Welcome to the Bahá’í Recollections Historical Blog
The Bahá’í Recollections Historical Blog features a collection of stories of individual Bahá’ís. This is a personal initiative site developed to enable the believers to freely post their inspiring stories for the purpose of inspiring the current generation of readers, and for preserving for posterity their contributions. The official website of the Bahá’í Faith is: bahai.org. The official website of many national Bahá’í communities can be found here.
Stories are welcome in these three categories:
- Bahá’í Stories – Bahá’í describing their experiences
- In Memoriam – About heroic believers who have passed away
- How I came into the Faith – How individuals were guided to accept the Faith
The Management Team reserves the right to edit and publish stories and comments submitted by contributors.
It would not be possible for the Management Team to stand for the authenticity, accuracy or completeness of stories that are posted, even after some editorial reviews. The contributors would be aware that their postings would be read by all visitors to the site, inviting comments. The contributors may be allowed to send in updated versions of their postings at a later stage. We encourage the accompaniment of relevant photographs as well.
Postings will be done on a monthly basis. If you would like to receive a notification please subscribe using the links to the right.
It is understood that contributors have read and agreed to the TERMS before posting their stories.
Please contact info@bahairecollections.com and the Management Team will help you to get started.
“What you could do, and should do, is to use your stories to become a source of inspiration and guidance for those who read them. With such a means at your disposal, you can spread the spirit and teachings of the Cause.” — Shoghi Effendi
38 thoughts on “Welcome to the Bahá’í Recollections Historical Blog”
A worthy effort. The stories of the dawnbreakers continue in the modern context, and how each found Bahaullah will inspire generations to come.
Dear Team Members,
Posterity will thank you for this splendid effort. The Faith passes through various stages. The present generation might not be aware of the sacrifices of the earlier generations. This blog is already proving them with a rich source of information on the early believers across the world.
Dear Mani and the team members who have started this fantastic space to share recollections of personal Bahàì life, my salutations and appreciations. Indeed this would become a voluminous record of personal recollections of anecdotes, encounters, vignettes and experiences of individuals in their journey of life as Bahà’is. May these personal recollections be a source of inspiration to the present and future generation of Baháis.
Sincerely,
Kantha Kumar Ramasamy
Jitra
Malaysia
Dear Mr. Manisegaran, I am so thrilled that you and your team have started this fantastic page from which many believers can be inspired and benefit from its contents. Our Malaysian Baha’i community is unique with a rich history. Hundreds of stories that were kept in the hearts of the elder Baha’is have been permanently taken to the graves with their passing. This page now provides a portal where those stories still preserved in the minds of living Baha’is can be shared with both young and old. As the younger believers read the recollections of their elders, they would feel inspired. I look forward to reading more recollections and stories from the various friends from Malaysia and abroad.
Naren Narasiah
Malaysia
Dear Team Members of the Baha’i Recollections. I am unable to find adequate words to express my sincere appreciations for all the work you are painstakingly undertaking to place on record sweet and interesting recollections from Bahais. These stories and recollections are sure to help motivate and inspire multitudes of readers like me. It is only through these stories that I was able to gain for the first time deeper details of my closest friends, hitherto unknown to me. I pray to God to grant the Team all the strength and energy that may be needed to build up this blog further to motivate thousands of friends across the globe.
Thank you.
Kunja Balan
Malaysia
Dear Team Members,
I had been reading stories in this blog from Ethiopia in Africa. You are indeed undertaking a Herculean task by collecting and publishing stories that inspire the heart. You are rightly utilizing the God-given technologies for glorifying the Cause of the Blessed Beauty. Such documentation will serve the coming generations in some useful ways. Under normal circumstances it is practically impossible for the contributors of stories and the readers to meet each other. The Team has created a perfect platform for all to meet and interact. My sincere prayers are with the Team to take this to a greater pedestal in the coming years ahead.
Dr. Kannan Ambalam
Ethiopia
Dear Mani
I wish I could thank you personally for what you are doing. You are rekindling the spirit of the early days through your blog and your God-given writing talents. I personally look forward with all eagerness for your forthcoming postings.
I am new to the blog and am so inspired to read so many stories, each bringing so much inspiration and opening up old and fondest memories. It is from this blog that we are able to read about the life and achievements of so many people- especially people whom we did not know anything about. They give us so much inspiration and guidance for the kind of Baha’i life we must emulate. And some of the rare photographs are living testimonies to some of the events, that are brought back to life. Historical events seem to be re-screened right in front or me. Please don’t stop posting write ups and chronicles on this popular blog. You can be sure I will be the first to read them.
What you have done is most admirable and much appreciated. May Bahaullah shower good health and a clear mind on you for many, many more years to come.
Lily Chinniah
Kuala Lumpur
Malaysia
I wish to thank you dear Manisegaran for taking every effort to rekindle the spirit of those days and preserving the history of the Faith not only in Malaysia but also abroad.
What you are doing and have achieved is mind boggling. It is for the greater glory of God that some one like you can record the achievements and sacrifices of friends like Inbum Chinnah and Lim Kok Hoon as well as C.S. Maniam (big eyed). I had known them well, but you have unraveled information hitherto unknown to me.
It is also heartening to see stories contributed by believers from several parts of the world.
You do not need get special blessings for what you are doing. Writing history itself is a reward by itself.
Dr. Vasudevan and Sitarih
Pune
India
Dear Mani
I would like to express my thanks to you for the many excellent, informative and inspiring stories that decorate this blog. I like to place on record my sincere appreciations for the devoted and committed work you are doing in running, managing and uploading wonderful stories in the Baha’i Recollections blog. I know it is a full time and painful job. But remember the results your work produce in preserving the history of the Faith we all love and serve. I am one of the thousands around the world inspired by each of your postings.
Please continue your great work in keeping the history of the Faith alive.
Firaydun Mithaq
Chieng Mai
Thailand
Dear Team Members of the Bahai Recollections Blog,
The services of the blog are to be commended in creating this space for the stories of the Faith to be shared with all, as a means of inspiring us on our individual paths of service to Baha’u’llah.
Warm regards,
Debbie Kirton
Barbados
Dear Mani,
We have been following all the stories that are posted in this blog. It is such stories of the past that we senior citizens enjoy reading. These stories give us so much inspiration at this retired age.
Please continue this splendid work you are doing.
Dharmalingam and Mary
Sydney
Australia
Hi Mani
Congratulations on this great work you do, documenting believers and situations that would otherwise be forgotten!
It is a service which requires true commitment and passion!
Regards
Padma
Australia
I have been following this wonderful blog by Manisegaran for awhile. His blog not only brings inspiration to me as a Baha’i but unearths unwritten memories of the sacrifices and contributions of the many friends throughout the years. Since l live in many places due to nature of my work, the blog keeps me informed of so many stories. Having now settled in Thailand, this blog is a kind of tonic for my Bahai life. Apart from reading Bahai books, especially the Holy Writings, this blog inspires me to a large extent. I have known Manisegaran for so many years now, and wish to thank him for this very important service he is doing.
Asho Kumar
Malaysia
I have been silently reading all the stories as they were published on this blog. Over a period of time the quality of the stories and themes presented here have been developing for the better. I look forward to reading the stories, needless to say I have become addicted. As soon as I see a new posting I alert all my close friends.
As stated in the introduction, this is truly a historical blog that brings to live so many memories of the past. Manisegaran being a historian and author of several books, his professional handling of this blog certainly retains the historical spirit and generates the needed spirit.
Congratulations to the Administrators of this blog which I believe enjoys worldwide readership.
Nehru Arunasalam
Chicago
USA
Thank you Mani for hosting the Bahai Recollections Blog. The many inspiring stories here will surely encourage readers to continue, and even increase their dedication and services to Baha’u’llah.
Aaron Young
Sabah
Malaysia
Dear Mani,
I am so impressed with the wonderful contributions you are making by bringing to light the works and sacrifices of the heroes of our beloved Faith. I was particularly touched by your work on our beloved C. S .Maniam whom I felt had been totally forgotten. God bless you and your endeavors to pass to posterity the valuable contributions of the heroic servants of the Blessed Beauty from Malaysia.
Your committed undertaking and untiring efforts to past down to posterity the doings of all sincere souls in their efforts to establish the Faith of God in Malaysia and elsewhere is most touching, uplifting , eye opener to many of happenings gone unnoticed, untold and unappreciated.
You are one who has dedicated to ensure the loudness of deeds reaches far and wide; the unending sweetness of the ‘fruits of God ‘ can be tasted by every believer. It inspires the readers to follow the powerful examples presented before them .
These lines are the result of how your efforts have touched me. I hope to contribute whatever I can whenever possible of whatever I can recollect of the encounters I had with the dearly beloved souls I came in touch with.
CHEERS
Joe Swaminathan
Malaysia
Dear Mani,
I admire your praiseworthy efforts of recording the struggles and accomplishments of these early Dawn-Breakers of the Malaysian Baha’i Community. Great work you are doing for posterity, Mani. May the Blessed Beauty continue to assist you in all ways.
Victor Greenspoon
Thailand
Dear Mani
Thank you for taking so much of your time to share the works and devotion of the early believers, including pioneers. All the stories published here are very inspiring indeed.
Teh Seng Chai
Kundasang
Sabah
Malaysia
Dear Brother Manisegaran
You are doing a great service in spreading the Healing Message of Baha’u’llah through the several stories that are published in the blog.
Your selfless efforts and services to document, and put on the record the lives and services of the true disciples of Baha’u’llah are praiseworthy. All these stories are great and do give me insight into the sacrificial services of the early believers and the way they served the Cause of Baha’u’llah.
Jaya Raju Thota
Visakhapatnam
Andhra Pradesh
India
Dear Mani,
your blog and the stories therein are so enlightening for the mind and feeds my thirsty soul. We learn so much about the faith that you so painstakingly collect from the Baha’i’s and create a master piece. Thank you for all your hard work and dedication.
Nedah Sabapathy
Mozambique
Dear Manisegaran
It is very great of you publishing stories on our own Malaysian Bahá’í pioneers and stories of other believers across the globe. I feel so good and inspired on the things you write about all this great pioneers. Please keep it up. In time to come we will know of these great people who promoted our Bahá’í faith all over the world.
Hoping to read more on more of this people.
Warm greetings
Machakalai
Thailand
Dear Mr. Manisegaran,
Great initiative and vast collections of extraordinary stories of heroes and heroines of the Faith who had sincerely sacrificed everything for their love of Bahá’u’lláh and to spread His healing message to all corners of the world. Your Bahá’í Recollections blog has become part of my life since the day I joined it. I sincerely admire your true dedication and service for the love for the Blessed Beauty. May Bahá’u’lláh shower His grace upon you and confirm your services to His Cause so that you become victorious in the field of the love of God and bring masses who are thirsty for the water of life to the source of divine knowledge.
With Loving Bahá’í Greetings,
Velayutham Gopal
Phnom Penh
Cambodia
Manisegaran
One of the four Hands of the Cause of God during Bahá’u’lláhs time said that history of the Faith and the sufferings of the early believers should be written down. This Hand of the Cause, at one point, was put underground and a slab of stone was put over the hole. There was no way he could escape. But he was ever ready when enemies of the Faith went to get him. (I am of course paraphrasing here.)
So the work you are doing is immensely important. Not everyone has the aptitude and savor and fare for editing articles submitted and have them published. You are doing a great and wonderful work.
Kamachee Martel
Leotho
Africa
This site is very important and serves future generations who will benefit from knowing about the foundation of our history.
Steve Sewell
West Chester,
Pennsylvania USA.
Dear Mr. Manisegaran
I wish to register that I am a ardent follower of all the stories you are posting . That is by far the greatest work that you are rendering the Cause. Good job, and keep it up . You have the gift and great passion for writing. All the best Mr. Mani
Thank you
Arumugam Thanapah
Klang
Malaysia
Dearest Mani,
I have been reading the numerous chronicles you have been ably writing on early believers since your blog started. Through your art form you have brought to life for us the heroes and heroines of the days past and, transcending the years, touched our hearts. Your love for the Faith shines through your writing, always.
Your path of service is indeed unique and inimitable, drawing from your association and familiarity with the early believers, your knowledge of how these dear Bahá’ís, in their love for the Faith, had taught with zeal and enthusiasm, and faced challenges with courage and determination. These moving testimonies of the power of the spirit, courage and purity of heart are inspirational and bring back fond memories to the older friends and helps to inspire the younger and the newer (incidentally, a fairly new believer just forwarded me the link to your blog ♥ ) Crucially too, these stories are now with us for posterity.
So glad you have chosen this path of service, which you do so well. Your focus and constancy is admirable. I am, and am sure many other friends too are, indeed grateful for the incomparable services you are continuously rendering to our blessed Malaysian community with your literary work.
May you and your dear family be surrounded by the bountiful blessings of Bahá’u’lláh as you walk in His path of service.
With warmest regards,
Yuet Mee
Dearly loved Mani Sar.
I have been following every bit of the stories and articles published by you. In my heart I always wished and prayed to Bahá’u’lláh to keep you strong for the ceaseless flow of your historic works to the Bahai world.
With profound Bahai Love.
S. Muthusamy
Batu Pahat
Malaysia
Dear Manisegaran
I have been reading with great interest all the stories that are posted here in the blog. You are doing a great job. You are bringing to remembrance historical events, and service of several individuals who are almost forgotten. Some of them in your stories are my personal friends. You are keeping them and history very much alive. The value of your work will be fully appreciated and admired in the future. May Bahaullah bless you with good health and keen mind to continue this very rare kind of service
Dr. Iraj Ayman
Chicago
USA
Dear Mani
This blog brings me the fondest memories of the early days associated with activities, incidents and individuals. Your stories supported with authentic photographs with the right captions add authenticity to the facts. I spend my retired days reading through all the stories to get inspired. I never thought I would live long enough to see history being reconstructed as they were in those days. And I never dreamt that you who accepted the Faith much later tnan me would be the one hand-picked by Bahaullah to perform this most meritorious task for which you shall be remembered and admired as the foremost historian we have. I thank Bahaullah for enabling you to perform this greatest and matchless service you are doing for the Cause. We all are given some tasks and I am convinced you are meant for recording for posterity the history of the Faith as it is.
May Bahaullah grant you good health, long life and keenness of the mind to keep penning stories that come naturally to you. I also recollect the books of high historical value that you have written. May you continue to write more books.
Anthony C. Louis
Malacca
Malaysia
Dear Admin
I just thought to let you know how much I appreciate and love the recollections from the fellow Baha’is.
Many thanks and much blessings for bringing joy and making our world much smaller place!!
In His service
Fahimeh “Fay” Walker
Sydney
Australia
Dear Manisegaran
Let me say from the bottom of my heart that you are doing a great service for the Bahai history even though you are so faraway through this blog and the books you have written. I am happy to have known you even before the time you accepted the Faith. Your house was a Bahai center in Sungei Petani, Malaysia. My personal love and appreciation to you dear family. May Bahaullah grant you good memory and health to add more stories in your famous blog.
Ayahkannu
Kuala Lumpur
Malaysia
Dear Manisegaranji,
This is such a wonderful blog. These stories are a treasure for us and the future generations. Through these, the fire of love,courage and sacrifice will be kindled in so many hearts.
Thank you so much for lighting the torch of inspiration.
Best Wishes
Tahera
Indore
India
Mr. Manisegeran!
My heart brimmed with joy as I read the many wonderful biographies you have authored. These remarkable stories will serve as an inspiration for generations of Baha’is arising to serve in the future.
God Bless you for bringing the stories of these selfless souls to life. Baha’u’llah’s blessings will remain with you and your family for your continued services towards to the Cause of God.
Iqbal Salleh
Colombo
Sri Lanka
Truly, what you are doing is so very important. Without history, we never improve. Bahá’í history is unique and full of positive happenings and we really can see progress! This is what is needed nowadays.
Dr. Janardanan
Japan
Dear Manisegaran,
What you are doing is unique in the annals in the history of the Faith in Malaysia. The work is of great value. Posterity will appreciate and benefit greatly. We are too close to such work to see its far-reaching value. Your work is precious , its historical implications are immense.
Honestly, you are leaving your footprints in the sands of time. We are extremely proud of you and your incomparable work for the Faith of God. I have always respected you from day one , from a humble background to where you reached now. You are a shining lamp.
May God bless you with good health and life so that you will write more about the servants of the Cause for the future so that they will know how the early believers sacrificed their lives for Baha’u’llah.
Professor Dr. Ananthan Krishnan
Puchong
Malaysia
I became a believer in Malaysia in 1966 and had been meeting up with several active believers at most of the gatherings. To my finite mind, I was of the thought that those were the valiant souls who had built up the Cause in Malaysia, as they were often mentioned in the publications. This historical bog which I have been following since it was started has made me see the reality that apart from those great souls, there were also hundreds of others who were quite and effective background workers, often referred to as unsung heroes. For once we are all able to read the lives of those others who, perhaps by choice had decided to lie low and yet contribute quietly and very effectively to the development of the Faith in Malaysia. The so many photos which I am seeing for the first time adds further to the fact that there have been so many believers who have served the Cause.
The greatness of this blog lies in that all the unsung heroes and heroines are being brought forth. With the advent of the internet, the whole world had become one global community and with that the entire world is able to read the stories that are sure to be preserved for posterity, driving the current generation to admire and appreciate with awe and wonder all those wonders that were created by our former generation of believers.
C. Kanagaratnam
Arizona
USA
Dear Manisegaran
It is all through your indomitable will and dedication to history that we have this beautiful Baha’i Recollections which is a bank of information and inspiration for the English-reading friends across the globe.
Bijan Bayzaee
Chicago
USA
Dear Baha’i friend,
I would like to thank you for doing this and collecting these documents. This is true labour of love. Generations from now will thank you for keeping the history alive. The next generation of filmmakers and novel writers will use these documents to create masterpieces which will be taught in schools and universities.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart. May the Blessed Beauty confirms and bless your efforts.
Simin Shams
Chicago
USA