What Dasara is to Mysuru, Ramzan is to Hyderabad.Image Courtesy : Google

What Dasara is to Mysuru, Ramzan is to Hyderabad. The nawabi city sheds its laid-back attitude and gets into a hectic mode. As the month progresses, the frenzy only increases. An outsider will get the impression that Hyderabad never sleeps during Ramzan. It’s true to some extent. Parts of the city, particularly areas on the south of Musi, remain open all through the night.

Festivals are mere excuses to trigger shopping sprees. And there is no dearth of festive occasions in India. Essentially a month of piety and fasting, of late Ramzan has been overtaken by consumerism. The commercial exploitation of the holy month has never been so crass. Cloth shops live their best dreams as Hyderabadis turn shopaholics. With revenue spikes, restaurants and businesses laugh all the way to the bank.

This was not the case a few decades ago. People used to shop but did not spend whole nights in search of a particular colour and design. Now what Hyderabad sees is crazy shopping. Though plush shopping malls have sprung up in several areas, it is the Charminar-Patherghatti stretch that throbs with activity. The quaint bazaars around the monument seem to wield a magnetic pull. A friend of mine who stays in upscale Jubilee Hills loves to come all the way to Charminar to shop. “It is the old-world charm that attracts me,” he says.

With Id-ul-Fitr around the corner, the shop-till-you-drop frenzy is peaking. Hyderabadis revel in last-minute shopping. From traditional salwar-suits to kurta-churidars, dry fruits, perfumes, caps and artificial jewellery, everything is up for grabs at Charminar. Women go for ethnic wear, clothes with gold embroidery, sequins and brocade work. Of course Id shopping is never complete for eves without a visit to Lad Bazaar, the bangle market. In the run-up to Id, a traffic advisory becomes necessary for those heading towards Charminar as one will have to brace for unending traffic snarls.

Image Courtesy : Google

Clothes apart, another thing Hyderabadis are hooked to is haleem. No one would like to give a miss to this hot seasonal favourite. Time was when the food trail took one through the winding lanes of Charminar and beyond, but today the aroma of succulent kebabs and haleem hangs all over the city.


Ramzan offers a great religious experience for the devout and for the foodies it is ‘tasting’ time. Even past midnight people can be seen slurping haleem and guzzling chai. When quizzed, my friend shot back: Why is there a light in the fridge if we’re not meant to have midnight snacks?

J.S.Ifthekhar,

Hyderabad based journalist.

Article published in The New Indian Express

Dated June 14,2018

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Children during Iftar

Talha casts a furtive glance at the plate of dates. Then his little eyes wander and rest on the slices of juicy mangoes, pineapples, dahi-vadas and the lip-smacking haleem. His cousin, Rehan, nudges him and whispers in the ear: "Abhi  paach minute hain iftar ke liye" (Still five minutes to go for iftar).

Normally they would have pounced on the delectable spread. But now they show extreme self-control, something strange for six year old children. Both are observing half-day fast and wouldn't like to miss the cheerful experience during iftar. With children around, iftars become memorable occasions. The cordiality and warmth goes several notches up and the little ones get precedence over everyone else. The first piece of date goes to them and so is the first morsel of meal.

Fasting is not obligatory for young children in Islam but many families encourage them to observe 'roza' just to get into the habit. And as a reward the favourite meal and dessert of the fasting kids are prepared. A few parents celebrate the 'roza rakhai' (observance of fast) of the children grandly. Some kids initially fast for a couple of hours and some for half day before they get habituated to full day fast. "I like the iftar time when everyone gathers around the dastarkhwan", says Talha, unmindful of his broken hand in cast. Sure the bonhomie that prevails at the time of Sahr and Iftar is touching. There is an immense sense of sharing and caring.

With Ramzan drawing to a close, many youngsters are upbeat that they have not left the fast despite the harsh summer. Of course they have made the most of the school vacation. "No, we don't play in the hot sun but confine to indoor games", says 14 year old Imran, who is regularly observing fast for a couple of years. 

Ramzan helps children understand the importance of being grateful for the blessings they enjoy. When they feel the pangs of hunger, they learn to sympathise with the poor. "It is not the number of hours you fast but how you spend your fasting hours that matters", remarks Juveria, recalling what she heard from her parents.      

Even if children are not fasting they like to take part in 'sahr', the pre-dawn meal. But waking up bleary-eyed youngsters is a task. Of course doting parents cajole them into taking their regular meals during the day. For housewives it is literally a race against time. The food has to be prepared and eaten before the siren goes.

Come Ramzan and things are never the same. Most Muslim households see a spiritual transformation even as the daily routine goes for a toss. Not just the eating habits, sleep and working schedule too undergoes a change. Worship takes precedence over everything else and other tasks are adjusted accordingly. The 30-day lunar period is a time for penance, renunciation, prayer and sacrifice. "Fasting is not about a diet of burning calories. It's about burning ego, pride and sins", says Saiqa Parveen, an English lecturer. For some Ramzan is the right time to quit bad and unhealthy habits. "After being off your addiction for a month you might not feel like going back to it again", says Maulana Obaidur Rehman, who leads the prayers at Masjid-e-Teen Posh.

So what is the Ramzan recipe? No, it is not dahi-vadas, haleem or biryani. It includes a glass of care, a plate of love, a spoon of peace, a fork of truth and a bowl of 'duaas'. Why not adopt these golden principles?  

 J.S.Ifthekhar,

Hyderabad based journalist.

Article published in The New Indian Express

Dated June 13,2018

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Jameel Fatima Zeba

The phone never stops ringing. Every time she picks it up, there is a flood of congratulations. Her house in Manikonda is a beehive of activity with friends and relatives dropping in to compliment her on her achievement. In fact the Muslim community in Hyderabad is yet to get over the euphoria of Jameel Fatima Zeba's spectacular success in the coveted civil services exam. Having notched up the 62nd rank in UPSC exam 2017, she has made the community proud. Her accomplishment is all the more stunning as she happens to be the only Muslim girl to crack the civil services exam from Telangana in the last 70 years. Even in the undivided state no Muslim woman could make it.

Zeba being felicitated

A programme organised by the Centre for Educational Development of Minorities the other day to felicitate the young achiever drew overwhelming response. A large number of NGOs and individuals turned up to congratulate Zeba. Her feat is expected to inspire other girls. "But she will always be remembered as the first Muslim girl to break the glass ceiling", says A.K. Khan, Advisor to the Government, Minorities Welfare.

So what's her success mantra? Just three words. "Hard work, perseverance and patience", remarks Zeba. Of course her can-do and never say die spirit are the other factors. When you work all through the night you have your day. Zeba is now enjoying her moment under the sun. As her name suggests, Zeba has bestowed a dash of grace and hope to the Muslim community whose percentage in the civil services is barely 3. Several women's colleges are now planning to invite her to their premises to motivate their students.

 Clad in a red salwar suit with her head covered by a green scarf,  24 year old Zeba doesn't betray signs of super intelligence. But when she starts speaking her determination and positive outlook comes across. "Come out of the comfort zone and don't ever give up", she advises civil service aspirants.

Zeba cleared the UPSC exam in her third attempt - each time putting in more effort. She studied for 8 to 10 hours a day without getting distracted by other pursuits. "The credit goes to my parents who supported me all through" she says. However, she is sad that her mother, Deeba Fatima, is not alive to witness her success. She died in 2009.

"I wanted her to do engineering but she refused point blank and decided to go for civil service and I respected her decision", says Zeba's father, Habibullah Khan, a geologist in NMDC.

What made her opt for civil services? "It gives one the opportunity to bring tangible change in the society", she says. For brief periods she worked with NGOs like Make A Difference and Teach For India and this only firmed up her decision to become an IAS officer to reach the underprivileged sections of society.

Zeba, who graduated from St. Francis Degree College, Begumpet, has been a head girl all through her career. While excelling in academics, she has been a role model for her peers - mature, responsible and fostering positive relationships. She loves reading - both fiction and non-fiction. A great fan of John Keats, she loves poetry.

Does she read any newspaper? "Of course The Hindu", pat comes reply. "It helped me a lot in preparing for the exams", she says.

 J.S.Ifthekhar,

Hyderabad based journalist.

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Image Courtesy : Google

It is the season of giving. Being a do-gooder, lending a hand and making a difference. Charity liberates the soul of the giver and benefits him more than the receiver.

It is the season of giving. Being a do-gooder, lending a hand and making a difference. Charity liberates the soul of the giver and benefits him more than the receiver.It is the season of giving. Being a do-gooder, lending a hand and making a difference. Charity liberates the soul of the giver and benefits him more than the receiver. Giving alms is the integral part of all religions as every charitable act is considered a stepping stone towards heaven.

Come Ramzan, the third pillar of Islam, zakat, comes into play. Though this obligatory charity has nothing to do with the fasting month, many Muslims prefer to do it now to gather more virtues. When you have wealth in excess of your needs, build a bigger table, not a higher fence. Charity is not about pity but about love and compassion. So the way one makes a donation matters a lot.

Ramzan is the time when many people make a public display of their charity which is totally against the spirit of Islam. Acts of charity are expected to be hush-hush affairs. So concealed should the donation be that what one gives with one hand should not be known to the other. But many wealthy persons make the poor queue up before their houses to receive the dole. The other day I saw a picture in a newspaper which showed a group of persons placing their hands on a bag of wheat flour while the recipient, an old woman, is trying to cover up her face. When this picture went viral on social media many reacted angrily at the humiliation meted out to the poor woman. The very purpose of charity is defeated when the receiver feels insulted and degraded.

Religiously motivated charity brings in professional alms seekers. They know how to extract money by narrating heart-rending stories of penury. No wonder many persons fall hook, line and sinker and end up opening their purse strings. Places of worship are thronged by such fake fakirs. Recently a couple collected money after putting out a touching story. But some youngsters got suspicious and followed them to see what they do. They were shocked to see the couple land in a cheap liquor joint.


Some argue charity perpetuates the cycle of dependency. Not necessarily. The idea is to lend a hand-up, not a handout. Unlike the professionals, the deserving do not seek alms openly. It is actually the duty of the wealthy to search them out and support. The recent trend of leveraging zakat for supporting secular education is a good sign. Well-known Hyderabad builder, Ghiasuddin Babukhan, who pioneered the idea, has transformed the lives of many households. Those educated with zakat funds are now in a position to offer zakat themselves. Why not be someone’s sunshine when their skies are grey?

 J.S.Ifthekhar,

Hyderabad based journalist.

Article published in The New Indian Express

Dated June 2,2018

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A collaborative project is enthusing children to learn with group activities

No fidgeting, no looking out of the window or chatting with mates. Sohail is all eyes and ears to the class teacher. Same is the case with his bench mate, Azhar, who used to doodle while the teacher is explaining.  Many schools in the city are witnessing a pleasant transformation in their class rooms with students evincing greater interest in what is being taught.

No, the teachers have not changed. There is no change in the books either. What has undergone change is the teaching methodology. Chalk and talk is out. And active multi-modal learning is in. By simply going for audio-visual and kinaesthetic learning, a significant improvement in attention span of children is being noticed. "I find the students more engaged and attentive now", says Nadia Pardiwala of Glendale School.

"Every child is smart in a different way. It is the responsibility of educators to keep them engaged by adopting innovative methods of teaching", says Rachael Dimond, English Language Fellow, US.  She has been holding teachers' training workshops in Hyderabad as part of the US Consulate and The Siasat Daily project.

Dimond's methodology is revolutionary. It is hands-on learning consisting of group based activities. To ensure greater participation, she goes for think, pair and share technique. The children are given 1-2 minute to think, 2-3 minutes to share with partner next to them and then they are randomly called to share their answer. Dimond also uses Total Physical Response (TPR) technique for associating words with action. Like a superior instructor she likes to demonstrate everything she teaches.

 She faults lecture based learning and thinks it is not the ultimate classroom strategy. The traditional stand-and-deliver lectures fail to enthuse many. "Humans have bodies and they are made to move. Educators should experiment with stimulating active learning methods as they help in better memory retention", she says and adds that this technique can be used at higher levels of learning too.

 "The class room management techniques shown by Dimond  are very useful and we are already seeing the change in our school. When we teach a child we have to be a child ourselves", says Ishrat Naheed, academic coordinator, Springfields School, Malakpet.  About 314 teachers from 223 schools from Hyderabad, Mumbai, Lucknow and Chhattisgarh took part in four workshop that concluded recently. This apart Dimond also taught English communication skills for employability to 573 candidates in 10 batches.

Dimond is not for corporal or verbal punishment of children. Rather she recommends operant behavioural conditioning. She suggests giving something to a child by way of positive reinforcement and taking away something as negative punishment. A good teacher, like a good entertainer, must first hold the audience attention. The American has a bagful of tips for classroom management like pebble party, finger codes, popsicle sticks, quiet commands and flip cards. But as a student, she admits, she was herself hyperactive, undisciplined and uninterested. "However my teacher believed in me and that brought about the transformation", she says.

Dimond is in Hyderabad as part of the US government programme to help educators across the world. She has taken a great liking to the city. "The food is excellent here but the traffic is horrible. In America it is the other way round", she giggles.

 J.S.Ifthekhar,

Hyderabad based journalist.

Article published in The Hindu

Dated June 1,2018

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