Several youngsters took to distributing food while several others participated in special prayers that were organised to mark ‘Youm-e-Ashoora,’ the 10th day of the month of Muharrum in the city on Wednesday.
The Bibi-ka-Alam procession, the main event of the day, was taken out from the Bibi-ka-Alawa to Chaderghat. The ‘Alam’ was carried on ‘Rajani’, the elephant, and Shia community members flagellated themselves with sharp objects while taking part in the procession. Their procession was reverberated with the cries of ‘Ya Hussain’ in remembrance of Imam Hussain, the grandson of Prophet Mohammed, who was martyred in the battle of Karbala in Iraq centuries ago. The practice of installing the Alam in the old city is more than 430-year-old tradition dating back to the Quli Qutb Shahi period and the Bibi-ka-Alam is believed to contain a holy relic. On Wednesday, the procession passed through the areas of Alijah Kotla, Mir Alam Mandi, Charminar, Panjesha, Yakutpura, and Dar-ul-shifa before culminating at Chaderghat.
The Alam used to be carried by an elephant named Hyderi, and the job is now being done by its calf Rajani, which is also used for Bonalu procession in the old city, said locals.