Amidst tight security and immense support from onlookers, businessmen and various voluntary organisations, the Taziya procession marking the 10th of Moharram concluded yesterday evening.

With the preliminary procession happening across various locations in the city all through morning and in the afternoon congregated at Bhatiyani Chohatta from where the main procession started in the wee hours of the evening.  20 giant Taziyas, which effectively are effigies of the mausoleum of Imam Hussain prepared using paper and wood, proceeded for their final journey across town to Lal Ghat for the traditional culmination.

A large crowd of individuals from across all communities had gathered to witness the procession which streamed through Bada Bazar, Ghantaghar, Jagdish Chowk and terminated at Lal Ghat, the shore of lake Pichola.  For tourists, like always, it was a major attraction.

In all, there were 20 location specific Taziyas, with the biggest ones being from Alipura, Paltan Masjid (Chetak) and Dholi Bawdi.

After a long effort of many months, when the artisans painlessly crafted the Taziyas both big and small, to be led through the procession, it was an effort worth witnessing, as men, both young and old participated in the procession, with the young male members resting the huge pillars on wooden planks supported on their shoulders and rushing through the painstakingly narrow lanes, replete with electric wires hanging low.

RSEB, like always had special care taken, by switching off the power supply across the journey route of the procession, lest there be any accident, as the Taziyas towered to dizzying heights, with the tallest just matching the height of the Clock Tower at Ghanta Ghar.

This year, we concentrated on bringing you photos from just one location, i.e. Ghanta Ghar.  The procession got delayed slightly as the biggest of them all, the Paltan Taziya, had to be reassemled.