Introduced by MALIK MERCHANT
(Publisher-Editor Barakah, Simerg, and Simergphotos)
What truly instilled in me a love for nature? I had taken it for granted in Africa! But on a New Moon Night (Chandraat or Chaand Raat; Bengali, Urdu etc.) in Salt Lake City, Utah, during the 3rd week of November 1979, I looked up at the sky with the Wasatch Mountain range around me. There I spotted the beautiful crescent on a clear evening!
Chandraat as Mawlana Sultan Mahomed Shah, His Highness the Aga Khan III, 48th Hereditary Imam of Ismaili Muslims, said is a night that will generate immense happiness and peace. In anxious moments of arriving in a new city to work as a trainee computer programmer, the sighting of the New Moon is exactly what I needed. I have loved nature ever since that day.
Yesterday, November 5, in Canada and in many other parts of the world, Ismailis marked the Night of the New Moon with special prayers of Salwaat and the prayers of Bibi Fatimah — the beloved daughter of Prophet Muhammad (S.A.S.) and wife of the first Shia Imam Hazrat Ali (A.S.) from whom Ismaili Imams are directly descended. Thousands of Ismailis around the world attended their respective Jamatkhanas while many others prayed at home due to Covid-19 procedures in place. I spent hours during the day time taking photos — I was even more excited and energized, because of the significance of the day.
Please click HERE or on image below to view a small collection from hundreds of nature photographs I took, mostly with my Olympus OM-D EM10, between November 3 and 5, 2021 in Toronto’s forests and parks.
Date posted: November 6, 2021.
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Simerg - Insights from Around the World 
Excellent collection of nature’s beauty of fall colours not too far for us to go and see. Your inherent love of nature is in abundance for each of us to enjoy. Keep on with the excellent work.
Very beautiful, indeed. Thank you for sharing this beautiful imagery with us. However, I wish to remind you that there is Aga Khan Garden in Edmonton also. There is more to Alberta then Naheed Nenshi.
As I have mentioned before I welcome Edmontonians and Albertans to show pride in the Aga Khan Gardens and submit their photos for publication in Simerg Photos. Unfortunately no one has submitted a story, even my friends! I invite you to do so — I am based in Toronto/Ottawa and visit numerous parks and forests here frequently. Let’s have some interest from you personally. Take the initiative, reach out to your family and friends and ask them to send photos with stories at simerg@aol.com
Thanks for the invite. You need someone who can drive to where the park is located (out of the city) and who can take photographs. Thanks, anyway.
That’s easy, if interest and passion are there. Let’s get it done Albertans — there are thousands of Jamati members including youth — take pride in what Mawlana Hazar Imam builds for us and the society at large.