Ashura observed with massive Zuljanah processions in Valley

Main procession disallowed in Srinagar in 22^nd year of armed conflict

Ahmed Ali Fayyaz

SRINAGAR, Dec 6: Like every year since outbreak of the armed insurgency in 1989, authorities today disallowed the main mourning procession on Ashura in this capital city. Notwithstanding persistent ban on the principal remembrance congregation, Shia Muslims in large numbers participated in massive Zuljanah, Taziya and Alam processions all over Kashmir valley to pay their typical tributes to Prophet Mohammad’s grandson, Hazrat Imam Hussain, and his 72 companions martyred at Karbala, in Iraq, nearly 1400 years ago.

Prominent Shia cleric-politicians, Maulvi Iftikhar Hussain Ansari of All Jammu & Kashmir Shia Association (JKSA) and Aga Syed Hassan Al-Moosavai Al-Safavi of Anjuman-e-Sharee Shia’an (ASS), have been alternately holding license to Kashmir’s main Zuljanah procession in Srinagar for the last over 30 years. Until eruption of secessionist militancy in 1989, this historic procession on 10^th of Moharram every year used to originate at Abi Guzar, near Lalchowk area of Civil Lines, and culminate in the evening in the Shia-dominated localities of Zadibal and Hassanabad in downtown Srinagar.

With the authorities declining permission to this particular procession on “security grounds” since 1989, Maulvi and Aga have shifted the solemn religious rally to Zadibal area. On yearly rotation, Maulvi’s JKSA has been taking out the Ashura procession from Lalbazar. It culminates in Majlis-e-Shaam-e-Gareebaan at the historic Imambargah of Zadibal. Next year, Aga’s ASS takes it out from Gulshanbagh, Baghwanpora, in the forenoon and winds it up with a Majlis in the evening at the revered Mir Shamas-ud-din Araki shrine, not far away from Imambara Zadibal.

Both Maulvi as well as Aga have been politically associated with Janata Party, mother of today’s right wing Bharatya Janata Party, and have unsuccessfully contested Assembly elections on that party’s ticket and symbol against Sheikh Abdullah-led National Conference (NC) respectively from Pattan and Budgam segments in 1977. While as Aga’s ASS has been a key constituent of the separatist amalgam, ‘All-Party Hurriyat Conference’ since 1993, Maulvi has been associated with Mufti Mohammad Sayeed’s pro-India Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) since 2005 after years of his association with Congress party and NC.

This year being the turn of JKSA, Maulvi Iftikhar led the main Ashura procession in Srinagar from Lalbazar. JKSA put the figure at 100,000 but authorities maintained that over 50,000 Shia Muslim mourners participated in this Zuljanah procession. Holding the tradition, it culminated in a late night tributes and prayers session at Imambara Zadibal. Maulvi delivered his traditional sermon on the philosophy of the martyrdom of Hazrat Imam Hussain and his handful army of 72 companions at Karbala. Typically emotional scenes of mourning were witnessed amid total blackout.

Before the concluding Majlis, the Ashura procession passed through different localities in downtown Srinagar for about 14 hours. Majority of the participants restricted themselves to self-flagellation and recitation of Nowha and Marthiya in praise of the martyrs of Karbala in 1,000-strong groups, called Daiyaras, but hundreds of the male participants also practiced the traditional form of mourning while striking sharp-edged knives on their bodies. Some of them were seen bleeding profusely. Groups of women, mostly covered with Hijab, were seen separately paying their tributes to the martyrs and survivors of Karbala in traditional Kashmiri verse. They, however, dominated the Majlis-e-Shaam-e-Gareebaan with their huge presence in the evening at Zadibal.

Even as the procession passed peacefully, young followers of some separatist leaders shouted pro-Azadi and anti-India slogans and also engaged Police and CRPF in intermittent clashes in Rajourikadal area. This stronghold of the Hurriyat Chairman, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, was tense since last evening when scores of youngsters resorted to stone pelting on Police and moving vehicles. Three vehicles, including an ambulance of Hussaini Relief Committee, were damaged in these clashes. Reports said that thin groups of youth from Zadibal area rushed all the way to Islamia College area and damaged window panes of several houses in retaliation.

However, Mirwaiz Umar and his followers swung into action immediately and succeeding in restoring calm. Again, this particular area remained tense today as the youngsters engaged Police in ding dong clashes. Police used baton charge and tearsmoke to break down the rioters.

SSP Srinagar, Syed Ashiq Hussain Bukhari, told Early Times that despite some intermittent clashes in the Sunni-dominated Gojwara and Rajourikadal, Police controlled the situation. He said that the Ashura procession went on smoothly and there was no incident of disruption. SSP said that other relatively thinner Zuljanah and Alam processions in Srinagar district also passed peacefully. Reports said that Police imposed undeclared curfew in Lalchowk and other Civil Lines area inspite of DC Srinagar Meraj Ahmed Kakroo’s overnight announcement on Radio Kashmir and Doordarshan that there would be no curfew in the capital city on occasion of Ashura on Tuesday. SSP Bukhari declined to call it curfew and maintained that Police created certain barriers only to ensure that a separatist-religious leader’s call does not cause any trouble in Civil Lines.

Another major procession of Zuljanah and Alam came out from Imambara Mirgund under the auspices of Aga Syed Hassan’s Anjuman-e-Sharee Shia’an at 1100 hours today. Thousands of mourners, drawn from Budgam township and other Shia population villages of the Central Kashmir district, participated in this procession. As per its 200-year tradition, it concluded at the historic Imambara of Budgam at around midnight. Sub zero temperature by night failed to dampen the spirits of the mourners.

Aga Hassan addressed the gathering of mourners after leading the afternoon prayers at Bihisht-e-Zahra, a public park created by the state government and decorated by Army beside Deputy Commissioner’s office at Budgam. He lashed out at the administration and complained that no adequate arrangements had been made by the authorities. He was accompanied by prominent separatist leader Shabir Shah.

Reports said that over 20 other relatively thinner Zuljanah and Alam procession in Shia-dominated areas in Srinagar, Ganderbal, Budgam, Bandipore, Baramulla, Pulwama, Anantnag and Kulgam districts were taken out and concluded smoothly.

Devout Sunni Muslims too organized remembrance and tribute paying mass assemblies at several mosques and monasteries in Kashmir valley. Speakers illustrated on significance of the martyrdom of Karbala and said that the good would always triumph over the evil, howsoever mighty and unconquerable, in the world.

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