Latest news with #Farahi
Time of India
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Calligraphy a therapeutic & creative pursuit for women
Mumbai: A few years ago, Hajra Aijaz Farahi faced a personal crisis. Negative thoughts weighed her down, and bouts of nervousness began affecting her productivity. Then, a computer teacher and her elder sister suggested she learn calligraphy. Next, she walked into senior calligrapher Mehmood Shaikh's calligraphy class in Jogeshwari West. "I went there just to see what it's about as I did not know anything about this art," says Farahi, an Arts graduate from Bhavan's College, Andheri West. She fell in love with this beautiful art instantly. As she picked up the pointed pen and began giving strokes, it calmed her nerves and restored her confidence. "It worked like magic. I got involved in it so deeply that I forgot the worries that nagged me endlessly," says Farahi, now a trained calligrapher whose recent show at Islam Gymkhana received huge admiration from viewers. Apart from attending Shaikh's classes at Jogeshwari, Farahi honed her skills also at senior calligrapher Aslam Kiratpuri's classes at Mumbai University's Kalina campus. You Can Also Check: Mumbai AQI | Weather in Mumbai | Bank Holidays in Mumbai | Public Holidays in Mumbai As World Calligraphy Day (August 13) nears, it seems relevant to talk about this vibrant form of visual art as among its many takers increasingly are Muslim women. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like TV providers are furious: this gadget gives you access to all channels Techno Mag Learn More Undo No longer just a hobby, many are using it as a therapeutic tool, a medium to express their feelings. Students, homemakers, professionals, and women from diverse backgrounds are learning it. "Social media has enhanced scope in calligraphy. More and more people, especially girls, are learning it," informs Mazgaon-based senior artist and calligrapher Salva Rasool. She says calligraphy brings the artists closer to their creators. Learning it online may not give the desired perfection. You need hand-holding by an ustad. "I first learnt it from an ustad in Bengaluru, then approached a master calligrapher in China, and a calligrapher in Istanbul (Turkey) is my latest ustad. Calligraphy during the Ottoman rule was an evolved and fabulously popular art, and I want to dive deep into it," says Rasool, a J J School of Art graduate whose works decorate private homes and pilgrim guesthouses, from Mumbai to Panjim, Cairo to Karbala (Iraq). And if you think only Muslim men or women are learning it, meet Kritika Shrivastava, an artist engaged in creating Urdu fonts. Originally from Lucknow, this city-based artist became fascinated by the very lettering that calligraphy deals with. "I grew up imbibing the composite culture of Lucknow and was exposed to the sweetness of Urdu quite early. But then I realised that calligraphy could help me appreciate the language better. Mehmood Shaikh Sir has been a great guide," says Shrivastava. "She has shown great diligence and picked it up fast," appreciates Shaikh, a calligraphy teacher in the city for nearly four decades. Shaikh's student, Taniya Javed Shaikh, says she found her "mentor" online. "It helped me concentrate more on my studies. This art needs encouragement as opportunities have opened in it," says the Commerce graduate.
Time of India
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Calligraphy becomes a therapeutic and creative pursuit for women
Mumbai: A few years ago, Hajra Aijaz Farahi faced a personal crisis. Negative thoughts weighed her down, and bouts of nervousness began affecting her productivity. Then, a computer teacher and her elder sister suggested she learn calligraphy. Next, she walked into senior calligrapher Mehmood Shaikh's calligraphy class in Jogeshwari West. "I went there just to see what it's about as I did not know anything about this art," says Farahi, an Arts graduate from Bhavan's College, Andheri West. She fell in love with this beautiful art instantly. As she picked up the pointed pen and began giving strokes, it calmed her nerves and restored her confidence. "It worked like magic. I got involved in it so deeply that I forgot the worries that nagged me endlessly," says Farahi, now a trained calligrapher whose recent show at Islam Gymkhana received huge admiration from viewers. Apart from attending Shaikh's classes at Jogeshwari, Farahi honed her skills also at senior calligrapher Aslam Kiratpuri's classes at Mumbai University's Kalina campus. You Can Also Check: Mumbai AQI | Weather in Mumbai | Bank Holidays in Mumbai | Public Holidays in Mumbai As World Calligraphy Day (August 13) nears, it seems relevant to talk about this vibrant form of visual art as among its many takers increasingly are Muslim women. No longer just a hobby, many are using it as a therapeutic tool, a medium to express their feelings. Students, homemakers, professionals, and women from diverse backgrounds are learning it. "Social media has enhanced scope in calligraphy. More and more people, especially girls, are learning it," informs Mazgaon-based senior artist and calligrapher Salva Rasool. She says calligraphy brings the artists closer to their creators. Learning it online may not give the desired perfection. You need hand-holding by an ustad. "I first learnt it from an ustad in Bengaluru, then approached a master calligrapher in China, and a calligrapher in Istanbul (Turkey) is my latest ustad. Calligraphy during the Ottoman rule was an evolved and fabulously popular art, and I want to dive deep into it," says Rasool, a J J School of Art graduate whose works decorate private homes and pilgrim guesthouses, from Mumbai to Panjim, Cairo to Karbala (Iraq). And if you think only Muslim men or women are learning it, meet Kritika Shrivastava, an artist engaged in creating Urdu fonts. Originally from Lucknow, this city-based artist became fascinated by the very lettering that calligraphy deals with. "I grew up imbibing the composite culture of Lucknow and was exposed to the sweetness of Urdu quite early. But then I realised that calligraphy could help me appreciate the language better. Mehmood Shaikh Sir has been a great guide," says Shrivastava. "She has shown great diligence and picked it up fast," appreciates Shaikh, a calligraphy teacher in the city for nearly four decades. Interestingly, most of the master trainers in calligraphy in the city today are former employees of Urdu newspapers which either folded up or have embraced technological evolution in typing and printing. "Many of my fellow calligraphers at Urdu newspapers became reporters. Some of us remained in it and are now trying to transfer the legacy to the new generation of learners," says Shaikh, who received critical appreciation also for doing calligraphy of many copies of the holy Quran. Shaikh's student, Taniya Javed Shaikh, says she found her "mentor" online. "I was interested in learning it, and an online search led me to Mehmood Sir's class. It helped me concentrate more on my studies. This art needs encouragement as opportunities have opened in it," says the Commerce graduate.
Kuwait Times
13-06-2025
- Politics
- Kuwait Times
Taleban hang up Kalashnikovs to pen war memoirs
KABUL: Since trading the battlefield for Afghanistan's halls of power, some Taleban members have also swapped their weapons for pens to tell their version of the 20-year conflict with Western forces, who they accuse of distorting 'reality'. A flood of books has been written, mostly from a Western perspective, about the war between the US-led forces that invaded Afghanistan in the wake of the September 11 attacks until the Taleban's return to power in 2021. But in the years since, a proliferation of writings by Taleban figures - praising their exploits and the achievements of the 'Islamic Emirate' - is now the reigning narrative in Afghanistan. 'No matter what foreigners have written... they have largely ignored the reality of what happened to us and why we were forced to fight,' author Khalid Zadran told AFP. A member of the Haqqani network - long viewed as one of the most dangerous militant factions in Afghanistan - he now serves as the spokesman for the capital's police force. In his 600-page tome in Pashto published in April, he recounts US incursions in his home province of Khost, his childhood steeped in stories of soldiers' 'atrocities', and his desire to join the Taleban in the name of his country's 'freedom'. 'I witnessed horrific stories every day - mangled bodies on the roadside,' he writes in '15 Minutes', a title inspired by a US drone strike he narrowly escaped. Muhajer Farahi, now a deputy information and culture minister, penned his 'Memories of Jihad: 20 Years in Occupation' to 'state the facts', he said. 'America, contrary to its claims, has committed cruel and barbaric acts, destroyed our country with bombs, destroyed infrastructure, and has sown discord and cynicism between nations and tribes,' he told AFP from his office in central Kabul. Little attention is paid in either book to the thousands of civilians killed in Taleban attacks - many of them suicide bombings that entrenched fear across the country for nearly two decades. Farahi insists the Taleban 'were cautious in saving civilians and innocent' lives, while criticizing fellow Afghans who collaborated with the pro-Western police as a 'stain' on the country. Rights groups accuse the current Taleban authorities of widespread abuses - particularly against women and girls, who the United Nations say are victims of what amounts to 'gender apartheid'. In his book published in 2023, Farahi claims the Taleban attempted to negotiate - in vain, he insists - with the United States over the fate of Osama bin Laden, whose capture or death Washington demanded after his plane hijackers killed around 3,000 people in the September 11, 2001 attacks. Bin Laden, the leader of Al-Qaeda, who had been based in Afghanistan, was killed by US forces in Pakistan in 2011. American 'bloodthirsty dragon' 'It was clear... that the Americans had already planned the occupation of Afghanistan,' writes Farahi in the English version of his book, which has been translated into five languages. In the wake of the September 11 attacks, Afghans thought it would 'have nothing to do with our country', he continues, but soon realized that Afghanistan would face 'punishment'. For 20 years, the war pitted Taleban militants against a US-led coalition of 38 countries supporting the Afghan Republic and its forces. Tens of thousands of Afghans died in the fighting and in Taleban attacks, as did nearly 6,000 foreign soldiers, including 2,400 Americans. For Farahi, the war reflects the West's desire to 'impose its culture and ideology on other nations'. His disjointed journal mixes battlefield memories with polemical chapters railing against the American 'bloodthirsty dragon'. The book 'reveals the truths that were not told before because the media, especially the Western media, presented a different picture of the war,' he said. According to him, the Mujahideen, or holy warriors, despite being far less equipped, were able to rely on their unity and God's aid to achieve victory. New front Only a few of the new wave of Taleban books have been autobiographies, which appeal to an audience seeking to understand the war 'from the inside', according to Zadran. His book, initially 2,000 copies in Pashto, sold out quickly and another 1,000 are in the works - along with a Dari-language version, he said. Many chapters mention Bowe Bergdahl, the US soldier held hostage for five years by the Haqqani network. He recounts treks through the mountains along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border to move him between hideouts, efforts to convert him to Islam and conversations about his girlfriend back in the US. Both accounts end in 2021, before the transformation of the fighters who moved from remote mountain hideouts to the carpeted offices of the capital. There, their battle has turned diplomatic: The Taleban are now fighting for international recognition of their government. 'The war is over now,' Farahi said, 'and we want good relations with everyone' - even with the 'bloodthirsty dragon'. — AFP
Yahoo
06-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Taliban hang up Kalashnikovs to pen memoirs of Afghan war
Since trading the battlefield for Afghanistan's halls of power, some Taliban members have also swapped their weapons for pens to tell their version of the 20-year conflict with Western forces, who they accuse of distorting "reality". A flood of books has been written, mostly from a Western perspective, about the war between the US-led forces that invaded Afghanistan in the wake of the September 11 attacks until the Taliban's return to power in 2021. But in the years since, a proliferation of writings by Taliban figures -- praising their exploits and the achievements of the "Islamic Emirate" -- is now the reigning narrative in Afghanistan. "No matter what foreigners have written... they have largely ignored the reality of what happened to us and why we were forced to fight," author Khalid Zadran told AFP. A member of the Haqqani network -- long viewed as one of the most dangerous militant factions in Afghanistan -- he now serves as the spokesman for the capital's police force. In his 600-page tome in Pashto published in April, he recounts US incursions in his home province of Khost, his childhood steeped in stories of soldiers' "atrocities", and his desire to join the Taliban in the name of his country's "freedom". "I witnessed horrific stories every day -- mangled bodies on the roadside," he writes in "15 Minutes", a title inspired by a US drone strike he narrowly escaped. Muhajer Farahi, now a deputy information and culture minister, penned his "Memories of Jihad: 20 Years in Occupation" to "state the facts", he said. "America, contrary to its claims, has committed cruel and barbaric acts, destroyed our country with bombs, destroyed infrastructure, and has sown discord and cynicism between nations and tribes," he told AFP from his office in central Kabul. Little attention is paid in either book to the thousands of civilians killed in Taliban attacks -- many of them suicide bombings that entrenched fear across the country for nearly two decades. Farahi insists the Taliban "were cautious in saving civilians and innocent" lives, while criticising fellow Afghans who collaborated with the pro-Western police as a "stain" on the country. Rights groups accuse the current Taliban authorities of widespread abuses -- particularly against women and girls, who the United Nations say are victims of what amounts to "gender apartheid". In his book published in 2023, Farahi claims the Taliban attempted to negotiate -- in vain, he insists -- with the United States over the fate of Osama bin Laden, whose capture or death Washington demanded after his plane hijackers killed around 3,000 people in the September 11, 2001 attacks. Bin Laden, the leader of Al-Qaeda, who had been based in Afghanistan, was killed by US forces in Pakistan in 2011. - American 'bloodthirsty dragon' - "It was clear... that the Americans had already planned the occupation of Afghanistan," writes Farahi in the English version of his book, which has been translated into five languages. In the wake of the September 11 attacks, Afghans thought it would "have nothing to do with our country", he continues, but soon realised that Afghanistan would face "punishment". For 20 years, the war pitted Taliban militants against a US-led coalition of 38 countries supporting the Afghan Republic and its forces. Tens of thousands of Afghans died in the fighting and in Taliban attacks, as did nearly 6,000 foreign soldiers, including 2,400 Americans. For Farahi, the war reflects the West's desire to "impose its culture and ideology on other nations". His disjointed journal mixes battlefield memories with polemical chapters railing against the American "bloodthirsty dragon". The book "reveals the truths that were not told before because the media, especially the Western media, presented a different picture of the war", he said. According to him, the "mujahideen", or holy warriors, despite being far less equipped, were able to rely on their unity and God's aid to achieve victory. - New front - Only a few of the new wave of Taliban books have been autobiographies, which appeal to an audience seeking to understand the war "from the inside", according to Zadran. His book, initially 2,000 copies in Pashto, sold out quickly and another 1,000 are in the works -- along with a Dari-language version, he said. Many chapters mention Bowe Bergdahl, the US soldier held hostage for five years by the Haqqani network. He recounts treks through the mountains along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border to move him between hideouts, efforts to convert him to Islam and conversations about his girlfriend back in the United States. Both accounts end in 2021, before the transformation of the fighters who moved from remote mountain hideouts to the carpeted offices of the capital. There, their battle has turned diplomatic: the Taliban are now fighting for international recognition of their government. "The war is over now," Farahi said, "and we want good relations with everyone" -- even with the "bloodthirsty dragon". cgo/sbh/sw/fox/sco
France 24
06-06-2025
- Politics
- France 24
Taliban hang up Kalashnikovs to pen memoirs of Afghan war
A flood of books has been written, mostly from a Western perspective, about the war between the US-led forces that invaded Afghanistan in the wake of the September 11 attacks until the Taliban's return to power in 2021. But in the years since, a proliferation of writings by Taliban figures -- praising their exploits and the achievements of the "Islamic Emirate" -- is now the reigning narrative in Afghanistan. "No matter what foreigners have written... they have largely ignored the reality of what happened to us and why we were forced to fight," author Khalid Zadran told AFP. A member of the Haqqani network -- long viewed as one of the most dangerous militant factions in Afghanistan -- he now serves as the spokesman for the capital's police force. In his 600-page tome in Pashto published in April, he recounts US incursions in his home province of Khost, his childhood steeped in stories of soldiers' "atrocities", and his desire to join the Taliban in the name of his country's "freedom". "I witnessed horrific stories every day -- mangled bodies on the roadside," he writes in "15 Minutes", a title inspired by a US drone strike he narrowly escaped. Muhajer Farahi, now a deputy information and culture minister, penned his "Memories of Jihad: 20 Years in Occupation" to "state the facts", he said. "America, contrary to its claims, has committed cruel and barbaric acts, destroyed our country with bombs, destroyed infrastructure, and has sown discord and cynicism between nations and tribes," he told AFP from his office in central Kabul. Little attention is paid in either book to the thousands of civilians killed in Taliban attacks -- many of them suicide bombings that entrenched fear across the country for nearly two decades. Farahi insists the Taliban "were cautious in saving civilians and innocent" lives, while criticising fellow Afghans who collaborated with the pro-Western police as a "stain" on the country. Rights groups accuse the current Taliban authorities of widespread abuses -- particularly against women and girls, who the United Nations say are victims of what amounts to "gender apartheid". In his book published in 2023, Farahi claims the Taliban attempted to negotiate -- in vain, he insists -- with the United States over the fate of Osama bin Laden, whose capture or death Washington demanded after his plane hijackers killed around 3,000 people in the September 11, 2001 attacks. Bin Laden, the leader of Al-Qaeda, who had been based in Afghanistan, was killed by US forces in Pakistan in 2011. American 'bloodthirsty dragon' "It was clear... that the Americans had already planned the occupation of Afghanistan," writes Farahi in the English version of his book, which has been translated into five languages. In the wake of the September 11 attacks, Afghans thought it would "have nothing to do with our country", he continues, but soon realised that Afghanistan would face "punishment". For 20 years, the war pitted Taliban militants against a US-led coalition of 38 countries supporting the Afghan Republic and its forces. Tens of thousands of Afghans died in the fighting and in Taliban attacks, as did nearly 6,000 foreign soldiers, including 2,400 Americans. For Farahi, the war reflects the West's desire to "impose its culture and ideology on other nations". His disjointed journal mixes battlefield memories with polemical chapters railing against the American "bloodthirsty dragon". The book "reveals the truths that were not told before because the media, especially the Western media, presented a different picture of the war", he said. According to him, the "mujahideen", or holy warriors, despite being far less equipped, were able to rely on their unity and God's aid to achieve victory. New front Only a few of the new wave of Taliban books have been autobiographies, which appeal to an audience seeking to understand the war "from the inside", according to Zadran. His book, initially 2,000 copies in Pashto, sold out quickly and another 1,000 are in the works -- along with a Dari-language version, he said. Many chapters mention Bowe Bergdahl, the US soldier held hostage for five years by the Haqqani network. He recounts treks through the mountains along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border to move him between hideouts, efforts to convert him to Islam and conversations about his girlfriend back in the United States. Both accounts end in 2021, before the transformation of the fighters who moved from remote mountain hideouts to the carpeted offices of the capital. There, their battle has turned diplomatic: the Taliban are now fighting for international recognition of their government. "The war is over now," Farahi said, "and we want good relations with everyone" -- even with the "bloodthirsty dragon".
