“On the weekend of 8th and 9th of January 2005, over 200 Bahá’ís came to the city of Edinburgh to retrace the steps that ‘Abdu’l-Bahá would have taken on his tour of the city in January 1913. The weekend also raised awareness and encouraged people to contribute to the fund for the new Edinburgh Bahá’í Centre. The weekend was truly inspiring and incredibly uplifting as Bahá’ís from all over the world were guided in a number of tour groups to the places ‘Abdu’l-Bahá visited nearly 100 years ago. After a very beautiful and moving tour on the Saturday, the evening’s multicultural entertainment got started and as usual people's high spirits contributed to an unforgettable night. The night was alive with traditional Scottish, African and Persian dancing with additional performances by some of the youth from Edinburgh.
“Sunday morning was welcomed with a calming and wonderful devotional about ‘Abdu’l-Bahá and His visit to the UK. Shirin Fozdar delivered a very moving speech about the sacrifices Bahá’ís have made throughout history to give to the fund and people's hearts were moved as the Edinburgh Bahá’í choir ended the weekend's festivities on a very high note.
“We hope that people enjoyed the weekend as much as the Edinburgh community did. It is always heartwarming to see people striving towards achieving the goal to purchase a new Bahá’í centre in the city.”
An “unofficial” version of the events... from the
Edinburgh Newsletter
Oh, it was windy; oh, it was rainy; and oh, it was snowy! In this way, even the weather drifted less than a drop of whispering starlight from the moving experience of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá's visit to Edinburgh all those generations ago!
Buttoned up within the cocooning walls of St George's West Kirk, you see the shimmering figures of Bahá'ís lost and found, thronging together for their stop-in evening, accustoming themselves to the weekend, a limitless wind of spiritual moths fluttering about the candles of hope and wonder. Allured finally through the comforting flames of reunion and companionship, they peacefully unfold into the room like a Japanese fan, suffusing the air with their iridescent light.
Roya Varjevandi and Kamal Maani in the Arts café |
Perhaps they stay overnight, their spirits astir, unable to sleep in the restless dawn of their hearts; perhaps they fly home, back to their heavenly nests... no one will know, except the angels surrounding us all. Yet here you may see them this morning, chattering together like sparrows inside the Arts Café with spinning hearts, and their heads pulsating to each wave of enchanted music. And after harbouring awhile amidst the islands of food and heavenly company, we set sail upon a divine tour of mystery.
A gentle
Carolyn Fox and viola in the Arts Café |
figure catches our eyes, as we enter a balustraded balcony, girthed in the vivid flames of nature; and we gradually become aware of eavesdropping an interview with Mrs Whyte, reminiscing in a cheerful voice her precious encounters with ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, before turning to attend to the questions swelling up within our hearts.
Like a procession of mice, we tiptoe away, and trotting down and along each street and alley, we reach at length the ample abode of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, the Georgian House of Mr Whyte, a knowing edifice, ascending with autumnal satisfaction from amidst the humble earth toward the billowing sky, resonating with a story veiled in gold, yet to be mentioned in racing breaths, and thrust like a lance far into the distant future.
A maidservant receives us with kindliness, enthusing excitedly about the Master's visit. We can feel ‘Abdu’l-Bahá's hair brush against us as we listen to her fervent voice, and smell the redolent scent of His presence. Mr Whyte being unavailable to meet us, we tread softly around his house and discover several pieces of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá's clothing, and a letter he is shortly to write...
One of several musical devotional offerings in
Freemason's Hall (Maureen Hunter singing
and Serene Freemantle on guitar) |
Hastening once more upon our magical voyage through the busy streets of Edinburgh, we find ourselves irresistibly drawn in toward the gates of the great Masonic Hall, where we relax and refresh ourselves upon the sweet tales of a bygone adventure, before setting sail once again upon our long journey of reunion.
The Outlook Tower looms suddenly before us, recalling the mystery and magic of our passing hours; laying out life before our feet in all its illusory glory, we are subsumed in the seductive distractions of this world, and discover we must forcefully break our mooring once more, if we are successfully to escape and continue our search upon the footsteps of our beloved friend.
St Giles Cathedral awaits us through its welcoming gates; and as we enter expectantly, the enchanting voices of angels flow around us like an immense celestial river, and in a flash of chords we are ripped from this world and carried aloft into a landscape of vision and light.
Gently we float like leaves, back to the earth, still wrapped in a myriad veils of happiness and wonder; an evening ceilidh pirouettes into view, and with one stride, we step through its beckoning doors into a fairy-world of life, ricocheting voices and the
Some of the youth presenting "Seven Candles of Unity" on Sunday in the Freemason's Hall |
intense beat of the spirit, a dance into life upon the floor of remembrance.
The dancing pauses... and all becomes still. Seven radiant Candles, passing silently by, sigh in anguished yearning for the glorious future of spirituality and justice that shall shine upon all the material earth, shepherded by the lamps of music and the beauty of the arts, and of the brightness of spiritual progress in the world of knowledge.
And so at last, in happiness and great love, do we drift off like clouds into the remote and undying lands of our birth, bearing with us the irresistible fragrance of the beloved.
Universal Participation was the reason the Edinburgh Open Weekend was a tremendous success on the 7th-9th of January this year. It's hard to believe the events took place a month ago already. It started as a feast suggestion, in which the whole community participated, and became an intensely planned project over the three months or so which it took to arrange. With the input of the community, the guidance of the Local Spiritual Assembly and a constant flow of vibrant ideas from a core group of enthusiastic volunteers it became a reality.
“In the Footsteps of the Master”
A personal account of the special commemorative weekend held in Edinburgh.
A terrible weather forecast including gale force winds and torrential rain! ‘Planes cancelled, flooding and a ferry from Northern Ireland run aground with passengers stranded for 30 hours. This was the situation. A weekend in Edinburgh at the beginning of January – one of the days to be spent walking from place to place. Most people would have said “no way, I'll stay at home” Were we mad to consider going? But we are Bahá'ís and we were not going to let a little thing like the weather stop us going on this special visit to commemorate the visit there of the beloved Master, and walk in His footsteps. After all this was the time of year that ‘Abdu’l-Bahá visited Edinburgh in 1913.
Some fifteen Bahá'ís from all over Northern Ireland made their way to Edinburgh to join about 200 others from all over the UK as well as overseas. It was well worth the effort, one of these special times to be remembered by all those who took part. Yes it was cold, very windy and wet (Damart did a roaring trade in thermals – yet another link to the visit in 1913!). The strange thing is that most of the time people were walking between venues the rain eased off!
"Mrs Jane Whyte" gives an interview |
On Friday evening, for those who arrived early there was a social event at St George's West Church's arts café. This was the base until Saturday late afternoon. Kamál Ma'ani kept us supplied with hot drinks and snacks and there was also musical entertainment. As part of the first group we arrived before 10 am and after greeting a wide range of NI Bahá'ís we were collected by our guide. Up the stairs we went into the gallery, part of which had been turned into a corner of the drawing room of Mrs Jane Whyte's residence – the manse of the church we were in. We were seated and we then enjoyed an interview between a reporter and Mrs Whyte set on the day of the arrival of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. Mrs Whyte talked about meeting the Master in ‘Akká when He was still a prisoner and about the letters that led to the visit. She also said she was worried whether He would find it too cold and if He'd have warm enough clothes. After about fifteen minutes she made her apologies and dashed off taking the reporter with her to meet the train at Waverley Station.
Some of the Northern Ireland friends at
the "Georgian House" where ‘Abdu’l-Bahá
stayed during his 1913 Edinburgh visit. |
We then set off to our next venue: the “Georgian House” at 7 Charlotte Square. This building belongs to the National Trust for Scotland and they had made it available for us. At the time of the Master's visit it was home to the Whytes. We were shown into the dining room and given some background about the house and the visit – including the information that ‘Abdu’l-Bahá and His entourage were taken to Jenners – the Harrods of Edinburgh – to be kitted out with warm under-garments. We then had time to look round the lower floors of the house and examine a letter written by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, His spectacles and a robe that belonged to Him. These precious relics had been loaned for the occasion by the National Spiritual Assembly.
We were then shown upstairs to the drawing room where we were greeted by Josie, the parlour maid, who apologised that Mrs Whyte was still busy upstairs. She offered us traditional sweets and started reminiscing about the time ‘Abdu’l-Bahá spent in the house 14 The Scottish Bahá’í – Spring, 2005 scottish community news and the effect it had on all those there. She told us of being allowed to come into the room and listen when He was speaking about women's suffrage, about the way His voice affected her and how He spoke to her in English as he left the room telling her that women must educate themselves for the tasks ahead. (Josie was recreated by our own Sarah Munro.)
As we prepared to leave the house for the tramp along Princes Street and haul up the Mound I must say I was very pleased to be asked by John Parris if we could walk or if we needed the minibus. Thank you John for your sterling work driving round Edinburgh picking up people and then helping them out of the bus where ever they were going. While driving we were told by yet another guide about the Freemasons' Hall, which we would visit the next day.
The Camera Obscura, atop the
Outlook Tower
|
At the Outlook Tower we waited for the rest of our group and then climbed “a mile of stairs” to quote one of our group to the Camera Obscura. There we watched what was going on round Edinburgh via a set of lenses, rather like a periscope which projects the images onto a white concave table. By using white card we could pick up people and cars. We also got the chance to visit some of the exhibits on the other floors. We had been told that ‘Abdu’l-Bahá very much enjoyed the Camera Obscura too. We visited the High Kirk of St Giles later in the afternoon and at that time heard the Bahá'í choir sing beautifully.
The evening Ceilidh and entertainment started with a buffet at 7.30 and eventually ended about 12 midnight. We were talked through traditional Scottish dances, including Strip the Willow and the Dashing White Sergeant. Between the two energetic sessions of dancing we watched others dance: young Bahá'ís and also a group who played native drums and danced with so much energy it exhausted us watching.
On Sunday morning we arrived at Freemasons’ Hall in George Street (one of the venues at which ‘Abdu’l-Bahá spoke) and we had a wonderful collection of devotional material, music, audio-visual presentation and inspiring words from the National Assembly
members present.
As I said before it was a memorable weekend and I want to thank everybody who was involved and made sure it all ran as smoothly as possible. (
ECP)
And, finally: Scottish Gathering – May 14-15
Plans are afoot to share the songs sung by the Bahá'í choir at the Open Weekend at this year's Scottish Gathering in May. There is possible help with a lift to Inverness for those happy to 'lift up their voices' for the event – contact
mospleen@hotmail.com
Many thanks to David Merrick, A’amir Taqvi, Rob Weinberg and CommuNIqué for permission to use their photographs.
Copyright © 2005 is retained by the original photographers and The Scottish Baha'i. All rights reserved.
