Barkas fruit auction keeps Yemeni community’s century-old tradition alive in Hyderabad

At Barkas ground in Hyderabad, daily fruit auctions have been held for decades, a tradition rooted in the Yemeni community’s history. Families bring home-grown figs, mulberries, guavas, and water apples for bidding, keeping alive a unique cultural legacy.

Hyderabad: On a weekend, the sky is a bit cloudy and it’s drizzling. Bicycles and push carts are lined in the playground, a horde of men crouch, look and pick figs, guavas and other fruits from baskets arranged on the ground.

The auctioneer invites bids for the fruit baskets. People in the crowd shout their price, and the winner gets the baskets.

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It’s been a daily business for decades near the Barkas ground auction centre. Every morning around 8 am, men from the local neighbourhood and its surroundings bring baskets of home grown mulberries, guavas and water apples to the market for auction.

Barkas is an Arab community dominated area mostly having connections to the Middle East country Yemen. The ancestors of those staying in the locality had come to Hyderabad during the rule of Nizam and settled here. They were horsemen perfect in the warfare and hence were invited to the Hyderabad State.

According to historians, the Yemeni community came to the city in the early 18th century and got recruited in the Nizam army. “Our ancestors were known for their fighting skills and joined the Nizam army and later moved to various positions in the administration,” said Abdullah Bahamed, a local resident.

The community, as a hobby, had grown mulberry, guavas, figs and water apples in their houses. “After the Nizam rule ended, some of them made it a full-time profession and raised more plants to strengthen their finances,” explained historian Mohd Safiullah.

Of late, during the Gulf boom in the 1980’s, many local youths left for the Middle East countries and their move transformed their families’ lifestyle. In the 20th century beginning, a few ventured into the land business and turned into realtors and builders.

Still, most of the family continues with the traditional practice of plucking fruits from trees located in their houses and now in farm houses orchards a few kilometres away and bringing it to the market.

Over a period of time, the market gained recognition and curiosity-driven youngsters also started visiting the place to witness or participate in it.

There are two auctioneers at present – Habeeb Mohammed Baghdadi, and Abdul Aziz Misri, who conduct the auction every day.