SYDNEY: Elvis fans shook up Sydney’s Central station on Thursday with hundreds rocking to his famous tunes ahead of a special train trip to outback Australia to celebrate the late entertainer’s birthday.
Decked out in their glittering best, the fans were heading to Parkes — a small town some 300 km west of Sydney — on the “Elvis Express” and “Blue Suede Express” trains to take part in a five-day festival.
“He’s such an icon and he hasn’t lost any of that magic that he used to have,” said avid Elvis Presley fan Julie Mellae — who wore an orange wig, tiara and fishnet stockings for the special occasion.
“In fact, I think he’s developed more, so this festival is like the biggest thing that happens in January. Everyone wants to be on the Elvis train and it’s booked out years in advance.”
Elvis impersonators belted out the legendary singer’s biggest hits on a makeshift stage before the seven-hour train pilgrimage, swivelling their hips and blowing kisses to adorning admirers amid loud cheers.
The annual extravaganza, in its 26th year, is billed as the southern hemisphere’s biggest tribute to the rock ‘n’ roll legend — who died in 1977 — and attracts thousands of die-hard fans.
Last year’s event drew 25,000 people to Parkes, more than double the town’s population, and generated millions of dollars for the local economy.
The town transforms into a vibrant tribute to The King, who would have been 83 this year, with a street parade and non-stop entertainment to keep visitors jiving.
“It’s just everybody’s in a good mood, everybody’s happy, nobody’s cranky,” said David Ward-Smith, who was wearing a specially made “Elvis Festival” T-shirt with his friends on board the “Elvis Express.”
“Up and down the streets (in Parkes), it’s Elvis singers. Every 50 meters, it’s somebody else trying hard. Everybody’s just in party mode, it’s a great little atmosphere. It’s like the Olympics every year,” he said.
Parkes, a mining town with a population of more than 11,000, is famous for its radio telescope which played a pivotal role in bringing Neil Armstrong’s 1969 moon landing to the world.
But the Elvis Festival, first held in 1993 to coincide with the singer’s birthday on Jan. 8, 1935, has since placed the town on the tourist map and also earned it the moniker of “Elvis Capital of Australia.”
Elvis Presley festival grips fans in Australia
Elvis Presley festival grips fans in Australia
Makkah museum displays world’s largest Qur’an
MAKKAH: The Holy Qur’an Museum at the Hira Cultural District in Makkah is showcasing a monumental handwritten copy of the Holy Qur’an, recognized as the largest Qur’an of its kind in the world.
The manuscript measures 312 cm by 220 cm and comprises 700 pages, earning the museum recognition from Guinness World Records for displaying the world’s largest Qur’an, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The manuscript is a magnified reproduction of a historic Qur’an dating back to the 16th century, the SPA stated.
The original copy measures 45 cm by 30 cm, with the chapters written primarily in Thuluth script, while Surah Al-Fatiha was penned in Naskh, reflecting the refined artistic choices and calligraphic diversity of the era.
The Qur’an is a unique example of Arabic calligraphy, gilding and bookbinding, showcasing Islamic art through intricate decorations, sun-shaped motifs on the opening folio, and elaborately designed frontispiece and title pages that reflect a high level of artistic mastery.
The manuscript was endowed as a waqf in 1883. Its original version is currently preserved at the King Abdulaziz Complex for Endowment Libraries, serving as a lasting testament to Muslims’ enduring reverence for the Qur’an and the richness of Islamic arts across the centuries.
