Traditional ‘seviyan’ makers get busy

Charminar: With the start of the holy month of Ramzan, traditional seviyan makers are now busy making handmade vermicelli which remains most preferred of its kind in this age of modernisation. This is the main ingredient in the ‘sheer khurma’ enjoyed on the day of Eid-ul-Fitr.

Seviyan has been part of the traditional dessert ‘sheer khurma’ for ages, which has basic ingredients like milk, sugar and is flavoured with cardamom, besides the rice vermicelli. For garnishing, people also use sliced almonds, pistachios and sometimes dried dates. This special dish is served to family and friends on the day of Eid, which marks the conclusion of the month of Ramzan.

Even though the machine-made vermicelli is flooded in the market, people still prefer the handmade seviyan, whose makers now counted in few numbers in the parts of Old City, particularly in the surrounding areas of Charminar. However, it appears that the traditional makers are slowly giving away the practice to other professions. With dwindling profits, the families now feel that their art of making vermicelli will soon vanish from Hyderabad.

Yousuf khan’s family is doing this business for the last 50 years. He starts preparing the seviyan about five months before the start of Ramzan and prepare 22 quintals of handmade seviyan, while his family helps him in his work. During unseasonal times, either he works as a flower decorator in marriages and function hall or grabs some other work to earn a living.

by Syed Mujtaba Hussain Abidi