda Olakadu and Haseenaru Kodi Kundapura, who have dedicated their lives to serving the marginalized.

The awards will be presented by Karnataka’s minister for women and child development and Udupi district in-charge minister Lakshmi Hebbalkar. The keynote address will be delivered by a folk scholar and chairman of the Kannada Development Authority Dr Purushotham Bilimale. The event will be inaugurated by chancellor of Yenepoya University Abdulla Kunhi, president of the Udupi District Muslim Federation Yaseen Malpe will deliver a vote of thanks. Principal of Baraka International School and College B S Sharafuddin, will preside over the ceremony. The event will be coordinated by S K Iqbal Katapadi, with Iqbal Manna as co-coordinator and Ismail Hussain overseeing the programme.

Notable guests include former ministers Vinay Kumar Sorake and Jayaprakash Hegde, alongside other dignitaries such as honorary president Udupi district Muslim Okkoota Haji Abdulla Parkala, president Karnataka Allied Health Council Dr U T Iftikhar, businessman Prasad Raj Kanchan, Afroze Assadi Dubai, president Sahabalve K Phaniraj, organization secretary Karnataka state Dalith Sangharsh Committee Sundar Master, president Sugamya district women’s federation Gracy Coellho, and principal of Kodi BEd College Dr Firdose.

Treasurer Udupi district Muslim Okkoota Sayyad Farid, secretary Ismail Sheik, vice president Salauddin Abdula, member Daffrulla, event coordinator Iqbal Manna and zilla panchayath member Abdul hajid Udyavara, were present in the press meet.

source: http://www.daijiworld.com / Daijiworld.com / Home>Karnataka / by Daijiworld Media Network – Udupi (TP) / October 14th, 2024


 



Minority Welfare Department gives students time till Nov 11 to apply for hostel accommodation

Community Involvement / Social Issues, Education, FREE : Accomodation, Karnataka (under research project), Useful / SCHOLARSHIPS, Women/Girls(since May26-2021)

KARNATAKA :

Representational image (credit: businesstoday.in)

Mangaluru:

The deadline to submit applications for entry into the post-matriculation boys’ and girls’ hostels under the Minority Welfare Department for the current academic year (2024-25) has been extended to November 11.

Pre-university (PUC), parallel course, professional course, graduation and post-graduation students may apply for accommodation at the hostels, under the State Scholarship Programme, the authorities have said in a press release, adding that the applications are provided on the State Hostel Portal (SHP) site.

Additional information on applying for accommodation at the hostels is available on the SHP site. The applicants may also approach the government personnel at the district and taluk offices of the Minority Welfare Department, the press release has stated.

source: http://www.english.varthabharati.in / Vartha Bharati / Home> Karnataka / by Vartha Bharati / October 15th, 2024

Pioneer of India’s street art movement Hanif Kureshi is no more

Amazing Feats, Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Community Involvement / Social Issues

Palitana (Bhavnagar District), GUJARAT/ GOA:

Hanif Kureshi (Facebook)

New Delhi :

Have you walked through India’s first art district of Lodhi Colony in South Delhi where high walls along streets come across as vibrant art works? The man behind this and the street art movement of India Hanif Kureshi is no more; he passed away on Sunday at 41.

Hanif, an alumnus of the Baroda Art College died of cancer leaving behind a culture of vibrant public spaces and colourful neighbourhoods across India.

A wall in South Delhi’s Lodhi Road created by Kureshi

Kureshi’s quest for vibrant neighborhoods brought him to Lodhi Colony in Delhi in 2013, where the high walls and pedestrian-friendly lanes became a canvas for murals that quickly captured the community’s attention.

His death was announced on Instagram. The post read: “Hanif Kureshi, the man behind the Amazing street art you see across India has passed away…”

“Hanif Kureshi (@hanifkureshi) will forever be remembered as a visionary artist who transformed the urban landscape, one wall at a time.

After transitioning from advertising, Kureshi took the lead in shaping India’s modern street art movement and reviving the fading art of hand-painted typography.

An art work created by HanifHanif Kureshi in Chennai

Through St+art India (@startindia), Kureshi and his co-founders built a community of urban artists whose projects have revitalized cities across India, turning public spaces into cultural landmarks. From the vibrant Sassoon Docks in Mumbai and the iconic Lodhi Art District in Delhi to Kannagi Nagar in Chennai, the Serendipity Arts Festival in Goa, and international showcases like the London Design Biennale, Venice Biennale, and Centre Pompidou, Kureshi’s artistic imprint is unmistakable.

In light of his untimely passing, we reflect on the enduring legacy Kureshi leaves behind—on walls, in typographic art, and throughout neighborhoods and communities nationwide.”

Hanif Kureshi co-founded St+art India and started giving shape to his vision in 2013. When he started transforming public spaces into vibrant canvases, he could not have anticipated the profound impact it would have across the nation.

Asian Paints posted this image of Kureshi’s work on X:

@asianpaints / The MTNL building in Bandra has a shiny new coat of paint. Love the work by @StartMumbai / December 09, 2014 / 4.55 pm

This young visionary artist devoted his life to making art accessible to everyone. “Our aim is to make art more accessible. When you are working in an art gallery, your concerns are different, but this is art on the streets for everyone,” he said in an interview.

Kureshi was behind popularizing street art in India and setting up a model that has inspired countless artists.

According to Storyboard 18, art curator Rahul Bhattacharya, a close friend and former classmate at Maharaja Sayajirao University in Baroda, reflects on Kureshi’s unconventional approach: “He was constantly exploring new avenues.”

His journey began with an interest in sign-board painting and hand-lettering, leading him to seek out local sign painters and eventually digitzing their unique styles under the banner of HandpaintedType.

He launched St+art India as a not-for-profit organization dedicated to creating public art projects.

Kureshi’s first project was Lodhi Colony in Delhi where the high walls and pedestrian-friendly lanes became a canvas for murals that quickly captured the community’s attention.

Gupt Dwar by Kureshi’s NGO in Lodhi Colony

Gond artist Bhajju Shyam, who collaborated with Kureshi in Lodhi Colony, remembered him as modest and patient. “He was extremely sincere and listened to constructive feedback during our discussions,” Shyam noted, highlighting Kureshi’s collaborative spirit.

Kureshi’s St+art India has since organized numerous art festivals and painted murals across cities like Mumbai, Hyderabad, and Chennai, inviting both local and international artists to contribute. Kureshi was actively involved in his project including the installation at the Sassoon Dock Art Project in Mumbai.

Kureshi’s influence extended beyond borders afters he showcased his work at prestigious venues including the London Design Biennale and the Venice Biennale-. His recent solo exhibition at Wildstyle Gallery in Sweden in June 2023 impacted the world of art globally.

source: http://www.awazthevoice.in / Awaz, The Voice / Home / posted by Aasha Khosa, ATV / September 26th, 2024

A tuk-tuk fuelled by service in TN

Amazing Feats, Community Involvement / Social Issues, FREE : Healthcare / Assistance, ,

Vellore, TAMIL NADU :

Shabir and his team stepped in, despite the language barrier, to assist the grieving daughter.

Vellore :

At the chaotic Ariyur auto stand in the heart of Vellore, amidst the blare of honking rickshaws and the buzz of commuters, 39-year-old Mohammed Shabir orchestrates a life-saving mission that few would notice.

With one eye scanning for passengers and the other glued to his phone, he is constantly coordinating urgent blood donations for patients in dire need. For Shabir, it’s more than just a local cause.

His focus stretches across borders and helps patients from as far as West Bengal, Jharkhand, Bihar, and Assam, who come all the way to Vellore, most of them clinging to the last straw of hope for critical medical treatment.

Since 2019, Shabir has been at the helm of a team of volunteers, racing against time to provide emergency blood donations across the districts of Vellore, Tirupathur, and Ranipet. Their relentless efforts have become a lifeline for patients at their most desperate moments, a beacon of hope in the face of life-threatening crises.

Shabir, a BBA graduate from Vellore, was forced to take up the role of an auto driver in life in 2013 due to financial difficulties at home. However, the course of life changed forever after a personal tragedy struck him.

His father, Ansar Basha, was a kidney patient and was admitted to the Vellore Government Hospital and Medical College. Back then, according to Shabir, the hospital didn’t have a well-equipped facility for dialysis, and despite his desperate efforts, he could not secure a blood donor for his father’s treatment on time.

Tragically, his father passed away within a week due to the unavailability of blood. “The incident shattered me,” Shabir recalls, tears welling up in his eyes. “I couldn’t move on from it for a long time,” he added, reflecting on the event that now fuels his determination to help others.

Driven by this loss, Shabir began arranging blood donations in 2013, focussing particularly on patients from North India, who often face language barriers in Vellore.

Despite financial challenges, Shabir formalised his work in 2019 by rallying a group of volunteers and forming the Nodtigal Trust. Every day, they receive about 10 requests from various hospitals, prioritising the most urgent cases. “We manage to fulfil at least five requests weekly within Vellore,” Shabir said.

The outbreak of Covid-19 added another layer of complexity to their work. Arranging blood donations during the pandemic became increasingly difficult. But Shabir and his team were undeterred, stepping up to the challenge.

In 2020, they encountered a particularly heartbreaking case involving a cancer patient from West Bengal. The patient passed away while her husband was away trying to sell his land to fund treatment. Their daughter was left alone with her mother’s body.

Shabir and his team stepped in, despite the language barrier, to assist the grieving daughter. With the husband’s permission, they arranged for the woman’s burial in Vellore, free of charge. “It was a deeply emotional moment for us,” Shabir said. “The husband saw his wife’s body over a video call and thanked me in Bengali. I couldn’t understand his words, but I could read the emotion on his face.”

What began during the pandemic has now become a regular part of Nodtigal Trust’s work. “We’ve buried over 24 bodies so far, mostly North Indian patients who don’t have any local connections,” Shabir explained. “It costs around Rs 5,000 to bury one body, and we’ve been covering the costs ourselves, with help from friends and well-wishers.” In addition, Shabir also cares for five orphaned girls in Vellore, committing to support them for life.

Looking ahead, Shabir has broader ambitions for the Trust. He is particularly concerned about the lack of awareness and support for transgender people in Vellore. “If any transgender individuals want to study and live a decent life, we are ready to support them,” he said. He also aims to assist mentally ill people found on the streets, helping them reunite with their families.

However, the work is not without challenges. “We sometimes struggle to cover transportation costs for the burials,” Shabir shared. “It would be a great help if the district administration could provide us with an ambulance for these cases.”

(For more details, Mohammed Shabir can be contacted at 9361719520)

(Edited by Sneha Joseph)

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Good News / by Rajalakshmi Sampath / October 13th, 2024

Mohammed Ali Library: Journey from traditional to new-age library-cum-information centre

Community Involvement / Social Issues, Museums, Libraries (wef. April 16th, 2022),

Kolkata , WEST BENGAL :

  Courtesy: Facebook/Mohammed Ali Library Students’ Section

Kolkata:

Mohammed Ali Library, located on the ground floor of Barry House, on Kanai Seal Lane is one of Kolkata’s oldest public libraries. Lost in the hustle-bustle of the ever-so chaotic, ever-so-charming Zakaria Street is this 93-year-old library being resurrected to its past glory.

Many local residents and researchers in the past have complained about the treasure trove of Urdu literature being in ruins and how not much is being done to preserve the library’s legacy and the thousands of rare books that lie in it.

“This library was established in the year 1930, by Mulla Mohammad Jan to create a reading space for the community youths. After the death of Mohammad Ali Jauhar, a fellow Khilafat leader and prominent freedom fighter, in 1931, the library was named in his honor. Mohammad Ali was a visionary, who was also one of the co-founders of Jamia Milia Islamia,” said Anwarul Haque, librarian of Mohammad Ali Library.

Admitting that the library had been in a deplorable state and needed a shot in the arm, Haque said, “The library, in need of a complete makeover, had long been the subject of demands from locals and visiting researchers.”

Rising from its ashes

Taking a cue from the public demand, and a pump of new blood in the committee that takes care of the almost century-old library, a slew of changes has been initiated to not just preserve the books but to also transform it into a new-age library that caters to the new age readers and researchers.

Speaking to eNewsroom, the president of the library committee, Nasir Ahmed, said, “We had been thinking about this makeover for a long time. But the fact that the library is in a rented space, initiating a renovation seemed a mammoth task. However, with the induction of new members who were willing to work for the betterment of the library, we realized the importance of having a new-age library for the readers. The books were decaying, racks were falling off, and we were seeing the legacy of the library being destroyed. So, we had a couple of meetings and decided to go for a complete renovation.”

On being asked about the library’s rare collection, Haque said, “It houses some rare books and manuscripts like the Urdu translations of the Mahabharata and Ramayana and the Awadh Punch, an Urdu satirical weekly.”

From archaic library to new-age library-cum-information centre

A budget of Rs 10,00,000 has been estimated to give a face-lift to the library, which is being done under the leadership of Usman Ghani, head of office and ALIO, National Library.

Ghani explained the transition that the library is undergoing at the moment. He told eNewsroom, “The library will be undergoing a gradual metamorphosis, where we will witness its transition from a local library to a state-of-art library cum information centre that will cater to the needs of the new-age readers, researchers and bibliophiles.”

Elaborating on the slew of changes that the library will undergo, he said, “A complete structural makeover has been initiated, which will be followed by the restoration of books, cataloguing, digitization of rare books that the library boasts off. I will be overseeing the indexing, cataloguing and digitization of books.”

Adding to that, Ahmed said, “Once we are done with the renovation, we plan to introduce computers and digital readers. We also plan to make the library air-conditioned and use it as an information centre from where the youths can not just get information about the competitive exams but also use other resources available here to prepare for the exam.”

Ghani also mentioned that the library would have its own website and offer online services, enabling readers to register, request, renew, and even read books online.

The proposed upgrade will take almost six months to complete. Talking about funds, Ahmed said, “We sought help from Siddiqullah Chowdhury, minister-in-charge of Mass Education Extension & Library Services. We are hopeful to get some help from him. Local MP and MLA have also been approached to help us bring Mohammed Ali Library to life . 

source: http://www.enewsroom.in / eNews Room India / Home> Bengal> Let There Be Light / by Shabina Akhtar / December 05th, 2023

Unsung Hero: Bhopal’s Syed Abid Helps Bring Stranded Citizens Home From Across The World

Amazing Feats, Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Community Involvement / Social Issues, World Opinion

Bhopal, MADHYA PRADESH:

Abid, a painter, puts immense effort to help bring back stranded people to India, the act which brings cheers to the families. He has mastered the skill, how to deal with embassies, journalists, officials and celebs to raise each issue and bring back the lost person.

Syed Abid Hussain

Bhopal:

A man has been quietly helping Indian citizens caught in difficult circumstances in countries across the world for years.

Known for lending a helping hand to any family whose kin is trapped far away, he uses all his links and puts energy into the efforts to bring the person back home.

Syed Abid Hussain has mastered the skill to deal with the bureaucracy in different countries and with the use of social media, reunites such people with their families.

By profession, Abid is neither a bureaucrat nor a politician, who has contacts and departments to follow their instructions but he is just a painter and single man army.

And even not being associated with any government organisation, he has so far helped hundreds of people stuck in countries spread over the Middle East, West Asia, Europe and other parts of the world. Abid keeps getting calls and messages from families who have their kin caught in a country and even those whose whereabouts are not known.

The ‘Mesiah’ has developed a style of his own to resolve these cases. Whether it’s the case of a person who is untraceable or has been kept unlawfully by someone in a foreign land, Abid uses social media, particularly Twitter, to bring focus on the disappearance of the person or his plight. He tags officials of the particular country, their embassies and the Indian Embassy.

He also messages prominent personalities of the particular country, including peaceniks or activists, film actors, journalists and urges them to raise the issue. Subsequently, it comes in media in those countries, gets attention and opens the door to the person’s return.

During the Russia and Ukraine crisis, he helped dozens of youth to return with his efforts.

“I don’t have a strong financial background but I never take a penny for this work. It’s just for the sake of humanity and social work”, he says.

The number of people Abid helped bring back to the country is uncounted now. “I don’t do it for any number or statistics, I stopped counting, the figure is more than 500,” he says. “Whenever I get a call I start working on the mission. I feel that the victim’s family must not get depressed and lose hope”, he adds. One of the first cases that brought him nationwide attention was when he helped the family of a missing boy, Kailash Arjunwar.

“I found through a newspaper report about Kailash, who is from Madhya Pradesh that he had somehow overstayed on the other side of the border and was caught, and kept in jail. I began my efforts. After a long process, Kailash was rescued with the help of the foreign ministry. I constantly kept raising his issue until it got resolved”, he recalled.

Recently, Abid helped get 12 people from a country in West Asia to return to India. These people, Harendra Ram, hails from Siwan (Bihar), Jai Soorat (Ghazipur), Dharmendra Kumar (Deoria), Sheetal Singh (Kapurthala), Husan Lal (Jalandhar), Surendra Verma (Sant Kabir Nagar), Ved Prakash (Kushinagar), Hardas Prakash (Ghazipur) and Shiv Locahn of Mau along with others were reunited with their families.

From yet another country, he helped bring 48 persons back to India, in January.
A painter by profession, he was born in Faizabad, UP.

Abid, 38, says that when he started helping people stuck in foreign lands, he came to know about a lot of factors, especially how some people who are less educated are fooled by their employers or agents who take them to those countries but they end up working as bonded labourers sometimes & are even not allowed to contact families.

When Abid comes to know about a family that has a person ‘lost’ in a country, he takes documents and contacts the government, foreign ministry, the particular country’s consulate and embassies in both countries. Mostly he manages to get them returned. Former Minister for External Affairs Sushma Swaraj also used to know him for his efforts.
Sandeep Kumar, who was helped rescued by Abid recalls, “Our company had promised a job in the construction sector. After paying money to the agent, we were cheated.” “Our families told Abid bhai, who started the campaign because we couldn’t do anything. He also ran a hashtag to save us and this led to action (return),” says Sandeep, who is thankful to the activist for his role.

In the case of Babar Ali, who was stuck in Mozambique, the family approached Abid. “Babar was promised a big salary but when he reached there, he was not paid and made to work 18 hrs daily apart from harassment and torture”, said his family members. “He made a video and managed to send it. Then Abid took up the case and the Embassy acted, bringing Babar back”, a family member mentioned.

Abid has been felicitated many times and got awards too for his work.

Abid has been affectionately called ‘Bajrangi Bhaijan’ because of the movie and the similarity of his work with the Salman Khan starrer Bollywood flick.

source: http://www.enewsroom.in / eNews Room India / Home> Freshly Brewed> Madhya Pradesh / by Shams Ur Rehman Alavi / February 02nd, 2023

Mehboob Ali Kaiser, NDA’s Lone Muslim MP In Bihar, Joins RJD

Community Involvement / Social Issues, Leaders, ,

BIHAR :

“Kaiser-saheb is joining us after a meeting with party president Lalu Prasad-ji. We stand to gain from his experience. It is a development that will send across a strong message in favour of our fight to protect the Constitution, which is facing threat from the ruling dispensation,” said Tejashwi Yadav.

Mehboob Ali Kaiser joins RJD /  Photo: PT

LJP MP Mehboob Ali Kaiser, the lone Muslim to have been elected to the Lok Sabha from the BJP-led NDA in Bihar, joined the RJD on Sunday, in a shot in the arm for the opposition party amid the elections.

Kaiser, who sided with former Union minister Pashupati Kumar Paras when the latter split the LJP, and was denied a ticket this time by Chirag Paswan despite efforts to seek rapprochement, joined the RJD in the presence of its leader Tejashwi Yadav.

“Kaiser-saheb is joining us after a meeting with party president Lalu Prasad-ji. We stand to gain from his experience. It is a development that will send across a strong message in favour of our fight to protect the Constitution, which is facing threat from the ruling dispensation,” said Yadav.

Born into the family that ruled the erstwhile princely state of Simri Bakhtiyarpur in Saharsa district, Kaiser started his political career with the Congress and headed the party’s state unit till 2013.

He joined the LJP in 2014 and won the Khagaria seat, which he retained five years later.

His relations with Chirag Paswan, the then LJP president, began to sour when the party denied a ticket to his son Yusuf Salahuddin in the 2020 assembly polls.

Salahuddin went on to contest and win the Simri Bakhtiyarpur seat on an RJD ticket.

It was not immediately known whether the RJD, which has announced candidates for all but one of the 23 Lok Sabha seats it is contesting, will be fielding Kaiser in the ongoing elections.

source: http://www.outlookindia.com / Outlook / Home> Elections / by PTI / August 21st, 2024

India’s new UNESCO site museum reveals Mughal emperor’s life, legacy

Amazing Feats, Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Business & Economy, Community Involvement / Social Issues, Leaders, Museums, Libraries (wef. April 16th, 2022), Royal Families, PreIndependence -Descendants (wef. Jan 02nd,2022), Travel & Tourism, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

NEW DELHI :

  • Humayun World Heritage Site Museum in New Delhi opened for visitors on Tuesday
  • Latest addition to 16th-century tomb complex ‘brings alive 700 years of heritage’

Visitors look at artifacts at the Humayun World Heritage Site Museum — the newest addition in Humayun’s Tomb complex — in New Delhi on July 29, 2024. (AN Photo)

https://arab.news/4zpjh

New Delhi :

The second Mughal emperor Humayun was widely known as an avid reader fond of journeys, architecture, and storytelling. Almost half a millennium after his death, a new museum in the heart of New Delhi highlights his role in shaping India’s cultural heritage.


Opened for visitors on Tuesday, the Humayun World Heritage Site Museum is the newest addition in Humayun’s Tomb complex — a landmark 300-acre area in New Delhi’s Nizamuddin that features dozens of historical monuments and includes Sunder Nursery, a 16th-century heritage park.


The advent of the Mughal dynasty, which ruled the Indian subcontinent between the 16th and 19th centuries, marked the global revival of Islamic architecture, with works that until today are examples of the highest quality and refinement.


Originally from Central Asia, the Mughals carried cultural elements borrowed from Arabs, Persians and Ottomans. As they settled in India, they fused these with the various local styles found in their new domains.


Humayun was the son and successor of Babur, founder of the dynasty, and ruled the empire from 1530 to 1540 and again from 1555 until his death the following year.


The new museum, established by the Agha Khan Trust for Culture and the Archaeological Survey of India, traces Humayun and his descendants’ lives, as well as the 700-year-old history of the whole Nizamuddin locality and its influence on Indian culture.


“There are hundreds of stories to be told, which the stones don’t speak,” Ratish Nanda, conservation architect and projects director at the AKTC, told Arab News. “The idea is to bring alive 700 years of heritage.”


The museum is located in Humayun’s Tomb, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the first of the grand mausoleums that became synonymous with Mughal architectural innovations and, three generations later, culminated in the construction of India’s most iconic monument, the Taj Mahal.
About 7 million tourists from across India and abroad visit the complex every year.


“The idea is that people who now visit the World Heritage Site come with a deep understanding of the site,” Nanda said.


“We’ve been able to … combine architectural elements with incredible manuscripts, miniature paintings, calligraphy, textiles, coins, metalware, architectural elements — one is two one scale — with lots of films and digital technology, and models and so on.”


Spanning five galleries, the underground museum has over 500 artefacts sourced from the collections of the National Museum in New Delhi, ASI and AKTC.


“It captures the 700 years of history that is associated with the region of Nizamuddin and the World Heritage site of Humayun’s Tomb …This museum really captures the history,” said Ujwala Menon, AKTC conservation architect.


“The principal gallery talks about Humayun. There’s very little known about this emperor, and one of the things with this museum is to really address that … Then we have a second section of this gallery which talks about the personalities that are associated with Nizamuddin.”


Among the famed figures featured in the second gallery are Nizamuddin Auliya and Amir Khusro.
Auliya was an 13th-century Indian Sunni Muslim scholar, Sufi saint of the Chishti Order, and is one of the most famous Sufis from the Indian subcontinent. His shrine and tomb are located near Humayun’s complex.


Khusro was a 13th-century poet and scholar who remains an iconic figure in the culture of the subcontinent.


Both Auliya and Khusro lived during the period of the Delhi Sultanate, which Humayun’s father conquered, leading to its succession by the Mughal empire. The museum shows how the empire did not come to its bloom in a cultural vacuum, but drew from and incorporated the culture of its predecessors.


“There was this idea of pluralism that existed during the Mughal period,” Menon said.
“And this (museum) really captures all of that.”

source: http://www.arabnews.com / Arab News / Home> World / by Sanjay Kumar / July 31st, 2024

From Sunil Dutt to Salman Khan: Baba Siddique was a political powerhouse with strong bollywood connections

Community Involvement / Social Issues, Leaders

Mumbai, MAHARASHTRA :

Bollywood and politics unite in grief after Baba Siddique’s tragic murder in Mumbai.

He played peacemaker between one-time warring superstars Salman Khan and Shah Rukh Khan at what was one of the most viral moments of 2013 before the social media rage kicked in and was a protege, even a second son, to cinema veteran Sunil Dutt.

NCP leader and former Maharashtra minister Baba Siddique, who was shot dead on Saturday night, epitomised the symbiotic relationship between politics and the Hindi film industry.

Baba Siddique with Salman Khan X/@BabaSiddique

His grand iftar parties were a starry affair attended by right from the Khans to filmmaker Kabir Khan, celebrity designer Manish Malhotra, and actors Urmila Matondkar, Katrina Kaif, Huma Qureshi, Sonu Sood, Sushant Singh Rajput, Ankita Lokhande, Kiara Advani, R Madhavan, and Aditi Rao Hydari.

Dutt’s daughter and Congress leader Priya Dutt said she is “shocked” by Siddique’s death.

“Baba was more than a political associate; he was family. To my father, Baba Siddique was like a son, and to me, he was a brother and a dear friend,” she wrote in an X post.

With Suniel Shetty/ X/@BabaSiddique

Siddique, a popular figure in Bollywood circles who earned praise for supplying life-saving medicines to patients during the COVID-19 pandemic, was waylaid by three men at Kher Nagar in Mumbai’s Bandra area just outside his MLA son Zeeshan Siddique’s office and shot at on Saturday night.

He was taken to the Lilavati Hospital where he was declared dead.

Siddique, 66, was brought into politics by the late Congress MP Dutt, who represented Mumbai North West for five consecutive terms.

With Sohail Khan/ X/@BabaSiddique

Siddique joined the Indian National Congress (INC) as a teenager back in 1977. Even when he became a part of the Ajit Pawar-led National Congress Party (NCP) in February, he acknowledged the role of Dutt in his political career.

Priya Dutt said Siddique stood “steadfast” by her father throughout his political journey and beyond.

“When I entered politics, he guided me through its ups and downs, offering his unwavering support. His loss feels like the departure of a family member. My heart bleeds for Bhabhi, Zeeshan, and Arshia.

With Chunky Pandey X/@BabaSiddique

“May God grant them the resilience to bear this immense sorrow. May his soul rest in eternal peace. Farewell, dear brother. #BabaSiddiqui,” she wrote on the microblogging site.

It was his connection to Dutt that helped Siddique secure an MLA ticket in 1999 from Bandra West, a seat he retained for three back-to-back terms. Not only politics, former actor Dutt also introduced the political leader to the world of Bollywood.

After the news of Siddique’s death broke, Dutt’s son, actor Sanjay Dutt was one of the first celebrities to visit the late politician at the Lilavati Hospital where he was declared dead on Saturday night.

With Javed Jaffrey/ X/@BabaSiddique

Salman and Shilpa Shetty, along with her businessman-husband Raj Kundra, were also photographed reaching the hospital to meet Siddique’s family.

It was at Siddique’s 2013 iftar party, hosted at a five-star hotel in Mumbai, that Salman and Shah Rukh buried the hatchet.

The two Khans were on unfriendly terms since their spat at Katrina’s birthday party in 2008. The feud was so bitter that they avoided each other not only at private parties but also at public events.

There are several videos on the Internet capturing one of the highlights for the fans of the duo hugging it out back in 2013.

With Salman and Shahrukh Khan/ PTI

The iftar was on when Salman patted Shah Rukh on his shoulder, who was sitting next to his screenwriter-father Salim Khan, to embrace his “Karan-Arjun” co-star, thus ending their infamous rivalry.

A year later, Salman also endorsed Congress’ Siddique when he spent an afternoon in Ahmedabad with the then BJP’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi on the kite-flying festival of Uttarayan.

“In our constituency Bandra, where it’s my responsibility to cast a vote, the best people there are Baba Siddiqui and Priya Dutt. You have to give Modi sahab the vote, I have to give my people the vote,” the superstar said.

With Rapper MC Stan X/@BabaSiddique

Matondkar, a Shiv Sena member, said she was “extremely saddened” to learn about Siddique’s death.

“May God grant strength to @zeeshan_iyc and his family in this tragic time. Prayers for the soul departed,” the former Congress leader said.

“My heart goes out to @zeeshan_iyc and the entire family- May god give them strength to brave this difficult time. The perpetrators of this horrific crime must be brought to justice,” actor Riteish Deshmukh wrote on X.

With Sunil Dutt X/@BabaSiddique

Two of the accused have been arrested — Gurmail Baljit Singh (23), a resident of Haryana, and Dharmaraj Rajesh Kashyap (19), a native of Uttar Pradesh. Some teams have also been sent out of Maharashtra to nab the third accused who is still at large, police said.

The accused have been booked under relevant Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita sections, including for murder, as well as provisions of the Arms Act and the Maharashtra Police Act, they said. 

source: http://www.telegraphindia.com / The Telegraph Online / Home / October 13th, 2024