It is past midnight but the traffic is moving at snail’s pace. Scores of people are in their cars, parked on both sides of the road and relishing the haleem, a Ramzan delicacy.
Dozens of young waiters of Pista House and Shah Ghouse, the two popular haleem makers, are on their feet, vying with each other to serve customers on the busy Toli Chowki-Mehdipatnam stretch.
Shoppers, the faithful returning from mosques, techies heading home from IT hubs, and families throng the dozens of food joints serving piping hot haleem. Heavy traffic, illuminated shops, and crowded hotels and eateries give one a feeling that it is day time.
And this is not the old city. So, the situation in the famous markets around the historic Charminar can well be imagined.
Ramadan shopping in this historic city with a rich Islamic heritage has reached a feverish pitch. While the city witnesses unprecedented commercial activity during the entire holy month, it hardly sleeps in the last 10 days.
The devout converge at mosques for ‘namaz-e-taraveeh’ around 8.30 p.m. and the night vigil ends with special prayers ‘tahajjud’ around 3.30 a.m. They make most of the last days to offer prayers and seek forgiveness from the Almighty - the goal of the holy month.
For most families, it’s also the time for Eid shopping. From new clothes and footwear to bangles, mehndi, ‘attar’ (natural perfumes), crockery, household items and vermicelli and dry fruits, they buy everything.
Shops in the centuries—old markets in the old city and the gleaming malls in the central and new Hyderabad are packed with men, women and children.
As people feel tired due to fasting during the day and hardly find any time to spare in the evenings, the shopping is mostly done after 8 p.m. - and it continues till ‘sehr’ or the pre-dawn meals.IANS
