- Title: Processions take place across India to mark holy day of Ashura
- Date: 12th October 2016
- Summary: BHOPAL, MADHYA PRADESH, INDIA (OCTOBER 12, 2016) (ORIGINALLY 4:3) (ANI - NO ACCESS BBC) CROWD GATHERED IN STREET FLAGS
- Embargoed: 26th October 2016 15:14
- Keywords: Imam Hussein Aligarh Bhopal Bangaluru India religion Ashura Islam
- Location: BHOPAL, BENGALURU AND ALIGARH, INDIA
- City: BHOPAL, BENGALURU AND ALIGARH, INDIA
- Country: India
- Topics: Religion/Belief,Society/Social Issues
- Reuters ID: LVA00153PA0XZ
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: EDITORS PLEASE NOTE: EDIT CONTAINS FOOTAGE THAT WAS ORIGINALLY 4:3
Processions were held on Wednesday (October 12) on the 10th day of the month of Muharram to commemorate Ashura, a religious day marking the death of Imam Hussein, the grandson of Islam's Prophet Mohammad, killed in battle 1,400 years ago.
Mourners dressed in black beat their chests with some self-flagellating in in a show of sorrow at the suffering of the imam and his family. Mourners held flags and carried Taziyas, replicas of Hussein's shrine, in large processions in the cities of Bhopal, Aligarh and Bengaluru.
"We are not mourning for a random man, but for a man who sacrificed his entire family around 1,400 years ago. Today, we are here because of him, our religion is because of him," said mourner Hassef Hasan Haidri in Bhopal in the central Madhya Pradesh state.
In the northern city of Aligarh, mourners carried banners promoting peace in memory of Hussein who was beheaded in the 7th century AD revolt against the Umayyad ruler Yazeed in Kerbala, now part of modern day Iraq.
"In that era (1,400 years ago), Imam Hussein, grandson of the Prophet, stood up and showed that war should not be responded to with war, but with peace," said mourner Javed Mehmood.
Meanwhile, in the southern city of Bengaluru, Muslims offered prayers before taking part in processions.
Imam Hussein was killed along with his half-brother Abbas, his son Ali Akbar and dozens of his warriors on the Day of Ashura. Other members of his family, including his sister Zainab and his daughters were taken as captives to Damascus.
The day, held in the first month of the Islamic lunar calendar, marks Hussein's epic battle against Yazeed's troops, who outnumbered his forces and who deprived him and his family access to the waters of the Euphrates River to force his surrender. - Copyright Holder: ANI (India)
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2016. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
- Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
