Muslims celebrate Tera Tezi

Giddalur: In all, 5,000 Muslims from Prakasam, Nellore, Guntur, Krishna, Kadapa, Kurnool districts and Mahabubnagar and Hyderabad areas in Telangana reached Cumbum tank bund on Thursday to celebrate Tera Tezi, a community festival to mark the 13th day of Safar month.

Safar is the month, which is considered as inauspicious by some Muslims according to their tradition. It is said that Prophet Mohammed suffered illness in the first 12 days of the Safar month and he recovered on 13th day.

So, the Muslims do not celebrate any events of joy and fun in those 12 days. Since the first day of the Safar, after seeing the crescent moon, the newlyweds also will not face each other for 12 days. On the 13th day, all the family members gather at the tank bund and dispose the garlands used in the marriage and celebrate.

The Cumbum tank, which is the second largest in Asia, is the place for Tera Tezi celebrations in the state and Telangana. About 5,000 Muslims gathered on the Cumbum tank on Thursday and waited there till they saw the moon.

They offered prayers at the Deenashahvali Dargah and promised to come again next year once their wishes were fulfilled. The local voluntary organisations arranged water, orange juice and butter milk for the people.

By Naresh Nandam & PY Khan