Hyderabad: With just a handful days left for Eid, prominent Eidgahs in the city have begun getting ready to prepare for the large number of Muslim devotees who will gather for prayers.
At the Eidgah Mir Alam, which is over 200 years old, workers are busy giving a coat of paint to the old structure, while other labourers are clearing wild vegetation and grass that is protruding out from the gaps in the shahbad stone flooring.
Outside the premises, contractors are busy getting BT roads re-carpeted, so that all roads leading to the Eidgah are good. The GHMC sanctioned Rs. 20 lakh for various works at the Mir Alam Eidgah in connection with the Eid ul Fitr to be celebrated next week.
On Thursday, a joint inspection of the Eidgah was done by officials of different departments to have better coordination. 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 and worked with the Nizam’s.
People from various neighbouring districts of Hyderabad like Vikarabad, Nalgonda, Medak, Sangareddy, Mahabubnagar and Ranga Reddy visit the Eidgah to attend the congregational prayers.
While many think Mir Alam is the oldest Eidgah of Hyderabad, they are wrong. In fact the Eidgah at Madannapet popularly known as the Purani Eidgah of Hyderabad is around 400 years old. It was built during the Qutb Shahi (or Golconda) dynasty in the 16th century.
Around 50 to 60 thousand people gather there to offer 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 its Heritage Award in 2011 Eidgah at Madannapet.
Similarly, the Qutb Shahi tombs, where the Golconda kings are buried, also has an Eidgah. Arrangements for Eid-ul-Fitr prayers are being made at there, the Eidgah Balamrai at Secunderabad, Eidgah Pahadishareef and other places.
An official delegation that will include Telangana home minister Mohd Mahmood Ali, officials of the Telangana State Waqf Board and senior officials of various government departments will visit in next few days to inspect the works.
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