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.

chadar from obama 1

chadar

chadar from obama 1

chadar from obama 1

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May 8,2024

Mangaluru: The Mangaluru North police have apprehended a minor in connection with alleged voyeurism incident reported in a private medical college in Mangaluru. 

DCP (Law and order) Sidharth Goyal said that the minor was produced before JJ Board as per due procedure. The incident came to light when a mobile phone was found in women's washroom in the college. 

The mobile-phone was discovered as it was ringing even when no one was in the toilet by the security guard of the college. 

Investigations revealed that the mobile phone had been strategically placed in the restroom. As a result, a case has been registered under north police station.

Further scrutiny into the matter uncovered the identity of the accused, a minor male aged 17, who had gained access to the college premises under the guise of being a patient. Following his apprehension, the accused was presented before the Juvenile Justice (JJ) Board in adherence to legal protocols.

The phone has been seized and a case has been booked under IPC section 354 (C), said the DCP.

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May 17,2024

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Hubballi, May 17: Karnataka Police have arrested the killer, Vishwa, also known as Girish, in the sensational Anjali Ambigera murder case, police said on Friday.

Preliminary investigations reveal that Vishwa was a habitual thief who exploited innocent young women. The accused is also a drunkard and was caught while attempting to commit theft. He was also part of a gang which stole bikes.

The accused targeted gullible young women, enacting a drama of love and playing the emotional card to forcefully extort gold, silver, and cash from them. When Anjali did not agree to any of his attempts to rob her and outrightly rejected his offer to go with him to Mysuru city, he brutally killed her.

The police had formed two teams to hunt down the killer. One of the teams was searching in the south Karnataka region, and another team, which launched a hunt in Davanagere, nabbed him. The accused was arrested by the police on Thursday.

The police could not catch him sooner as the killer did not carry a mobile phone and did not use his phone for 15 days, before murdering Anjali. The jurisdictional Bendigeri Police were aware of the killer's history, but even after the complaint by the girl’s family, they showed "utter negligence".

The 24-year-old Vishwa entered Anjali Ambigera's (20) residence at 5.30 A.M. on Wednesday and stabbed the young woman multiple times before she could react. Vishwa dragged Anjali Ambigera all over the house, kicking and stabbing her. Later, he pushed her into the kitchen where he stabbed her repeatedly.

Despite efforts by Anjali’s grandmother and two sisters to stop the attacker, he killed her and managed to flee. The incident occurred in the Veerapura Oni area within the jurisdiction of the Bendigeri Police Station.

Vishwa had been blackmailing Anjali and pressurising her to accompany him to Mysuru without informing her parents. The incident which took place close on the heels of MCA student Neha Hiremath’s brutal murder by the jilted lover has raised concern over the safety of women all across the state.

The BJP had demanded the resignation of Home Minister G. Parameshwara while the Congress leaders have also demanded that the Hubballi-Dharwad Police Commissioner Renuka Sukumar should be transferred for failing to sensitise the police force regarding issues of women’s safety.

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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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