Category Archives: Travel

The Easter tradition and sacred Christian objects

8 April 2023

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On April 9, 2023, Christians around the world will observe Easter Sunday as mark of their faith that Jesus Christ — Prophet Issa (may peace be on him) as he is known in Islam — was resurrected three days after his death by crucifixion. Simerg presents a selection of photos related to Easter traditions and the Christian faith captured by Montreal’s Muslim Harji during his travels around the world. The photographs shown on this page are part of a broader presentation of Harji’s highly acclaimed and must-read photo essay SACRED SPACES in world faiths that appears on Simergphotos.

Crucifixion procession Jerusalem
This route through the Old City of Jerusalem is revered by Christian pilgrims as the route taken by Jesus as he was led to his crucifixion. It is the setting of regular processions. Photo: © Muslim Harji, Montreal, PQ, Canada.

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Muslim Harji Sacred Spaces Christian Simergphotos Stone of Anointing
The Stone of Unction, also known as the Stone of Anointing, is just inside the entrance of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, and is believed to be the place where the body of Jesus Christ was laid down after being removed from the crucifix and prepared for burial. Photo: © Muslim Harji, Montreal, PQ, Canada.

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Muslim Harji Sacred Spaces Christian Simergphotos
A Coptic Christian priest at the Lake Tana Churches and Monasteries in Bahar Dar, Ethiopia, holding for display an early manuscript. The Lake Tana area was important from the 14th through 16th centuries in view of its role in maintaining the Christian faith against contemporary pressures, and the rise of the Solomonic Dynasty which patronized the building of churches and monasteries. Many of the earliest manuscripts and precious examples of ecclesiastical art as well as royal objects were safely stored in their treasuries. Photo: © Muslim Harji, Montreal, PQ, Canada.

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Muslim Harji Sacred Spaces Christian Simergphotos
Sacred objects of ecclesiastical art at the Lake Tana Churches. Photo: © Muslim Harji, Montreal, PQ, Canada.

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Muslim Harji Sacred Spaces Christian Simergphotos Monastery
St. George’s Monastery, Jerusalem, where Christian monks maintain their ancient way of life, began in the fourth century with a few monks who sought the desert experiences of the prophets. Photo: © Muslim Harji, Montreal, PQ, Canada.

Date posted: April 4, 2021 (in Simpergphtos).
Date reposted: April 8, 2023.

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Please take a moment to review Simerg’s Table of Contents as well as visit Simerg’s sister websites Barakah and Simergphotos. The editor may be reached via email at mmerchant@simerg.com.

Stunning photos: Banff National Park’s beautiful animals and nature in the thick of a Canadian winter

14 March 2023

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Please click: BEAUTIFUL BANFF

If you are in Alberta, and are waiting for warmer weather to see Banff National Park’s emerald coloured lakes, green forests and wildlife, make no mistake that the Park offers extraordinary scenery in winter. Its snow covered mountains and frozen lakes will baffle your eyes and, with the exception of bears who will be in hibernation for a few more weeks, you will also encounter an amazing variety of wildlife. Malik Merchant’s short excursion to Banff and Lake Louise offered him a rare opportunity to witness how Albertans, Canadians and people from all over the world come to Banff to enjoy its extraordinary mountains, ski resorts, sulphur springs, canyons and trails….as well as coffee shops, restaurants and art galleries! Please click HERE or on the photo below for Merchant’s story and photographs on Simergphotos.

A coyote off Banff’s Tunnel Mountain Road. Please click on image for story and more photos.

Featured photos at top of post: A CP freight train passes through Morant’s curve on the Bow Valley Parkway (Hwy 1A), 6 kms from Lake Louise. The lookout point is a very popular spot for visitors as it offers a stunning view of trains coming around the bend, with the Bow River flowing along the side and mountains in the background. It is a dream spot for train lovers! The frequency of the trains is unreliable, though.

Date posted: March 14, 2023.

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Photo Essay: Alberta’s Beautiful Waterton Lakes National Park and the Stunning Kananaskis Country

26 February 2023

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Please click Waterton Lakes National Park and Kananaskis Country

Nurin Merchant pens down a photo essay to reflect on her summer visit to Alberta in 2022. With spring soon approaching and summer to follow, Nurin strongly recommends that Albertans and visitors to the province should consider visiting Waterton Lakes National Park and the Kananaskis country to experience their extraordinary natural beauty, the stunning Rocky Mountains and superb wildlife. Please click PHOTO ESSAY or on the photograph below to view a small collection of photographs from more than 1,200 that she took with her dad over a period of 6 days in Alberta.

Waterton Lake. Please click on image for photo essay.

Featured photo at top of post: Forget Me Not Pond, Kananaskis Country.

Date posted: February 26, 2023.

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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. The editor may be reached via email at mmerchant@simerg.com.

‘Dream’ Image of a Snow Leopard in Mountains in Ladhak Wins Wildlife Photographer of the Year People’s Choice Award; Highly Commended Finalists are from Canada and Spain

17 February 2023

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“I’m incredibly proud to be the winner of this year’s People’s Choice Award and I thank all the supporters around the world for making this happen. Photography can connect people to wildlife and encourage them to appreciate the beauty of the unseen natural world. I believe that a greater understanding of wildlife leads to deeper caring which hopefully results in active support and greater public interest for conservation” — Sascha Fonseca, Germany….Click READ MORE or on photo below 

Natural History Museum, Wildlife Photographer of the Year People's Choice Award
Top: Winner, Snow Leopard by Sascha Fonseca. Photographer of the Year People’s Choice Award, developed and produced by the Natural History Museum, London. Other wildlife images in collage are Highly Commended Finalists. Please click on image for full story and photographs. All photographs Copyright of the respective photographer.

Wildlife Photographer of the Year People’s Choice Award is developed and produced by the Natural History Museum, London.

Date posted: February 11, 2023.

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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. The editor may be reached via email at mmerchant@simerg.com.

Morant’s Curve: One of the World’s Premiere Train Lookout Points in Banff National Park’s Bow Valley Parkway

14 January 2023

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Malik Merchant returns to Banff National Park after 15 long years, and this time at the start of 2023 in the thick of winter. His photographs will bring you closer to one of Canada’s top destinations and you will be awed with what you learn and see about Morant’s Curve as well as a rare endangered snail that only lives in Banff’s sulphur springs….and, of course, we have other Rocky Mountain photographs too! You must read and share this beautiful post. CLICK FOR MORE! Or click on photos, below.

Close-up view of rocks and aquatic life in a sulphur spring, showcasing a variety of textures and colors.
Can you spot the endangered snail? Click on image for more photographs from the Cave and Basin National Historic Site in Banff’. Photograph: Malik Merchant.

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Morant's Curve, Malik Merchant Simerg Photos.
Morant’s Curve, Bow Valley Parkway, Hwy 1A, Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada. Please click on photo for more beautiful photographs. Photograph: Malik Merchant.

Date posted: January 14, 2023.

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REVIEW SIMERG’S TABLE OF CONTENTS AND VISIT ITS SISTER WEBSITES

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. The editor may be reached via email at mmerchant@simerg.com.

Stunning Starry Night and Milky Way Photos Taken by Ron Richey at Jasper National Park, Canada

6 November 2022

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Introduced by MALIK MERCHANT

PLEASE CLICK: STARRY NIGHT AND THE MILKY WAY, JASPER NATIONAL PARK

A vibrant view of Pyramid Mountain with colorful rock layers and a clear blue sky, surrounded by lush green forests and patches of autumn foliage.
Pyramid Mountain, October 18, 2022.

I fell in love with Pyramid Lake and the Pyramid Mountain behind it the moment I saw it on October 17, 2022. I kept going to it every day I was in Jasper, but nothing could be as breathtaking than being at the site on a dark clear night during Jasper’s annual Dark Sky Event. On October 18, I stood next to Ron Richey as he focused his lens into the sky and photographed the Milky Way and all the millions of stars above the Lake. I am pleased to share his photographs on Simergphotos. Do not miss this incredible awe-inspiring view of our universe by Ron, an avid photographer and a passionate lover of nature. And remember he took the photos in Jasper, the 2nd largest Dark Sky Preserve in the world. So, you can imagine!

Milky Way, Pyramid Lake, Ron Richey, Simergphotos.
Our Milky Way, stretching 1000,000 light years across and 13.6 billion years of age. Please click on photo for Ron Richey’s stunning photographs.

Date posted: November 1, 2022.
Last updated: November 6, 2022 (as a repost.)

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Photos and Story of Internment at Banff and Jasper National Parks During World War I, and Jehangir Merchant’s 1961 Internment in Mozambique

25 October 2022

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PLEASE CLICK: Story of Internment

Malik Merchant’s recent visit to Jasper National Park to attend the Dark Sky event apparently taught him an important new lesson in Canadian History — the internment of Ukrainians and others from European countries who were deemed to be “enemy aliens” by the Canadian Government. While reflecting on this sad chapter, Malik’s thoughts also turned to the internment of his own father, Jehangir Merchant, in Mozambique in 1961 for almost 6 months for holding an Indian passport. Read and share his post which includes excerpts from a loving letter that Jehangir wrote to his beloved wife, Malek, as a new member was added to the Merchant family just as the internment of Indian citizens got underway. Please click HERE or on the image below for the article and photos in Simergphotos.

Please click on photo for article

Date posted: October 25, 2022.

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REVIEW SIMERG’S TABLE OF CONTENTS AND VISIT ITS SISTER WEBSITES

Before departing this website please take a moment to visit Simerg’s Table of Contents for links to almost 2000 pieces published since the website was created in 2009. Also visit Simerg’s two sister websites Barakah, dedicated to His Highness the Aga Khan, and Simergphotos. Barakah’s editor may be reached at mmerchant@simerg.com. Malik may be followed @Facebook and @Twitter.

Emerald Ponds, a Grizzly Family of Four, Jagged Mountains and More: An Unforgettable Day on Hwy 40 in Alberta’s Kananaskis Country

15 August 2022

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After about an hour’s driving (appx 80 kms) from Calgary on the Trans Canada Hwy you are ready for a lifetime experience as you drive through the paved Alberta Hwy 40 or the Kananaskis Trail. Malik Merchant has seen wildlife on the path on every trip he has made over the last few weeks; he now shares photographs that he took on his most recent trip. Please click HERE or on the image(s) below for his latest story, and also visit his photoblog Simergphotos for more of his beautiful experiences in and around Calgary.

Grizzlies Kananaskis Country, Hwy 40
Grizzlies, Kananaskis Trail (Alberta Hwy 40). Please click on photo for story and more photos.
Wedge Pond, Kananaskis Country, Hwy 40
Wedge Pond, Alberta Hwy 40. Please click on photo for story and more photos.

Date posted: August 15, 2022.

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Photos: Driving Through the Scenic Backcountry Gravel Hwy 742, the Smith-Dorrien Trail, in Kananaskis Country

27 July 2022

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Malik Merchant subjects his Mazda 6 Sedan through 60 kms of rough gravel road, the Hwy 742 or the Smith-Dorrien Trail, to experience some stunning mountain scenery and wildlife in Alberta’s spectacular Kananaskis region. Please click HERE or on photo below to read his report of a memorable 3 hour trip that ended with the greatest rib-eye steak in his life at the Rustica restaurant in Canmore, with the magnificent Three Sisters Mountains smiling on him. Kananaskis is a very short drive from Calgary, and having made 3 trips to the region in as many days (!) Merchant highly recommends everyone to discover this beautiful section of Alberta that brims with natural beauty, easy to moderate to the most strenuous hiking trails as well as great wildlife!….. Read More

A memorial bench at Sprays Lake Reservoir on Hwy 742, the Smith-Dorrien Trail, that starts at the Peter Lougheed Provincial Park, Kananaskis Country, Alberta, Canada. Please click on image for full report and photographs

Date posted: July 27, 2022.

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REVIEW SIMERG’S TABLE OF CONTENTS AND VISIT ITS SISTER WEBSITES

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. Reach the editor, Malik, at mmerchant@simerg.com

Stunning Photographs from Kananaskis, a Gem in Canada’s Alberta Province

5 July 2022

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Malik Merchant spontaneously takes off for a drive through the stunning Kananaskis Mountain Range in the Canadian Rockies in Alberta. He meets beautiful people, sees awe inspiring lakes and sunsets as well as has close encounters with wildlife. No doubt, the late Aga Khan regarded the appreciation of nature as among the TEN PRINCIPLES one should have for a happier, richer and more meaningful life. Click HERE or on any of the photos below for Malik’s informative and exciting piece.

A close-up of a Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep standing near a fence, surrounded by green trees and a river in the background.
Wildlife in the Kananaskis. Click on photo for story and beautiful photos.
A stunning sunset over a tranquil lake, surrounded by the majestic Kananaskis Mountain Range in Alberta, Canada, reflecting colorful clouds in the water.
Lakes, mountains and beautiful sunsets in the Kananaskis. Click on photo for story and more photos.
A brown bear foraging in a lush green meadow surrounded by shrubs.
Wildlife in the Kananaskis. Click on photo for story and beautiful photos.

Date posted: July 5, 2022.

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