Hyderabad: A large number of beggars from other states have arrived in the city during the month of blessing and beg around mosques and markets of the twin cities.
Most of them belong to the tiny villages of the Hyderabad-Karnataka region of Karnataka, Marathwada region of Maharashtra, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and a few of them are from the Kashmir Valley.
Shockingly among them are a few non-Muslims who pretend to be Muslims, wearing lungi kurta, Islamic cap and Arabic scarf and sport beards.
They usually arrive here in the first week of the holy month of Ramzan and stay in the city for 20-25 days till Id.
Though not “habitual” beggars, they belong to poor families whose monthly income is meagre. Back in their native places, they earn only Rs 3,000-5,000 per month, which forces them to come here during the holy month, when they manage to make around Rs 20,000 to Rs 30,000 apart from clothes as the Muslims are expected to donate not only in cash but also in kind (clothes) as zakat during Ramzan.
These beggars can be seen everywhere in Muslim-dominated areas during Ramzan but shopping areas, mosques and traffic signals are amongst the choicest locations for them, where they get generous alms.
Mostly, the aged and women carrying infants in their arms are seen begging in the busy shopping areas in the old city and posh residential areas of the twin cities.
Gousia Begum, a housewife, said that these days beggars have not been seen in residential areas as they are not allowed to enter the apartments by the watchmen.
“We used to keep coins and used clothes to distribute among the beggars who used to beg in the residential areas in earlier days. It is our fortune that they are coming to our doorsteps during Ramzan and we are able to get a reward from the Almighty for our charity,” she said.
Most people donate without considering age, sex and creed, but a few youths in Salala, Barkas caught two beggars Anil (Aligarh) and Sanjay (Agra) on Tuesday who were begging in the area pretending to be Muslims and handed them over to the police.
