Art, Books & Tea

Hast-o-Neest 
Institute of Traditional Studies & Arts

Art of Tradition: Hast-o-Neest is a platform for the arts that are connected with the concept of ihsan, that is, virtue, beauty of the soul or the heart, and perfection. The Art of Islam is essentially a contemplative art, which aims to express above all, an encounter with the Divine Presence.

From the Islamic point of view the main scope of art is the shaping of the human ambience.  Art has to endow all the objects with which man naturally surrounds himself - a house, a fountain, a drinking vessel, a garment, a carpet - with the perfection each object can posses according to its own nature. Islamic art does not add something alien to the objects that it shapes; it merely brings out their essential qualities.

It is connected with the concept of ihsan which may be translated as 'spiritual virtue' or simply virtue, and includes the ideas of beauty and perfection. More exactly it means inward beauty, beauty of the soul or of the heart, which necessarily emanates outwards, transforming every human activity into an art and every art into the remembrance of God.

The Jam'me Mastan cafeteria at Hast-o-Neest Kahna is open from 10:00 am to 8:00 pm for tea. We  basically serve doodh patti mix tea with bakery products.

The Library - a specialized collection - is open at working hours to browse and read on the premise.