Millions of Muslims in India are set to take out processions on Nov. 25, 2012 to mark the 10th day of the Islamic month of Muharram and mourn the killing of Imam Hussain, the grandson of Prophet Mohammed, who was martyred some 1,400 years ago at Karbala in Iraq.
The 10th day of Muharram is also known as Yaum-e-Ashura, the day of enlightenment, which is an important date in the Islamic calendar. Muslims believe that many key events in Islamic history occurred on the day, including the events of Karbala.
Special prayers are offered at the historic Shahi Masjid Fatehpuri and Khwaja Nizam-ud-din Auliya's shrine in south Delhi, where Muslims pay homage to Hussain.
Processions are also taken out in Muslim dominated areas of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Maharashtra, Assam, Kerala and West Bengal.
In Srinagar, the Jammu and Kashmir government government has banned the procession since the early 1990s for security reasons.
On Muharram, considered a day of bereavement, Muslims observe voluntary fasts, give to charity and pray in remembrance of Imam Hussain.
It was during the month of Muharram in 680 AD that soldiers of the ruling caliph Yazid surrounded Imam Hussain, his family and some of his followers at Karbala. In the days that followed, they were denied food and water and many of them were systematically killed in the clash that lasted till the 10th day of the month.
Imam Hussain was killed on the tenth day, which is observed as the day of mourning.
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