religious fervor

My time has been taken up this weekend by Moharram, a religious holiday celebrated by all Shia Muslims mourning the massacre at Karbala. For the occasion the high priest of the Bohras has come to Colombo, bringing with him hordes of people and a carnival-esque atmosphere.

Bohras are supposed to go the mosque for 10 days. From 11-2pm, he gives his sermon. Then there is a break for lunch. People reconvene around 6pm, pray, hear the local priest talk, and then have dinner. A mosque built for a community of 2,000 people has been expanded through tents and platforms to hold 20,000. It’s a pretty remarkable sight. It’s almost like going to a Backstreet Boys concert, with people swarming the stage and trying to get into the inner chambers.

I have to hand it to the Bohras, they are remarkably well organized for controlling that many people. Within ten days of the announcement, all of the preparations including tents, platforms, food and accommodation were made for the visiting crowds. People who come do not even have to pay for accommodation as their hotel or homestays are provided by the Colombo mosque.

Around the area there is a first aid tent, refreshments, ticket tent, etc. There are even stalls with people selling Bohra related items such as clothes, prayer mats, and jewelry. I have been going some of the time and trying to absorb what I can. I am not in the main mosque but they project the sermon on video screens which are in each sitting area. You have to kind of give credit to these people for organizing all this and being dedicated to come for ten days in the sticky heat to listen to sermons.

There are literally Bohras everywhere. I mean everywhere. When I walk down my street there are Bohras. When I take the bus there are Bohras. I even went to a grocery store a little out of the way to avoid being spotted and there were Bohras there. On the bus a Bohra lady sat next to me and started chatting with me about what Moharram is and why so many people are here. I was wearing normal clothes so she didn’t know I was a Bohra. I think she thought I was Sri Lankan. I didn’t want to upset her by saying I was actually a Bohra and in mosque a few hours earlier so I went along with it. I told her my name was Alisha and that I was from the states, so its not like I lied.

It is very weird to go to these large mosque events. Sitting for a long time in a massive hall filled with tons of other Bohras causes some mental disconnect where I wonder if the me sitting there is the same person who goes clubbing, and lives at Lakeview Drive, and is going to grad school. I wonder how many other people in there have double lives like me and how many people in there really truly believe 100% of the time.