Hyderabad: The historic Bibi-ka-Alam Muharram procession in Hyderabad’s Old City set off on Friday afternoon, June 26, with great fervour.
The procession saw a thousands of people turn up for the annual event that began at Dabeerpur and passes through Charminar and Gulzar House, before concluding at Chaderghat. Nearly 200 police personnel have been deployed to oversee security during the event.
Videos from the site show devotees preparing the elephant, brought from Kerala specifically for the celebration.
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How the Nizams made Bibi-ka-Alam Hyderabad’s Muharram icon
History of Bibi-ka-Alam
The institution of Bibi-ka-Alam was created under the Shia Qutb Shahi rulers of Golconda, but it became Hyderabad’s pre-eminent public symbol of Muharram through sustained Asaf Jahi patronage, royal endowments, ceremonial participation and incorporation into the public ritual life of the state.
The Nizams inherited many institutions from the Qutb Shahis, one of which was the Bibi-ka-Alam. However, what transformed the Bibi-ka-Alam from a dynastic Shia relic into Hyderabad’s most visible Muharram observance was Asaf Jahi patronage.
The present structure bears an inscription dated 1784, indicating its establishment as a major ritual centre under the Nizams. Successive Nizams enriched the alam with jewels and gifts. Historical accounts record donations of precious stones and ornaments by the Nizams’ family, while the seventh Nizam, Mir Osman Ali Khan, added valuable jewels that remain associated with the alam.
