| RAMZAN
- MONTH OF RELIGIOUS FERVOUR AND GAIETY |
 The
holy month of Ramzan is a special occasion in the
life of a Muslim. Muslims fast the whole month
and at the end of it they celeberate the Ramzan with joy.
Fasting during this month is considered as the third pillar
of Islam. And also Ramzan is a time of intensive
worship, reading of the Quran, showing of charity,
purifying one's behaviour, devotion to god, self control
and doing good deeds.
Ramzan emphasizes on community aspects and since
everyone eats dinner at the same time, Muslims often invite
one another to share the Ramzan evening meal. Haleem,
a persian delicacy and Dahi-baday, a Hyderabadi
dish are two favourite things people wait the whole year
for. Haleem is a combination of wheat, pulses, meat and
spices. Sheer qurma made with noodles (semiya)
is a special soup prepared on Id.
Buying new clothes during the month of Ramzan is a tradition.
In the twin cities, most of the busy shopping areas like
Abids, SP Road, Sultan Bazar and Pathergatti
will be bustling with shopping activity. Burqa
clad woman browsing through the shops is a
common sight in all these places.
 For
many, Ramzan shopping is incomplete if the Old City
is not visited. The real Ramzan action is seen in the
Charminar area. As one wades through the crowds
at majestic Charminar, which is the hub of all activities,
one will come across rows of well lit and decorated shops,
eye-catching banners, and shops wooing customers. The
activity picks up around dusk, goes on brisk, and uninterrupted
well into late hours of the evening. And the products
sold here are cheap and offer much choice to the customers.
Clothes, perfumes, traditional caps, bangles, all are
available here. |
- MAR Fareed
Photographs: KP Devadasan |
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