Latest news with #AsharaMubaraka
The Hindu
11-07-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Stalin hosts Dawoodi Bohra leaders at his residence; ₹1 crore handed over to CMPRF
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Friday hosted the leaders of the Dawoodi Bohra community at his residence. On the occasion, they contributed ₹1 crore to the Chief Minister's Public Relief Fund (CMPRF). The 53rd leader of Dawoodi Bohra community Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin and senior representatives called on the Chief Minister in his camp office in Chennai and thanked him for the State government's support. Chennai hosted the annual Ashara Mubaraka congregations of the Dawoodi Bohra community. In a social media post, Mr. Stalin said: 'Deeply moved by the gracious gesture of gratitude from the @Dawoodi_Bohras. It was a privilege to host them at my residence and I sincerely appreciate their generous contribution of ₹1 crore to the #CMPRF.'
The Hindu
11-07-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Stalin pays tributes to freedom fighter Veeran Azhagumuthu Kone on birth anniversary
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin paid floral tributes to the statue of freedom fighter Veeran Azhagumuthu Kone on the occasion of his birth anniversary at a function near the Egmore railway station in Chennai on Friday. Mr. Stalin also hailed the freedom fighter in a social media post. Ministers S. Regupathy, K.R. Periakaruppan, M.P. Saminathan, R.S. Rajakannappan, Ma. Subramanian, and P.K. Sekarbabu; Chennai Mayor R. Priya; legislators Thayagam Kavi, A. Vetriazhagan, Joseph Samuel, A.M.V. Prabhakara Raja, and senior officials also paid their tributes to the freedom fighter. Meanwhile, the 53rd leader of Dawoodi Bohra community, Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin, and senior representatives called on the Chief Minister at his camp office in Chennai and thanked him for the State government's support in hosting the community's annual Ashara Mubaraka congregation. Separately, in a social media post, Mr. Stalin said it was the birth centenary of Thavathiru Kundrakudi Adigal. Recalling that Kundrakudi Adigal undertook the campaign for chanting in Tamil during worship, Mr. Stalin also pointed out that he had stood by the side of the late leader 'Periyar' E.V. Ramasamy and former Chief Ministers C.N. Annadurai and M. Karunanidhi.
The Hindu
09-07-2025
- General
- The Hindu
Dawoodi Bohra community's congregation efforts to remain inclusive to all
Relief is what Tasnim Lodghar describes when she didn't have to worry about the well being or the mental load of her 17-year-old child with cerebral palsy during the Ashara Mubaraka congregation, which was held in Chennai this year. 'It would require a lot of planning for the 10 days from co-ordinating the auto and looking after my son throughout the sermon. The first thought I had when I wanted to attend was how I would manage. The stress from planning alone was huge. But this time it had been organised with the specially-abled children in mind which helped me a lot. It helped me be present at the congregation,' said Tasnim Lodghar. Held at the start of the Islamic month of Muharram, Ashara Mubaraka is an occasion marked by sermons and prayers in remembrance of Prophet Muhammed, his grandson Imam Husain, and his companions. This year, the congregation — led by Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin, the leader of the global Dawoodi Bohra community — returned to Chennai after 50 years, drawing tens of thousands of attendees from around the world to mark the occasion. This year, the congregation saw 43,000 people, with over 120 children with disabilities participating. The brain child of the health wing of the Dawoodi Bohra community, the organisers paid extra focus to integrate the persons with disabilities - from providing a calming room to employing special educators and training volunteers. 'This time was different as we focused on specially-abled children and adults. We have created separate zones for them to enhance their experience,' said Hasan Kapi, member of the Dawoodi Bohra community. In the congregation hall, three zones were marked for persons with disability. One zone was for hearing impaired people, where a sign language interpreter translated the entire sermon to them. The other two zones accommodate people with multi disorders such as autism, down syndrome, cerebral palsy, polio-affected child, visually-impaired and people with muscular dystrophies. There were seven special educators and 11 volunteers present to help them out. Explaining the process of preparation Nafisa Manaf, a Chennai-based special educator who is part of the team said, 'The preparation for the event began 15 days before it began on July 27. When the parents registered we looked into the severity of the disability in children. We communicated about the kind of food the child eats, their independence in using a toilet, crowd management. We worked with parents to know more about their needs.' When the child affected with autism spectrum disorder gets agitated or overstimulated the special educators take note and remove them from the area to calm them down. 'We take care of them and engage them to listen to the sermon. When they have periods of hyperactivity, we remove them from the zone and calm them in a separate calming room. There the children are engaged with sensory toys or some might want to run around to expend the energy. Once done, we bring them back to the hall,' she added. The children have to sit through a sermon of four hours. As many as 120 children were identified as disabled but only 70 children were in the zones as they required more assistance. The efforts paid off as Nafisa points out that the children adapted quickly and understood the routine. 'The children were able to sit throughout the sermon. Many children with disabilities are sensitive to the food but by day three they were able to eat from the tal (community plate) with their families and others around them with no hassle,' she added.
The Hindu
03-07-2025
- General
- The Hindu
Dawoodi Bohra community's event adopts practices to cut down on generation of waste
What does it take to feed 43,000 people twice a day for 10 days, without leaving behind mountains of waste? At the Ashara Mubaraka event in the city, the Dawoodi Bohra community took on the challenge head-on and have managed to turn a massive spiritual gathering into an example of environmental stewardship. Held at the start of the Islamic month of Muharram, Ashara Mubaraka is an occasion marked by sermons and prayers in remembrance of Prophet Muhammed, his grandson Imam Husain, and his companions. This year, the congregation led by Syedna — the leader of the global Dawoodi Bohra community — returned to Chennai after 50 years, drawing tens of thousands of attendees from around the world to mark the occasion. Murtaza Sadriwala, member of the Dawoodi Bohra community, said an army of volunteers from the 'dhana committee' work every day to reduce the event's environmental footprint. 'We promote mindful food consumption and educate attendees about waste segregation. We also try to incorporate 'My waste, my responsibility' in every aspect of the Ashara Mubaraka,' he said. The organisers also distributed 'sustainable passports' to attendees, which has a pledge to maintain cleanliness, to help them navigate the city easily, save energy, reduce food waste, and use water responsibly. According to Tasneem Kutubuddin, another member of the Bohra community, close to 1 lakh meals are prepared a day. To manage the waste, the organisers have roped in Earth Recycler Pvt. Ltd. across various zones to handle both wet and dry waste. Volunteers and staff ensured strict segregation at the source, with eight to 13 waste landing areas set up in each hall, including separate bins for wet and dry waste. Daily waste volumes vary by zone, with wet waste ranging from 230 kg to 1.8 tonnes and dry waste between 1.15 and 2.8 tonnes. The organic waste, mainly leftover food, vegetable peels, and bones, is sent for composting or bagasse processing, while dry waste, such as cartons, PET bottles, and bagasse plates, is sent to specialised recyclers. As Mohammed Dawood S., operations manager at Earth Recycler Pvt. Ltd., said: 'We send cartons for recycling. PET bottles are sent for polystyrene manufacturing, and bagasse plates are used again for manufacturing corrugated boxes.' Leftover uncooked food was redirected to orphanages, minimising edible waste. Thanks to the efforts of more than 1,000 volunteers and 400 staff, the event is said to have achieved a waste recovery rate of 98%-99%, with only minimal non-recyclables such as soiled paper cups reaching landfills.
Time of India
03-07-2025
- General
- Time of India
Dawoodi Bohra head Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin highlights unity and faith through light
Dawoodi Bohra head Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin delivers a sermon in Chennai CHENNAI: Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin, head of the global Dawoodi Bohra community, delivered the eighth sermon of Ashara Mubaraka in Chennai on Wednesday, focusing on the sun as a symbol of connection, knowledge and spiritual vitality. Drawing on celestial themes explored throughout the week, Syedna described the sun's light as a unifying force—linking life across the planet and serving as a reminder of shared humanity. He urged followers to build bridges across divides of language, culture, and geography, much like the sun's rays connect all of creation. Referencing Islamic tradition and Fatimid philosophy, Syedna compared the sun's light to the wisdom of spiritual leaders like Imam Ali, whose knowledge dispels ignorance and sustains inner growth. He also encouraged the community to embrace entrepreneurship, innovation, and integrity in their business endeavours. You Can Also Check: Chennai AQI | Weather in Chennai | Bank Holidays in Chennai | Public Holidays in Chennai The Ashara Mubaraka sermons, which commemorate the sacrifices of Prophet Mohammed's grandson Imam Husain and his family, are being held at a congregation attended by 43,000 people in Chennai and broadcast to over 250,000 followers across India and Colombo. For Dawoodi Bohras, this period is a time of spiritual reflection, learning, and unity.
