Malik Merchant, Editor

Prince Aly Muhammad Aga Khan lays the foundation stone for Aga Hall Jamatkhana on a historic estate that was home to three Ismaili Imams

A group of six men in formal attire wearing hard hats, standing near a ceremonial ground breaking site. One man is placing a small object into a hole in the ground while others observe, and a decorative rug is laid on the ground with designs made of soil.
Prince Aly Muhammad Aga Khan, second from right, participates in the foundation ceremony of the new Aga Hall Jamatkhana in Mumbai, April 15, 2026. Photograph: IPL / The Ismaili.

Prepared and compiled by MALIK MERCHANT

Prince Aly Muhammad Aga Khan, younger brother of Mawlana Hazar Imam, His Highness Prince Rahim Aga Khan, participated in the foundation ceremony for the new Aga Hall Jamatkhana on April 15, 2026, marking a historic milestone in the evolving story of the Aga Hall Estate. The ceremony follows a July 2024 visit to the Aga Hall site by Mawlana Hazar Imam, then-Prince Rahim, and Prince Aly Muhammad. In 2018, Mawlana Shah Karim, His Late Highness Aga Khan IV, approved the redevelopment of the Aga Hall Estate site.

BACKGROUND STORY IN IMAGES: THE AGA HALL ESTATE AND HASANABAD

An illustrated portrait of a seated man with a long beard, wearing a traditional hat and formal clothing, holding a cane.
This vintage engraving depicts the portrait of 46th Ismaili Imam, Hazrat Imam Shah Hasanali Shah Mahalati Aga Khan I (1804 – 1881), who is buried at Hasanabad, a short distance from the Aga Hall Estate. The former land in an area called Eden Hall, was acquired by the Imam during his visit to the area. He was the first Imam to move from Kirman in Iran, via Zerruk, Baluchistan, Afghanistan, and Sindh, to finally settle in India. He established his residence at Aga Hall Estate in Mumbai in 1848. Photograph: © iStockphoto.com.

Rooted in history, the Aga Hall Estate in Mumbai was established in 1848 by the 46th Ismaili Imam, Mawlana Hasan Ali Shah, Aga Khan I, as a distinguished residential domain. The Imam’s residence at the Aga Hall Estate was also home to his successors, Mawlana Ali Shah, Aga Khan II, and Mawlana Sultan Mahomed Shah, Aga Khan III, making it an important centre of the Ismaili Imamat in the 19th and early 20th centuries. A very short distance to the north of the Estate lies the 46th Imam’s mausoleum in Hasanabad.

A large, ornate building with a blue dome, flanked by tall minarets, located in an urban area with palm trees and modern skyscrapers in the background.
The mausoleum of Imam Shah Hasanali Shah, Aga Khan I, in Hasanabad, a short distance from Aga Hall Estate, as captured on March 11, 2013. Photograph: Mr. Shaukat Chandani.

~~~~~~~~

Portrait of a man wearing traditional attire with a patterned cloak and a fez hat, featuring a notable beard and serious expression.
Imam Shah Ali Shah, Aga Khan II, was temporarily buried in Hasanabad before his remains were moved to Najaf, Iraq, for permanent burial.

~~~~~~~~

Historical image showing a public event where individuals are weighed on scales, surrounded by a large crowd observing the proceedings.
Mawlana Sultan Mahomed Shah, Aga Khan III, at his Golden Jubilee weighing ceremony at Hasanabad, January 1936.

~~~~~~~~

Historical image of a group of men walking in a procession, with a large crowd in the background. One man is waving, while others are dressed in traditional attire, surrounded by spectators.
Mawlana Shah Karim, His Late Highness Aga Khan IV, walks past the Jamat during a Mulaqat in Hasanabad in the 1960s. At the centre, Major Ebrahim Patel holds an umbrella. The Mukhi of Hasanabad, Hajibhai Nurmahomed, walks on the left. Photograph: Jehangir Merchant Collection.

~~~~~~~~

A group of children in uniforms saluting a man in formal attire outside a grand building with domes and arches, surrounded by other spectators.
Mawlana Shah Karim, His Late Highness Aga Khan IV inspects Ismaili Bulbuls and Cubs standing at attention in the compound of Hasanabad during his visit to India in September 2013. The Hasanabad Jamatkhana became the primary venue for the Imam’s mulaqat with the Jamat.In the background is the beautifully lit monument of the 46th Imam, Hazrat Aga Hasan Ali Shah, Aga Khan I. Photograph: The Ismaili / Ahmed Charania.

~~~~~~~~

The following Ismaili Update from 2024 highlights Prince Rahim and Prince Aly Muhammad’s visit to Mumbai, where they attended an Institutional Dinner hosted by the Ismaili Council for India and visited the Aga Hall Estate project to survey progress on site.

~~~~~~~~

A large historic building featuring classical architectural design with multiple arched windows and a prominent entrance.
This photo of Hasanabad Jamatkhana was taken in March 2011. The new Jamatkhana at Aga Hall will be significantly larger than the existing Jamatkhana to accommodate an expanded community living in Aga Hall and the surrounding area. Photograph: Shaukat Chandani.

______________________

Prince Aly Muhammad unveils new Aga Hall Jamatkhana design

The Ismaili reports that the new Jamatkhana at Aga Hall will be significantly larger than the current Hasanabad Jamatkhana to accommodate an expanded community living in nearby and surrounding areas. Its architecture will feature a combination of solid balusters and translucent jaali screens repeated around the exterior. A series of gardens will frame the building and include a stepped chahar-bagh, or quadrilateral garden; a maidan, or courtyard square; and a bustan, or orchard. Heritage elements such as the 140-year-old Estate gate and fountain are being preserved and reinstalled in the new design.

A man in a formal suit speaks at a podium against a decorative background.
Prince Aly Muhammad Aga Khan addresses guests at the foundation ceremony of Aga Hall Jamatkhana in Mumbai, April 15, 2026. Photograph: IPL / Sameer Nathwani.

In his address to guests, Prince Aly Muhammad explained the project’s significance and his aspirations for its continued progress and its contribution to the city.

The new Jamatkhana, he said, will serve “not only as a place of prayer, but also as a place of learning and encounter. In a city like Mumbai, with all the pace and intensity that comes with urban life, spaces of calm matter all the more. I hope this will be a place that is beautiful, welcoming, and open in spirit — strengthening the bonds within our community and with the society around it.”

Aly Muhammad Aga Khan unveils design of new Aga Hall Jamatkhana
Prince Aly Muhammad Aga Khan unveils the design of Aga Hall Jamatkhana, April 15, 2026.
Photograph: IPL / Nazim Lokhandwala.

Adjacent to the Jamatkhana building, two residential towers will offer 580 high-quality apartments, along with amenities for a healthy lifestyle and spaces for community gatherings and cultural events. The first tower’s structure is now complete, and the second tower’s frame is close to completion. 

A group of people gathered for a ribbon-cutting ceremony, with a man in a suit cutting the red ribbon while others applaud and celebrate.
Prince Aly Muhammad Aga Khan inaugurates a model apartment at the Aga Hall Estate, with Ismaili institutional and AKDN leaders looking on, April 15, 2026. Photograph: IPL / Rishita Feroz Gangji.

After inaugurating a show apartment, Prince Aly Muhammad toured the site, going to the top of one of the towers, surveying a variety of apartments, and visiting the communal amenity spaces. The first apartments are expected to be ready for residents to move in from 2027 onwards.

Two construction professionals in safety gear evaluate a building site from a high vantage point, overlooking a city skyline.
Prince Aly Muhammad Aga Khan reviews progress on the construction of the residential towers at Aga Hall Estate in Mumbai. The residential complex consisting of two towers in South Mumbai with sea and garden views. With a Jamatkhana at its centre, an international standard school adjacent, and a hospital close by, the estate will offer residents a convenient and holistic lifestyle.Photograph: IPL / Shanaya Lokhandwala.

Date posted: April 16, 2026.

__________________

A selection of related articles on Aga Hall and Hasanabad:

_______________

Subscription, Table of Contents and Barakah’s Sister Websites

Please click SUBSCRIBE and enter your email address to receive update notifications from Barakah. Before you leave, remember that Barakah’s editor, Malik, is here to assist you. If you have any questions or feedback, please scroll down to leave a comment or send an email to mmerchant@barakah.com. Also, don’t miss the opportunity to explore the diverse and extensive content on Barakah’s Home Page or Table of Contents, with over 350 pieces dedicated to Mawlana Hazar Imam, members of his family and the Ismaili Imamat. And don’t forget to visit our sister websites, Simerg and Simergphotos. You can stay updated by following Malik on @Facebook, @X, @LinkedIn and @Instagram and by subscribing to Barakah.

Leave a comment