PLEASE CLICK: The Ismaili Jubilee Games’ Lantern is Welcomed to the Ismaili Centre and the Children’s Soccer Camp in Burnaby
Please click on photo for story and more photos.
Date posted: Monday, June 20, 2016.
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PLEASE CLICK: The Ismaili Jubilee Games’ Lantern Roadshow Comes to the Ismaili Centre in Burnaby
Please click on image for story and photos. Photo: Simerg Collection. Copyright.
Date posted: June 19, 2016.
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The National Geographic Magazine, the BBC and Simerg have something in common! We are all currently featuring Yellowstone National Park. Simerg presents a random selection of absorbing images taken by Nurin Merchant that illustrate the diverse character of the park, a 3,500 square mile reserve that sits atop a volcanic hot spot!
PLEASE CLICK: A Phenomenal One-of-a-Kind Experience in Yellowstone, the World’s Very First National Park, Through the Lens of Nurin Merchant
Please click on image.
Date posted: June 2, 2016.
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“It doesn’t often happen that one needs to find superlatives to describe a book. For ‘With Our Own Hands’, an entirely unique book about the hard life and beautiful culture in the Pamir Mountains, it is inevitable. In size, rigor and thoughtfulness [this book] has become a touching piece of art.” — Geerdt Magiels, Vrije Universiteit Brussel.
PLEASE CLICK The Story of a Beautiful and Intriguing Cookbook from the Pamirs
Frederik van Oudenhoven with his multi-year effort “With Our Own Hands.” Please click on image for story about the award-winning book.
“This…may be one of the most beautiful books I have ever read..!”– Frénk van der Linden….Read More
“You know…the design really is perfect – people touch the book and stroke it, and it is as if there is no distance between them and the pages. The book pulls them into their own world…it’s very touching to see.” — Facebook Friend….Read More
With a foreword by HRH The Prince of Wales, authors Frederik van Oudenhoven and Jamila Haider provide an intimate portrait of the Afghan and Tajik Pamiri people and the forbidding mountains that are their home. Through the lens of ancient recipes, stories and essays, and accompanied by the work of three award-winning photographers, the book tells about Pamiri food and agricultural traditions, people’s daily lives, their struggles and celebrations.
With Our Own Hands appears in a single three-language edition, with English, Dari and Tajik. The choice to make a book in which these three languages are combined was inspired by the authors’ commitment to return a copy to each of the 1800 communities, schools and libraries in the Pamirs. Read More
“From the first Costeau film I saw and the fish I started keeping at the age of five, the first octopus and cuttlefish that squirted ink at me….I knew I couldn’t, wouldn’t stop exploring the sea” — Prince Hussain Aga Khan, from foreword to the book Diving Into Wildlife.
“The work of Hussain Aga Khan is visual poetry created in the sea that seduces the viewer to discover her mysteries and leads people to care. And when people care, change becomes possible” — Brian Skerry
BY ABDULMALIK J. MERCHANT
Publisher/Editor, Simerg
In 2015, Prince Hussain Aga Khan published his latest book, Diving Into Wildlife, a collection of extraordinary underwater photographs taken by the Prince in the Maldives, Tonga, Malaysia, Bahamas, Mexico and Egypt.
Diving Into Wildlife is published under the auspices of Focused on Nature (FON), an agency founded and established by Prince Hussain to “assist in the conservation and protection of threatened and endangered species, as well as habitat conservation efforts when and where possible.”
Focused on Nature seeks to fulfill this mission by providing grants to projects around the world which the FON team has identified and vetted as having immediate impacts in wildlife conservation, protection, preservation, and education. The funds distributed by FON to deserving organizations are raised by either direct contributions to FON or from the sale of unique and fine objects including limited edition photographs, art, clothing articles and books such as Diving Into Wildlife.
It gives us great pleasure to inform our readers that the Office of Prince Hussain has made available to Simerg copies of Diving Into Wildlife, as follows:
1. SPECIAL EDITION LIMITED NUMBERED AND SIGNED BY PRINCE HUSSAIN AGA KHAN
Prince Hussain personally signed and numbered sixty copies of Diving Into Wildlife as a special edition for worldwide distribution. Out of these sixty copies, Simerg has been assigned 12 copies, with numbers in the 20-34 range. Each limited numbered special edition is enhanced by an embossed logo of FON and includes a 9″ x 6″ unique photo insert.
Each of the 12 numbered and signed copies is being offered at US$285.00 (plus packaging and shipping of US$25.00, and applicable GST/PST/HST taxes in Canada), and only within North America. Each shipment will be trackable through Canada Post’s website.
As only 12 numbered and signed copies are available, a limit of one copy of this signed/limited numbered edition will be made available to any single individual. We shall try and process orders strictly as they are received via email requests.
The name of each purchaser of this special limited numbered edition copy will be submitted to FON. We therefore request buyers to provide their full name and address for submission to FON.
2. COPIES OF DIVING INTO WILDLIFE SIGNED BY PRINCE HUSSAIN AGA KHAN
Fifty copies of Diving Into Wildlife, personally signed by Prince Hussain, have also been made available to Simerg.
Each of the fifty signed copies is being offered at US$125.00 (plus a packaging and shipping cost of US$25.00, and applicable GST/PST/HST taxes in Canada), and only within North America. Each shipment will be trackable through Canada Post’s website.
The name of each purchaser of this signed copy will be submitted to FON. We therefore request buyers to provide their full name and address for submission to FON.
The pricing of both the special numbered and signed copies, as well as the signed copies, has not been requested by the author or the publisher, but is an initiative of Simerg.
As readers will recall, some seven years ago, Simerg offered both signed and unsigned copies of Prince Hussain’s book of animal photos entitled Animal Voyage. Prince Hussain had dedicated the book to Prince Sadruddin Aga Khan, and the proceeds from the sale of Animal Voyage went to the Prince Sadruddin Aga Khan Fund for the Environment. In a personally signed copy of the book, Prince Hussain thanked the publisher and editor of Simerg for assisting the fund by placing a large order.
Similarly, with Diving Into Wildlife, Simerg will contribute all proceeds (excluding packaging/postage/taxes) to FON. This initiative to ask a premium for numbered/signed copies and to submit this premium to FON has not been requested by the author or the publisher, but is a personal one.
A GREAT HONOUR
It is a great honour for Simerg to offer these special limited editions signed by Prince Hussain, and Simerg is delighted to support the work of Focused on Nature.
3. UNSIGNED COPIES OF DIVING INTO WILDLIFE
In addition to the special numbered/signed edition of Diving Into Wildlife, Simerg has also received copies of the unsigned edition. Interested individuals who are not able to acquire a signed copy may wish to consider purchasing the unsigned copy of this beautiful volume. Or, indeed, those who have acquired a copy of the special numbered/signed edition may wish to acquire a copy of the unsigned edition as a gift.
The unsigned copies are being offered at US$30.00 (plus a packaging and shipping cost of US$25.00, and applicable GST/PST/HST taxes in Canada), and only within North America. Each shipment will be trackable through Canada Post’s website.
All request for orders for delivery outside of North America will be considered, and these will be forwarded to FON for shipment from Europe, provided the book is still available.
HOW TO PURCHASE THE BOOK
Payment Methods:
Paypal: Simergbooks has been verified by Paypal. To purchase a copy, please send a request to simergbooks@aol.com and an invoice will be generated from Paypal provided we have the book in stock in North America. In view of the limited quantities, payment should then be received within 24 hours after the invoice.
Email Transfer: To purchase a copy via email fund transfer, please send a request to simergbooks@aol.com. Once we have confirmed to you via email that a book is available, we will request you to submit a payment via email transfer. In view of the limited quantities payment should then be received within 24 hours after the invoice.
Note: Prices listed for the different versions of the book are in US dollars. For Canadian orders, the exchange rate in effect will be used to establish the purchase price in Canadian dollars.
BOOK DETAILS
“Diving Into Wildlife” by Hussain Aga Khan, published by Focused on Nature, June 2015, has a foreword by Prince Hussain Aga Khan, and is introduced by Brian Skerry, a world-renowned photojournalist specializing in marine wildlife and underwater environments. The 70 page hardback has a landscape format, appx. 13.25″ x 8.75″ (33cm x 22cm), and features 41 photos. ISBN: 978-2-35137-052-0.
SIMERG’S EXCELLENT CUSTOMER SERVICE
Over the years, Simerg has offered numerous collection items including Prince Hussain’s Animal Voyage and limited edition Golden Jubilee Stamp Frames to a very high level of customer satisfaction. Here are comments from some of our readers:
“My son was delighted with the excellent photography by Prince Hussain. We as a family will cherish this volume for a long time. Once again, thank you Simerg for making this book available in North America and your outstanding customer service and support.” Shamim Rajan, Richmond Hill, Ontario
“This is a beautiful piece of work!! The service was excellent. Very quick, safe and efficient turnaround and follow up. I recommend everyone to have a copy.” Nazir Alibhai, Markham, Ontario
“Thank you so much for the shipment – I received it today! I am impressed at how quickly the transaction went from the time of my order to the delivery. Great job!!” Zarah K.
We look forward to serving our readers with the same high level of satisfaction as before, with Prince Hussain Aga Khan’s new book “Diving Into Wildlife.”
Date posted: Monday, March 28, 2016.
Last updated: December 23, 2018.
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To reserve, purchase or inquire about Diving Into Wildlife, please write to simergbooks@aol.com.
We welcome your comments. Please click Leave a comment.
Equinox on a Spinning Earth. Image Credit: NASA, Meteosat, Robert Simmon. Please click to watch a 12 second time-lapse video (see explanation below).
When does the line between day and night become vertical? In 2016, the spring equinox in the Northern hemisphere ( it is the start of autumn in the Southern hemisphere) comes on March 20 at 4:30 UTC (March 19 at 11:30 p.m. CDT). Also, according to http://www.earthsky.org, the 2016 spring is the earliest spring since 1896. The website explains:
“The March equinox can come on March 19, 20 or 21. And 2016 has the earliest March equinox since the year 1896. Is it a coincidence that 2012 also had the earliest spring since 1896? No. Recall that both 2012 and 2016 are leap years. But 2016’s spring comes even earlier than the spring of 2012.” [1]
At that time the day and night are most nearly equal. At an equinox, the Earth’s terminator — the dividing line between day and night — becomes vertical and connects the north and south poles. The above time-lapse video from 2010-2011 demonstrates this by displaying an entire year on planet Earth in twelve seconds. From geosynchronous orbit, the Meteosat satellite recorded these infrared images of the Earth every day at the same local time. [2]
The video started at the September 2010 equinox with the terminator line being vertical. As the Earth revolved around the Sun, the terminator was seen to tilt in a way that provides less daily sunlight to the northern hemisphere, causing winter in the north. As the year progressed, the March 2011 equinox arrived halfway through the video, followed by the terminator tilting the other way, causing winter in the southern hemisphere — and summer in the north. The captured year ends again with the September equinox, concluding another of billions of trips the Earth has taken — and will take — around the Sun. [2]
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SPRING TIME PLEASURE FOR LITTLE GIRLS AT A VANCOUVER BEACH
On a lovely spring like day at the Kitsilano beach in Vancouver, Canada, a little girl attempts to “pop” one of the several soap-bubbles released moments earlier by her mother. Photo: Nurin Merchant, Guelph, Canada.
This long stretch of soap-bubble eludes the girl, as her sister watches her but…
…then a similar dolphin like bubble reaches her at the right height which she is about to pop to her delight. Photo: Nurin Merchant, Guelph, Canada.
After a very brief explanation by the mother, the keen girl wastes no time in learning the art of creating a soap-bubble, and manages to release a little bubble of her own as her sister watches her. Photo: Nurin Merchant, Guelph, Canada.
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NAVROZ MUBARAK
Conceived and created by Nurin Merchant of the University of Guelph, this Navroz greeting incorporates the rose and jasmine flowers which are extremely popular in Iran during the celebration of Navroz. The base of the picture shows shoots of wheat grass signifying robust evergreen health throughout the year. Image: Nurin Merchant. Copyright.
Date posted: March 18, 2016.
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[1] Read more at http://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/everything-you-need-to-know-vernal-or-spring-equinox
[2] Please visit http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap140319.html
Please click: Exclusive: Photos of Prince Sadruddin Aga Khan’s Visit to Dar-es-Salaam by the Late Abdul M. Ismaily (“Papa Jaan”)
Prince Sadruddin Aga Khan being greeted by President Shamshu Tejapr of the Ismailia Association for Tanzania during a visit to Dar-es-Salaam in the 1960’s. Please click on image for more photos of the Prince’s visit.
Date posted: March 16, 2016.
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Please also visit:
PLEASE CLICK: Exclusive: Photos of Mawlana Hazar Imam’s Visit to Pakistan by the Late Abdul M. Ismaily (“Papa Jaan”)
Please click on image for exclusive photos by Abdul M. Ismaily
Date posted: February 20, 2016.
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PLEASE CLICK: Exclusive: Photos of Mawlana Hazar Imam’s Visit to Uganda by the Late Abdul M. Ismaily (“Papa Jaan”)
Please click on image for more photos by “Papa Jaan” of His Highness the Aga Khan’s visit to Uganda. Photo: Abdul M. Ismaily. Copyright.
Editor’s Note: Following our recent posting of the late Abdul Mohamed Ismaily’s photographs of His Highness the Aga Khan’s historical first visit to Hunza in 1960, we now present you a collection of his photographs taken in Uganda. Please share this website with your family and friends via email and the social media. We thank our readers for their excellent response to the Hunza photos, and welcome your feedback by completing the applicable comments box or by sending an email to simerg@aol.com.
PLEASE CLICK: Exclusive: Photos of Mawlana Hazar Imam’s Visit to Uganda by the Late Abdul M. Ismaily (“Papa Jaan”)
Date posted: February 14, 2016.
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For Hunza photos, please click Exclusive: Photos of Mawlana Hazar Imam’s 1960 Visit to Hunza by the Late Abdul M. Ismaily (“Papa Jaan”)
PLEASE CLICK: Photos of Visits by Mawlana Hazar Imam and Prince Aly Khan to Mozambique in the late 1950’s
Please click image for more photos
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EXCLUSIVE PHOTOS BY PAPA JAN: HUNZA AND UGANDA
(from Muslim Harji Collection, to be published week of Monday, February 8, 2016)
Please click on photos for enlargement
Hunza. Photo by Papa Jan (late Abdul Mohamed Ismaily). Copyright.
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EXCLUSIVE PHOTOS BY AZHAR CHAUDHRY
(from Sultan Jessa Collection, to be published week of Monday, February 15, 2016)
Nairobi, Kenya. Photo: Azhar Chaudhry. Copyright.
Date posted: Saturday, February 6, 2016.
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We invite readers to submit historical photos in their collection for publication on this web site and its sister blog, http://www.simergphotos.com. Please write to the editor, Abdulmalik Merchant, at simerg@aol.com.
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