www.ismaili.net

Karachi 6th December 2003,

YAM to all,

It has been a long trip!

In Chitral, Mowlana Hazar imam gave 2 didars, one in Gharam Chasma in
the morning and one in Booni at noon on 4th of December.

On the road from Chitral, several arches were raised with colorful
decorations, My Flags and words of “Welcome Aga Khan” or “Welcome
Mowlana Hazar Imam” and “Didar Mubarak”

Young Volunteers were standing near some of those Arches with tea and
apples for the people arriving for Didar. As we said no for tea, they
insisted to offer us 4 apples in a plate, which we could not refuse…

People were coming for Didar from everywhere, Tajikistan,
Afghanistan, China, Iran. We met some Iranians which knew very well, they came for the didar of Booni. Booni is 2 hours drive from Chitral city.

We met the “Pir” of Chitral and also the “Pir” of China [Kashgar?],
some people walked for 6 days through the Wakhanr Corridor before
reaching Booni. We were told that arrangement of a land of about 140,000 sq. feet was made in Booni by putting together lands of several
people some of which were Sunnis. The Sunnis said that they did not want
any rent for the lot as it was enough for them that the Imam will
step on their land and this will give them so much barakah.

Booni is a small village of 3,000 people, half Ismailis, surrounded
from all sides by a circle of mountains. The scenery is
indescriptible. Didar was at 12 a.m. but the “Didar Dargah” as
they called it, behind the JK and Council Office, was almost full by
10 a.m.

People were accommodating the flow of new comers up to the time there
was really no place. By then, about 100,000 thousands people were
sitting in the Didar Dargah. Then about 3,000 more came and they took
place either behind the curtains, or on roofs of the surrounding
houses and even on the branched of the trees.

Few minutes before noon the sound of helicopters started louder and
louder and all looked at the heavens, we knew the Imam was coming.
The emotions were high.

They had improvised some helipad for Mowlana Hazar Imam’s helicopter
coming from Booni where the Imam was scheduled to come after his
Didar in Gharam Chasma. Earlier that day he had arrived in Chitral
with a C130 army plane.

At exactly noon, the Helicopter appeared from behind the direction in
which the Jamat was sitting and made a semi-circle to slowly land
just behind the stage. Another one carrying the chamchas followed
this helicopter J

Mowlana Hazar Imam was welcomed by the pipe band and volunteers and
officials. He entered the Didar Dargah and sat on his throne. The
entire Jamat was crying.

Ouups, the internet café is closing. will complete this and post it
on the Heritage web site soon..

Umed

Thanks for sharing this with us.
lot of Mubaraki to you and heritage team to have Deedar.

This was reliably reported to me by Allauddin bhai who went to deedar in chitral.

All the visitors were given a place to sit near the stage.

This is in contrast to Dubai where the gulf jamat had the spaces near the stage reserved for them selves. (I am not complaining but bringing attention to the difference in the attitudes)

I am looking forward to the day when the early comers to JK will park further away from JK out of consideration for the late comers who will have less time to reach dua.

Now I know this may not happen anytime soon but something even greater has already happened in chitral.

Shams