City observes Muharram

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Gloom pervaded the streets of the old city on Sunday, overshadowing the tension that had prevailed for more than a month, as Muslims observed Yaum-e-Ashura, the tenth day of Muharram, in remembrance of the martyrs of Karbala.

The annual Muharram procession, taken out on a caparisoned elephant, with the traditional Bibi-ka-Alam, passed off peacefully amidst elaborate security cover thrown by the city police.

Deputy commissioner of police (south zone) Akun Sabarwal personally monitored the security arrangements en route.

The procession was taken out from ‘Bibi-ka-Alawa’ at Dabeerpura in the old city, with hundreds of people clad in black, beating their chests, remembering the martyrdom of Imam Hussain, the grandson of Prophet Mohammed, his family and followers in the battle of Karbala 14 centuries ago.

It was on the tenth day of Muharram, the first month of the Islamic calendar, that Imam Hussain, his family and followers were martyred in 61 Hijri or 680 CE at Karbala.

Marsiye (elegies) and nohay (poems expressing sorrow) were recited, as bare-footed youths, using knives, blade-encrusted chains and other sharp-edged weapons, inflicted injuries on themselves to show solidarity with the sufferings of Imam Hussain and his family members. Cries of “Ya Hussain” rent the air.

The procession with the ‘Bibi-ka-Alam’ (insignias of the martyrs) kept on an elephant and matam (mourning) by dozens of matami groups passed through different areas of the old city, including the historic Charminar.

Sunni Muslims observed a fast while in many neighbourhoods, youngsters were seen offering sharbat (juice) to passersby.

The procession, taken out from Bibi-ka-Alawa near Dabeerpura, passed through Eitebar Chowk, Kotla Alijah, Charminar, Gulzar Houz, Panjeshah, Mir Alam, Darulshifa and culminated at Chaderghat.

Cutting across religious lines, people from all communities offered dhattis and paid their respects to the alam as the procession of mourners inched forward.

They included, Mayor Majid Hussain, GHMC Special Commissioner Navin Mittal, City Police Commissioner Anurag Sharma, members of the royal family of the Nizam (the rulers of erstwhile Hyderabad State) and leaders of various political parties.