Maintaining a long-standing tradition, an elephant named Sreedevi from Kerala was brought to Hyderabad on Wednesday, June 17, to lead this year’s Bibi Ka Alam procession on Youm-e-Ashura, the 10th day of Muharram.
The arrangements for bringing the elephant to the city were made jointly by the HEH Nizam Trust and HEH Awqaf Committee, with support from All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) and the Telangana government.
The Telangana government, through the Waqf Board, has spent Rs 14 lakh for the elephant, advocate Syed Ali Jaffry, representative of the Awqaf Committee, told Siasat.com.
“Last year, we could not carry out the procession through certain lanes because the elephant was not prepared for it. This year, we will undertake a rehearsal on the 4th of Muharram to carry out the procession on a wider scale.” Jaffry said.
The elephant will be kept at the Quli Qutb Shah Urban Development Authority (QQSUDA) office at Noorkhan Bazaar for ten days. Around 80,000 people are expected to attend the procession.
PETA Offered Mechanical Elephant
Meanwhile, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals had offered to provide a mechanical elephant for the procession as an alternative. However, the traditional practice of carrying the revered Bibi Ka Alam on a live elephant continues to be followed.
The Bibi Ka Alam procession, one of the most significant Muharram observances in Hyderabad, attracts thousands of devotees and mourners every year. The tradition of an elephant leading the procession dates back several decades and remains an integral part of the city’s cultural and religious heritage.
The procession will be taken out on Youm-e-Ashura, commemorating the martyrdom of Imam Hussain and his companions in the historic Battle of Karbala.
