The Magal of Touba is the annual pilgrimage of the Mourides, one of the most powerful Muslim brotherhoods in Senegal (in terms of political reach and contribution to the country’s GDP). It marks the return from exile of Cheikh Ahmadou Bamba, founder of the brotherhood.
I left Sokone Thursday evening to arrive in Dakar early Friday morning. After an afternoon of catching up with program staff in Dakar and my good friend Kaela who is doing the spring semester program (and actually staying with my host family).
(Me, my host sister Ami - staying in Dakar with Kaela and a few of the younger kids, and her son Fallou)
I left for Touba before daybreak Saturday morning. With Kaela staying with a host sister in Dakar, I piled in a cab with Maman, my sister Fama and my brother-in-law Morane. We arrived in Touba at 9am or so, time for breakfast !
The usual breakfast of stale white bread and butter, but this time with Café Touba (Senegalese coffee that is brewed specially in Touba). Delicious !
After catching our breadth after the long ride, we visited the cemetary to pay our respects to my host father.
The cemetary is in the same central district as the mosque and the library.
The library houses the complete works of Cheikh Ahmadou Bamba (wikipedia article).
(in the entrance to the library, looking at the entrance to the mausoleum or a khalif general)
(beautiful architecture! - at the library)
The library is directly across the marbled promenade from the mosque compound. Truly a site to behold. And I leave you to draw your own conclusions...
(a mausoleum - Serigne Amdy and Morane entering)
(the central building, Cheikh Ahmadou Bamba's mausoleum)
(Me and Maman)
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