Hyderabad: On Saturday, June 13, Hyderabad city police commissioner Kothakota Srinivas Reddy, along with senior officials, visited Bibi ka Alawa in Dabeerpura. The delegation, including additional commissioner Vikram Singh Mann, traffic additional commissioner Vishwa Prasad, and south zone DCP Sneha Mehra, paid their respects to the Bibi ka Alam. Reddy presented an offering and sought blessings. He informed the media that arrangements are being made for the smooth conduct of the Ashura procession on July 17.
Bibi-ka-Alawa in Dabeerpura, Hyderabad’s Old City, is named after Prophet Muhammad’s daughter, Fatima. This Ashurkhana hosts the Bibi ka Alam, allowing devotees to pay their respects during the first 10 days of Muharram. This tradition dates back to the Qutb Shahi period. The Alam contains a piece of the wooden plank used for Bibi Fatima’s final ablution before her burial. The relic was brought from Karbala in Iraq to Golconda during the reign of King Abdullah Qutb Shah.
Shia Muslims consider Muharram auspicious and observe mourning to commemorate the martyrdom of Imam Hussain, the Prophet’s grandson, on the tenth day of the month. In Hyderabad, devotees hold an annual procession, reciting eulogies and engaging in various practices. The procession starts from Bibi ka Alawa-e-bibi in Dabeerpura and ends at Chaderghat, passing through Charminar. Believers worldwide visit Ashurkhanas to honor Imam Hussain’s sacrifice in the Battle of Karbala.
