© 2007 Institute of Current World Affairs
The Institute awards long-term fellowships to develop a deep understanding of an issue, country, or region outside the US and to share that understanding with a wider public.
Institute of Current World Affairs - Home Page

Below is a hobbled text version of a PDF document.
In order to read the actual document please click the link below and register if necessary.
(One-time registration is free and very quick.)
Read article

4/15/2005 - The Mourning of Chains: Muharram and the Shiite Community in Lucknow by Richard D. Connerney

ICWA LETTERS Since Institute Current World Affairs Crane Rogers Foundation provided fellowships enable outstanding young professionals outside United States write about international areas issues An exempt operating foundation endowed Charles R Crane Institute supported contributions minded individuals foundations TRUSTEES Bryn Barnard Joseph Battat Mary Lynne Bird Steven Butler Sharon F Doorasamy William F Foote Peter Geithner Gary Hartshorn Kitty Hempstone Katherine Roth Kono Cheng Li Peter Bird Martin Chandler Rosenberger Edmund Sutton HONORARY TRUSTEES David Elliot David Hapgood Pat M Holt Edwin S Munger Richard H Nolte Albert Ravenholt Phillips Talbot Institute Current World Affairs The Crane Rogers Foundation Four West Wheelock Street Hanover New Hampshire 03755 U S A RDC SOUTH ASIA Richard Connerney Phillips Talbot Fellow studying influence impact religion Indian society The Mourning Chains Muharram Shiite Community Lucknow By Richard D Connerney APRIL LUCKNOW India Shiite Islam ceiving great attention these The results recent election Iraq suggest first centuries Shiite majority reins power Baghdad This comes Iran Shiite homeland President Bush Axis Evil verge coming nuclear power Despite Shiite Islam remains little understood West Almost bookstores America carry Koran selec books Islam books focus exclusively Shiites In struggle understand Shiite Islam I lucky enough myself Lucknow largest Shiite community India during Muharram important event Shiite religious calendar Muharram marks death Imam Hu ssein Battle Karbala AD The festival merely celebration martyrdom Muslim saint however Muharram signifies pivotal moment world history Shiite community marks beginning Shiite Islam distinct religion The death Imam Hussein significant Shiites Crucifixion Christians ceremonies place during month Muharram every theatrical macabre medieval passion To understand strong emotions surround Muharram essential understand central importance Imam Hussein Shiite community conception history Following death Prophet Muhammad AD successors Caliphs governed growing Islamic empire politi religious leaders When fourth Caliph Ali Prophet Muhammad AD second Imam Hussain throne By however people believed Islamic realm would better under leadership someone outside Prophet In ensuing struggle succession Imam Hussein small group friends relatives during skirmish Karbala present Iraq Following death Caliphate others unrelated Prophet known Umayyad Caliphs political power Islamic world shifted Arabia Damascus Some people however remained convinced Caliphate should remained family Prophet Islam taken wrong death Imam Hussein This difference opinion succession would eventually scale schism Is between Sunni mainstream cepted leadership Umayyad Caliphs Shiites mourned death Imam Hussein disenfranchisement Prophet family Over Shiite Islam Persia nificant minority commu nities Egypt Syria Shiites everywhere remember death Imam Hussein Battle Karbala every during first Muharram month Islamic calendar which began Feb ruary In Lucknow festival Muharram takes additional importance because large Shiite lation All Kings Lucknow ruled surrounding Kingdom Oudh early century Shiite It Lucknow distinctly Indian traditions connected Muharram first shape The Mourning Fire On fifth night Muharram Deborah I arrived Shahnajaf Imambara century soleum Ghazi Haider King Oudh ceremony mataam mourning We without trepidation The Urdu language newspapers angry pronouncements Washington Tehran subject Iran nuclear program Man Shiites Lucknow idealize Iran I worried presence Americans might anger people The shrine hundreds colored lights Shortly after arrived procession shouting emerged shrine They their breasts their hands yelled Ya Hussein The procession cluded white horse covered spots blood Imam Hussein The proceeded glowing coals mourning better known walking In RDC West walking often circus popular mourn death Imam Hussein The young still shouting beating their breasts walked slowly across coals yelling Ya Hussein Ya Sakina daughter Hussein Ya Abbas brother Hussein The participants repeated mourning several times Another procession young emerged shrine another until courtyard filled young Sh They jostled other coals worked themselves frenzy scuffle broke between participants In middle chaos young Shiite break beating breast bulging Where What country Canada I We Canada After ceremony group young Shiite women proached invited their house They showed great warmth toward insisted showed pictures their family It obvious religious banners Arabic prayers hanging their walls devout Shiites The young women family excited Deborah artist They asked trait watched entranced Deborah recreated features sheet paper One girls declared would artist Where I become artist asked For Deborah answered New York City New York City One young We heard Canada It Canada I The young laughed I realized fears unfounded He introduced himself Zulfiqar named after Imam Hussein magic sword below Urdu teacher Arabic scholar He clear going nationality against Poetry Current Event The Marsiya Mir Anis When I hired Fauzia Urdu teacher I request I Fauzia published would rather spend talking about erature discussing I terested reading Urdu press however Let about I I interested events I reason As group Indian Muslims literary people I It seems Indian Muslim I writing novel favorite author quote length Poetry particular seems affect powerful I grown close tears while reciting gazal sonnet I Urdu lessons become maudlin Ignoring request Fauzia often showed lessons poetry anyway One brought famous Urdu named Ahmed Fayez worked translating better known verses The writes peace beauty It scatters stand terrace colorful dress It cleansed morning nights Wherever covers beautiful frame In garden cypress adorned I learn meaning gazal heart Its glass shadow cheek The writes peace beauty The extended metaphors sensuous language mesmerizing meter worked togeth create intoxicating effect I found swept study Urdu poetry spend hours timeless world symbols innuendo experienc dizzying emotional catharsis again We poetry Fauzia intro duced marsiya genre poetry dedicated subject martyrdom Marsiya special significance Lucknow South Asia Urdu Mir Anis Mir Anis wrote famous collection marsiya honor Imam Hussein martyrdom Battle Karbala Mir Anis composed literary archaic style I unable translate single couplet confidence The English available interesting The style these verses seemed purple overblown Furthermore Imam Hussein takes Before martyrdom behaves Isla Achilles slaying slews enemies Zulfiqar magic sword Extended passages praise horse ubiquitous Finally verse Book Imam Hussein meets Ten thousands arrows dashed chest A hundred sought their The spears transfixed pierced breast Ten struck every pulled The Shadow Lord Imam Hussein filled spines Like needles backs porcupines These poems Mir Anis marsiya central festival Muharram During Muharram festival recitations marsiya cause Shiite congregations break tears In I carried Urdu poetry Shiites Lucknow carried marsiya verses whose theme often martial whose imagery soaked blood These poems affect contemporary tions between Sunni Shiite Muslims profound I discovered Lucknow current event The Mourning Chains One important events Muharram remembrance death Imam Hussein brother Abbas The story during Battle Karbala Abbas could stand Imam Hussein daughter Sakiina suffering thirst He water little never returned The story brings strong feelings fraternity among Shiites Some Shiites choose simulate wounds Abbas ritual called zanjeer maatam mourning chains The mourning chains flagellation performed public using special barbed On tenth final Muharram mourning chains ourselves Zulfiqar accompanied neighborhood Nakhaas Bazaar where found thousands Shiites walking street procession towards shrine called Karbala The Karbala Battle Karbala where Imam Hussein martyred Iraq course In thing people heading local Karbala The police placed squad officers street corner When I Zulfiqar about tells Translation Urdu Fayez Ahmed Dast Sabaa Educational Book House Aligarh Matthews David The Battle Karbala A Marsiya Anis Rupa Co New Delhi Pg Full Urdu available Hussein Abid Saliha Anees Marsiay Tariqi Urdu Bureau New Delhi RDC Left Young covered blood after participating zanjeer maatam mourning chains Right Young children participate mourning chains photo D Simon Muharram festival times occasion violence between Sunni Shiite communities As walked toward Karbala young zanjeer tails their hands They began themselves their cloth blood Others their scalps daggers We pected What surprised participants looked older eight years We tried remain inconspicuous possible I dressed black shirt pants while Deborah dressed olive green Punjabi black scarf around Our attempt crowd worked Several people stopped Muslims perhaps Western verts Shiite Islam After Canada experience I given telling white I Muslims America As turns equally counter productive A minutes later approached Zulfiqar pulled aside He warned Zulfiqar careful because people happy about presence I experience direct hostility looks I feeling welcome Moreover hundreds bleed chains daggers whips their hands uncomfortable We returned without reaching Karbala The headlines newspapers nounced government Lucknow declared curfew Sunni Shiite As I article I surprised place neighborhood close visited after returned Exactly happened clear The three papers I differed details except count three people wounded rious condition A number houses burned ground during disturbance The apparently curred Shiite processions passed through Sunni neighborhood A fight between Sunni Shiite gangs broke rooftop sniper created panic Shiite began setting buildings The Times India showed picture tourist fleeing It City Lucknow attempt promote Muharram tourist attraction start Asking friends Lucknow about disturbance clarify things Zulfiqar claimed Sunni gangs insti gated violence Fauzia Sunni gested result Hindu extremists My landlord Hindu declared trouble started Shiites unreformed barbarians Whoever started first Sunni Shiite riots rocked Lucknow In prolonged burnt Nakhaas Bazaar neighborhood ground This creation governing board Shiites All India Shia Per sonal Law Board AISPLB sharpened tensions Some Sunni leaders believe creation exclusively Shiite organization compro mises political power Muslim community whole One local Sunni leader viously suggested ation Shiite Board U S Is divide Muslims Neither alphabet governing boards bumping shoulders bazaar fully explains lence however As I reason I backto poetry Perhaps poetry common between gentle Muslim intellectuals I Lucknow enraged rioters I newspapers Just I century gazal heartbreak happening moment Shiites listen recitation marsiya experience outrage bloodlust Battle Karbala Every Zulfiqar magic sword Imam Hussein unsheathed again minds participants Muharram Every Imam Hussein rightful Prophet meets martyrdom swarm arrows every Shiites spill their blood perhaps blood others remembrance Times India Lucknow Edition Dainik Jaagaran Rashtriya Sahara Urdu Edition Times India Lucknow Edition RDC INSTITUTE OF CURRENT WORLD AFFAIRS Current Fellows their Activities Alexander Brenner June CHINA With B A History Yale M A China Studies Johns Hopkins School Advanced International Studies Alex China examining country adapting economic cultural globalization following accession World Trade Organization Richard D Connerney January INDIA A lecturer Philosophy Asian Religions Philosophy Rutgers Iona College University Hawaii Manoa Rick Connerney spending years Phillips Talbot Fellow studying writing about intertwining religion culture politics India described former U S Ambassador John Kenneth Galbraith functioning anarchy Rick B A M A religion Wheaton College University Hawaii respectively Cri stina Merrill ROMANIA Born Bucharest Cristina moved Romania United States mother father Learning English retaining Romanian majored American History Harvard College there became captain women tennis She received Master degree Journalism New York University worked several U S publications Adweek New York Times spending years Romania watching emerge darkness Ceauscescu regime presumed light membership European Union NATO Andrew J Tabler February SYRIA LEBANON Andrew lived studied worked Middle East since Rotary Foundation Ambassadorial Fellowship enabled begin Arabic language studies toward Master degree American University Cairo Following Master editorships Middle East Times Cairo Times before moving Turkey Leb Syria working Senior Editor Oxford Business Group correspondent Economist Intelligence Unit His ICWA fellowship bases Beirut Damascus where report Lebanese affairs Syrian reform Jill Winder July GERMANY With B A politics Whitman College Walla Walla WA Master degree Art Curating Bard College Annandale Hudson NY Jill ICWA Donors Fellow looking Germany through ideas viewpoints contemporary artists Before months intensive study German language Berlin Thomas J Watson Fellow looking communist practice cultural politics transition former Soviet Czech Republic Slovakia Poland Croatia Hungary Latvia Romania Slovenia Ukraine Institute Fellows chosen basis character previous experience promise They young professionals funded spend minimum carrying designed programs study writing outside United States The Fellows required report their findings experiences field month They write subject formally informally The result unique reporting analysis periodic assessment interna tional events issues Author Connerney Richard D Title ICWA Letters South Asia ISSN Imprint Institute Current World Affairs Hanover NH Material Type Serial Language English Frequency Monthly Other Regions East Asia The Americas Europe Russia Mideast North Africa Sub Saharan Africa ICWA Letters ISSN published Institute Current World Affairs Inc exempt operating foundation incorporated New York State offices located West Wheelock Street Hanover NH 03755 The letters provided charge members ICWA available libraries profes sional researchers subscription Phone Fax E Mail valley Web address Executive Director Peter Bird Martin Program Administrator Brent Jacobson Publications Design Management Ellen Kozak Institute Current World Af fairs The Crane Rogers Foundation The information contained lication reproduced writer permission