The city is whooping it up in the run-up to Sankranti and Milad-un-Nabi, which coincidentally fall on January 14. In fact, it is this coincidence that augments the joy of the people.
While one finds Muslim-dominated areas in the south and west decorated with serial bulbs and flags to mark the birth anniversary of Prophet Mohammed, kites, which are synonymous with Sankranti, dot the skies in the east and north.
“The city is known for its ‘Ganga Jamuna’ culture, and people enjoy both the festivities,” says Abdul Sayeed, a peace activist.
A series of events are lined up for Milad-un-Nabi, including religious meetings, poor feeding camps, mass marriages and blood donation camps. In contrast, kite festivals and cultural programmes will spice up Sankranti.
Incidentally, some Muslim organisations have called for toning down Milad-un-Nabi celebrations and utilising the money thus saved to help the victims of Muzzafarnagar riots. Not far behind are business establishments when it comes to festivities.
Attractive discounts are being offered on selected merchandise at various outlets. Accordingly, malls and factory outlets at Punjagutta, Ameerpet, Somjiguda, Abids and Himayatnagar have put up notice boards detailing the new prices.
Equally happy are kite merchants and traders of decorative materials at Begum Bazaar, Gulzar Houz, Dhoolpet and Charminar.
“We do not see any dip in sales owing to the festivals falling on the same day,” says Shyam Agarwal, a kite trader at Puranapul. Meanwhile, as a precautionary measure, the city police have made elaborate arrangements to ensure peace.
