Of solemnity and sombreness

With the city celebrating Dasara and also observing Muharram, the mood is of joy and sorrow

What Dasara is to Mysore, Muharrum is to Hyderabad. While the former marks the triumph of good over evil, the latter is all about the victory of truth over falsehood. The commonalities don’t end here. Both festivals are a big draw with spectators thronging from different parts of the country to have a dekko. Interestingly, both events culminate in huge processions. Mysore sees the idol of Goddess Chamundeshwari taken out on an exquisitely decorated elephant while in Hyderabad the Bibi-ka-Alam is carried on a richly caparisoned pachyderm.

Joy and sorrow

The only difference is that while Dasara is celebrated with pomp and gusto, Muharrum is observed with solemnity and sombreness. With both the events coming in close proximity, the mood of joy and sorrow is palpable in Hyderabad. While the rest of the city throbs with gaiety, grief envelops parts of the Shia-dominated Old City.

Time flies, people change. But some things never change. Hyderabad sees the first month of Islamic calendar observed in the same sombre way year after year. A walk down Noorkhan Bazar, Yakhutpura, Dabeerpura, Itebar Chowk, Husaini Alam, Mandi Mir Alam, Moula Ali give out poignant vibes. It is black all the way — the mood, attire and the ambience. For the Shia sect, which is sizeable in Hyderabad, it is time for ‘ tark-e-lazzat ’ (abstinence) and a halt to culinary delights. No entertainment or celebrations. Television goes into hiding during the 68-day mourning period. Even young boys and girls are seen strictly adhering to the code.

Emotional high

As the sun sets, the Ashoorkhanas where the ‘Alams’ are installed, reverberate with unbridled emotion. The ‘zakareen’ (orators) recount in minute detail the events leading to the martyrdom of Hazrath Imam Husain, the grandson of the Prophet of Islam, and 72 others in the battle of Karbala in Iraq. The public grief seem to come in waves - ebbing and flowing - reducing the audience to tears. The gathering indulges in ‘azadari’ (mourning) and ‘seena-zani’ (chest beating) to cries of “Ya Husain”.

Badshahi Ashoorkhana, one of the oldest, built by the city founder, Mohammed Quli Qutb Shah, comes to life during Muharram. The latter used to visit this place and light 1000 candles everyday during the first ten days of Muharrum, it is said.

Food for the soul

Muharrum also sees evolution of fresh crop of ‘marsiyas’ (elegies) whose leitmotif is the tragedy of Karbala. Lamentations apart, there is a sweet side to the month of mourning. Come Muharram and Dum-ke-roat , the crunchy cookie, swamps the market. Bakeries like Subhan, Karachi, Pista House are flooded with customers seeking this sweet-baked treat which has a religious significance.

The seventh Nizam, Mir Osman Ali Khan, is believed to have offered roat to the ‘Nala-e-Mubarak’ Alam near Charminar for the safety and well-being of his grandson, Mukarram Jah Bahadur. This practice continues till date and people who take a vow for the safety of their wards break the roat on the Alam and distribute it to others.

- J.S.Ifthekhar,

Hyderabad based journalist.

Article published in The Hindu

Dated September 29,2017.