Hyderabad : Mourning and solemnity marked “Youm-e-Ashoora” here Tuesday, as Muslims observed the day in remembrance of Imam Hussain, the grandson of Prophet Mohammed, and his followers who were martyred in the battle of Karbala.
The annual mourning procession, public meetings, fasting and feeding of the poor were organised on the occasion. A mood of mourning pervaded and cries of “Ya Hussain” rent the air as the traditional procession passed through parts of the old city.
Blood oozed out from the heads and chests of hundreds of bare-chested Shia mourners who flagellated themselves with sharp weapons during the historic “Bibi ka Alam” procession.
The procession is taken out on a caparisoned elephant, preceded by a mounted police party and camels that carried small “Alams” (flags) and relics.
It emerged from “Bibi Ka Alawa” at Dabeerpura with hundreds of people clad in black beating their chests, remembering the martyrdom in the battle of Karbala 14 centuries ago.
The procession passed through various parts of the old city, including the historic Charminar, Gulzar Houz, Etebar Chowk, Mir Alam Mandi and Purani Haveli, as hundreds of people, including women, lined up on both sides of the streets.
Hundreds of small “alams”, taken out from different areas in the old city, joined the main procession.
Eminent personalities, including politicians, civil and police officials and members of Nizam’s family paid their respects and offered “dhattis” to “Bibi ka Alam” at various points en route the procession.
The procession concluded at Chaderghat. Police made elaborate security arrangements for its smooth and peaceful conduct. Restrictions on traffic were imposed at several points.
Amid recitation of “marsiye” (elegies) and “nohay” (poems expressing sorrow), the barefoot youths, using knives, blade-encrusted chains and other sharp-edged weapons, inflicted injuries on self to show solidarity with the sufferings of the martyrs.
It was on 10th Muharram, the first month of Islamic calendar that Imam Hussain and his followers were martyred in 61 Hijri or 680 CE at Karbala in Iraq.
The “Bibi ka Alam” is believed to contain a piece of wood plank on which Bibi Fatima Zehra, daughter of Prophet Mohammed, was given the final ablution.
The “alam” was installed over 430 years ago during the Qutub Shahi period. The “alam” also contains six diamonds and other jewellery donated by Mir Osman Ali Khan, the seventh and last Nizam of erstwhile Hyderabad State.
Hyderabad has about 200,000 Shias, the second largest population of the community in India after Lucknow.
Sunni Muslims observed the day by fasting and holding meetings to remember the sacrifices made by Imam Hussain and his followers.
Muharram was also observed in various parts of Telangana and neighbouring Andhra Pardesh in the traditional manner.
In many Muslim neighbourhoods, youngsters were seen offering “sharbat” or special juice to passersby.