Ashura is the 10th day of month of Muharram in Islamic calender. It is a holy day for the Shia Muslims. In this day they mourn for Husayn Ibn Ali, the grandson of Muhammad,who was killed at the Battle of Karbala. In Bangladesh shia mulsim observed this day with great momentum. The holy ground for the shia muslims in Dhaka is Hossaini Dalan. Hossaini Dalan is near my place and i had an opportunity to visit it several times during Ashura. The preparations and rituals begin long before the day of Ashura. Women hiding behind black veils , young people waving banners, toddlers in their parents lap all join the procession. The customs they maintain is quite different from any other festival. They bring horses, wash it with milks and collect it again to drink as they think its holy. They pray for their departed relatives. And the awful part is they beat themselves with knives and other sharp steels. Young and capable man from every family is ought to attend this. Otherwise it is considered as a state of ignominy.
©Javed Miandad