Burqa market evolves into mini-industry in Hyderabad

Hyderabad: Even as ‘hijab’ row is raging in some parts of the country, the city’s burqa market, one of the major hubs for burqa sales in the southern parts of the country, is continuing business as usual. “Hundreds of shops exclusively dealing in burqas had come up in the city in the last few years. […]

Hyderabad: Even as ‘hijab’ row is raging in some parts of the country, the city’s burqa market, one of the major hubs for burqa sales in the southern parts of the country, is continuing business as usual.

“Hundreds of shops exclusively dealing in burqas had come up in the city in the last few years. Also, many wholesalers from the city are supplying it to Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and Kerala,” points out Old City Traders Association president Maqdoom Mohiuddin.

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In Hyderabad, the burqa is more popular and it comes in many varieties of designs. Around 150 shops are located at Shehran in the old city where one can buy the latest pattern of the burqa at quite affordable prices. A few more shops are situated at Laad Bazaar, Mallepally and Tolichowki.

“Local and international patterns of the burqa are manufactured at workshops in the old city. A few patterns are imported from the Middle East but on a lower scale as it turns out to be costlier,” explains Aziz Collection Shop owner Zahed Ali, adding that the sales continue round the year despite controversies. Of late, the business has evolved into a mini-industry with new patterns coming up regularly and designers trying to make most of the trade.

“New designs are regularly introduced by designers who are mostly from Bengal. The fancy burqas also known as designer burqas are worn for special occasions and the regular once, mostly plain, worn for offices and educational institutions,” explains Dilawar Ali, a businessman from Panchamohalla Charminar.

A burqa costs anywhere between Rs 500 to Rs 2,000 apiece depending upon the quality of cloth used. “Usually burqas are readymade and kept at the store. In certain instances, people get it stitched according to their specifications,” explains another trader at Shehran market.

What the hijab/burqa is

Basically ‘hijab’, means covering hands, hair and face using a cloth. “As per Shariat, it is necessary for a woman to hide her beauty to protect herself from men. As a practice, women wear a full gown like dress that envelops their clothes and body as well which is far good,” said Qateeb Mecca Masjid, Maulana Hafeez Rizwan Qureshi.

In certain parts of India, the cloth used for covering the body is called hijab. In many parts of Central Asia, it is known as burqa, while in the Middle East it is referred to as Abaya.

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