Simerg is an independent initiative dedicated to Ismaili Muslims, the Aga Khan — their Hereditary Imam — and the Ismaili Imamat, and Islam in general through literary readings, photo essays and artistic expressions
Malik Merchant spends a chilly morning at Aga Khan Park, sees brilliant autumn colours on maple trees and encounters a lovable fox. And walking through the park, he sees panels of brilliant photographs captured by Christopher Wilson-Steer during his 40,000 journey from Venice to Beijing. Click SIMERGPHOTOS or on image below to view photos and videos from an absorbing day at the Park and the Aga Khan Museum.
Autumn colours at Aga Khan Park. Click on image for story, photos and videos.
Aga Khan Park’s new visitor, a beautiful fox, walks along a wall in front of the Ismaili Flag at Aga Khan Park. Please click on image for story, photos and videos.
The ponds are flowing at Aga Khan Park, bringing stillness and calmness to our minds. The geese are beating their wings as they bathe in their favourite pond. Then, it is amazing to see them take off on the shortest and safest runway in the world with two majestic buildings — the Ismaili Centre and the Aga Khan Museum — built by Mawlana Hazar Imam, His Highness the Aga Khan, in full view! It is a wonderful sight. Intimacy and procreation are nature’s gift — the mallards and frogs are captured in their act, facing confrontations — yes, see the videos! Watch a tiny turtle walk to a pond of water, overcoming obstacles along the way. There are photos too to make the article complete.
I am providing a sample video, below, one of several I have included in Simergphotos where you will get a fuller taste of my extraordinary encounter with nature at Aga Khan Park and the exciting East Don Trail. This is a post you don’t want to miss! Show it to your children; they will love it.
Canadian geese at pond in Aga Khan Park, as they lift off. Click to watch video, and click Simergphotos for full story, more videos as well as photos
To see full post with extraordinary photos and videos please click Simergphotos.
Date posted: June 5, 2021.
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Before departing this website please take a moment to review Simerg’s Table of Contents for links to hundreds of thought provoking pieces on a vast array of subjects including faith and culture, history and philosophy, and arts and letters to name a few. Also visit Simerg’s sister websites Barakah, dedicated to His Highness the Aga Khan, and Simergphotos.
Artist, musician and writer Afraaz Mulji reflects on his favourite ceramic object, the Simurgh, situated in the Bellerive Room in the Aga Khan Museum. Please click MORE or on the photo below to read his piece.
Aga Khan Museum’s Simurgh, a ceramic artwork collected by Prince Sadruddin Aga Khan. Please click on image for story.
Date posted: June 2, 2021.
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Before departing this website please take a moment to review Simerg’s Table of Contents for links to hundreds of thought provoking pieces on a vast array of subjects including faith and culture, history and philosophy, and arts and letters to name a few. Also visit Simerg’s sister websites Barakah, dedicated to His Highness the Aga Khan, and Simergphotos.
Following Nurin Merchant’s fantastic photos of tulips at the start of the Ottawa’s annual tulip festival, her dad Malik decided to visit the dazzling tulips at Dow’s Lake, Rideau Falls Park and Major Hill’s Park during an important family related visit to Ottawa more than 2 weeks later, when the festival was winding down! He was surprised that so many hundreds of thousands of tulips were still in full bloom.
He was also able to spend beautiful moments at the Global Centre for Pluralism located by the Ottawa River, about which Mawlana Hazar Imam His Highness the Aga Khan reflected during the Centre’s opening ceremony 4 years ago. Click HERE or on photo below to view the beautiful tulip photos on Simerg’s sister website Simergphotos as well as to read Mawlana Hazar Imam’s inspiring quotes on Water and the Ottawa River.
Tulips as far as the eyes can see. Please click on image for Ottawa’s grand tulip show and the Aga Khan’s reflections on water and the Ottawa River.
Malik Merchant returns to Aga Khan Park after a 3-week absence, and sees visitors excitedly taking photos of masses of pink flowers behind the Aga Khan Museum. A young boy goes from one weeping cherry tree to another to feel the soft petals of the blossoming trees, a dog owner has her beautiful 1 year old dog, Cice, pose in front of a tree, a bird perches on top of one while a robin wanders around pecking on grass around the trees. And as Malik finally leaves the site of the Aga Khan Park via the east side, he captures a stunning shot of the Aga Khan Museum under a lovely blue sky! Click here for story and photos
Cice poses for a photo for her owner Dana McIvor in front of a weeping cherry tree at Toronto’s Aga Khan Park. May 8, 2021. Please click on image for more photos and story.
Date posted: May 10, 2021.
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Before departing this website please take a moment to review Simerg’s Table of Contents for links to hundreds of thought provoking pieces on a vast array of subjects including faith and culture, history and philosophy, and arts and letters to name a few. Also visit Simerg’s sister websites Barakah, dedicated to His Highness the Aga Khan, and Simergphotos.
Nurin Merchant gets to Dows Lake on a sunny day to photograph some of the 300,000 tulips that are planted there, making it the biggest tulip festival in Canada. She incorporates into her piece some excellent material prepared by the Aga Khan Park on the origins and significance of the tulip, one of the most venerated flowers in Islamic culture, to make her photo essay truly informative and and educational….PLEASE CLICK HERE OR ON IMAGE BELOW FOR PHOTO ESSAY
Please click on photo for Nurin’s photo essay on tulips.
Date posted: May 6, 2021.
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Before departing this website please take a moment to review Simerg’s Table of Contents for links to hundreds of thought provoking pieces on a vast array of subjects including faith and culture, history and philosophy, and arts and letters to name a few. Also visit Simerg’s sister websites Barakah, dedicated to His Highness the Aga Khan, and Simergphotos.
Shiraz Bandali of Edmonton, Canada, passed away at the age of 56. A passionate photographer, he captured “DOORS” during a family trip to Morocco, Portugal and Spain, and shared them with Simergphotos. We pay a tribute to Shiraz through his beautiful collection. Please click DOORS or on the image below.
“DOORS” by Shiraz Bandali. Please click on image to see collection.
Along with photos captured on Navroz, March 21, 2021, the founding editor and publisher of this website and two sister websites simergphotos and barakah, shares his feelings about the second consecutive Navroz celebrated in isolation, and provides his perspective and feelings on why he felt the 2021 Navroz became the most joyous Navroz in his life. Please click MOREor on photo below for his reflective piece and beautiful photos published in Simergphotos.
Birds fly past the Ismaili Jamatkhana on Navroz, March 21, 2021. Please click on photo for reflective article and more photos.
Malik Merchant sights the daytime moon as he drives along the Don Valley Parkway, and immediately heads to the Aga Khan Park, the Ismaili Centre and the Aga Khan Museum to enjoy nature at its best. Please read article in Simergphotos.