By P.K. Balachandran, IANS
Colombo : Undeterred by the series of bomb blasts and terror attacks in and around the Sri Lankan capital over the past few days, over 30,000 Dawoodi Bohras from various parts of the world have congregated here for a 10-day religious ceremony.
Gracing the “Ashara Mubarak” ceremony in Colombo for the second successive year is the India-based religious leader of the Bohras, Syedna Muhammad Burhanuddin Saheb.
The ceremony in honour of Imam Hussein is being held at the Grand Mosque of the Sri Lankan Bohras, located at Bambalapitya in south Colombo.
In the context of Syedna’s presence in the Sri Lankan capital, along with thousands of his devotees from India, Pakistan, Southeast Asia and East Africa, Deputy Tourism Minister Faizer Mustapha said the abrogation of the ceasefire agreement with the Tamil Tiger rebels Jan 3 should not lead to a fall in tourist arrivals.
“Tourism, ceasefire and terrorism are three different factors which have no link whatsoever. At the moment, the industry (tourism) is doing well,” Mustapha said.
But he acknowledged that the tourism ministry had not yet evaluated the possible impact of the government’s unilateral abrogation of the ceasefire.