Hyderabad: Muslim community in the city observed Youm-e-Ashura, the 10th day of Muharram, with religious fervour on Saturday, July 29. The day commemorates the martyrdom of Imam Hussain, the grandson of Prophet Muhammad, in the battle of Karbala.
At many places, the community members organised food camps for the public. People were offered bagara khana, dalcha and kabuli chana pulao with curry. Different flavours of sherbet were distributed on the roadsides in Secunderabad, Nampally, Banjara Hills, Yousufguda, Jubilee Hills, Abid Road, Begumpet and other places. Special prayers and meetings were organised at several places by religious organisations.
To mark the occasion, the Shia community members took out the Ashura procession in the Old City. Bibi ka Alam was taken out from Bibi ka Alawa at Dabeerpura at 1 pm. The procession passed through Yakutpura road, Alijah Kotla, Charminar, Gulzar Houz, Panjeshah, Etebar Chowk, Mir Chowk police station road, Mandi Miralam, Zehranagar, Darulshifa, Kalikhabar, Imliban and culminated at Chaderghat.
Shia mourners marched in procession flagellating themselves with sharp objects.
According to historians, the practice of installing the Bibi ka Alam dates back to the Qutb Shahi period. The Alam (standard) contains a piece of the wooden plank on which Bibi Fatima was given final ablution before the burial. The relic reached Golconda all the way from Karbala in Iraq during the reign of Golconda King Abdullah Qutb Shah.
State government ministers, bureaucrats, leaders of political parties and other noted personalities are offered ‘dhatti’ to the Bibi ka Alam at various places along the procession route.
Hyderabad police commissioner CV Anand said, nearly one thousand policemen were deployed to provide security to the Bibi ka Alam procession. He lauded the general public and organisers for their cooperation.
