Mr Bukhari, presently Naib Imam, will be conferred the religious title at a ceremony, to be held on October 14. The auspicious ceremony would be presided by prominent Muslim leaders and representatives of various Islamic countries. He succeeds Syed Abdullah Bkhari, who has not been keeping well for the past one year. The latter was admitted to hospital several times in the past for treatment of various ailments. In fact, Syed Ahmed Bukhari has been conducting routine affairs of the mosque for the past several years. Former Prime Minister H D Deva Gowda, Laloo Prasad Yadav, leaders of the Congress and other political parties have confirmed their participation in the ceremony. According to the traditions, the eldest son of the Bukhari family is conferred the title of Shahi Imam. This tradition has continued since 1656, when the Moghul emperor Shahjehan nominated Syed Abdul Gafoor Shah Bukhari as the Imam of his newly built Jama Masjid. Syed Gafoor was sent to the Moghul emperor by the king of Bukhara. The Shahi Imam also used to conduct coronation ceremony of the Moghul kings. Bhadhur Shah Zafar, the last Moghul king also ascended the throne under the blessings of Shahi Imam Syed Shah Mir Ali. Bureau Report