By Faisal Fareed, TwoCircles.net,
Lucknow: Hundreds of Shia Muslims took out the traditional procession of 10th Muharram –Yaum-e-Ashura in Lucknow on Tuesday. Draped in black clothes, the participants mourned the martyrdom of Imam Hussain and his accomplices at Karbala in Iraq nearly 1325 years ago. Starting from Imambara Nazim Saheb, the procession culminated at Talkatora Karbala.
Muharram at Lucknow is known for its Azadari and majlis by various eminent clergies. This year, a group of youths from Ladakh also participated in the procession. They recited elegies and performed matam commemorating the martyrdom of Imam Hussain.
Prior to the procession, Imam-e-Juma, Maulana Kalbe Jawwad addressed the majlis. He termed the Karbala incident as a victory of humanity, truthfulness over terrorism. “The teachings from Karbala are still relevant. Imam Hussain showed us the way not to bow before tyrant ruler and oppose terrorism,” he said.
The procession included alams and taziyas with several anjumans reciting elegies and hundreds of youths performing matam. With voices of Ya Hussain reverberating in the air, the Shia Muslims performed matam.
Heart rendering scenes were witnessed when youths elbowed each other for the zanjeer ka matam and qama using a sword. Bleeding profusely, they remembered Imam Hussain and paid their reverence. Several sabeels offering water, tea and other eatables were set up enroute by the devotees. The taziyas were later buried in the Talkatora Karbala.
A majlis of Sham-e-Gariban was also organised which was addressed by Maulana Kalbe Jawwad at Imambara Gufran Ma’ab. This majlis is organised to commemorate the incidents after the martyrdom of Imam Hussain when the camps of the survivors were burnt down and enemy forces unleashed atrocities on them.
Taziya processions were also taken out in other parts of the city. Major processions were taken out in Nishatganj, Aliganj, Alambagh and several other areas.
Heavy security arrangements were in place for the procession due to the sensitive nature of the old city. Para military forces surrounded the whole procession and kept vigil enroute. The procession was part of nine processions permitted for Shia Muslims as per the tripartite agreement between Sunnis, Shias and district administration.
Clashes during Muharram procession in some parts of UP
Several persons including government officials and policemen were injured when over 200 persons carrying `tazia’ on Muharram went on rampage setting ablaze dozens of houses of the other community besides torching about two dozen vehicles in Mugalsarai locality of Chandauli on Tuesday evening.
Finding the tense situation, IG Varanasi Range along with divisional commissioner of Varanasi rushed to the spot along with heavy police force and had a tough time before they brought the situation under control. Later three companies of Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) were deployed to avert any further clash.
Reports said that over 200 members of Muslim community carrying `Tazia’ changed their route through a Hindu area. Police objected to this and soon there was free-for-all situation. This led to confrontation and later the members of minority community started pelting stones and torched passing vehicles. When some members of Valmiki community retaliated, they attacked them and also torched their houses.
The local police present there tried to defuse the situation but the agitated crowd also attacked the police party in which several cops including in-charge of Mugalsarai police station was also injured.
Later finding situation going out of their hand, local cops informed senior officers who rushed with heavy police force and fought pitch battle for over two hours to finally get control over the situation. The situation was tense but under control when the reports last came in.
Meanwhile petty clash also took place in Bhimnagar (Sambhal) and Lalitpur districts while in two other incidents during Muharram, one person was killed while over a dozen others were critically injured in Maharajganj and Philibhit respectively. In Bhimnagar people tried to take out a procession from Ghagsarai to Mentha market when it was stopped near Raishakti police outpost as `Tazia’ could not be taken due to its excess height. This resulted into road blockade and protest but later the matter was solved after senior officers reached the spot.
Similarly in Philibhit, when Tazia could not be taken from Mahrauli area due to its height, some youths from the procession cut the electric line which resulted into clash between the two groups. However timely action defused the matter and kept it from taking violent turn.
In Maharajganj the Tazia was taken from Chihurwa locality of Kotwali area. But it suddenly came in contact with a High Tension wire in which 8 persons received burn injuries. They were taken to District Hospital where Nizamudeen (14) was pronounced dead upon arrival.
Similarly in Philibhit also, tazia taken through Basahamafi locality of Phelbahed came in contact with High Tension wire in which half a dozen members were injured and shifted to hospital.