Tazia, Alam processions taken out amidst security

LAHORE:The mourning activities reached close to the peak on Sunday, 8th Muharram, as a number of Tazia and Shabeeh-e-Alam processions of Hazrat Abbas were taken out in various parts of the City under strict security measures.

Besides, a number of majalis held in City Imambargahs where Zakerin retold the Karbala incident and the martyrdom of the companions of Hazrat Imam Hussain (RA), especially Hazrat Abbas (RA), and the philosophy of mourning.

Large number of chest beating and noha reciting mourners participated in the processions held to commemorate the sacrifice of Hazrat Abbas (RA), the step brother of Hazrat Imam Hussain (RA), who laid down his life after waging valiant war against the enemies. The processions passed through their routes and ended peacefully in the evening.

The main procession was taken out from Pando street, Islampura, in the morning and marched through its route and culminated at its starting point. Other two processions included the one from Urdu Bazaar and other Abbott Road.

The mourning of eighth of Muharram lays special emphasis on the martyrdom of Hazrat Ali Akbar (RA), the elder son of Hazrat Imam Hussain (RA), who stood by his father’s commitment and also marshaled the Karbala martyrs assisting his father.

Hazrat Ali Akbar (RA) was also called the Moazzan of Caravan-e-Karbala since he used to say Azan at the battlefield. His Azan-e-Fajr on the day of Ashura holds vivid memories of the battlefield.

Major processions on 8th Muharram included the Zuljanah and Taboot from inside Bhaati Gate which after following its designated routes ended at Chatterji Road in the night.

Zuljanah processions from Lytton Road while Taboot processions from Said Mitha Bazaar were taken out in the night which ended at inside Bhaati Gate at early Monday morning. Zuljanah processions were also taken out in other parts of the City, including Model Town, Krishan Nagar, Imamia Colony, Jafaria Colony and Mughalpura. Thousands of faithful mourned, chest-beated and flaggerated themselves at different points of the procession route and the Nohakhwans recited the events of the Ashura.

The Matam (chest beating) intensified as Zakerin in their majalis elaborated the massaibs (torments) on the family of Hazrat Imam Hussain (RA) and their companions who were deprived of taking water from the Euphrates River by the government forces from the seventh of Muharram.

On Monday (today), 9th Moharram, the mourning activities will reach their peak with the bringing out of the central Zuljanah procession from Nisar Haveli inside Mochi Gate in the night.

The central Zuljanah will march through its traditional route and culminate on Tuesday (tomorrow) at Karbala Gamay Shah after several other Zuljanah processions will join it along the route.