Now , an Iranian Source..religious in toleration is a recent phenemenon
History, Philosophy, and Impact of Mourning for Imam Husain (AS) - 7
In the Name of God, the All-Merciful, the All-Compassionate --
Salaam, and condolences to you on the 7th of Moharram, the day on which, the Omayyad forces blocked water to the camp of the Martyr of Karbala (AS), thereby causing anguish to the women and children of the household of Prophet Mohammad (SAWA). We continue our discourse on the History, Philosophy, and Impact of Mourning for Imam Husain (AS), from where we left you yesterday. Today we will focus more on the role of non-Muslims in commemorating Moharram in India.
As we said yesterday, Iranian researcher, Dr. Hyder Reza Zabeth in his paper read at the International Conference on “Perspectives on Religion, Politics and Society in South Asia” held on 19-20 February, 2007 at the University of Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan, said
the Tragedy of Karbala has played a vital role in forging inter-religious understanding in the subcontinent. He said throughout history Hindus have joined Muslims in commemorating the martyrdom of Imam Husain (AS), the grandson of the Prophet of Islam, Hazrat Mohammad (blessings of God upon him and his progeny). For instance, the Sharma Hindu families have been taking out the Ta'ziyya procession on Moharram for more than 120 years in some districts of Madhya Pradesh.
The ritual began in 1882 when the Raikwar family of the Vidisha town began preparing and taking out Ta'ziyyas or replicas of the Imam's shrine in Karbala, on the ninth day of the mourning month.
Since then, the Raikwar's Ta'ziyya leads the procession of mourners on Moharram, and moves ahead of the long line of replicas of Imam Husain's tomb and flags along the streets. Like several Muslim families across the globe, the Raikwar family members, too, set aside their daily chores to grieve for the grandson of Prophet Mohammad (SAWA), and his 72 companions who were brutally killed in the state of thirst on the banks of the River Euphrates in Karbala in 61 A.H.
"Husain is everybody's hero, the embodiment of virtues of piety, courage and self-sacrifice. He did not seek power. He represented the authentic voice of Islam and, for that reason, boldly challenged the un-Islamic practices of the Umayyad ruler, Yazid," a member of the Raikwar family said. They also march, as they do year after year, through the lanes and by-lanes in fervent lamentation chanting, "Ya-Husain, Ya-Husain", rhythmically beating their chests, self-flagellating, carrying replicas of the Imam's tomb.
"Husain laid down his life but did not compromise with a bloody-minded tyrant," says the head of the Mishra family of Sehore, another Madhya Pradesh town where a Hindu family takes out the Ta'ziyya procession. "The practice is over 100 years old for our family. We have also secured a place for `the Prophet's grandson' in our house where hundreds of Hindus and Muslims visit during Moharram to seek Imam Husain's intercession to cure the diseased, avert calamities and even procure children," says Dinesh Chandra Mishra, present head of the family. "Every age brings forth a new Yazid, but resistance to tyranny, as is illustrated by Imam Husain's legendary example, is incumbent upon every man of faith", he says.
Among certain Hindu castes in Rajasthan, the Karbala tragedy is recounted by staging plays in which the death of Imam Husain (AS) is enacted, after which the women of the village come out in a procession, crying and cursing Yazid for his cruelty. In large parts of north India, Hindus believe that if barren women slip under an alam moving in a procession they will be blessed with a child.
The non-Muslim tribal Lambadi community in Andhra Pradesh has its own genre of Moharram lamentation songs in Telugu.
Another village called Solapur in Rai Durg Taluq gained prominence as a famous Telugu poet Ramanna of the village wrote number of poems describing and eulogizing Moharram. The people of the Solapur village even abstain from eating meat during the Moharram days – on the belief that this hardens the heart. Surapalli village was yet another village which attracted a number of people during the Moharram days. Balaiah a poet of the village wrote poems during these days and recited them every day to a large audience. One of the poem written by Balaiah starts with these lines. It is interesting to note that even the women of the villages wrote poems to pay their homage to the martyrs of Karbala. Three women, who were prominent among them were, Imam Aka, Vanoor Bee, and Gateema. Vanoor Bee in one of her poems gave us the reasons for her devotion. She writes if you speak truth, Husain's mother, the Prophet's daughter Hazrat Fatema Zahra (peace upon her) will bless you.
The city of Lucknow boasts of several Hindu hussainiyahs called ‘Imambaras’ in the local language. One such is the ‘Kishnu Khalifa ka Imambara’ in Bashiratganj locality in the old city area. The Imambara, established in 1880, is famous for its Hindu ‘azadars’ or devotees who observe Moharram with all the religiosity of the Muslims.
The Hindu rulers of Vijayanagar in the Deccan or southern India built wonderful Imambaras during the 15th and 16th centuries, influenced by the large number of Iranians of various persuasions who used to come to that kingdom. These Hindu rulers used to wear black garments of mourning during the first 10 days of the month of Moharram. Muharram processions during the 18th and 19th centuries were taken out by the Hindus in Rajasthan, Gujarat and Maharashtra with chariot-shaped ta'ziyyas.
The Maratha ruling kingdoms like the Scindias of Gwalior, the Holkars of Indore, the Gaekwads of Baroda and the Bhonsle of Kolhapur and Pune till now observe Muharram rituals with great devotion. During their dynastic rules they strived to create interfaith understanding between Muslims and Hindus by observing Muharram ceremonies. The most famous of them all was the Rajah of Gwalior, a state in central India.
The Rajah used to go barefoot with the procession every year on the day of Ashura, holding a replica of Imam Husain's mausoleum. In Lucknow, seat of the Shi'ite Muslim rulers of Awadh, prominent Hindu noblemen like Raja Tikait Rai and Raja Bilas Rai built Imambaras to house alams, the standards representing the Karbala event.
"The Hindu", one of the largest selling English dailies in India reported in its 31 January, 2007 issue that a large number of Hindus participated in the Ta'ziyya procession along with Muslims in Tamil Nadu state. Three persons, two of them non-Muslims, took part in a fire-walk held in the early hours. One of the Hindus, named Veera-Babu said he has been taking part in the fire-walks in commemoration of Imam Husain (AS) for the past 25 years. Hindus of these villages vie with the Muslims in making arrangements for the Moharram. There is a Brahmin tribe by the name of Mohiyals in Kashmir who take part in Moharram observance with great devotion and fervor.
They believe that their ancestors, like the Hussaini Brahmins, fought alongside the mam Husain (AS) at Karbala and later, avenged Imam Husain's blood by assisting Mohktar fighting the Umayyads. They believe that they traveled back to India over the centuries via Afghanistan.
It is also worth noting that the tenth day of the month of Moharram, that is Ashura, is a national holiday in India. History reports that even Mohandas Gandhi on his famous salt march to protest against the oppression by the British took 72 people with him in emulation of Imam Husain's protest against Yazid's oppression. Gandhi in one of his famous statements remarked that it was Karbala and Imam Husain (AS) that inspired his non-violent struggle against colonialism. He added: “I learned from (Imam) Husain (AS) how to be wronged and be a winner.” In a statement published in Young India in 1924, he said: “I wanted to know the best of life of one who holds today an undisputed sway over the hearts of millions of mankind…I became more than ever convinced that it was not the sword that won a place for Islam in those days in the schemes of life. It was the rigid simplicity, the utter self-effacement of (Imam) Husain (AS), the scrupulous regard for pledges, his intention devotion to his friends and followers, his intrepidity, his fearlessness, his absolute trust in God and in his own mission to save Islam.”