The day of Ashura has commenced today in the Muslim world with great honor and faith. Especially for Shia/Shiite Muslims, Ashura is the most sacred day in their calendar. The word Ashura which literally means 10 is commemorated on 10^th of Muharram as the day of Imam Hussain’s death in the Battle of Karbala in 680AD.

Muslims keeps fast on this day and many thousands of devotees gathers every year on the day of Ashura at Shrine of Imam Hussain in Karbala, Iraq.

To express their sorrow and grief for the adversity Imam Hussain and his family went through, thousands of Shia mourners join the flagellating ceremonies known as Qama and Matam-e-Zanzeer (see photo). They beat their bared back with iron chain studded with sharp knives.

In Udaipur, the Shia Muslim community holds a small procession near Shia Jama Masjid/ Imam Bada following with the morning Amaal and matam-e-zanzeer in afternoon.

Since today was the day when Imam Hussain was brutally martyred in the Battle of Karbala, the night is considered as a Sham-e-Gariba (night of destitute) which depict the aftermath of this horrific incident. Shias will hold a night meeting (majlis) Majlis-e-Sham-e-Gariba tonight after midnight.

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Like Shias, Sunni Muslims also consider the day of Ashura as the most important day. But, they don’t involve in any physical activities of beating chest, self flagellating or lamenting, while they maintain faith and devotion for Imam Hussain too.

In India, Pakistan and Bangladesh the procession on Taziyas are commonly taken out on the 10^th day of Muharram by Sunni Muslims.  Taziyas are replicas of Imam Hussain’s shrine, however taziya or taboot means coffin of dead.

In Udaipur, the biggest taziya is of Paltan’s Mosque at Chetak Circle. Thousands of Muslims had joined this year’s procession of Taziyas in Udaipur.