Hyderabad: The Eid al Fitr will be celebrated on Saturday or Sunday and the arrangements to facilitate congregational prayers at the Eidgahs have started.
At the nearly two-century-old Eidgah Mir Alam, the workers are giving a fresh coat whitewash to the arch and the walls. The workers levelled the uneven muddy paths and grounds. Inside the main periphery of Eidgah, the weeds protruding out of the stone flooring are cleared. Roads leading to Eidgah from Tadban and Shastripuram are re-carpeted. The Telangana State Wakf Board and the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation sanctioned funds for taking up various works at the Eidgah in
Around 2 lakh people attend the Eid ul Fitr prayers every year at the Mir Alam Eidgah. The Eidgah was established around 1805 by Mir Alam Bahadur or Mir Abul Qasim, a Paigah noble who worked with the Nizams.
People from various neighbouring districts of Hyderabad like Vikarabad, Nalgonda, Medak, Sangareddy, Mahabubnagar and Ranga Reddy visit the Eidgah to attend the congregational prayers.
The oldest Eidgah of the city, the ‘Khadeem Eidgah’ or ‘Purani Eidgah’ is stated to be around 400 years old and built during the Qutb Shahi (or Golconda) dynasty in the 16th century.
About 50 to 60 thousand people gather there to attend the Eid prayers. Inside the Eidgah premises around 15,000 attend prayers while another 35 to 40 thousand attend prayers outside on the roads.
The GHMC and the Telangana State Wakf Board sanctioned a special budget for making the arrangements. INTACH’s Hyderabad chapter has also conferred the Heritage Award in 2011 Eidgah at Madannapet.
Similarly, the Qutb Shahi tombs, where the Golconda kings were laid to rest also have an Eidgah. Arrangements are underway at the Eidgah Balamrai at Secunderabad, Eidgah Pahadishareef, Eidgah LB Nagar and Eidgah First Lancer.
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