This is the Previous Issue of :
LUCKNOWLEDGE
MUHARRAM - when Lucknow's Muslims & Hindus weep together !
( Tornos
will be conducting Special Optional Tours on 6thDecember
(10th Day
of Muharram called ‘Ashura’)to show our guests the
Majlis (religious congression), Jaloos (procession), Matam
(mourning) and the Burial of Taazias. All guests
travelling with us will be given a short orientation in
the morning at The Tornos Studio over a cup of tea and
then will be taken to join the rituals (This is free of
cost – no obligation).
We
will have regular city tours as per original itineraries /
schedules to cover all monuments as per itineraries.
In
the evening we will have an option to watch an exclusive
slide-show on pictures of Muharram taken by different
photographers and our guests will be treated for a
tea/coffee at The Tornos Studio (This is free of cost –
no obligation). )
Volume 5, No 11 ; November-2011
One
can observe the richness and beauty of the diversity of
the Indian Culture at all festivals and more so on the
occasion of Muharram in Lucknow. Since the martyrdom of
Imam Hussain, Muharram ceremonies are observed all over
the world primarily by Shia Muslims. Hindus too take part
in them with great reverence and devotion in the city of
Lucknow. The tragedy of Karbala has become the harbinger
for interfaith understanding in the Indian sub-continent.
Participation of Hindus in the mourning rituals of Imam
Hussain has been a feature of Hinduism for centuries in
large parts of India. Hindus, Sikhs, Jains and Christians
observe Muharram. In the city of Varanasi too which is the
holiest city for the Hindus many non-Muslim families
participate in Muharram processions till date.
A
Hindu poet had once wrote:
“Baad
marne ke bhee matam ki sada aati rahi,
Log
harat se meri jalti chita dekha kiye”.
Translation:
The sound of lamentation (at the martyrdom of Imam Hussain)
continued even after my death. The people watched my
burning pyre with adoration and admiration.
A
story goes that once during the reign of Wajid-Ali-Shah,
Ashura the 10th day
of Muharram happened to fall on the same day as the Hindu
festival of Holi that is full of celebrations and
happiness. So when the king got up in the morning and
realized that the people were not on the roads playing
colours as they would usually do, so he inquired from his
secretary and came to know that in solidarity of their
Muslim King the subjects have decided not to play Holi as
it is the mourning day. The king was so touched that he
decided to throw the first colour and let his Hindu
subjects celebrate the festival, the Hindus played colour
till 10 in the morning and then joined the King in the
mourning and other Muharram rituals.
One
can notice the same spirit of love, respect and sadness
for Imam Hussain in Lucknow. Lucknow also boasts of
several Hindu ‘imambaras’ (mausoleums). One such is
the ‘Kishnu Khalifa ka Imambara’ in the old city area.
The Imambara, established in 1880, is famous for its Hindu
‘azadars’ (devotees) who observe Muharram with all the
religiosity of the Muslims. In Lucknow, seat of the Shia
Nawabs of Awadh, prominent Hindu noblemen like Raja Tikait
Rai and Raja Bilas Rai built Imambaras to house alams, the
standards representing the Karbala event.
Muharram
is a unique occasion in the socio-cultural fabric of
Indian history which presents an unparalleled example of
Hindu-Muslim unity.
What is Muharram ?
Muharram
is the first month of the Islamic calendar. On the first
day of Muharram, the Islamic New Year is observed by
Muslims. The Islamic calendar is a lunar calendar, and is
11 to 12 days shorter than the solar year. Hence it is a
little different from the Gregorian calender that is used
in the western nations. When compared with the Gregorian
calendar, which is a solar calendar, the lunar month of
Muharram shifts from year to year.
The
month of Muharram is of great religious significance to
Islamic people the world over. It is held to be the most
sacred of all the months, excluding Ramadan. The word
"Muharram" is often considered synonymous with
"Ashura", the tenth day of the Muharram month.
"Ashura"
is a highly important day for both sects of Islam - the
Shias and the Sunnis. The Shia muslims believe that Husayn
ibn Ali, the grandson of the Islamic prophet Muhammad,
became a martyr at the Battle of Karbala on the tenth day
of Muharram in 61 AH(680 AD).
The
pre-Islamic period in the Arabian peninsula was the era of
warring tribes. In the absence of a strong leadership,
there were conflicts and battles on minor issues. But
fighting was prohibited in four months of the year. These
months, of which Muharram was one, were considered sacred.
Muharram is so called because it was unlawful to fight
during this month; the word is derived from the word
‘haram’ meaning forbidden. This period of inactivity
was a necessity in heavily decorated replicas of the tomb
of the Imam and his family are made for Muharram the era
of warring tribes. The tradition was maintained even after
the advent of Islam, though provisions to accommodate and
accept war in special situations, like a threat to the
sovereignty of an empire, were introduced.
The
gory battle of Karbala was fought against this law and
tradition of Islam. The inhabitants on the banks of rivers
Euphrates and Tigris were traditional rivals. Their
animosity was contained to some extent by Muhammad. But
when his son-in-law Hazrat Ali was the Caliph (Muslim
civil and religious leader considered to be Allah's
representative on earth), the old enmity re-surfaced.
Hazrat Ali had two descendants, Hazrat Imam Hussain and
Hazrat Imam Hassan. Hussain was the ruler of the part of
the empire known today as Iran. The other part in modern
Iraq was ruled by the Umayyads. Hussain was called upon by
the Shiahs of Kufa, a small town in the Umayyad kingdom,
to accept their allegiance and claim his place as the
leader of the Islamic community. This was against the
wishes of the ruler of Kufa, Yazid, who instructed his
governor, Ibn-e-Ziad to take appropriate action.
Meanwhile, in response to the call of the Shiahs, Hussain
accompanied by his family members, headed for Kufa. When
they reached Karbala, en route to Kufa, the forces of the
governor surrounded them and their 70 men. Hussain, his
family and his troops were tortured and killed, and
Hussain's head was severed and presented to the king. They
received no help from the Shiahs of Kufa.
As
this tragic incident happened on the tenth day of Muharram,
Shia Muslims consider this a day of sorrow. They
commemorate the martyrdom of Hussain as a religious
occassion called "Muharram" (named after the
month of its observance). The occassion starts on the 1st
day of Muharram and lasts for 10 days until 10th of
Muharram. As Muharram approaches, they put on black
clothes, as black is regarded as a color of mourning.
During the entire 10 day period, they keep themselves away
from music and all joyous events (e.g. weddings) that can
distract them in anyway from the sorrowful remembrance of
that day. During each of the first nine days of Muharram,
"Majalis" (assemblies) are held where Shia
orators vividly depict the incident of the martyrdom of
Hazrat Imam Hussain and his party. Mainstream Shia Muslims
fast until the evening. On "Ashura", devoted
Muslims assemble and go out in large processions. They
parade the streets holding banners and carrying models of
the mausoleum of Hazrat Imam Hussain and his people, who
fell at Karbala. Some Shia sects observe "Ashura"
by beating themselves with chains in public, cutting
themselves with knives and sharp objects and holding
mournful public processions. This is an expression of
their grief on the death of their favourite leader Hussain,
considered to be the representative of Allah. (But no
Shiite scholar affirms any extreme behavior that harms the
body and Shia leaders consider such acts as "Haram",
or forbidden.) It is a sad occasion and everyone in the
procession chants "Ya Hussain", wailing loudly.
Generally a white horse is beautifully decorated and
included in the procession. It serves to bring back the
memory of the empty mount of Hazrat Imam Husain after his
martyrdom. Drinking posts are also set up temporarily by
the Shia community where water and juices are served to
all, free of charge.
While
Shia Muslims consider "Muharram" to be a
sorrowful occassion, Sunni Muslims observe it as a
festival and look at "Ashura" as a happy day
though the religious aspect remain intact. Pious Sunnis
keep a fast ("roza") on "Ashura" as
per the "Hadith"(a tradition based on reports of
the sayings and activities of Muhammad and his companions)
of Prophet Muhammad. According to the "Hadith",
the Prophet saw the Jews fasting on the 10th of Muharram
to commemorate their liberation from Egyptian slavery and
the extermination of the army of the Pharoah in the waters
of the Red Sea. Prophet Mohammed liked the custom for he
believed that it was Allah who saved the Israelites from
their enemy in Egypt. He started to fast on the same day
as the Jews but he planned to fast on the 9th and 10th
from the following year. But death came in between him and
his pious wish. Usually, Sunni Muslims are recommended to
fast either on the 9th and 10th of Muharram or on the 10th
and 11th of Muharram.
LUCKNOWLEDGE is an initiative by Tornos. We do not intend to intrude your privacy and thus have an automated UNSUBSCRIBE system. At any point you may unsubscribe to our e-column or subscribe to it again through a link on our website. The above article is shared and in no way intends to violate any copy right or intellectual rights that always remains with the writer/publisher. This e-column is a platform to share an article/event/update with the netizens and educate them about Destination Lucknow.