Tazia, Jhoola processions taken out

LAHORE : Mourning activities of Ashra-e-Muharram, first ten days of the holy month, stepped up here on Sunday, 6th of Muharram, with several processions of Jhoola (Shabeeh-e-Gahwara-e-Hazrat Ali Ashgar) having a replica of his baby cot were taken out from different parts of the city.

The Jhoola processions and Tazias were taken out to commemorate the martyrdom of Hazrat Ali Ashgar, the youngest and six months old son of Hazrat Imam Hussain (RA) who, according to the historians and Zakerin, was shot in the throat by a three-pronged arrow by the official army on the 9th of Muharram. He was buried on the same day.

The processions passed from their routes with mourners beating their chests and reciting Nohas and Marsias commemorating Hazrat Ali Asghar (RA) and all the beautiful memories associated with an adorable toddler baby son of Hazrat Imam Hussain (RA). Apart from that, the processions of Alam of Hazrat Abbas were also brought out in some parts of the city, which were accompanied by chest beating and Noha reciting mourners. A number of Majalis were also held in which Zakerin highlighted the Masaaibs (torments) on the family and companions of Hazrat Imam Hussain.

The Jhoola processions carried replica cots, which looks like a mausoleum from outside but from inside it is cot-like, and several colorful children clothes, fruits, toys and other souvenirs are put in it, which a lot of people used for offering special prayers (Mannat) for making their wishes come true, especially childless couples yearning for having children for long make special wishes by putting such baby souvenirs in the Jhoola processions. The baby clothes inside the cot were soaked in red colour to imitate the blood soaked clothes of Hazrat Ali Asghar (RA).

On 7th Muharram, Monday (today), the processions of Mehndi of Hazrat Qasim, son of Hazrat Imam Hasan (RA), will be brought out. The mourning activity and highlighting of Masaaibs (torments) on the family of Imam Hussain (RA) will gain further heat from Monday, the 7th Muharram, since it was the day when the martyrs of Karbala were left completely without water from Euphrates river after they were barred from taking water from it by the opponent army.