Ramzan begins with special prayers

Muslims purchase dates for the Holy month of Ramzan in Hyderabad on Wednesday.

Ramzan, the month of fasting, commenced on Wednesday evening.

Religious activity associated with the month was very much visible as devotees attended the special ‘taravee’ prayers at various mosques including the historic Mecca Masjid, Shahi Masjid-Bagh-e-Aaam at Public Gardens, Masjid-e-Azizia at Mehdipatnam, Masjid-e-Vazir Ali at Fateh Darwaza to name a few. The special prayers held in the evenings will continue till the end of Ramzan.

In tune with the festive season, night life picked up with many preferring to drop in at Irani hotels after offering prayers.

The intermittent rainfall helped hotels get more footfalls till late in the night. A few hotels made preparations to offer the ‘sehar’ meal (predawn meal) too.

Traders, both roadside businessmen and commercial shop owners, at Pathergatti, Gulzar Houz, Madina building, Devan Devdi and Lad Bazaar got into business mode by putting in great efforts to display merchandise in an attractive manner.

“We are adopting a wait-and-watch policy before shipping in more goods,” says Jameel Ahmed, a trader.

Busy day for women

At homes, the day turned out to be a busy one what with women racing against time to make last minute preparations for the first ‘roza’ (fast) of the month.

Thursday being the first day of the holy month they preferred to cook some special dishes as the fast would stretch for 14 hours and 43 minutes duration.

Identified with the delicious haleem and other delicacies, Ramzan is the time to make big bucks for traders.

For the ‘rozadars’ it means adjusting to a new schedule of waking up early in the mornings and staying awake till late in the night.

School timings

Students are a lucky lot with many schools in the south and western parts of the city switching over to the morning schedulefrom 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

“We change the timings keeping in view the changed schedule of most of the households,” a principal said.

Police have beefed up security at all sensitive areas in view of Bonalu and Ramzan festivities being observed simultaneously across the city.