Hyderabad, April 2 -- With the holy month of Ramzan entering its last phase, a diametrically opposite scene is playing out in Hyderabad. While Charminar, the heart of the Old City, is bursting at the seams with shoppers, another world seems to exist - a world of serene devotion and spiritual retreat.

Sunday saw many mosques getting an additional rush of devotees. Yes, it's time for spiritual retreat. Followingthe Prophetic tradition,many devout Muslims have got themselves secluded into the mosques for the last 10 days. This special act of worship called Itekaf, is a tradition as old as time itself.

As the sun dipped below the horizon on Sunday evening, hundreds of devout men embraced seclusion within the sacred walls of their local Masj...