Muharram delicacy Dum-ke-Roat too contribution of VII Nizam Mir Osman Ali Khan

HYDERABAD: With the beginning of Muharram, the first month of the Islamic calendar, the traditional Hyderabadi cookie known as Dum-ke-Roat will be sold in the city's renowned bakeries beginning on Thursday, July 20, 2023.

During the Muharram season, also known as the mourning season, Dum-ke-Roat, which is mostly found in Hyderabadi bakeries, is usually offered to Bibi-Ka-Alam.

Even though many people stand in huge lines to buy Dum-ke-Roat during this season, many are unaware of its rich history.

Mir Osman Ali Khan, Hyderabad's seventh Nizam, reportedly offered Dum-ke-Roat to 'Nala-e-Mubarak' Alam in Old City during Muharram for the safety and well-being of his grandson, Mukarram Jah Bahadur.

Following this, people began to present roats at various Alams set up during Muharram, establishing a practise that is still performed today.

Many city residents even believed that anyone who intended to have a son as a child ought to offer a silver and gold foil Roat. Most Ashurkhanas (houses of mourning) would divide roat among the Azadars (attendees) in line with Shara (Muslim law), with males receiving two and females receiving one.

Most Ashurkhanas would distribute roat amongst the Azadars men would receive two and women one in compliance with the Sharia law. According to historian Mubbahsir Ali Khan, the Nizam of Hyderabad made a prayer at Naal-e-Mubarak (a mourning house in old city) for the well being of heir apparent, in fruition of which a roat was distributed among the devotees every year on the 7th muharram.

“As such for more reasons than one, Roat came to be identified with the mourning month of Muharram," recalls Aun Mehdi, Great grandson of Nawab Alam yar Jung Bahadur.