Ajmer Sharif Dargah authorities unhappy with film stars

July 24, 2012

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The Ajmer Sharif Dargah is famous across the world as it is believed that no prayer at this dargah goes unanswered. Needless to say, people keep frequenting the shrine. More so, our film stars, whose fate changes every Friday, with every release. But the frequency of such visits by stars has left the religious heads fuming.

Mazaar pe CD rakh ke jaana galat hai

Dargah Dewan Zainul Abedin Ali Khan, the hereditary Sajjada-nashin of Khwaja Moinuddin Hasan Chishty, believes that "a holy place must not be used as a platform for anything that is forbidden and against Islamic law". Khan issued a statement on Sunday stating, "Dance and films are taboo in Islam. Cinema today, in general, is promoting obscenity, which is a major reason behind the rapid degradation of moral values in the society. Film stars come here repeatedly to seek blessings for their films and, in the process, promote their film through the media. Such kind of promotion of their work at the religious place is highly intolerable."

When contacted, Khan clarified his statement and said, "Film stars aayein. Dus ki jagah 100 aayein, humein usse koi matlab nahi, par apni film hit karaane ke liye woh dargah aate hain, aur mazaar pe CD rakh ke jaate hain, woh galat hai. Ab uss film mein kya hai, kya nahin, woh hamey kya pata? There could be a rape scene or other obscenity that they've shown to make the film a hit, and then they come here to seek blessings for such a movie and promote it - this is highly objectionable. Khwaja ji filmein hit karaane ke liye thodi baithe hain?"

The religious head of the dargah has called upon Islamic intellectuals and Ulemas to pay urgent attention to the issue. "It is surprising that Islamic intellectuals are quiet on this issue. They should express their views as strongly as they do in other cases," he said.

Referring to Himesh Reshammiya's visit in a burqa and Katrina Kaif donning a skirt during her visit in the past, Khan said, "Why don't these stars go to Shankarcharya Math or to a gurudwara before the release of their movie? Yahan aakar publicity ke liye woh yeh sab karte hain. Woh ashleelta ko paros rahe hain religious jagah pe."

However Qutubuddin Sakhi, the Khadim at the Dargah, disagreed with Khan. "Be it a commoner or a celebrity who is visiting the dargah to pray for his/her well being - nobody comes here for sheer publicity. Those who are announcing the ban have no authority to say so. It's their personal grudges against khadims. The Dargah Dewan's statement is nothing but a gimmick to earn publicity. Bollywood celebrities have been coming to to pray and seek blessings of Khwaja Saheb since the past 23 years and none of them came here to get publicity."

Dua se kaarobar chale, usmein kya kharabi hai?

The religious heads at an equally famous dargah, Delhi's Hazrat Nizamuddin said that the Dargah Dewan is trying to mislead people in the name of Islam. "To say that stars or directors and producers are using the holy place for commercial purposes and for degrading moral values, is completely wrong," said Nizamuddin dargah in-charge Syed Afsar Ali Nizami.

He explained, "Yeh toh Baba ka darbaar hai, yahan aane ke liye kissi ko koi manai nahi hai. Dua ke liye log yahan aate hain, aur jinki dua qubool hoti hai woh baar baar aate hain, ismein commercial angle dhoondna aur usse highlight karna galat hai. If these stars believe that after paying their regards at Ajmer Sharif or at Hazrat Nizamuddin, their wish gets fulfilled in terms of a box office success then there is nothing wrong in it. Kissi ka karobaar chal raha hai Baba ki dua se toh usme kharabi kya hai?"

"Iss sab ka Islam se koi matlab nahi. Islam alag hai, dargah alag hai. A masjid is for Muslims, but a dargah is open for all. Anyone can come and seek blessings at a dargah. Agar woh Islam ke mutabik chalenge toh uss hisaab se toh bahut cheezein hain jo nahi honi chahiye. Muslim women can't show their face, but that's no longer the case. Similarly, Islam says that music is bad, but we have qawwali nights inside the dargah," said Afsar, asking why the Ajmer Sharif religious head is objecting now, after so many years. "Kitne saalon se yeh film waale Ajmer Sharif ja rahein hain. In fact, movies like Namastey London have been shot inside the dargah. If they were so worried about the commercial misuse of the holy shrine, then how come they allowed movie shoots inside?"

Sab ko dargah jaane ka aur dua lene ka haq hai

Veena Malik, who visited the holy shrine with Ashmit Patel said, "It is wrong to discriminate like that. Actors bhi insaan hote hain, unko Ajmer Sharif aane se ban karne ka kya matlab hai? Sabko dua lene ka poora haq hai. Agar koi apni salamati ke liye dua karta hai toh ismein harz kya hai?" While Ekta Kapoor said, "We pray for various mannats, how can anyone stop people from coming to the dargah?"

"Every human seeks God's blessings for some or the other reason. Tell me one person who selflessly goes to him and does not ask for his blessings? If someone visits a dargah with or without any reason, it's because of his belief in the divine authority. It's unfair to impose a ban on celebrities. I will request the dargah authorities to withdraw such a ban, which is absolutely unfair," added Esha Koppikhar.

Recently, actress Divya Dutta had also visited the dargah while she was shooting for a movie in Jodhpur, but the actor chose not to comment on the objection by the dargah officials. She said, "I have never gone to the dargah for movie promotions. I haven't even read the news so I cannot comment, but all I can say is that I have always visited the dargah for only personal reasons."



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News Network
June 15,2020

Mumbai, Jun 15: Actor Sushant Singh Rajput, who was found hanging in his Bandra apartment on Sunday, was battling depression, police said on Monday.

According to the police official, Mumbai Police found out during the probe that the 34-year-old actor was under medication for depression.

No suicide note was found from the spot, the official added.

Mumbai Police as well as the crime branch officials visited his rented flat on Sunday, but nothing suspicious was found. Rajput had been living with two cooks and a house help.

Autopsy reveals asphyxia as provisional cause of death

The provisional post mortem report of Sushant Singh Rajput has revealed that the provisional cause of death was asphyxia due to hanging, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Abhishek Trimukhe said on Monday.

"Provisional postmortem report has been submitted by doctors at Bandra Police Station. A team of three doctors conducted the autopsy of Sushanth Singh Rajput. The provisional cause of death is asphyxia due to hanging," Trimukhe said.

The post mortem has been conducted at Dr RN Cooper Municipal General Hospital in Mumbai.

The untimely death of the versatile actor has sent shock waves among celebrities and his fans alike. Scores of actors and politicians from across the nation have taken it online to share their grief and sorrow with the untimely demise of the young actor.
 

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News Network
June 13,2020

Washington, Jun 13: American actor Gwyneth Paltrow is opening up about her experience during the coronavirus quarantine.

According to Fox News, the 47-year-old star explained to Shape magazine, the July-August cover issue of which she has graced -- that she hadn't realised just "how much the normal pace of life was overburdening our bodies, our minds, and our nervous systems."

The Goop founder explained, "As we have been forced into the confines of our own homes, that has brought up a lot of emotional distress for some, and for others, it has been very peaceful. In my case, I have experienced both."

The 'Iron Man' actor said that she has now started to "settle down" in her "brain and body."

She added of the lockdown, "It has given me new perspective about how much I will take on going forward."

Paltrow noted that before the quarantine, she was always trying to get "wellness moments" in, but she wasn't "really decompressing" until the weekends or on vacations.

"Now I feel different, letting my body go to sleep and wake up in its natural rhythm, having my kids around all the time, eating meals together and having meaningful conversations," she said of her children,16-year-old daughter Apple, and 14-year-old son Moses, whom she shares with ex Chris Martin.

Paltrow noted, "We linger at the table; our dinners are an hour and a half long. My heart feels fuller, and my mind feels calmer in that respect."

For how she de-stresses, the 'Spider-Man: Homecoming' actor said, "I try to do exercises every day for my back and neck because of all the Zoom calls I'm on."

In addition, Paltrow says she and her husband Brad Falchuk go for walks at least three to four times per week. She also takes online fitness and yoga classes.

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News Network
January 28,2020

Mumbai, Jan 28: A 33-year-old woman has written to the National Commission for Women (NCW) alleging that Bollywood choreographer Ganesh Acharya used to make her watch porn videos whenever she visited his office in Mumbai.

In a complaint filed with the police, the woman, an assistant choreographer, has alleged that Acharya and two women assaulted her during a function of the Indian Film and Television Choreographers Association (IFTCA) held in suburban Andheri on Sunday.

Besides Acharya, the complainant, Divya Kotian, has named Jayashree Kelkar and Preeti Lad in her complaint for assault, a police official said on Tuesday.

Calls made to Acharya for his reaction remained unanswered.

In her letter to the NCW, Kotian, a resident of suburban Bhayandar, claimed that Acharya forced her to watch adult videos whenever she visited his office.

In her complaint with Amboli police station, Kotian alleged that Acharya was demanding a commission from her for working in the film industry.

Kotian is also a member of the IFTCA.

Acharya, who was elected as a general secretary of the IFTCA, used to frequently call the complainant at the office in Andheri, the police official said quoting the complaint.

On January 26, when Kotian reached the IFTCA office, Acharya shouted at her and announced that she was being "suspended", he said.

Acharya grew furious after Kotian told him that she is a member of the IFTCA and allegedly asked his team member, Jayashree Kelkar, to slap her, the police official said.

"Kelkar and Preeti Lad hit me in public view which was captured on the CCTV," the complaint stated.

Police have registered a non-cognisable (NC) offence and investigating, the official added.

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