Muharram observed on Arab Line: Shia
Muslims relive Hussein’s pain
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Girls dress up to celebrate muharram
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By Uzmi Athar
BANGALORE (Dec. 6)—Shabana handed me tabrruk (a small packet of food believed to be imbued with the blessings of the Prophet’s grandson Hazrat Hussein) and sherbet. She makes it for the guests who visit her family during Muharram.
Shabana, 17, is one of the many Shia Muslims living in the Arab Line on Johnson Market. She has been busy for the past 10 days in preparation for Muharram.
“It’s not just a festival—it’s the one of the most important event of the year for us,” said Shabana. “Muharram is the month when we remember our prophet Hussein, who was killed in the holy war, and we mourn his sacrifice.”
Shabana’s family moved to India from Iran in 1954 and they have been living in Bangalore ever since. She is waiting for a suitable marriage proposal.
“During Muharram we get special mehendi [henna] that has the blessings of [Saint] Babul Hawaej shrine and helps the unmarried girls to get a match,” said Shabana’s mother, Marsia Fathima.
“We are very worried for Shabana—girls should get married early, otherwise it gets tough for them to settle,” Fathima said.
Elaborating on the power of Babul Hawaej, Shabana told how on Nov. 30 the shrine started bleeding on its own, indicating that “Babul Hawaej is there for us.”
Shabana prefers staying at home and loves to stitch clothes and was stitching different kinds of clothes for her sisters to wear on Muharram.
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Tabrruk after presenting it in front of Hazrat Hussein's shrine is ready to be distributed among the followers.
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Muharram is the month when Shia Muslims remember the martyrdom of Hussein ibn Ali, another grandson of Muhammad.
Shia Muslims start mourning from the first day of the month of Muharram and continue for two months and eight days. The last few days are considered to be most important as it was during these days that Hussein, his family and followers were killed at the Battle of Karbala.
The mourning processions signifying the battle include Aag Ka Matam (walking on fire), Zanjeer Matam (self-flagellation with chains), Haath Matam (self-flagellation with hands) and Kamazani (self-flagellation on head with glass bottles).
On the 10th day, after the evening prayers, Hussein is considered to have attained martyrdom.
“We don’t even apply medicine after this mourning procession—we don’t feel any pain. It is all because of the power of Allah that we survive”, said Meer, Shabana’s elder brother.
Meer has been following this mourning procession since he was 10 years old. He works as a business process outsourcing employee at Concentrics and took leave from work for 10 days to observe Muharram.
Meer introduced 8-year-old Sahil Abbas, who just had participated in the procession and had fresh wounds on his chest.
“We have a competition of who can bear more pain and carry on the procession longer,” said Sahil cheerfully. Sahil is a student at Bright International School.
Mirza Habib Aga, beneficiary of Abdul Hussain Trust and the head of two a major Ashiqana (Shia Mosques) believes that this procession is their tribute to the blood of their prophet and it should not be misinterpreted as showing off.
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A follower seeks blessings from the shrine of Hazrat Hussein.
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“I have to take medicines for my daughter, and the traffic is not moving,” said Shahbeen, a resident of Arab Line, showing me her daughter’s medical bills.
She said: “Even though I am Shia, I observe Muharram silently at home and don’t follow these painful processions and make a road show out of it. Mourning should be within the heart.”
Shia Muslims follow various other rituals during Muharram, such as not wearing slippers and not drinking water so as to experience the pain of their prophet.
Bangalore is home to around 15,000 Shia Muslims, with Richmond Circle and Annepalya being the Shia-dominated areas.
Muharram is very grandly celebrated in these areas, on the final day the rally starts from the Masjid-e-Askeri and finishes at the graveyard marking the end of this two-month-old ritual and the beginning of the Islamic New Year.
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