Ramzan means different things to different persons. For traders it is time to make a killing and for the devout it’s an opportunity to gather as many virtues as possible.
With hardly a week left for the month of fasting to begin, parts of Hyderabad, particularly Muslim dominated areas, are witnessing hectic activity. Right from big businessmen to petty traders, everyone is busy stocking the ware that will be in great demand during the month. Succulent ‘khajoors’ (dates) from Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq and other countries have already flooded the market.
This is the most sought after dry fruit for ‘iftar’ (breaking the fast). However, But this time the prices are expected to be 10 to 15 rupees more.
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A festive mood already permeates Patherghatti, the economic hub of the old city. To avoid the rush in the coming days, some families are doing Id shopping in advance. “It doesn’t matter if the new stock has not arrived. We do not want to waste the precious time of Ramzan in shopping,” says Abdul Rahman, echoing the views of many.
Hoteliers are busy erecting the mud ovens for haleem, the season’s delicacy. Some restaurants have started dishing out the lip-smacking dish from last week itself coinciding with ‘Shab-e-Barat’.
The religious fervour usually goes up several notches during Ramzan. Most of the mosques have gone in for a fresh coat of paint and are getting ready to receive the extra rush of worshippers. Mecca Masjid, the biggest mosque in Hyderabad, which attracts large number of worshippers, is in the final stages of being spruced up.
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Mohammad Cap Market (MCM) has already opened a month-long exhibition of ‘jai namaz’ (prayer rugs). The store, which is well known for its velvety merchandise, caps and drapes puts up an exhibition-cum- sale of prayer mats every year during Ramzan. This year too MCM proprietor, Mohd Ilyas Bukhari, has come up with eye-catching prayer rugs from Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Iran, Belgium and China. In shades of blue, green, red and beige, the mats carry a wide range of Islamic motifs and decorative art. Some rugs also carry the design of ‘Ka'ba’, the black cubical structure in Mecca, facing which Muslims offer prayers five times a day.
Apart from this, there is a hi-tech touch to Ramzan this season. One can go for sparkling ‘tasbees’ (prayer beads) of China and crochet caps from Bangladesh. The devotional package also include a Quran in electronic format. The Quran reading pen continues to be a big attraction.
The festive fervour is all set to go sky high as one eagerly awaits the crescent of Ramzan.