Muḥarram:
- It is the first month of the Islamic calendar which is a lunar Calendar. It is held to be the holiest month. The tenth day of Muharram is the Day of Ashoora, which to Shia Muslims is part of the Mourning of Muharram.
- The event marks the anniversary of the Battle of Karbala, when Imam Hussein Ali, the grandson of Muhammad, was killed by the forces of the second Umayyad caliph.
Customs associated with mourning of Muharram:
- Matam: It refers to the acts of lamentation for the martyrs of Karbala. There are two basic forms of matam:
- Matam using one's hands only, that is, sineh-zani or breast-beating
- Matam with implements like chains, knives, swords and blades, that is, zanjeer-zani, qama-zani, etc. which involves flagellation for reenacting blood shedding of Hussein Ali.
- Taziya: It refers to the Miniature Mausoleums (imitations of the mausoleums of Karbala, generally made of coloured paper and bamboo) used in ritual processions.
- Alam: It consists of a coloured drape (usually black) on a wooden pole with an emblem on the top as a religious flag. It is believed that it was carried by Ali during the battle of Karbala.
