To close out Theme One, “Celebrating the Grace of Jamatkhana and Ismaili Centres,” ITREB Bangladesh organized “Jashan-e-Jubilee”, a day-time program starring the students, teachers, Library Members and Members of the Jamat.
Ms. Dilshad Dossani, Chairperson of ITREB Bangladesh, shared her vision for the event. She said that she wanted to educate the jamat and at the same time, bring them together in joy and happiness. She said, “The main vision was to plan an interesting educational program in a way that the jamat will easily understand [and] gain knowledge in an entertaining and enjoyable manner. For the Diamond Jubilee, I also wanted everyone to come together, work in collaboration, and get a sense of bonding and feeling of unity and brotherhood which Hazar Imam wants and emphasizes on, and this program, I think, created that platform.”
There was indeed a sense of brotherhood and bonding abound. In order to prepare for the Jashan-e-Jubilee, students and coordinators created scripts, came together almost daily to practice, and spent time creating costumes and props for the show.
One of the Coordinators said, “There is definitely a very real feeling of camaraderie between us… this program really brought us together.”
The programme included segments from students of all ages. Students of KG I and II and Primary I and II portrayed their brothers and sisters around the globe in “Ismailis Around the World.” By dressing in clothing local to regions where Ismailis live and speaking their language, these students brought to life the notion of “One Jamat.” Students in upper primary explored themes found in the Ta’lim curriculum such as seeking help from the Imam in the play “Mushkil Khusha” and embarking on spiritual quests and journey to enlightenment in “The Conference of the Birds.”
An audience, member of the jamat, expressed her views about the day, “It was a very enlightened program; a kind of knowledge sharing with the jamat…The ‘Conference of the Birds’ [was about] self-reflection, I really liked the idea. How [they] have passed the message across to the jamat was good.”
Secondary students engaged the audience with some of the lesser-known facts about Ismaili Centres in their game-show simulation, “Kaun Banega Knowledgeable,” a play on the popular television shows “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire” and “Kaun Banega Crore Pati.” The skit also included two dance performances from the Tajik and Portugese tradition. There was also a segment that taught the audience basic Arabic words.
A secondary student, said of her experience, “Our interaction with the jamat actually was a connection; it was a bond with the jamat. The bond was good, so the jamat actually had fun. Like the bond [we have] with our mawla, [we too have a] bond with the jamat.”
The show rounded out with a group of teachers performing a Qawwali and the library members and Mukhiyanima of the Chittagong Jamatkhana having a lively conversation in gujrati (a type of a skit) with the audience.
In true celebration style, the performances were topped off with delicious lunch and a round of dandia and garba for the whole jamat. The jamat’s joy and happiness was palpable among the festivities.
One of the Leaders of the National Council said, “I’m speechless. It was wonderful. It was perfectly right for the Diamond Jubilee platform. People enjoyed it outright; each program was excelling the last one. And it was [educational] at the same time. So, it was just perfect.”
President of National Council remarked: “I think it was brilliant. What impressed me the most was through entertainment, we got to improve the jamat’s knowledge. That was the best part and a highlight of the event and I congratulate ITREB for that.”
Though the performances have ended, it is clear that Jashan-e-Jubilee has left a lasting impact on the jamat of Bangladesh. One of the program’s coordinators, expressed her happiness at having been able to share this experience in her hometown of Dhaka. When asked how the program has impacted her Diamond Jubilee experience, she said, “It strengthened the bond between me and the Imam. I want do more for the Imam and I want to do more for his institutions.”
