LAHORE: On Monday, 9th September, just a few hours before Ashoor (10th Muharram), day the of the start and culmination of the chain of Martyrdom of Hazrat Imam Hussain (RA) and his blessed companions on the sands of Karbala for the Resurrection of Islam, the entire city was buzzing with Muharram related activities, including Zuljanah processions, taking out of Alams, Majalis and Matam.
Like every year for the last many decades, this year too, the main activity of 9th Muharram related major activity remained the Zuljanah Processions taken out in Shadman and Islampura, where thousands of the faithful attended the two major processions in great numbers to pay tributes to the blessed martyrs of Karbala, led by Hazrat Imam Hussain (RA), the Grandson of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and Hazrat Ali (RA), amid sounds of Nohas, Marsiayas and salutations to these bravest men in the history of Islam and mankind who stood against the oppressive forces of tyrant Yazid, for the protection and resurrection of Islam until the last drop of their blood on the sands of Karbala on 10th October, 680CE.
With the Muharram related activities gain a feverish pitch and the faithful from inside the city and the suburban areas swelled, the participation of all the faithful also increased in facilitating the mourners, the pilgrims and the general public by increased number of makeshift stalls of edibles, juices, sharbat, rice and meat curries, being distributed in every locality and on the way of the Zuljanah and other Muharram related procession in the entire city.
It is pertinent to note that besides the food and water facilities for the participants of the procession and the general public at various points in the city localities and suburban areas, every Muslim household cooked and organised special ‘Langar’ and “Niaz to be distributed among the neighbours and the poor as per a centuries old tradition of the Muslims in the sub-continent.
The city roads remained deserted of the usual traffic flow; however, predominantly, the faithful clad in black dresses, were seen frequenting the roads, especially around the places where Muharram related special events were taking place i.e. Shadman, Islampura, Bibi Pak Daman, Mochi Gate, Karbala Gamay Shah, Ilaqa Nawab Sahib (Ali Razabad), Thokar Niaz Beg, Model Town, Minhajul Hussain, Wafaqi Colony, Imamia Colony, Shahdara, and some other localities.
In the evening, all roads led to Mochi Gate since the faithful took to Mohalla Shian, Chowk Nawab Sahib, Inside Mochi Gate, to attend the main and the most significant Zuljanah procession, being taken out from Nisar Haveli on the night of 9th Muharram.
It is pertinent to note that the Battle of Karbala was fought on 10 October, 680, between the army of the second Umayyad Caliph Yazid I and a small group of people led by Imam Hussain Ibne Ali (RA), the grandson of the Prophet (PBUH) at Karbala in Iraq.