Serial Blasts in Colombo has Brought Back Memories of Our Trip to Sri Lanka
Mangaluru : A group of nearly 50, majority of them being doctors from in and around Mangaluru, including myself had gone on a tour to Sri Lanka, lasting from 18 September to 23 September 2018. Ref to articles: ( http://www.mangalorean.com/kud
The photo that you see in this article where a bunch of us are standing, is right in front of the restaurant inside Hotel Cinnamon, where the suicide bomber killed many during the breakfast time. The blast at the St Anthony’s Shrine/Church in Colombo, also reminded of me going to the Shrine for the Sunday Mass on 23 September 2018, prior to our departure to Bengaluru that afternoon. Since this Shrine was just 4 km from our hotel, I took a auto- rickshaw, and the auto-driver Charles, also being a Roman Catholic attended the Mass along with me, and after Mass dropped me back at the hotel. It was one of the most beautiful and historic that I had attended a Mass in my life.
Picture taken at the entrance of the restaurant at Hotel Cinnamon
But I was shocked to hear that terrorists also attacked this Shrine and ruined it totally. I remember meeting Fr Stephen , a priest at the Shrine who was kind enough to take me around the Shrine, and explain about its history. I only hope Fr Stephen is okay, and was not a victim of the blast. St. Anthony’s Shrine (is a Roman Catholic church in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Colombo in Sri Lanka) located at Kochchikade, Kotahena-Colombo, and is dedicated to St. Anthony of Padua, where a large number of Tamil Catholics attend the service here. The church is declared as national shrine, and it is one of the place on the sight seeing tour. A tiny piece of St. Anthony’s tongue is enshrined in a special reliquary, which is located in a glass case together with a statue of the saint, at the entrance to the church.
Sources reveal that, the church’s origins relate to the early Dutch colonial period when Catholicism was banned from the island, with Catholic priests carrying out sermons from hiding places. Fr. Antonio disguised himself as a local merchant, finding refuge with a local fishing community at Mutwal. According to local legends the community sought his help to stop the sea eroding their village, and Fr. Antonio planted a cross and prayed at the beach, resulting in the sea receding and the community converting to Catholicism. The Dutch authorities then allocated him some land to carry out his sermons, whereupon he built a mud brick chapel dedicated to St. Anthony of Padua. Fr. Antonio is buried within the church.
In 1806, the chapel was enlarged, and in 1822 one of the members of the Congregation went to Goa and brought back a statue of St. Anthony, which still resides on one of the church’s altars. Construction of a new church commenced in 1828 and it was consecrated on 1 June 1834. In 1938 the church was improved and enlarged, with the addition of a chorister’s gallery, large wings on side, and a mission house and meeting room behind the main altar. The enlarged church was consecrated on 16 February 1940. But it is sad to note that on 21 April 2019, after Easter Sunday ceremony, the church was one in a series of targets of a string of bomb blasts across Sri Lanka. While the Catholics rejoiced Christs Resurrection’at this Shrine, but unfortunately they had to mourn the deaths of their beloved ones and friends who attended the Easter Mass. May their Souls Rest In Peace!
A place where senses are delighted and desires indulged – Cinnamon Grand Hotel-Colombo is a venue of colours, sounds and unexpected pleasures. A perfect haven for holiday makers and business clients, the hotel is nestled in the commercial hub of Colombo. Luxurious rooms and elegant restaurants with excellent services are up for grabs at the hotel. Catering too both business and leisure, the hotel provides a range of facilities to make your stay memorable. And the buffet breakfast, lunch and dinner is extraordinary, with sumptuous food- and the buffet lunch that we tried made out belly full, with over 100 items to choose from. A buffet fit for a hungry King! And this exactly is the restaurant where the bomber set off the explosives killing innocent diners. May the dead persons souls Rest in Peace!
As of now sources reveal that nearly 300 have perished in the serial blasts at few places in Sri Lanka. It is also learnt that Sri Lanka’s top cop had warned officers 10 days ago of possible suicide attacks on Churches and the Indian High Commission, which is near the attacked hotels, by National Thowheed Jamaath, an Islamist group- but it seems like no security precautions were taken, even after threat from the extremist. The Lankan government has now imposed a nationwide curfew and curbed social media access to stop fake news from spreading. The Archbishop of Colombo-Malcolm Ranjith has described the attackers as “ANIMALS” and called on authorities to “PUNISH THEM MERCILESSLY”. Well said by the Archbishop- these ruthless animals need to be tortured in prison.
DEATH OF MANGALURU WOMAN- RAZEENA KHADER KUKKADY IN THE BLAST:
Dr P S M Ameer Ali Mohamed, Professor of Surgery at Yenepoya Hospital left to Sri Lanka on Sunday 21 April night, after he got the news that his cousin sister Razeena Khader Kukkady (58) from Surathkal/Mangaluru also died in the deadly blasts, while she was having her breakfast at the Shangri-La Hotel after seeing off her husband at Colombo airport on the morning of Sunday.
Razeena had traveled to Sri Lanka with her Abdul Khader, who is employed in Dubai, to visit Razeena’s relatives residing in Sri Lanka. After Abdul left back to Dubai, Razeena staying at Shangri-La hotel while having having her Sunday breakfast, became a victim of the blast. Hailing originally from Kasaragod, Razeena had moved to Surathkal, after her husband got a job as a chemical engineer at MCF, Mangaluru. Later Abdul moved to Dubai for better prospects, and Razeena also joined him. It is learnt that the couple used to visit her house in Surathkal, and at present the house is locked. Razeena had visited the house just a month ago, it is learnt. Their two children, who are working in USA, have also started their journey to Colombo. Even the family members of Khader have left from Mangaluru for Colombo.
A relative speaking to Team Mangalorean described Razeena as a keen traveler and a “fantastic cook” who was always ready to help others. “Born in India, she grew up in Sri Lanka but later moved to Jumeriah Lake Towers in Dubai with her husband. She was very silent and generous person. She used to travel the world over. [She was] a very good cook. She is Indian by birth but brought up in Sri Lanka and had a Sri Lankan passport. She went from Dubai for a vacation [and] was staying in the Shangri-La Hotel. On Sunday morning, after dropping [her] husband at the airport she went back to the hotel, and while having breakfast there, she lost her life in the blast. Her husband only learned of the attacks on landing in Dubai and immediately caught a flight back to Sri Lanka. He is totally devastated,” said the relative.
Call it a bad luck- it is learnt that Razeena had bought a ticket to travel to Mangaluru after the departure of her husband to Dubai on Sunday 21 April, by the afternoon flight to Bengaluru, and from there travel to Mangaluru. But unfortunately fate snatched her life. Team Mangalorean expresses heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family of Razeena. May Razeena’s Soul Rest In Peace!