Photos of the Day: Magical Spring Energy on the Ground and in the Sky at Aga Khan Park, Ismaili Centre and Aga Khan Museum

By MALIK MERCHANT
Publisher/Editor  Simergphotos, Barakah and Simerg

A budding tree at Aga Khan Park, March 13, 2021. Photo: Malik Merchant/Simerg.

We are a week away before a new day, a new year dawns for hundreds of millions of people in Central and Southern Asia, the Middle East and diasporic communities living around the world. March 20 or 21 also sees the beginning of the spring season in the Northern Hemisphere. We bring you these photos as we await the start of the New Year with a sincere hope, wish and prayer that the crushing burden of the pandemic that we have lived through eases soon, and that life returns to normal in the coming few months, as more and more people around the world are vaccinated against Covid-19. Let each one of us play our individual responsibility to abide by the guidelines that are provided by Federal and Provincial health authorities for our own well-being, protection and safety as well as everyone around us.

Sunset Aga Khan Park Simerg
Photo of the Day: In this breath taking picture taken on March 13, 2021, the sun engulfs the sky and the clouds with glorious hues of orange and red as it sinks in the horizon west of the Aga Khan Park. Photo: Malik Merchant/Simerg.
Aga Khan Park signage
The Aga Khan Park signage is located close to the signage for the Aga Khan Museum, which lies straight ahead as indicated on the panel. The Ismaili Centre is approximately 150 metres to the right. March 16, 2021. Photo: Malik Merchant/Simerg.
Sunset Aga Khan Park Simerg
In this breath taking picture taken on March 13, 2021, the sun engulfs the sky and the clouds with glorious hues of orange and red as it sinks in the horizon west of the Aga Khan Park. Photo: Malik Merchant/Simerg.
Dome Aga Khan Museum Simerg
The dome of the Aga Khan Museum, in striking contrast to the glass dome of the Ismaili Jamatkhana shown below. Photo: Malik Merchant/Simerg.
77 Wynford Drive Aga Khan Museum SIMERG
Main vehicle entrance to the Aga Khan Museum on 77 Wynford Drive (the street is on right). In the centre of the photo are flags of Canada (nearest), Ontario, Toronto and the Ismaili Imamat. The Ismaili Centre building is partially visible at left through the trees. Photo: Malik Merchant/Simerg.

Quotes by Mawlana Hazar Imam, His Highness the Aga Khan
(Aga Khan Park Inauguration, May 25, 2015)

“The Garden has for many centuries served as a central element in Muslim culture. The Holy Qur’an, itself, portrays the Garden as a central symbol of a spiritual ideal – a place where human creativity and Divine majesty are fused, where the ingenuity of humanity and the beauty of nature are productively connected. Gardens are a place where the ephemeral meets the eternal, and where the eternal meets the hand of man.

“The tradition of Islamic Gardens places an emphasis on human stewardship, our responsibility to nature and to protect the natural world. We see that principle expressed in the disciplined use of geometric form – framing the power and mystery of nature.

“And, of course, the Garden of ancient tradition, like the Garden here today, is a place where – whatever difficult moments may come our way – we can always find, in the flow of refreshing water, a reminder of Divine blessing.”

Aga Khan Park Tree 49
Tree #049 at Aga Khan Park begins to shows signs of budding in the wake of the spring season which commences on March 21, 2021. Photo: Malik Merchant/Simerg.
The dome of the Ismaili Jamatkhana on a magnificent day on March 13, 2021, a week before the celebration of spring or Navroz by hundreds of millions of people around the world. Photo: Malik Merchant/Simerg.
Main vehicle entrance Ismaili Centre, Toronto, 49 Wynford Drive. Photo: Malik Merchant/Simerg
Main vehicle entrance to the Ismaili Centre located on 49 Wynford Drive in Toronto. Passenger drop-off point for the Toronto Headquarters Jamatkhana (domed glass roof) is at far left (glass doors) in front of the large rectangular pillar. The brown design above the “Ismaili Centre” represents a geometric tool used by Muslim artists to create order and rhythm for contemplation. It is represented in the inner circle by an eight-sided pattern and is also repeated in other patterns 8 times in the outer circles. Photo: Malik Merchant/Simerg
A section of the rear structure of the Ismaili Centre building at left with its large courtyard terrace, and the Ismaili Jamatkhana with its unique glass dome as viewed from the south west portion of the Aga Khan Park. The surrounding buildings are condominium or rental apartment buildings located on or adjacent to Wynford Drive. Photo: Malik Merchant/Simerg.
The sun setting in the west casts a shadow of the Big Heech sculpture on the front wall of the Aga Khan Museum on March 13, 2021. Photo: Malik Merchant/Simerg.
Looking diagonally across the Aga Khan Park from a parking area at the Ismaili Centre (address 49 Wynford Drive), a view of the Aga Khan Museum (address 77 Wynford Drive) with flags of the Ismaili Imamat, the city of Toronto, the province of Ontario and Canada at left, where they meet Wynford Drive (not showing). The surrounding highrises are condominium or apartment buildings located on Wynford Drive or streets adjacent to it including Concorde Place. Photo: Malik Merchant/Simerg.
Defrosted and ready for spring! Photo: Malik Merchant/Simerg.

Date posted: March 15, 2021.
Last updated: March 16, 2021 (new photos added representing the address signages of the Aga Khan Museum and the Ismaili Centre, with revisions to a few captions).

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Category : Aga Khan Museum, Aga Khan Park, Festivals, Nature and Space
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