The narrow streets of the Pettah market in Sri Lanka’s commercial capital of Colombo are almost unrecognisable right now. The once-pulsating economic centre near bursting to the seams with hawkers, shopkeepers, buyers and labourers now lies eerily silent, with store shutters drawn and the deserted roads giving off Wild West ghost town vibes, as a result of the country’s government-enforced Covid-19 lockdown.
The one reassuring constant is the call to prayer resounding from the speakers of the Jami Ul-Alfar Mosque on 2nd Cross Street.
Ask a local where you might find the Jami Ul-Alfar Mosque and you will most likely be met with a confused head scratch. Mention the Rathu Palliya (Sinhala for “red mosque”), on the other hand, and there will be instantaneous recognition. Also commonly referred to by its Tamil moniker Saman Kottu Palli (literally meaning mosque for Muslims of Indian origin), or more simply the Red Mosque, this long-standing monument has come to be accepted as part of the furniture in this bustling neighbourhood.
The mosque was designed and completed within the course of a year in 1909
Ruzni Maulavi,
coordinator and tour guide of the Jami Ul-Alfar Mosque
The bright, peppermint-hued Indo-Saracenic and Neoclassical facade of the Jami Ul-Alfar Mosque – its name derives from the Arabic words for “congregation” and “success” – seems almost rebellious in comparison to its green-and-white counterparts across the country.
It is recognisable from afar, however, and has historically served as a reliable landmark for ships and seafarers approaching the Colombo port for more than a century.
“During the 1900s, when Sri Lanka – formerly Serendib – was under British colonial rule, South Indian Muslim traders were regulars at the country’s shores, and eventually set up their businesses and settled down for good,” explains Ruzni Maulavi, coordinator and tour guide of the mosque.
“With that came the need for an official place of worship to perform their obligatory prayers five times a day, and so, having purchased a plot of land, a trust was registered, architect HL Saibo Lebbe hired, and the mosque was designed and completed within the course of a year in 1909.”
Its unconventional yet striking colour scheme is said to have been inspired by the inside of the pomegranate. The five domes, too, were designed to take on the shape of the fruit. Each brick was painstakingly hand-painted with its unique striped, checkered, jagged and spiral variegations, and all 49 minarets stand guard over the restless marketplace, sporting crescents trained towards the direction of the Kaaba in Makkah.
From its humble beginnings as a two-storey structure with the capacity to house a mere 1,000 worshippers, the mosque has since undergone a much-called-for expansion and can now accommodate about 12,000 devotees at a time.
During the Friday prayers, however, even this often doesn’t seem nearly enough, with worshippers spilling out on to the streets, especially during Ramadan. During business days, pre-pandemic, the mosque recorded an average of 4,000 to 5,000 worshippers, and 400 to 500 tourists each day.
If even one case of Covid-19 was confirmed from among our congregation, the net would be cast far wider than it would have for others
Ruzni Maulavi
“We are the only mosque in Colombo to open our doors to tourists,” says Ruzni. “Out of the five entrances to the mosque, three are reserved for male worshippers, one for female devotees, and the other for tourists and visitors.
“We welcome people of all faiths into Jami Ul-Alfar, so it isn’t unusual to have non-Muslim Sri Lankans frequenting our mosque as well,” he explains. “They say they feel at peace here, and take great comfort in the sense of calm they are able to draw just from being inside the mosque.” That quietude is juxtaposed to the cacophonous bazaar outside the mosque’s doors.
On an average Friday afternoon, the more devout worshippers will arrive hours before the azan is called, eager to get closest to the elevated minbar from which the Imam will deliver his sermon; one that is often pertinent to the religious significance or sociopolitical climate of the time.
On entry, visitors take off their footwear and gain entrance to an expansive central courtyard housing the ablution "haudh" or pool. Only on looking up can one register the extent of the structure’s loftiness, and from the upper storeys, a view of the expansive Indian Ocean from the port will only confirm this sense of diminutiveness.
Back on the ground floor, unclad feet make their way from the cool Iranian-imported marble, to the plush, red Turkish carpets of the main prayer hall, passing underneath ornate chandeliers overhead.
This all harks back to a time before the pandemic, when the very idea of social distancing during prayer and a disinfection of the entire premises every few hours would have sounded far-fetched.
“This is the first time in the mosque’s 112-year history that our doors have had to be closed for worshippers,” says Ruzni. “In the beginning we remained open, following the capacity regulations mandated by the health authorities, but as the situation grew severe, we took proactive measures to ensure that our mosque community was safe.
“It has definitely been a challenging time. But unlike residential community mosques across the country, Jami Ul-Alfar primarily serves the businesspeople of one of Colombo’s busiest commercial districts, which means that if even one case of Covid-19 was confirmed from among our congregation, the net would be cast far wider than it would have for others.”
Even in the aftermath of the Easter Sunday attacks of 2019 – a string of suicide bombings that killed more than 250 people in and around Colombo – when Muslims were at their most vigilant, the mosque operated “business as usual”, save for the tourist section. This, too, eventually opened up once holidaymakers started trickling back into the country.
The global Covid-19 outbreak has had yet another damaging impact on Sri Lanka’s tourism sector, an industry that has played a decisive role in the island country’s economy. However, many would agree that a sure-fire sign of recovery would be a resuscitation of the streets of Pettah and the return of its reassuring din that almost drowns out the call to prayer of the Jami Ul-Alfar Mosque from its central standpoint.
At the heart of its function, primarily, the Red Mosque remains a place of worship for Muslims that frequent its prayer halls. Beyond that, it is also a unique design monument that leverages its palimpsestic nature to unite myriad ethnic and social demographics, contributing towards an inclusive Sri Lankan identity.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
'Midnights'
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The smuggler
Eldarir had arrived at JFK in January 2020 with three suitcases, containing goods he valued at $300, when he was directed to a search area.
Officers found 41 gold artefacts among the bags, including amulets from a funerary set which prepared the deceased for the afterlife.
Also found was a cartouche of a Ptolemaic king on a relief that was originally part of a royal building or temple.
The largest single group of items found in Eldarir’s cases were 400 shabtis, or figurines.
Khouli conviction
Khouli smuggled items into the US by making false declarations to customs about the country of origin and value of the items.
According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, he provided “false provenances which stated that [two] Egyptian antiquities were part of a collection assembled by Khouli's father in Israel in the 1960s” when in fact “Khouli acquired the Egyptian antiquities from other dealers”.
He was sentenced to one year of probation, six months of home confinement and 200 hours of community service in 2012 after admitting buying and smuggling Egyptian antiquities, including coffins, funerary boats and limestone figures.
For sale
A number of other items said to come from the collection of Ezeldeen Taha Eldarir are currently or recently for sale.
Their provenance is described in near identical terms as the British Museum shabti: bought from Salahaddin Sirmali, "authenticated and appraised" by Hossen Rashed, then imported to the US in 1948.
- An Egyptian Mummy mask dating from 700BC-30BC, is on offer for £11,807 ($15,275) online by a seller in Mexico
- A coffin lid dating back to 664BC-332BC was offered for sale by a Colorado-based art dealer, with a starting price of $65,000
- A shabti that was on sale through a Chicago-based coin dealer, dating from 1567BC-1085BC, is up for $1,950
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
If you go
Flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh with a stop in Yangon from Dh3,075, and Etihad flies from Abu Dhabi to Phnom Penh with its partner Bangkok Airlines from Dh2,763. These trips take about nine hours each and both include taxes. From there, a road transfer takes at least four hours; airlines including KC Airlines (www.kcairlines.com) offer quick connecting flights from Phnom Penh to Sihanoukville from about $100 (Dh367) return including taxes. Air Asia, Malindo Air and Malaysian Airlines fly direct from Kuala Lumpur to Sihanoukville from $54 each way. Next year, direct flights are due to launch between Bangkok and Sihanoukville, which will cut the journey time by a third.
The stay
Rooms at Alila Villas Koh Russey (www.alilahotels.com/ kohrussey) cost from $385 per night including taxes.
Honeymoonish
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Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
The National in Davos
We are bringing you the inside story from the World Economic Forum's Annual Meeting in Davos, a gathering of hundreds of world leaders, top executives and billionaires.
Players Selected for La Liga Trials
U18 Age Group
Name: Ahmed Salam (Malaga)
Position: Right Wing
Nationality: Jordanian
Name: Yahia Iraqi (Malaga)
Position: Left Wing
Nationality: Morocco
Name: Mohammed Bouherrafa (Almeria)
Position: Centre-Midfield
Nationality: French
Name: Mohammed Rajeh (Cadiz)
Position: Striker
Nationality: Jordanian
U16 Age Group
Name: Mehdi Elkhamlichi (Malaga)
Position: Lead Striker
Nationality: Morocco
LEAGUE CUP QUARTER-FINAL DRAW
Stoke City v Tottenham
Brentford v Newcastle United
Arsenal v Manchester City
Everton v Manchester United
All ties are to be played the week commencing December 21.
Avatar%20(2009)
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE
When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.
More coverage from the Future Forum
Some of Darwish's last words
"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008
His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.
AUSTRALIA SQUAD
Aaron Finch (captain), Ashton Agar, Alex Carey, Pat Cummins, Glenn Maxwell, Ben McDermott, Kane Richardson, Steve Smith, Billy Stanlake, Mitchell Starc, Ashton Turner, Andrew Tye, David Warner, Adam Zampa
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
RESULT
Bayer Leverkusen 2 Bayern Munich 4
Leverkusen: Alario (9'), Wirtz (89')
Bayern: Coman (27'), Goretzka (42'), Gnabry (45'), Lewandowski (66')
Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
WOMAN AND CHILD
Director: Saeed Roustaee
Starring: Parinaz Izadyar, Payman Maadi
Rating: 4/5
BIGGEST CYBER SECURITY INCIDENTS IN RECENT TIMES
SolarWinds supply chain attack: Came to light in December 2020 but had taken root for several months, compromising major tech companies, governments and its entities
Microsoft Exchange server exploitation: March 2021; attackers used a vulnerability to steal emails
Kaseya attack: July 2021; ransomware hit perpetrated REvil, resulting in severe downtime for more than 1,000 companies
Log4j breach: December 2021; attackers exploited the Java-written code to inflitrate businesses and governments
The Settlers
Director: Louis Theroux
Starring: Daniella Weiss, Ari Abramowitz
Rating: 5/5
MATCH INFO
Uefa Nations League
League A, Group 4
Spain v England, 10.45pm (UAE)
Explainer: Tanween Design Programme
Non-profit arts studio Tashkeel launched this annual initiative with the intention of supporting budding designers in the UAE. This year, three talents were chosen from hundreds of applicants to be a part of the sixth creative development programme. These are architect Abdulla Al Mulla, interior designer Lana El Samman and graphic designer Yara Habib.
The trio have been guided by experts from the industry over the course of nine months, as they developed their own products that merge their unique styles with traditional elements of Emirati design. This includes laboratory sessions, experimental and collaborative practice, investigation of new business models and evaluation.
It is led by British contemporary design project specialist Helen Voce and mentor Kevin Badni, and offers participants access to experts from across the world, including the likes of UK designer Gareth Neal and multidisciplinary designer and entrepreneur, Sheikh Salem Al Qassimi.
The final pieces are being revealed in a worldwide limited-edition release on the first day of Downtown Designs at Dubai Design Week 2019. Tashkeel will be at stand E31 at the exhibition.
Lisa Ball-Lechgar, deputy director of Tashkeel, said: “The diversity and calibre of the applicants this year … is reflective of the dynamic change that the UAE art and design industry is witnessing, with young creators resolute in making their bold design ideas a reality.”
Autumn international scores
Saturday, November 24
Italy 3-66 New Zealand
Scotland 14-9 Argentina
England 37-18 Australia
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
DSC Eagles 23 Dubai Hurricanes 36
Eagles
Tries: Bright, O’Driscoll
Cons: Carey 2
Pens: Carey 3
Hurricanes
Tries: Knight 2, Lewis, Finck, Powell, Perry
Cons: Powell 3
Last 10 NBA champions
2017: Golden State bt Cleveland 4-1
2016: Cleveland bt Golden State 4-3
2015: Golden State bt Cleveland 4-2
2014: San Antonio bt Miami 4-1
2013: Miami bt San Antonio 4-3
2012: Miami bt Oklahoma City 4-1
2011: Dallas bt Miami 4-2
2010: Los Angeles Lakers bt Boston 4-3
2009: Los Angeles Lakers bt Orlando 4-1
2008: Boston bt Los Angeles Lakers 4-2
