With Love from Obama, a 'Chadar' for Ajmer Sharif

April 18, 2015

Mumbai, April 18: The 803rd Urs (annual feast) celebrations of the revered saint Hazrat Khawaja Moinuddin Hasan Chisty of Ajmer, starting Monday, will be momentous affair this year - thanks to US President Barack Obama.

chadar from obama

A red coloured, richly embroidered 'chadar' (holy cloth) will be offered on Obama's behalf at the mausoleum of the Garib Nawaz on the inaugural day of the weeklong urs, Haji Syed Salman Chishty, director of Ajmer's Chishty Foundation, told media persons.

The 'chadar' was solemnly handed over to Haji Chishty "on behalf of the US government and Obama By US ambassador Richard Verma, deputy chief of mission Micheal Pelletier and other officials on Friday morning, with a request to present it at the Ajmer Dargah Sharif.

"It's a historic day and a welcome moment. It's the first gesture of extending spiritual greetings of peace to the Ajmer Dargah Sharif from a non-South Asian country's head of state," a pleased Haji Chishty, the 27th descendant of the saint, said while on a visit here for a function.

He explained that such 'chadars' and offerings are received with much respect and grace from presidents or prime ministers and other top leaders of several South Asian countries, including regulars like Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

"This is the first time that any non-South Asian country's head has sent a 'chadar' to the Ajmer Dargah Sharif. It will set a new trend for global peace among communities," Haji Chishty said, adding the 'chadar' from the US President will be offered at the mausoleum at 11 a.m. on Monday.

The 32-year old Haji Chishty, who is engaged in practical research on Sufi traditions and their impact on different cultures and traditions, has lectured around the world on the topic and recently went on a journey of exploration of Iran which he has preserved in the form of a photo-feature exhibited in Mumbai last month.

Haji Chishty arrived from the US where he attended an international Sufi conference and spoke at the United Nations as well as visited Washington and Harvard Univeristy in Boston, earlier this month.

"The underlying message is to promote spiritualism through harmony, peace and love for all, which was represented by the 11th century saint, Sultan-ul-Hind, Gharib Nawaz Hazrat Khawaja Moinuddin Hasan Chishty of Ajmer Sharif," Haji Chishty said.

The annual urs were launched Wednesday with the flag hoisting on the Ajmer Dargah Sharif after the evening prayers, with the entire Dargah complex decorated and glittering in colourful lights.

On Monday, which coincides with the 1st day of Rajab, the seventh month of the Islamic calendar, the urs officially starts with the 'mehfil-e-sama' in the Dargah Sharif.

There are various events lined up during the period with April 25 the main day of the urs and April 28 the concluding day, when the entire Dargah Sharif will be washed by devotees.

Moinuddin Chishty (1141-1236), who hailed from Sistan region of eastern Iran, travelled to India and introduced and established the 'Chishti' Order of Sufism at Ajmer.

It was mainly after emperor Akbar, who undertook a journey on foot from Agra to Ajmer during his reign that the Dargah emerged as one of the most important pilgrimage centres in India, which is revered by people of all religions.

Over the past eight centuries, it has been a favourite of several rulers, kings, emperors and in recent years, several leaders from Pakistan and other countries have visited the Ajmer Dargah Sharif to pay their respects.

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chadar

chadar from obama 1

chadar from obama 1

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News Network
May 3,2024

Bengaluru: In a shocking revelation, a former member of Hassan Zilla Panchayat (ZP) has accused incumbent JD(S) MP Prajwal Revanna of raping her multiple times over three years and videographing the alleged crime.

A case was registered by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) based on the statement by the 44-year-old survivor on Wednesday, May 1.

According to the First Information Report (FIR), the woman claimed that when she was a ZP member she used to visit the MLAs and MPs for various development works.

In one such instance in 2021, she met Prajwal seeking his help to get hostel seats for some female students at a local college. The woman, in her statement, said that since the MP was busy, she was asked to meet him the next day.

“The following day I visited the MP at his office and the MP's quarters in Hassan. The staff present there told me to wait on the first floor as there were many others in the hall. Prajwal spoke to some of the women waiting there, spoke with them and sent them off until I was the only one left,” the woman alleged.

As per the survivor, the MP then called her inside a room and she obliged.

“He held my hand, pulled me inside and locked the door. When I asked him why was he closing the door, he told me nothing would happen and made me sit on the bed. He said my husband should talk less and warned me of the consequences. He also said that because of my husband, his mother, Bhavani Revanna, missed the MLA ticket. He told me that if my husband wants to grow politically, I should listen to him [Prajwal],” the woman alleged.

Next, Prajwal allegedly told the woman to lie down on the bed and undress. When the woman refused and said that she would shout, Prajwal allegedly threatened her that he had a gun and warned of dire consequences for her and her husband.

The woman alleged that Prajwal took out his mobile phone and then raped her.

“He raped me and sexually assaulted me and recorded the act on his mobile phone,” the woman alleged. “He threatened to leak the video if I ever spoke about it and told me to be there whenever he wanted. After that, he used to video call me frequently, ask me to be naked during the call and raped me in multiple instances.”

The woman claimed that she was scared and did not make the incident public and chose to come forward after she learnt of the Special Investigation Team (SIT) set up by the Karnataka government to probe the alleged Hassan sex scandal.

A case was registered under Sections 376(2)(n) (commits rape repeatedly on the same woman), 506 (criminal intimidation), 354A(1)(physical contact and advances involving unwelcome and explicit sexual overtures), 354B (assault or use of criminal force to woman with intent to disrobe) and 354C (voyeurism) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and 66E (violation of privacy) of the Information Technology (IT) Act.

Prajwal is also accused in a sexual harassment case along with his father, Holenarasipur MLA HD Revanna, registered at the Holenarasipur police station in Hassan on April 28. 

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News Network
April 20,2024

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New Delhi: The Aam Aadmi Party on Saturday alleged that Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is being pushed towards a “slow death” inside Tihar jail by denying him insulin and consultations with his doctor.

Kejriwal, who has Type-2 diabetes, has been asking for insulin and a video conferencing with his family doctor but his requests are being denied by the jail administration, party spokesperson Saurabh Bharadwaj said in a press conference.

"I want to say with full responsibility that a conspiracy is underway for the slow death of Kejriwal," Bharadwaj claimed citing blood sugar readings of the Chief Minister in jail.

He also slammed the Tihar administration, BJP, Centre and Delhi LG for allegedly denying insulin to Kejriwal and said the Delhi Chief Minister had been suffering from diabetes for the last 20-22 years.

On Friday, the chief minister council Senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi said Kejriwal has not been administered insulin to control his sugar levels since his arrest, terming it “shocking” and “alarming”.

The ED had on Thursday claimed before the court that Kejriwal was eating food high in sugar like mangoes and sweets every day, despite having Type-2 diabetes, to create grounds for medical bail.

Kejriwal, however, refuted the ED’s claims by asserting before a court that the food he consumed was in conformity with the diet chart prepared by his doctor.

“Out of 48 meals sent from home, only three times mangoes were there…,” Singhvi told the court.

Bharadwaj said Kejriwal was allowed by the court to use a machine in the jail to monitor his daily blood sugar levels.

"Overall, it was a conspiracy to finish Kejriwal so his multiple organ damage and when he comes out of jail after 2-4 months he goes for treatment of kidney, heart and other organs," said Bharadwaj, who holds the portfolio of health in Delhi government.

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News Network
April 24,2024

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Campaigning for 14 Lok Sabha seats in Karnataka going to polls in the first phase on April 26 will come to an end on Wednesday evening.

A total of 247 candidates -- 226 men and 21 women -- are in the fray for this round of voting in most of the southern and coastal districts.

It is a straight electoral contest between the ruling Congress and the BJP-Janata Dal (Secular) combine in the State.

While the Congress is contesting in all 14 seats, BJP has fielded nominees in 11, and its alliance partner JD(S) in three -- Hassan, Mandya and Kolar.

Besides the three, the segments where elections will be held on Friday are: Udupi-Chikmagalur, Dakshina Kannada, Chitradurga, Tumkur, Mysore, Chamarajanagar, Bangalore Rural, Bangalore North, Bangalore Central, Bangalore South and Chikkballapur.

The intense campaigning for the past about a month saw Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah leading from the front for the BJP, holding rallies and roadshows. BJP President J P Nadda, some Union Ministers and Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant too pitched in.

Veteran BJP leader and former Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa and the party's state president B Y Vijayendra also campaigned extensively.

Congress president M Mallikarjun Kharge, senior leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar and Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy were among the prominent names who led the charge for the party.

And for the JD(S), it was the 90-year-old party patriarch and former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda and former Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy, who led the campaign.

Chikkaballapur has a maximum number of 29 candidates, followed by 24 in Bangalore Central and Dakshina Kannada has the least number - nine.

Kumaraswamy from Mandya, his brother-in-law and noted cardiologist C N Manjunath from Bangalore Rural on a BJP ticket, erstwhile Mysuru royal family scion Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar from Mysore, also from the BJP, and state Congress President Shivakumar's brother and MP D K Suresh from Bangalore Rural, are among the prominent candidates in the fray in the first phase.

The state has a total of 28 Lok Sabha segments. The remaining 14 constituencies, mostly in the northern districts, will go to polls on May seven.

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