Bohras win title in Guinness

A unique way of celebrating their spiritual leader’s birthday has won the city’s Dawoodi Bohras a certificate from the Guinness Book of World Records.

In March this year, the Dawoodi Bohra community had undertaken a ‘Save the Sparrow’ programme to mark the 100th birthday celebrations of their spiritual leader Dr. Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin’s (TUS).

The community distributed 52,000 feeders across India and abroad - an effort that has earned them a certificate by the Guinness Book of World Records. The certificate was given to the Burhani Foundation, which undertakes most of the community’s activities.

The population of the sparrow, once a popular bird, was declining rapidly due to lack of greenery, cutting of trees, and urbanisation, say conservationists. Crows eating up their eggs was another reason that added to the sparrow’s decline. The bird did not have much space to breed in the city and insecticides were said to be killing smaller insects that are said to be their food.

“We are happy that the record has come our way. We have not done this for a record. Actually, we did it for the sparrows as they were going missing from the cityscape altogether. We got tremendous response from India and abroad and are still helping people if they want to have a feeder to save the sparrow,” said Shaikh Abdeali Bhanpurwala, executive secretary to Dawoodi Bohra spiritual leader.