Telangana residents prepare for Ramzan with plans to visit Mecca and Medina

Ramzan preparations in Telangana, with worshippers planning pilgrimages to Mecca and Medina, facing rising costs and accommodation challenges.

As Hyderabad gears up for Ramzan, masjids are busy rolling out prayer carpets to welcome worshippers, and Telangana has given the go-ahead for business establishments to remain open round the clock, others are making plans to spend a part of the holy month engaged in worship in Mecca and Medina in Saudi Arabia.

The two cities are the holiest cities in the Muslim world, with the third being Masjid al Aqsa. Those with means do plan much in advance. While some go in the first 10 days, many others prefer the last 10, and plan their visit in such a way that they are home for Eid.

“My brothers live in Jeddah which is close to Mecca. I intend to do an Umrah and later spend my time in the Prophet’s masjid in Medina. It is likely that my elder brother will join me. My mother is already there for the past few weeks,” said 35-year old Mohammed Yusuf, a businessman, and a resident of Banjara Hills.

The drive to perform the Umrah in the holy month stems from greater reward, according to others. For instance, Afaque Hyder, a businessman is scheduled to make the pilgrimage with his family. The family intends to stay there for the entire month of Ramzan.

Thousands from Telangana have been making the pilgrimage, as the trend is not new. There are packages to suit one’s purse. But, over the past few years, the room tariff, and allied costs have increased. Perhaps sensing the demand, Indigo has launched a tri-weekly direct flight to Medina from Hyderabad from February 20..

According to Mohammed Shoaib from Link Travels in Dewan Devdi, while airfare continues to remain affordable, the increasing cost of the overall packages have led to a drop in numbers.

“The packages are upwards of ₹1.50 lakh or ₹2.50 lakh for a stay in a three-star hotel for 14 days. We are seeing a hike in the price of packages because pilgrims from other countries are arriving there in large numbers. The prices of packages also depend on whether the pilgrim chooses to go in the first 10 days or the last 10 days,” he said.