Eric, We goans from East Africa have encountered the Ismaili community since the 1940`s. Followers of the Aga Khan they are of the Shia side of Islam. They were mainly business folk/ traders/merchants who were westernized in their dress and habits. Being very progressive they were the one of the first communities in E.A. to build schools, hospitals, community centres and ,of course their mosques that they called jamat-khanas. Though they tended to speak Kutchee among themselves there ( they still do so here in Toronto ) many of their community rose to high positions including ministerships in E.A. governments as these folk spoke English as well as the goans. They have a thriving community in Toronto and their charitable trusts support many uplift activities in E.A and places like Tadjikistan,Uzbeckistan etc; where their missionaries have made converts to the Ismaili faith. They are about to open a large museum of Islamic Culture and community centre where the Bata Centre formerly stood near Eglinton Avenue East and Don Valley Parkway. I hear this huge venture has been designed by a goan architect Charles Correia from India after an international contest awarded him the honour.
-----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of eric pinto Sent: Tuesday, October 23, 2012 10:39 AM To: [email protected]; Goa's premiere mailing list, estb. 1994! Subject: [Goanet] Ismaili Trusts Thanks, Bosco. ------------------------------------ A marvellous product of the communities outreach is the magnificent new Saifee Hospital on Queens Road. ( you can google) They dutifully pay the ten percent tithe that is expected of them into the the Aga Khan Trust, every year. The result is a endless round of building and charitable activities. These Kutchees settled in Bombay two centuries ago. The upper class make no public display of religion. We could learn much from them. eric. --------------------------------------------------------------------- The newslink to Eric's post below can be found at: http://www.mumbaimirror.com/index.aspx?page=article§id=15&contentid=20120927 20120927042322110d461fc2b Additional comments: In general it appears the densely populated areas of South Bombay - Chor Bazaar, Bhuleshwar, Lohar Chawl, Kalbadevi, Masjid Bunder, Dhobitalao, etc.... are going to go through a bunch of demolitions and renewal that may well end up with a number of high-rises. The western sea face north of Dadar looks a lot different than it looked 20 years ago. .
