I recall visiting my ancestral home in Bhavnagar, Gujarat, during my Diwali holidays as a child and seeing a black and white photograph of an unfamiliar man with my grandfather. When asked who this person was I was told he was the Aga Khan.
I was intrigued and inquisitive to learn who the Aga Khan was and what importance he served. Cultural and spiritual leaders such as the Aga Khan are put on a pedestal globally. These revered individuals have the power to influence millions and be mediators for world peace.
Prince Karim Aga Khan was born in Geneva and spent his formative years in Kenya. He was appointed as the 49th Imam of Ismaili Muslims at the impressionable age of 20 after the demise of his grandfather. When he passed away earlier this year, messages and articles were not only being published and forwarded by the 15 million Islamic Muslims but by people globally. He had used his position and seat of power in the most philanthropic way possible, earning the respect and liking of people from a diverse range of cultures and strata of society. Prince Karim’s philanthropic legacy included donating 12.5% of his income annually as religious duty. He believed architecture was a bridge to ignite cultural dialogue and spent much of The Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) funds on the preservation and innovation of art and architecture.
AKDN has an annual budget of 1 billion dollars, which is carefully distributed between various sectors ranging from education and healthcare to art, architecture and urban development. Prince Karim steered these projects keeping sustainability and conservation at the forefront. While he did lead a lavish lifestyle, breeding racehorses and jet setting in his super yacht and private jet, he believed in the arts and the soft power that came with it.
‘Art is a universal language that has the power to build bridges where words cannot.’ - His Highness The Aga Khan
The Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC), a wing of AKDN works in 30 countries. The Trust has played a significant role in contributing to the preservation of India’s cultural fabric and fostering holistic education ever since 1905. The Aga Khan Palace, for example, is usually only known for its historic relevance. Mahatma Gandhi and his wife Kasturba Gandhi were imprisoned there during the Quit India Movement in 1944. But very few know that even though the structure was built by Sultan Muhammed Shah Aga Khan III as an aid for famine-stricken villagers, Prince Karim donated the monument to the Indian government in 1969 as a symbol of peace and unity. He resonated with Mahatma Gandhi’s principles of non-violence and acknowledged that the palace held an integral role in India’s freedom history.
The Aga Khan’s acts of service did not end there. Several monuments in India have been restored and preserved under his visionary patronage. One of them being the neglected Humayun’s Tomb. In 1997, on India’s 50th independence anniversary, His Highness The Aga Khan announced the restoration of the 16th century Tomb. A mammoth task involving master artisans to do justice in preserving the design and workmanship of the Mughal ateliers and builders. Over the years several adjoining monuments and lush gardens have been brought to life by AKDN. Today, the Tomb attracts two million visitors annually. On India’s 75th independence day, the country’s first sunken museum was inaugurated at Humayun’s Tomb.
Spiritual leaders have the power to steer the religious ship in a more impactful and peace-driven manner. To foster community and initiate interfaith dialogue.
Earlier this week, Pope Francis, the head of the Catholic Church passed away. A spiritual leader, a beacon of hope and unity, Pope Francis was progressive, welcomed immigrants and was an advocate and activist for the environment. Over the centuries and decades, the position of the Pope has been influential in the progress of religion and community, with the arts being used as a tool to demonstrate the power and wealth of the church.
For example, Pope Julius II who was the head of the Catholic Church from 1503 - 1513 had a great role to play during the Renaissance. A patron of the Arts, he invited Michelangelo to paint the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel and commissioned Raphael to embellish the Vatican. Statues, paintings, and architecture were built to make the Vatican the centre of the Golden Age.
The impact of a spiritual leader goes beyond religious guidance. His Holiness the Dalai Lama has been an advocate of global development and cultural diplomacy. At a time of uncertainty and terrorism, His Holiness's teachings on cross-cultural dialogue and respect are of utmost importance. A leader who has been instrumental in preserving and salvaging the century-old Buddhist Thangkas, sculptures and wall paintings of ancient monasteries. Under his leadership the Norbulingka Trust in Himachal Pradesh has preserved the traditional techniques of creating Thangkas, promoting their importance and relevance not only as works of art but an artefact where mindfulness, spirituality and oneness are celebrated and promoted.
These leaders are not just apostles of peace, but rays of hope and proof that religious and spiritual heads can also become patrons and saviours in the field of art, architecture and culture.