Local economy upbeat over Syedna's visit

SURAT: It may be a slack season for the businesses in the city due to monsoon, but the market is upbeat as Surat plays host to tens of thousands of Dawoodi Bohras from across the country and abroad ahead of the visit of their spiritual leader Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin on Saturday.
The hotel and guesthouse owners in the city are raking in moolah. Even the three star and five star hotels have been booked for a fortnight, starting Friday, by Dawoodi Bohra visitors from cities like Mumbai, New Delhi, Rajasthan, Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Pune, Ichalkaranji and countries namely Saudi Arabia, Canada, London, US and UK.
A Dawoodi Bohra community member said about 1.5 lakh Bohras from across the country and abroad have poured into the city for attending zikra majlis holy sermon to be delivered by the Syedna on Monday. After the zikra majlis, the annual examination of the Arabic university Al Jamaitus Safiah' will begin under his supervision. "The Syedna will be staying in the city for about 10 days and Bohras will continue to visit the city from across the world to see him and seek his blessings," said Yusuf Badri, leader of the Dawoodi Bohra samaj.
Sanat Relia, vice-president of South Gujarat Hotels and Restaurant Association (SAHRA), said, "There is 100 per cent occupancy in each and every hotel of the city against the average of 50 per cent occupancy. Most of the Bohra clients had booked the hotels days in advance."
The restaurant business, too, is likely to pick up as Dawoodi Bohras will venture out in the city to savour the typical Gujarati dishes and the non-vegetarian varieties. Paresh Mehta, owner of Garden View Restaurant, said, "Dawoodi Bohras love to eat Gujarati food. We have good rush during the evening hours and most of the customers are Bohras."
The garment industry, too, is upbeat over the arrival of the Bohras. The garment and dress material retailers are expecting a good business. Federation of Surat Textile Traders Association (FOSTA) president Devkishan Manghani said, "The business in the garment industry is likely to grow by 40 per cent. Every year, the sales of the dress materials and ready-made garments go up with the arrival of Dawoodi Bohras in the city."