May 13, 2022: A Joyous Evening of Blessings in the Ismaili Jamatkhana

By MALIK MERCHANT
Publisher/Editor  Simergphotos, Barakah and Simerg

On Friday, May 13, 2022, I was at Calgary’s Ismaili Headquarters Jamatkhana (congregational prayer house) and was buoyed by the announcement by the Aga Khan Council for Canada, on behalf of the Ismaili Leaders’ International Forum (LIF), that Mawlana Hazar Imam, His Highness the Aga Khan, had conveyed his blessings to the world wide Jamat for our well-being, security and mushkil asan (protection from difficulties). To add to the blessings, our hearts were brimming with immense joy as we availed ourselves to the Ab-e-Shifa (holy water, lit. water of healing) and a juro (grace) in the form of a candy that had been graced to us by Mawlana Hazar Imam. One couldn’t be happier, and there was joy in the hearts of all the Jamati members. Later in the social hall, we gathered to sip chai and have Marie cookies.

When I stepped outside the Jamatkhana, the moon (illumination 94.6% ) in the SE direction was at an elevation of 30% having risen 3 hours earlier. In the opposite direction, the sun had set but the skies looked beautiful.

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Earlier during the day, a piece in the Calgary Herald had drawn my attention to the beautiful phenomenon of the lunar eclipse that would occur on Sunday evening, May 15.

I turned to the NASA website, and learnt that the lunar eclipse will be streamed live by the space agency. However NASA is asking us to go outside to watch the beautiful show in the sky. NASA explains the eclipse as follows:

“On the night of May 15, and into the early hours of May 16, skywatchers will be treated to a phenomenon which takes place every 1.5 years or so: a total lunar eclipse.

“Total lunar eclipses occur when the Moon and Sun are on opposite sides of Earth and the planet casts a complete shadow, or umbra, over its sole natural satellite. There may be multiple partial lunar eclipses each year, but total eclipses are a bit rarer. Best of all, unlike the precautions one takes to observe a total solar eclipse, it’s completely safe to watch a lunar eclipse unfold with the unaided eye. Even so, binoculars or a powerful telescope definitely can enrich the experience.

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“Starting at 9:32 p.m. EDT, people with clear skies in the Americas, Europe, and parts of Africa will begin to see the Moon get bathed in the red glow of every sunrise and sunset refracted through Earth’s atmosphere. Totality will occur at 12:12 a.m. EDT on May 16. This full Moon was known by early Native American tribes as the Flower Moon because this was the time of year when spring flowers appeared in abundance.” A reminder again — go outside to see the lunar eclipse on Sunday May 15th or watch the event live on the NASA website.

Watch the total lunar eclipse in Calgary as follows:

Begins: Sunday, May 15, 2022 at 9:12 pm;
Maximum: Sunday, May 15, 2022 at 10:11 pm; and
Ends: Monday, May 16, 2022 at 12:50 am.

Lunar eclipses are never visible across the entire world. However, you will be able to see lunar eclipses in your part of the world at some point in time in the coming years. The total lunar eclipse that is taking place on May 15/16, 2022 will be visible across many parts of North America and in South America. Please visit the website Time and Date, and enter your country and city to get similar eclipse time information that has been noted for Calgary, Canada, above.

Date posted: May 15, 2022.

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