Festive Spirit Replaces the Spirit of Mourning During Muharram Processions India and Pakistan
By New
Age Islam Staff Writer
31 July
2023
6
Persons Die Of Electrocution In Jharkhand And Gujarat
Main
Points:
1. Tazia processions are taken out on
the 10th of Muharram.
2. The spirit of mourning has
disappeared from Muharram processions.
1. 3.Tall Tazias cause accidents.
3. Processions sometimes turn violent.
4. Shias mourn the martyrdom of Imam
Hussain.
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Three
accidents of Electrocution during Moharram procession reported in Bihar,
Jharkhand and Gujarat (Image Source - Gujarati Jagran)
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In India,
Pakistan and Bangladesh, the first ten days of the Islamic month of Muharram is
observed as days of mourning the martyrdom of Imam Hussain and his family
members in 680 A. D. at Karbala by the army of Yazeed. The two communities of
Muslims Shia and Sunni mourn their martyrdom in their own ways. While Shias
take mourning processions while beating their chest and singing Marsia,
the Sunnis take out tazia processions while enacting the battle of Karbala.
They beat drums and enact fighting scenes with swords, lathis, spears etc.
Tazias are symbolic replicas of the mausoleum of Hazrat Imam Hussain situated
in Baghdad.
In India,
the Muharram processions have gradually changed in spirit. The spirit of
mourning has been replaced by the spirit of festivities. Tazias are made tall
and costly in order to compete with others. People clothe in new colourful
dresses and show their skills in wielding swords, spears and lathis. Nowadays,
girls also take part in the symbolic battle adding to the charm of the
processions. In short, it has turned into a 'Hussaini mela' as a Shia mourner
described it.
On the
other hand, Shias hold sessions of Zikr where Zakirs narrate the tragedy
of the martyrdom of Imam Hussain and his family members in Karbala. They also
take out mourning processions beating their chests and wailing.
The Tazia
processions taken out by Sunnis sometimes causes accidents. Sometimes, tazias
are very tall and touch the overhead electricity wires in the streets. This
causes death by electrocution. Every year deaths by electrocution occur but
precautions are not taken. People are so immersed in festive spirit that they
forget about the overhead electricity wires.
This year
also, deaths by electrocution during Tazia procession occurred. 4 people died
in Jharkhand while 2 died in Gujarat.
In Delhi,
the Tazia procession turned unruly and violent in Nangloi. The organisers of
the Tazia procession tried to divert the procession from predetermined route.
When the police objected and told the mob to follow the route, the mob turned
violent and clashed with the police. They pelted stones at the police injuring
12 police personnel, according to reports.
This kind
of behaviour is highly condemnable and against the Islamic principles. When drums
will be beaten, lathis and swords will be wielded and girls will jump and swirl
while wielding lathis or swords, the spirit of mourning will naturally
disappear. This is what has been observed in the Muharram processions.
The
tradition of making Tazia is said to have been started during the reign of the
central Asian ruler Timur in the 14th century. According to the historical
accounts, he visited the Mausoleum of Imam Hussain every Ashura day. But one
year he could not visit the mausoleum due to his illness. He consulted one of
his ministers who was a Shia and told him about his dilemma. The minister found
a solution. He made the announcement to the public that whoever builds a
replica of the mausoleum of Imam Hussain would be rewarded. People made one
beautiful replica which was brought to Timur. He was very happy and rewarded the
minister and the artisans. From then on, making a replica of the mausoleum
became a tradition. Every year the replica of the mausoleum was built on 10th
Ashura and kept at the palace. The king would pay respects to the replica which
was named Tazia and reward the artisans. This continued till his death in 1405.
But the tradition of making tazia on Ashura became popular among the Muslims of
Iran, Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, China and Russia.
This is how
a tradition started by a king spread among the Muslims of central Asia though
it has no roots in Islam. People have accepted it as a part of culture, not as
a religious observance. Many Muslim intellectuals and writers do not find Tazia
processions wrong. They say it should not be judged from merely religious point
of view but from a cultural point of view.
But the
basic issue remains since it has become a cultural event, people have lost
respect for the month. The lack of respect for this holy month was also evident
from the suicide blast in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in Pakistan on the 11th Muharram.
More than 40 people have died and more than 200 people have been injured.
In India,
Muharram is also observed by a section of Hindus who are called Dutt Hussaini Brahmans.
According to folklore popular among them, some Brahmans living in Makkah and
Kufa had reverence for Imam Hussain. One of their ancestors Rahab Dutt of
Makkah who was a cloth merchant was childless. He was blessed with seven sons
thanks to the blessings of Imam Hussain. When he learnt that Imam Hussain had
left for Kufa with his family, he feared for his life. He travelled with his seven
sons to Karbala but by the time he arrived at Karbala, Imam Hussain had already
been martyred. It is said that he and his sons were part of the army under
Mukhtar Saqafi that avenged Hussains martyrdom and killed many soldiers of
Yazeed. But Yazeed again gained hold of the situation and many of Hussain’s,
supporters were killed by Yazeed. Rahab Dutt's seven sons were also martyred. Rahab
Dutt and other Brahmans had to leave Iraq and came back to India. They settled
in Haryana and Rajasthan. These Brahmans are called Dutt Hussaini Brahmans and
they take pride in the fact their forefathers fought for Imam Hussain. Sunil
Dutt belongs to the community of Hussaini Brahmans. They are spread all over
India and take out Tazia processions and mourn the martyrdom of Inam Hussain.
Therefore, Muharram brings Hindus and Muslims together and adds to the
diversity of our culture.
URL: https://newageislam.com/islam-politics/festive-spirit-mourning-muharram-india-pakistan/d/130340
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