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.
Umed