Ashura signifies the tenth day of Muharram, the first month of the Islamic calendar. On the day of Ashura, Shi’ite communities around the globe commemorate their martyr, the 3rd Imam Hussein, grandson of Muhammad, who was defeated in 680 by the forces of the Umayyad Caliph Yazid near the city of Karbala. During the Ashura commemorations, participants re-enact the martyrdom of Hussein through several ritualistic acts such as sorrowful narrations and chants, collective crying, chest and head beating. On the final 10th day there are public processions which have traditionally received the most attention by media, probably due to the spectacular and dynamic nature of the lamentations. This gallery shows a selection of images of these lamentations during one day of Ashura.
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