Hyderabad: With the ‘elephant Rajani feeling uneasy’ for three consecutive years during the Muharram procession, the Shia community is now trying to bring in changes to avoid any loss of human life or damage to the holy standard (Alam).
It has been the practice for the last several decades; that the Bibi-ka-Alam standard is carried on an elephant during the Muharram procession. The elephant, Rajani, is owned by HEH the Nizam Trust and lives at the Nehru Zoological Park. Twice a year, the elephant is taken out once during the Muharram procession and another time during the Bonalu procession both in the old city.
Last year, the police had to resort to a mild lathi-charge to remove the people who had gathered near the elephant. The animal too started rushing forward apparently in a panic-stricken manner. In 2016, a van had been damaged in the ensuing chaos. Similarly, in 2014, a couple of policemen including DCP (south) V. Satyanarayana had narrowly escaped being attacked by the elephant.
“Taking a cue from the previous incidents, we are now holding a series of meetings with different Anjumans (groups) and persuading them to avoid holding bigger congregations in front of the Bibi ka Alawa. At the same time, we are asking the organizers not to keep any big vehicle or auto rickshaws in the Bibi ka Alawa lane nor use any loud speakers or public address system,” Telangana Shia Youth Association, president, Hamed Hussain Jaffery said.
President Shia Companions, Syed Ali Jaffery said that the community was now trying to persuade the groups to see that the elephant is kept outside at a spacious place a little away from the Bibi ka Alawa.
“The custodians of the Bibi ka Alam can carry the standard till the Ali Café where it will be mounted atop the elephant. Previously, the standard was carried on foot till Shaik Faiz Kaman and later mounted on the elephant,” he recalled.
