The Milad-un-Nabi procession in Hyderabad concluded without incident on Sept 14, with Charminar closed to visitors for the first time. The event highlighted communal harmony across the city.

Hyderabad: The annual Milad-un-Nabi celebrations in Hyderabad drew thousands of participants on Sunday, September 14, and concluded without any untoward incident. The massive religious gathering, held to commemorate the birth of Prophet Muhammad, showcased both devotion and communal unity in the Old City.

For the first time in recent history, the Charminar remained shut to tourists for the entire day, unlike last year when it was only closed after the procession began. The main rally started at Charminar and wound its way through Gulzar Houz, Pathergatti, Madina Building, Nayapul, Darulshifa, Mandi Mir Alam, and Alijah Kotla before culminating at Moghalpura. Smaller processions were also held in Falaknuma, Shaheennagar, Vattepally, Bandlaguda, and Hafez Babanagar.

The streets were filled with young participants carrying green flags, the national tricolour, and in some instances, the Palestinian flag as a gesture of solidarity. Food distribution points and sweet stalls were set up across the Old City, with locals serving refreshments to worshippers.

Over 3,000 police personnel, along with the Rapid Action Force, City Armed Reserve, and Quick Response Teams, were stationed across sensitive routes to ensure smooth conduct. Notably, the organisers had postponed the procession by a week to avoid overlap with Ganesh idol immersions — a move widely appreciated as a step toward maintaining peace and communal harmony.

Analysts point out that the peaceful coordination of two major religious events in the city reflects Hyderabad’s ability to manage cultural diversity with sensitivity.