Ismaili and Aga Khan in History: Today0321

Today in History: March 21
We wish you Navroz Mubarak!

In Fatimid Egypt, the Navroz Festival was celebrated nationally during the reign of the first eight Fatimid Caliphs from 358 A.H. to 487 A.H. Although Fatimide Imams were ruling all over Egypt, this festival was in no sense an exclusively Ismaili festival because the Ismailis even at that time were a minority group. Also, this day we should remember that Our Beloved Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), Salman Pak and Hazrat Ali were also celebrating Navroz in their time.

1843, March 21: The Ismailis celebrated the occasion of Navroz with great pomp and jubilation for the first time with the Imam on Indian soil on March 21, 1843 in Jerruk, where few marriages were also performed in presence of the Imam. On the day of Navroz, the Imam declared Jerruk as his headquarters (darkhana) in India and reappointed Datoo, son of Merali as the Mukhi of Jerruk Jamatkhana. It became a place of rendez vous of the Ismailis from Kutchh in South, Sind and Baluchistan in the West and the Punjab and the Frontier in the North. It enjoyed this status for about 21 months till Bombay was declared the next headquarters on December 16, 1845.

1928, March 21: Karam Hussain was appointed as the first President of the Ismaili District Council for Multan on March 21, 1928. He also became known as President Karam Hussain among the Punjabi Ismailis. He remained busy in dealing with the opponents and had to stay few months in Sialkot and other cities. On account of his constant absence in Multan, Varas Nazar Ali, the Vice-President and some other members of the Council passed a resolution in 1930 against him for the appointment of a new President. A copy of the resolution was forwarded to the Imam in Bombay. In his reply, Imam Sultan Mohammed Shah wrote that, “Karam Hussain is a life-president of the District Council for Multan, and there will be no replacement for him.” He died in a room, now a library in the Jamatkhana at Pak Gate, Multan at 7.00 a.m. on September 3, 1934 at the age of 52 years. In his message through Mukhi Hussain, Imam Sultan Mohammed Shah said, "The soul of late Karam Hussain reached my presence." [More]

1934, March 21: Mowlana Sultan Muhammad Shah graced an audience to Wazir Saboor Chatoor his residence in Colombo, and said to his wife, “Did you bring kanak?” She didn’t understand it. The Imam said, ”Did you bring wheat?” She replied affirmatively and brought wheat in a plate. The Imam took the plate and gave it to Wazir Saboor Chatoor, and said, “I appoint you the Mukhi for my Colombo jamat.” The Imam also said, “Today is a Navroz. I give you the rozi for world and religion". Wazir Saboor Chatoor stayed Mukhi of Colombo Jamat for 32 years.

1961, March 21: Mowlana Shah Karim established the Ismailia Federal Council for Pakistan and Vazir Amir Ali Fancy had the honour of becoming its first President.

1968, March 21: At Paris, Mowlana Shah Karim graciously blessed the Souvenirs produced by the Jamat of India on the occasion of Tenth Imamat Anniversary.

1969, March 21: According to the 21st March 1969 issue of Africa Ismaili (Suplement on Ismaili Research), page 18, Professor Syed Qudratullah Fatmi visited the Ismailia Association for Pakistan and mentioned to the research student that he believed that during the 11th century, Ismailis ruled Vietnam and were connected with Fatimid Egypt.

1980, March 21: Mowlana Shah Karim arrived in Bombay on the 21st March, where they were guests of the Governor of Maharastra, Governor Sadiq Ali.

2003, March 21 - The Aga Khan Education Services (AKES) intends to build a centre of excellence in Tanzania which will teach, among other subjects, computer and language skills and physical education. AKES will also build similar centres in Kenya, Uganda, Madagascar, Bangladesh, India, Mozambique, the Kyrgyz Republic and Tajikistan.[Guardian]