Hyderabad: While Hyderabad's Muharram is widely known for the historic Bibi-ka-Alam procession, towering Ashoorkhanas that dot the Old City and centuries-old mourning rituals, another lesser-known tradition has quietly continued from the 1620s, the ‘Langar ki Fateha’ observed on the fifth day of Muharram. Once celebrated with royal patronage under the Qutb Shahis and later the Asaf Jahis, the ritual today survives through a handful of members of the community in the Old City.
Origins of the Tradition
The tradition is believed to have originated with Ibrahim Qutb Shah after he recaptured Golconda from his brother Jamshed and nephew Subhan, following which he established a ‘Langar Khaneh’ in Golconda. The second royal langar was later organised by Hayath Bakshi Begum, daughter of Sultan Muhammad Quli (fifth ruler of Qutb Shahi Dynasty) after the safe return of her son, Abdullah Qutb Shah. The annual Langar ki Fateha on the fifth day of Muharram went on to become an important state observance, with successive Qutb Shahi rulers and Asaf Jahis extending patronage to the ritual.
Historical Grandeur and Decline
Extended members of the Khan family, which offers Fateha at the Badshahi Ashoorkhana in Old City, continue the practice. "During the Asaf Jahi era, troops, nobles and ministers would parade from Golconda to Hussaini Alam, passing through Chowmahalla Palace, Shah Gunj and several historic havelis," said Mubashir Khan, the present ‘langari’, whose family has carried on the tradition over the years. However, the grandeur gradually diminished in the 1930s and the official ‘Sarkar Langar’ faded away after the death of Osman Ali Khan.
Rituals and Practices
Mubashir further added: "On the fifth day of Muharram, Qubooli and Sharbat are prepared and placed in earthen and silver vessels, which date back to Qutb Shahi times, before being carried on large trays from the Qutb Shahi Tombs to prominent ashoorkhanas, including Alam-e-Hussaini at Golconda, Makki Naal Sahib, Badshahi ashoorkhana and Hussaini Alam. At each stop, fateha is offered, dhattis are tied and blessings are sought before the food is distributed among devotees irrespective of caste or creed."
The langari, with a ceremonial silver girdle tied around his waist, begins the ritual by sweeping the ashoorkhana with a silver broom before offering flowers, incense, candles, Qubooli and Sharbat at the alam. "Fatima Bee is the seventh-generation cook who prepares the Qubooli, while I serve as the present langari. Earlier, the prayers were for the well-being of the langari, but today we pray for our country and for the welfare of all people," Mubashir said.
