DEVELOPING TIMES: Annual Pilgramage to Touba

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Tuesday, March 13, 2007

Annual Pilgramage to Touba

This story is from All-africa News....Thought you migt find it interesting...

Senegal: Thousands Converge On Touba for Grand Magal


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The Gambia Echo (Raleigh)

March 8, 2007
Posted to the web March 8, 2007

Alpha Jallow
Touba

Thousands of worshippers from the world over have been streaming in the Senegalese Holy Town of Touba for the Grand Magal 2007.The Magal is the anniversary of Sereigne Touba's landmark journey into exile. Our Dakar correspondent Alpha Jallow is in Touba and sends us this report.

Every year, the Holy town of Touba celebrates the "Grand Magal"-Wollof for Grand Anniversary. The 'Magal' constitutes a demonstration of gratitude to the Al-Mighty Allah. The late Sheikh Ahmadou Bamba a man who, in his period (late19th. century and early 20th. century), promulgated this when he gave up mundane affairs and concentrated his entire life to worshipping Allah. Legend has it that at the time, the faith of Bamba's people was staggering under the blows of paring-iron of a triumphing colonialism and evangelists. Sheik Ahmadou Bamba accepted Allah's mission of rehabilitating the message of the Prophet.

Armed only with faith, knowledge and work, Sheikh Ahmadou Bamba took pleasure in this mission, accepting with courage the tests for the triumph of the religion, until the day when the Lord let him know that he fully achieved the mission, which was entrusted to him. It is against this backdrop that Muslims all over the world converge on this historical and Holy town to celebrate the Journey of Sheikh Ahmadou Bamba into exile.

About three million followers of Mauridism and non-Maurides are all in Touba for the Grand "Magal". Touba is jam-packed making it even difficult for journalists to acquire enough space to do their work.

However, what is quite remarkable for this year's "Magal" is the fatal road accidents which have claimed more than twenty lives and more than one hundred and fifty people have sustained serious injuries.

Other problems include the lack of accommodation and the shortage of running water, which have terrified health workers and bring memories of the potential for a cholera outbreak.

Ironically, while the real believers are honouring this big day in Touba, many other people are languishing in bars and brothels in Mbakeh a town situated some 7km from Touba.

Another striking thing I observe here is the number of dead people buried almost every two hours in Touba. The cemetery here is one of the biggest in Senegal and has no more space for burial.

"I have never seen in any Muslim burial where five bodies are buried in a single grave" one terrified young man told me after attending a funeral service in Touba. Believe it or not, but in Senegal most people are of the belief that only those buried in the Holy town of Bamba's Touba will see Heaven.