MUMBAI, India (Ahlul Bayt News Agency) - Shias in the city on Friday marked Ashura, the day of Prophet Muhammad's grandson Imam Husain's martyrdom, with sermons, recitation of mournful poetry, wails and huge processions.
Clad in black, reciting nauha (mournful poetry), and many sobbing, thousands of Shias from across the city assembled at the Zainabia Hall in Bhendi Bazaar in the afternoon. The procession culminated by evening at two old graveyards at Mazgaon—Aramabad and Rahmatabad—of Khojas and Shias respectively.
As the procession reached Noor Baug junction near Dongri police station, numerous non-Shia social workers, including members of the Shiv Sena and MNS,distributed packets of snacks and drinking water among the mourners. Many of them had trekked for miles barefoot, trying to feel at least a fraction of the ordeal Husain and his followers had undergone on the burning sads of Karbala in the 8th century.
"For 12 years, I provided sabeel (water arrangement) for the Muharram mourners. I share the pain and grief of my Shia brothers and join them in mourning," said Sena worker Ashok Tamhankar as the party local shakha pramukh Dilip Sawant nodded. Ayer Meghjibhai, a member of thePolice Sampark Samiti, a police-people initiative, said that members of different communities joined hands with the police to maintain peace during all festivals, including Ganpati and events like Muharram.
Andheri housewife Reshma Merchant, whose husband, and son participated in the mourning, said, "Our husbands and children flagellate themselves, yet not a single one of them suffers infection or needs medical treatment. Their wounds heal in 2-3 days. Mothers like me urge them to join the procession so that they understand Imam Hussain's sacrifice."
source : abna24
