Ramzan mood grips Hyderabad, Telangana

Come Ramzan and Hyderabad sports a flamboyant look. The month of holy Ramzan is ideal to discover the city’s most indulgent dishes. With the arrival of Ramzan, Old City fills up with vendors, shoppers and foodies. Perhaps, the city and Ramzan have a bonding unlike any other city in the country.

And what better way to celebrate the festival that scooping up dollops of Haleem? The spicy cuisine is prepared with an equal mixture of wheat and meat or wheat and chicken. You can find Haleem stalls at every corner of the city. It is not just Muslims but others who travel long distances to get a taste of this unique dish, which is usually served from the first day of Ramzan.

Obscure restaurants light up their signboards promising the city’s best Haleem – certainly the most sought-after dish at this time, partly because it’s not easily available for the rest of the year. Thousands of workers work 12 hours a day during the holy month of Ramzan to cook up this special mutton and wheat delicacy. Lakhs feast on it soon after the evening prayers. It’s so popular that hotels have now taken the dish beyond borders, exporting it to the wide NRI market in the Middle East, USA and even the European Union. There is even vegetarian Haleem which is a mix of dry fruit and vegetables.

Apart from Haleem, Iftaar parties bond the people of the city.

Iftaar parties keep Hyderabadis knotted to each other. Hyderabad Hindu-Muslim culture has a unique unity. As Ramzan draws to the last ten days, religious activities gather momentum. The odd prayers are carried out at mosques through the night. Dates are distributed in huge numbers during Ramzan. It is reported that Hyderabadis consume about 2,500 tonnes of dates during Ramzan giving it the status of being the city which consumes the highest quantity of dates among the Indian cities. The popular choices of dates this year are varieties of brands from Iran and Saudi Arabia such as Medjoul, Mariyam, Hozafati, Shayani and Ajwa Many Muslims take leave from jobs to celebrate Ramzan in the city. There are thousands of Muslims who work in other countries and visits the city for the festival. It is also a season which puts a smile on every shopper. During the last week of Ramzan, men, women and children throng to Charminar by-lanes for Eid shopping. On both sides of the road, vendors put up their stalls for Eid. You can find Namaz Ki Topi (caps), dates, Chute Ki Sewiyan and bangles which is a range among shoppers.

The city is all set to celebrate Ramzan and the festive fervour continues to bring smiles and festive delicacies to all.