Ladha sisters’ model of historic Hasanabad, the final resting place of His Late Highness Aga Khan I, is a cherishable object in the family home

8 June 2025

Editor’s note: As children, we have created some stunning works of art and written beautiful essays that we might have long forgotten. However, for our parents, these creations are not just objects, but the threads that weave our family memories, preserving our childhood in their hearts. A model of Hasanabad, a 3-month labour of love and creativity by Sarah and Sophia Ladha some 14 years ago, remains a cherished part of the Ladha family home in Toronto. It stands as a testament to the role of childhood creations in preserving our family memories, even as the two girls embark on their journeys in distant cities. We present their story, celebrating the enduring connection that childhood creations bring to our families.

If there is an iconic piece of art or object related to Ismaili Muslim culture that your children made years ago and remains part of your family’s proudest moment, we would like to hear about it. The Ladha sisters have set an excellent example with their inspiring project, and we encourage you to follow in their footsteps. Write to mmerchant@simerg.com and be part of this inspiring initiative. Simerg and its sister websites Barakah and Simergphotos are independent platforms, committed to encouraging the pursuit of knowledge in all areas of Ismaili history, art and culture, the Divine Institution of Imamat and His Highness the Aga Khan.

The Hasanabad Model

By SARAH AND SOPHIA LADHA

We were inspired to create the Hasanabad model after a profoundly personal visit to Hasanabad and its grounds, which include a Jamatkhana and a housing complex in Mumbai in 2011. This trip was particularly meaningful to us because Hasanabad is where my dad, Dr. Murad Ladha, spent his formative years as one of five children of Amina Ladha and Moledina Ladha. Experiencing its breathtaking architecture up close and learning about its historical significance left a lasting impression on us.

Hasanabad, more than just an architectural marvel, is a place of profound historical significance. It is the final resting place of the 46th Ismaili Imam, Mawlana Hasan Ali Shah, who in 1846, journeyed from Iran to Mumbai, establishing the Seat of Imamat in India after centuries in Persia.

Inspired by the grandeur of the Taj Mahal, Hasanabad’s design features intricate detailing, majestic domes, and perfect symmetry, making it a remarkable landmark and the only Ismaili historical site in India. Inside the Hasanabad Dargah — where Imam Hasan Ali Shah (Aga Khan I) is buried — there is intricate Islamic art decorating the interior of the kuba (the dome). However, due to architectural limitations and lighting, visitors do not readily see or appreciate this artwork. To address this, the fountain in the model was intentionally designed to help reflect and highlight the variety of Islamic artistic elements within the Dargah. This allows members of the Jamat, especially those unable to visit in person, to engage with and appreciate the spiritual and artistic heritage embodied in the structure.

Moved by its historical and cultural significance, we dedicated three months to meticulously crafting our 29″ x 19″ model, striving to capture every detail. Using materials like clay, styrofoam spheres, beads, and pastels, we sought to bring the essence of Hasanabad to life.

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Hasanabad Model by the Ladha sisters — The fountain featured in front of historic Hasanabad is not part of the building but was created by Sarah and Sophia Ladha to depict some of the artistic work in the dome inside the building. Photograph: Murad Ladha family collection.

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*Hasanabad Gallery, accompanying the model exhibit. Photograph: Murad Ladha family collection.*

The Ismaili Art and Cultural Committee recognized our model for its craftsmanship, attention to detail, and the story behind it. They appreciated how it highlighted Hasanabad’s architectural beauty and helped share its rich history with others. We displayed the model in Etobicoke Jamatkhana, along with a PowerPoint presentation explaining the the significance of historic Hasanabad to the Jamat. Subsequently, the model was displayed at the Toronto’s International Centre, during a large Navroz gathering of the Greater Toronto Area Jamats. This allowed even more members to experience and connect with this unique representation of Ismaili heritage. Today, the model is a treasured object in our parents’ home in Toronto, and we hope that other children, who have created interesting art work related to Ismaili culture and history will come forward and share their projects through this website.

Featured photo at the top of the post: Sophia and Sarah with their parents, Mr. and Mrs. Murad Ladha, during the Hasanabad model exhibit at Etobicoke Jamatkhana.

Date posted: June 8, 2025.
Last updated: September 24, 2025.

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ABOUT THE ARTISTS

Sarah and Shaheen Ladha — *Sisters Dr. Sophia (left) and Sarah Ladha.*

Dr. Sophia Ladha is a dedicated optometrist who recently completed her Doctor of Optometry degree at Western University of Health Sciences. She also holds a Bachelor of Science in Optometry from City University in the United Kingdom. Dr. Ladha is passionate about providing patient-centered eye care, combining clinical expertise with a compassionate approach. Outside of the clinic, she enjoys exploring Islamic art and calligraphy, finding harmony between scientific precision and creative expression.

Sarah Ladha is a medical student currently studying in Pennsylvania. Outside of medicine, she has a deep passion for architecture and design. She is fascinated by how structure, form, and function converge to create spaces that are not only visually striking but also purposeful. Sarah draws inspiration from the stories behind buildings — the history, culture, and intention that shape their design. Exploring these elements allows her to see architecture not just as construction, but as a form of living art.

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We welcome your feedback. Please click LEAVE A COMMENT. If you are unable to post your comment, please email it to mmerchant@simerg.com. Simerg, an independent platform, has published over 2,000 pieces on all aspects of Ismaili and Islamic history, culture and thought since its launch in 2009. Please see our Table of Contents in 2 parts — 2009-2019 and 2020-Current. Please visit Simerg’s sister websites, Barakah, which is dedicated to His Highness the Aga Khan, and Simergphotos that features photo essays on history, culture and travel. Follow the publisher/editor Malik Merchant on @Facebook, @X and @LinkedIn

Aitmadi Dr. Aziz Rajabali Kurwa, Long Serving Ismaili Leader, Passes Away in Calgary, Aged 91

14 March 2024

19 Comments

Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji’un
“Surely we belong to God and to Him we return” — Holy Qur’an, 2:156.

“Life is a great and noble calling, not a mean and grovelling thing to be shuffled through as best as we can but a lofty and exalted destiny” — Mawlana Sultan Mahomed Shah, His Highness the Aga Khan III (1877-1957), 48th Imam of the Shia Imami Ismaili Muslims.

By MALIK MERCHANT
Calgary, Alberta

It is with deep sadness that I inform readers that Aitmadi Dr. Aziz Rajabali Kurwa of Mumbai, India, London, England, and Calgary, Canada, passed away peacefully in Calgary on Wednesday, March 13, 2024, at the age of 91. Dr. Kurwa’s wife, Aitmadibanoo Shirin Aziz Kurwa (d. December 2016), and his two brothers, Ramzan and Mohammedally, predeceased him.

Surviving Dr. Kurwa are his three children and their respective spouses, six grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. They are daughter Khadeeja and her husband Steven Emmerson, and their two children, Adam and Daniel; daughter Laila and her husband Rahim Arstall and their two children, Nadia and Karim; and son Dr. Habib Kurwa and his wife Farzana and their two children, Khalil and Hassan. Laila’s daughter Nadia is Dr. Kurwa’s granddaughter, and with her husband Bob, they have two children, Rohan and Remi, making Dr. Kurwa a great-grandfather. Also surviving Dr. Kurwa is his younger brother, Dr. Badru Kurwa, an ophthalmologist in California.

Aitmadi Dr. Aziz Kurwa’s funeral will take place at Calgary’s South Jamatkhana on Saturday, March 16, 2024, at 11 AM. The funeral will be preceded by a dilsoji (condolences) to family members at the same Jamatkhana on Friday, March 15, after the evening ceremonies.

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*Aitmadi Dr. Aziz Rajabali Kurwa (d. March 13, 2024, aged 91)*

Dr. Aziz Kurwa was an exceptional and dedicated Ismaili leader who left an indelible mark on the community by pursuing excellence and implementing transformative programs and ideas in the United Kingdom. As someone who, with my late parents Alwaez Jehangir and Alwaeza Malek Merchant, served under Dr. Kurwa’s leadership as the President of the Ismailia Association for the United Kingdom (now known as the Ismaili Tariqah and Religious Education Board or ITREB), I have fond and special memories as I think of him. Still, there is one that was extraordinarily special. It is of the day in London, England, when he presented a framed set of 3 Fatimid coins to Mawlana Hazar Imam, His Highness the Aga Khan, at a student gathering in Olympia Hall during his weeklong visit in September 1979 to the Ismaili Jamat (community). Mawlana Hazar Imam looked at the gift with deep interest and admiration and responded as follows:

“Dr. Kurwa earlier, presented to me some coins from the Fatimid Caliphate. This was a period of great glory and great pride, and I would like to express to all my students my very deep gratitude for the gift that you have offered. It is a link to the past, but it is also an ideal to be achieved, an ideal of strength, an ideal of performance, an ideal of happiness.” (Excerpt from Ilm, Volume 4, Number 3).

Following the presentation, Dr. Kurwa brought the gift to the Ismaili Association’s literature counter for display for the benefit of the Jamat. This first-ever presentation of Fatimid coins to Mawlana Hazar Imam during his 22 years of Imamat from 1957 to 1979 raised the Jamat’s interest in the glory of the Fatimid Empire.

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Aga Khan presented with a gift of Fatimid Dinars by Aziz Kurwa 1979, Ismailia Association President — London, September 1979: Mawlana Hazar Imam, His Highness the Aga Khan, is seen receiving the report of the Ismailia Association’s Activity and a framed set of 3 Fatimid Gold Dinars from the President of the Association, Dr. Aziz Kurwa. The students Mukhi and Mukhiani are standing on either side in a volunteer’s uniform. Photo: Ilm magazine.

Aziz Rajabali Kurwa was born in Mumbai on December 1, 1932, and studied there until his medical graduation. He became involved with services to the Ismaili community at a very young age. As a college student, he helped revive a student society under the new name of Ismaili Students Education Society (ISES). The committee then undertook several initiatives, including organizing an arts and crafts exhibition in the city. Prince Aly Khan, who was then visiting Mumbai, very graciously accepted the committee’s invitation to inaugurate the exhibition.

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Aitmadi Aziz Kurwa and Aitmadibanoo Shirin Kurwa. Simerg passings tribute Malik Merchant — *Aitmadi Aziz Kurwa and Aitmadibanoo Shirin Kurwa. Photograph: Habib Kurwa family collection.*

Dr. Kurwa arrived in England in 1958. With his solid medical background from India, he went on to specialize as a dermatologist, obtaining FRCP(Edinburgh) and FRCP(London). Before Dr. Kurwa relocated to London, where he opened a dermatology clinic in the city’s famous medical district, Harley Street, he pursued his ambition of serving the Ismaili Jamat in Birmingham. He became the Mukhi (leader of the congregation) of the Jamat in 1970 and, together with his counterpart and other members of the Jamat, assisted in settling many Ismailis who arrived in the Midlands area as refugees from Uganda after their 1972 expulsion by Idi Amin.

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Aziz Kurwa, Jehangir Merchant, staff, and teachers and others of the Ismailia Association for the UK — Dr. Aziz Kurwa, President of the Ismaili Association for the U.K. between 1979 and 1985, is seated third from left and is pictured with the members, staff, and teachers who served under him. Photograph: Jehangir Merchant Family Collection.

When he opened his dermatology practice in London’s Harley Street, Dr. Kurwa continued to set his sights on serving the Ismaili community. He established a Jamatkhana in Purley, Surrey, and in 1979, he was appointed President of the Ismailia Association for the United Kingdom by Mawlana Hazar Imam.

As a visionary leader, he introduced the concept of Baitul Ilm, an Ismaili religious education program for children and youth, which continues to shape the U.K. and other worldwide Ismaili communities. He also championed the distribution of high-quality religious material in cassettes to remote Jamats in the U.K. He created a bilingual religious magazine, Al-Misbah, containing easy-to-follow religious material, stories for children, and readings for the Gujarati-speaking members of the Jamat.

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Al-Misbah magazine, Ismaili magazine, His Highness the Aga Khan — *The bi-lingual Gujarati-English Al-Misbah magazine was launched in the UK during Dr. Aziz Kurwa’s term as the President of the Ismailia Association for the UK.*

His support for adult education and the growth of the literature and library portfolios further underscored his commitment to the community. Waezin (sermon) activities grew multifold throughout the U.K. as did children’s activities and participation in the Jamatkhanas. Dr. Kurwa also ensured that missionaries in the U.K. would regularly travel to the widespread European Jamats to support their religious activities and interests. The highly acclaimed Ilm magazine, established in 1975, continued to prosper with increasing circulation in the U.K. and abroad. Such was the magazine’s reputation that in 1980, the magazine’s editor, my dad Jehangir, was invited by the Aga Khan Award for Architecture to attend the first Award Ceremony in Lahore. Sadly, he was unable to go.

After completing his two terms as the President of the Ismaili Association, Mawlana Hazar Imam, in 1986, chose him to be one of the resident governors of the Institute of Ismaili Studies in London, which Dr. Kurwa proudly served until 1995.

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dr kuwa poetic festival aga khan golden jubilee — Dr. Aziz Kurwa, producer and director of “The Festival of Poetic Expressions” speaking at the event which was held by the Ismaili Council for the UK in London, Manchester and Germany to commemorate the Golden Jubilee of Mawlana Hazar Imam, His Highness the Aga Khan Aga Khan.

Aziz Kurwa Aga Khan Ismailia Association President and organizer of festival of poetic expressions, Aga Khan Golden Jubilee, simerg insights from around the world, — Dr. Aziz Kurwa celebrates at the conclusion of “The Festival of Poetic Expressions” which was held by the Ismaili Council for the UK in London, Manchester and Germany to commemorate the Golden Jubilee of Mawlana Hazar Imam, His Highness the Aga Khan Aga Khan.

Dr. Kurwa continued relentlessly to participate in other activities within the community. He contributed in creating the Health Care Professional’s Association and reviving the Ismaili Seniors Club. His passion for the Baitul Ilm religious education program led him to organize poetry sessions for Ismaili children and seniors, the success of which led to the Festival of Poetic Expressions as a Golden Jubilee programme. The event was staged in London, Manchester and Germany. He invited Simerg to publish the poems on the website, which we proudly did. Dr. Kurwa also served as a member of the Executive Committee of The Association For The Study Of Ginans, a private initiative.

Dr. Kurwa, at the invitation of Simerg, contributed insightful and significant pieces for its three highly acclaimed series: I Wish I’d Been There (click Volunteering at the Dawn of the Age of Imamat), Thanking Ismaili Historical Figures (Thank You Letter to the Person of the Institution of the Ismaili Imamat) and The Jamatkhana (Happy Days in Hasanabad).

In his article on Volunteering at the Dawn of Imamat, Dr. Kurwa wrote: “In whatever position in the Jamat, in my heart, I am devoted to voluntary service, and in this article, I am making an effort to recognise that volunteer services have existed since the inception of Islam and Inshallah will continue to flourish in the Jamat as long as Imam-e-Zaman wishes it to be.”

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Dr Aziz Kurwa, dermatologist, Ismaili leader, Passings tribute — *All smiles as Aitmadi Dr. Aziz Kurwa is pictured with his son Dr. Habib Kurwa and his wife Farzana and their two children Khalil and Hassan. Photograph: Habib Kurwa family collection.*

Dr. Kurwa moved to Calgary, Canada, in 2017 following the demise of his beloved and wonderful wife, Aitmadibanoo Shirin Aziz Kurwa, in December 2016. He cherished the beautiful moments with his loving son, Dr. Habib Kurwa, and his family. I was honoured to visit my former president and to meet him in Jamatkhanas. My wish to see him on Thursday, March 14, 2024, at 3:30 PM never materialized. A day earlier, on March 13, Habib texted me mid-morning, “Ya Ali Madad – Dad passed away this morning.”

Allah most graciously granted Aitmadi Aziz Kurwa a peaceful, happy and healthy life — a life that was filled with service to the Ismaili community, its institutions and the Imam-of-the-Time

He was an extremely rare Ismaili leader who returned to serve the Jamat at the grassroots level in any capacity as long as it enabled him to contribute to the community’s upliftment.

Aitmadi Aziz Rajabali Kurwa was a gallant, humble leader and a devoted murid of Mawlana Hazar Imam. We pray that his soul may rest in eternal peace. Ameen. We further pray that his family may face this immense loss with great courage and fortitude.

Date posted: March 14, 2024.
Last updated: March 15, 2024 (reformatting and typos.)

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