Hyderabad City observes 'Youm-e-Ashura' with solemnity

Hyderabad: Hyderabad observed 'Youm-e-Ashura', the 10th day of the Islamic month Moharram with due solemnity in remembrance of the martyrdom of Imam Hussain, his family and companions in the battle of Karbala in 680 AD, on Friday. A massive procession was taken out in the Old city by the members of the Shia community. The procession was led by historic 'Bibi-ka-Alam' on an elephant amid tight security.

It was all black and blood as the mood of Shia Muslims' mourning pervaded the lanes in the Old City, where the Bibi-ka-Alam, the traditional mourning procession was taken from Bibi-ka-Alawa in Dabeerpura to Masjid-e-Ilahi in Chaderghat on an elephant 'Madhuri' which was brought from Maharashtra. Bibi-ka-Alawa, houses the Alam, a piece of wooden plank on which Fatimah, the mother of Hassan and Hussain and daughter of Prophet, was given her final ablution by her husband before burial.

Historically, the Alam was brought from Karbala to Hyderabad during the reign of Qutub Shahi dynasty. The Alam was preserved in the calligraphy with Arabic lettering of Allah, Prophet Mohammed and Hazrath Imam Ali. It was covered with an alloy of metals and gold later. Six green pouches in the shape of earrings containing precious gems are suspended on either side of the Alam, which is kept under the strict vigil of the police security.

City police commissioner Anjani Kumar along with the other police officers offered Datti to the Alam near Charminar and remained with the procession, till it passed from the historic Charminar. The police along with the RAF was deployed along with the Alam's route to keep vigil of the precious gems mounted on the elephant along with Alam. A medical emergency team was also deployed during the mourning procession

During this yearly Azadari (mourning) procession, hundreds of barefooted and bare-chested mourners from more than 40 'Anjumans', including a few from various parts of the country formed part of the procession. Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao recalled that Moharram commemorates the supreme sacrifice made by Prophet Mohammed's grandson Imam Husain. "By recollecting the virtues of gentleness, commitment and sacrifice, human beings get inspired to lead a meaningful life. It represents humanism," he added.