10th Moharram: Thousands take part in Ashura procession in U.P. capital

The procession began at around 10:30am and concluded at Karbala in Talkatora at around 2:30pm during which it covered a distance of around 7-km

Thousands of Shias marched all the way from Nazim Shah Imambara, Victoria Street, to Karbala in Talkatora marking Ashura—the tenth day of ongoing Moharram—in the state capital on Tuesday.

Shia Muslims during the Moharram procession in Old City in Lucknow on Tuesday. (HT photo)

Clad in black attire, the Azadars (mourners) took part in the procession barefoot and relived the “Battle of Karbala” in which Prophet Muhammad’s grandson Hazrat Imam Hussain, Hussain’s six-month-old son Ali al-Asghar ibn Husayn and his supporters attained martyrdom. The procession resumed this time after a gap of two years due to the Covid pandemic.

Azadars could be seen beating their chest on the beats of the “drums” to express their condolence to those who were martyred in the aforementioned battle. A few others were seen offering water, milk and sweet drinks to the mourners.

The procession began at around 10:30am and concluded at Karbala in Talkatora at around 2:30pm during which it covered a distance of around 7km. “It’s the biggest and the oldest procession of the city that is taken out on 10th day of Moharram,” said S Muhammed Haider who took part in the procession.

People from all parts of the city and also from other parts of the country took part in the procession. Senior Shia cleric Maulana Kalbe Jawad said Ashura was observed in a peaceful manner and in cooperation with the district administration. There were elaborate arrangements in Karbala to carry out the burial of tazias, he said.

“It’s the most sacred month after the month of Ramzan. During the month, Shia Muslims begin mourning from the first night of Moharram and it continues for ten nights, ending on Ashura that means the tenth day in Arabic,” said Nawab Jafar Meer Abdullah, a descendant of the royal family of Awadh.

While the graveyard at Badshahnagar witnessed burial of tazias by the faithful belonging to the Sunni sect. The district administration has made elaborate security arrangements in the areas where there is mixed population and in sensitive areas to maintain law and order.

“Taziadaars turned up at Karbala to ensure burial of tazias. However, the crowd was thin,” said Syed Faisi, secretary/Mutawalli Karbala Talkatora. Lucknow district magistrate Surya Pal Gangwar said the procession went off peacefully amidst tight security arrangements as no untoward incident was reported.