Efforts underway to arrange elephant for Hyderabad Muharram procession

Days after the Forest Department expressed concerns over transporting an elephant over long distances to Hyderabad for the annual Muharram procession, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen legislator Mirza Riyaz-ul-Hasan Effendi said that his party is making efforts to arrange for one.

The historic Muharram procession entails carrying the alam on an elephant from the Bibi ka Alawa. The HEH Nizam’s Auqaf Committee and the Nizam Religious Trusts usually liaise with the State government for permission.

According to Mr. Effendi, who spoke to the media after a Muharram review meeting with officials and public representatives, the HEH Nizam Auqaf Committee recently met AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi after which a representation was submitted to the government seeking speedy resolution of the issue. Mr Effendi appeared confident that the government would ensure that the elephant would be arranged for.

Even as a way forward is being explored, Telangana State Waqf Board Chairman Syed Azmatullah Huseini said that ₹1 lakh was paid as an advance to bring the elephant to Hyderabad from Rajasthan.

In the meanwhile, civic authorities have been making arrangements to deal with the large number of people who are expected to visit ashoorkhanas, including the Bibi ka Alawa, Badshahi Ashoorkhana, and other smaller ashoorkhanas.

Minor repairs and civic work such as laying the flooring is underway and is expected to be done a few days before Muharram, which is expected to begin on July 6.

Published - June 17, 2025 09:43 pm IST