Blood soaked back of a mourner after performing 'tatbir' at a 'maatam' procession.
Ruins of a mud house. Shi'a Muslim families in north India congregate at their ancestral villages to observe Muharram and spend the first ten days of the month, till the day of Ashura, together.
Broken bangles at altar for placing Taziya. In keeping with the spirit of mourning, Shi'a Muslims dress simply, abstaining from bright colours, jewellery and makeup.
Inside an Imambara, which are halls for congregating during Muharram to mourn the passing of Imam Hussain and his family during the tragic events of Karbala in 680 AD.
Asghar, a senior management executive with a global engineering firm in Delhi, is visiting his ancestral village, Narai in the city of Allahabad. Like him, his siblings and cousins from across India have gathered at the village.
Children playing after sunset. Villagers, regardless of their religion, collect outside homes while a Majlis is in progress, in hopes of getting 'hissa', usually a snack distributed at the end of the majlis.
Majlis in progress at an ancestral home, as family members rush around to take care of proceedings.
While a procession may be composed of a greater number of youth, the elderly aren't left behind and are equally a part with their fervour.
During a Majlis, amidst chants of 'Ya Hussain' and 'Ya Ali', men beat their chests in mourning.
Horse rolls around in dust to stretch himself before being readied for the ritual. Dressed as a war horse, it will symbolise Zuljanah, the horse of Imam Hussain, as on the battleground of Karbala.
A 'maatam' procession about to begin. Called 'tatbir', men stripped bare to their waists, walk through the streets while flagellating their backs with steel blades tied to chains.
Reciting Noha at dusk. Various forms of the elegy--Noha, Soaz, Marsiya--expressing lament at the massacre of Karbala are recited during Muharram, which are accompanied by the rhythmic beats of hands beating chests.
'Taboot' (coffin) and 'Jhoola' (swing) procession. They symbolise the coffin of Imam Hussain and the swing of his six months old son, Ali Asghar, who was killed at the Karbala and is said to be the youngest martyr.
A family elder listening to the Majlis while sitting in the courtyard. As Ashura approaches closer, sentiments keep rising steadily.
Neighbours from the village feeding the horse with sweets. Considered a sacred animal, caring for Zuljanah is believed to fulfill wishes.
With successive years of self-flagellation, the backs of men become permanently scarred. Recent years have seen controversy around 'tatbir' regarding the risk of infection and some clerics denouncing the practice.
People circumambulating a well, believed to grant fulfillment of wishes, at the local Karbala upon the onset of Muharram.
Grave being dug at the cemetery, or local Karbala.
Tired men take a nap under a tree shade. There is little sleep in the days leading to Ashura.
'Juloos' procession returning. The period of mourning doesn't end with Ashura; it continues for a period of 2 months, albeit at a more personal level.
Blood soaked back of a mourner after performing 'tatbir' at a 'maatam' procession.
Ruins of a mud house. Shi'a Muslim families in north India congregate at their ancestral villages to observe Muharram and spend the first ten days of the month, till the day of Ashura, together.
Broken bangles at altar for placing Taziya. In keeping with the spirit of mourning, Shi'a Muslims dress simply, abstaining from bright colours, jewellery and makeup.
Inside an Imambara, which are halls for congregating during Muharram to mourn the passing of Imam Hussain and his family during the tragic events of Karbala in 680 AD.
Asghar, a senior management executive with a global engineering firm in Delhi, is visiting his ancestral village, Narai in the city of Allahabad. Like him, his siblings and cousins from across India have gathered at the village.
Children playing after sunset. Villagers, regardless of their religion, collect outside homes while a Majlis is in progress, in hopes of getting 'hissa', usually a snack distributed at the end of the majlis.
Majlis in progress at an ancestral home, as family members rush around to take care of proceedings.
While a procession may be composed of a greater number of youth, the elderly aren't left behind and are equally a part with their fervour.
During a Majlis, amidst chants of 'Ya Hussain' and 'Ya Ali', men beat their chests in mourning.
Horse rolls around in dust to stretch himself before being readied for the ritual. Dressed as a war horse, it will symbolise Zuljanah, the horse of Imam Hussain, as on the battleground of Karbala.
A 'maatam' procession about to begin. Called 'tatbir', men stripped bare to their waists, walk through the streets while flagellating their backs with steel blades tied to chains.
Reciting Noha at dusk. Various forms of the elegy--Noha, Soaz, Marsiya--expressing lament at the massacre of Karbala are recited during Muharram, which are accompanied by the rhythmic beats of hands beating chests.
'Taboot' (coffin) and 'Jhoola' (swing) procession. They symbolise the coffin of Imam Hussain and the swing of his six months old son, Ali Asghar, who was killed at the Karbala and is said to be the youngest martyr.
A family elder listening to the Majlis while sitting in the courtyard. As Ashura approaches closer, sentiments keep rising steadily.
Neighbours from the village feeding the horse with sweets. Considered a sacred animal, caring for Zuljanah is believed to fulfill wishes.
With successive years of self-flagellation, the backs of men become permanently scarred. Recent years have seen controversy around 'tatbir' regarding the risk of infection and some clerics denouncing the practice.
People circumambulating a well, believed to grant fulfillment of wishes, at the local Karbala upon the onset of Muharram.
Grave being dug at the cemetery, or local Karbala.
Tired men take a nap under a tree shade. There is little sleep in the days leading to Ashura.
'Juloos' procession returning. The period of mourning doesn't end with Ashura; it continues for a period of 2 months, albeit at a more personal level.