Hyderabad, the city named after Maula Ali,
is not only famous for its Azadari but also for its many Tabarrukats( Holy
relics).The most noteworthy among the relics is a piece of the plank on
which the last ritual ablution was performed of the Prophet Muhammad’s
beloved daughter, wife of Sher-E-Khuda, Ali Ibne Abi Talib and mother of
Hasnain Hazrat Fatima Zehra. This relic is preserved in the form of Alam-e-Mubarak
in Bibi Ka Aalwa. The Alam is popularly known as Bibi ka Alam and it is taken out on the
tenth day of Muharram every year in a huge procession. Lakhs of devotees
reach Hyderabad top have a glimpse of the Alam and accompany the procession
till its culmination. The Alam is richly decorated and it is carried on a
She-Elephant as a mark of respect to Bibi Fatima. The Alam is kept in safe
custody with round the clock vigil as the seventh Nizam of Hyderabad, Mir Osman
Ali Khan, had made offerings of priceless Rubies and Emeralds to the Alam
and they remain attached to it permanently.
Another holy relic that has been
preserved as an Alam is a precious
piece of Tauqh-e-Mubarak (Iron Chain) that was put around the neck of Imam Zainul Abdeen. The permanent abode of
the Alam is Alawa-E-Sartouqh-E—Mubarak. Hyderabad also has the distinction
of having a Pairahan of Imam Zainul Abdeen .It is displayed for
Ziarat during the historical Majlis on 22nd Safar held every year at
Hussainia Inayathjung Bahadur. The famous Shahid Yarjung family is the
proud possessor of the relic.
A
piece of Naal is also one of the most remarkable holy relics in Hyderabad. It
is also preserved in the shape of an Alam and installed at
an Ashurkhana(Imambara or Hussaini) properly known as Naal Sab Mubarak. Naal is an Arabic word and refers to a metallic piece used by warriors to cover
the nose and forehead .It is attached to Khud, the armour cap.It is
believed that Naal of Hazrat Imam Hussain was
broken during the battle of Karbala. Passing through several hands, it reached
Bijapur during the reign of Yusuf Adil Shah. It was sent from Bijapur to
Golconda along with the certificates to Ibrahim Qutub Shah. The holy Naal was initially kept in the shape of
Arabic Allah as a part of an Alam and installed in Golconda after covering
it with sandal paste. After establishment of Hyderabad, Naal was shifted to a portion of the Royal
Palace near Char Kaman.
Like Bibi
Ka Alam, Muharram can’t be imagined in Hyderabad without Naal Mubarak. It
is installed on the first of Muharram with great devotion and comes out in
a procession on Shab-E-Ashur. It is taken out from Ashurkhana by a hereditary carrier who wraps a white
cotton sheet of about 6 to 8 metres around his waist. The Alambardars bear the Alam with utmost
dignity. The Doribardars carry
the rope around the Alam with such a devotion as if they are circumambulating
around an Emperor during a procession. A little behind walks Chatarbardars carrying the umbrellas.
The famous Prime Minister of Hyderabad state Maharaja
Kishan Prasad was a great devote of Alam Naal sahib.
Hyderabad is also famous for the shrine
of Maula Ali on a hilltop. It is
popularly known as Koh-E-Ali and dates back to 17th century. The
shrine contains a handprint of Hazrat Ali. William Dalrymple has given a
detailed description of the shrine, its annual fair and reason of its
origin in his famous book, ‘The White Mughal’. It is recorded in the
history that a Khwajasara Yaqoob had seen Maula Ali in his dream sitting on
a rock on a hill top. The following morning he set out to trace the place
he saw in his dream. His efforts led him to a rock on the hill top where he
found the imprints of a hand. He got the imprints cut out of the rock and
installed them at a nearby place that soon became a popular place of
pilgrimage. It still attracts crowd from all over India and famous for the
week long celebration of Hazrat Ali’s birth anniversary every year in the
month of Rajab.
Near Maula Ali shrine is also located a ‘Qadam
Rasool that contains the footprints of holy Prophet. The relics of Hyderabad
are important from the historical point of view as well. Each relic is well
supported by successive documentary evidences to prove that they are
authentic and as to how they reached Hyderabad.(References available on
request)
|
No comments:
Post a Comment