25 March,2011 06:54 AM IST | | Alifiya Nalwala
City's Dawoodi Bohras celebrate 100th birthday of spiritual leader His Holiness Syedna Dr Mohammed Burhanuddin (TUS)
For the 15,000-odd strong Dawoodi Bohra community in the city, there could be no bigger event that the one that they are celebrating today.
For the greater good: Tree plantation drive was one of the many
events organised to celebrate the 100th birthday of Syedna
As you read this article, the community members are gathered at their local mosques staring up at big TV screens and wishing their religious leader His Holiness Syedna Dr Mohammed Burhanuddin (TUS) for his 100th birthday and praying for his health and continued leadership. The small but prosperous community has in the past two months celebrated many major events as part of the 100th birthday celebrations of Syedna.
From entrepreneurship shows to international cricket tournaments, community services like tree plantation drives and medical check-up camps, innovative events like car rallies and aero-modelling shows to even Guinness Book record events like Save our Sparrows in which 50,000 bird feeders were distributed across India to feed sparrows, the community members have left no stone unturned to showcase their talent and enthusiasm towards making the birthday celebrations a grand affair.
Janab Abdeali Nooruddin, head of the Dawoodi Bohra community of Pune, expressed his pleasure at the opportunity to do something for the people on this auspicious occasion. "The Dawoodi Bohra community is known for its progressive attitude and for strong belief in the tenets of peace and nationhood. We are keen to contribute positively to the growth and development of the city and that is why on the occasion of 100th Milad Mubarak of our beloved father, we chose to do projects like Go Green which oversaw plantation of 10,000 trees in the city, installation of drinking water coolers at public places and a women's trade entrepreneur show," he said.
He said the idea behind these projects was to build a rapport with other communities as well as present a true picture of progressiveness amongst the Dawoodi Bohra community. Zoher Harnesswala, PRO of Dawoodi Bohra community in Pune, said that besides the above mentioned events, the biggest so far was a grand
procession in which more than 8,000 people participated.
"The procession started from MG Road to Azam Campus grounds and had thousands of Dawoodi Bohra participating. The children were dressed in golden robes and on horses or chariots. The chariots had cut-outs of all events conducted so far by the community as part of 100 year celebrations," he said. Many of these events like SOS and similar processions were held across the world to show a unity among the community members as well. Apart from the social events, prayer meetings and discourses have been going on a daily basis in mosques across the city and all over the world.
Community head
Born on March 6, 1915 as per the Egyptian Muslim Calendar, in Surat in Gujarat, His Holiness Syedna Dr Mohammed Burhanuddin (TUS) is the 52nd Dai al-Mutlaq of the community. His public and private discourses convey the prayer for world peace. His illustrious father, the late Syedna Taher Saifuddin, personally supervised his early education, upbringing and tutelage to the lofty future causes he was destined for. When he turned 53 in 1965, His Holiness succeeded his father to head the community. As a Hafiz-al-Quran (person who has memorised Holy Quran in full), he became the driving force of the community in academics. Under his guidance and financial support to academic pursuits at all levels, the Dawoodi Bohra achieved 100 per cent literacy through 400 educational institutions all over the world. His Holiness has been awarded The Order Of The Star of Jordan and Vishah Al-Neel of Egypt, besides honorary citizenship of the US and Canada.
