Each year on the first day of Muharram, the “sacred month” millions of Shia Muslims all over the world begin ten days of mourning in remembrance of the death and martyrdom of Imam Husseyn, grandson of the Prophet Mohammed, in the year 680 A.D. The tenth day known as Ashura sees a climax full of energy, devotion, pain and self inflicted suffering unlike any other event or occasion. The mourning is marked by black attire, rhythmic chanting, ritual self flagellation which begins with slaps to the upper body, progresses to hard hitting fists on bare chests and finally climaxes to chains and knives which inflict deep wounds on the back resulting in rivers of blood.

The Shia nation was born of the martyrdom of Imam Husseyn at the hands of Yazid over a ten day long siege at Karbala Iraq. Shias all over the world, through ritual and rememberance re-live the events and suffering of those ten days. Over the years the rituals have taken on several colors of culture, ethnicity, tradition and language from the local lands where they are practiced. The core sentiment and theme remain unchaged. Most of the rituals re enact several events during the siege at Karbala and are marked by mock funerals, marches, building of mausoleums, dressing up of the Imam’s horse, celebrating his sons wedding, and above all a tear filled narration of the events of the siege, in which one can witness crowds of grown men and women weep, wail and sob with no control.