Hyderabad: Muslim makes Ganesha sweets

Hyderabad: There is something special about Huma Sweet House in Old City’s Chandrayangutta. During the 10 day Ganesh festival, the confectioners here make big laddus which are offered to Ganesha by devotees.

The family of Sayeed Bin Mohammed Bahbela, owner of the sweet store, makes the special laddus on every Vinayaka Chathurthi. “Many Hindus from far away areas place orders with us weeks before the Ganesh festival. The laddus are offered to Ganesh idols and kept for 10 days before being auctioned,” says Sayeed Bin Mohammed Bahbela, son of Mohammed Bin Salam. 

Huma Sweet House use to prepare laddus for  even  the Balapur Ganesh idol years ago. “We had supplied it to several idols in the city. Only a few big idols were installed earlier whose patrons used laddus between 10 and 15 kilograms. Now things have changed and of course the orders have increased,” says Mr Mohammed Bahbela.

Mr Bahbela says that though there is not much profit in the business due to the mushrooming of shops, they  still continue it. 

“We had set an example of communal harmony. We will continue with it as long as it is possible,” he says. 

Extreme care is taken to ensure that the sentiments of the devotees are not hurt. As there is a lot of devotion attached to the laddus, we ensure that outmost cleanliness is maintained in our kitchen. “People have faith in us. So they place orders caring little about our religious identity. We have never thought that we are making laddus for another community,” Mr Mohammed Bahbela said.