Muslims take out procession ahead of Muharram in Uttar Pradesh - India News and Travel Times Provides India-centric and other News and Features

Every year, Muslims across the world mourn the tragedy of Karbala on the occasion of Muharram that also heralds the Islamic new calendar year. It was on this day in the thirteenth century that Imam Hussein was killed by the army of Yazid, who usurped the Caliphate and became a self-appointed successor to Prophet Mohammed. This year Muharram will be observed on Monday (December 28). Imam Hussain was killed in the battle of Karbala along with 72 of his relatives, friends and supporters. To mark the occasion, Muslim men belonging to the Shiya sect beat their chests and backs with chains. Some even cut their heads with knives to mourn the death of Imam Hussain in Karbala. The devotees claim that if they had got an opportunity, they would have sacrificed their lives in the battle of Karbala. "Imam sacrificed his life for the sake of saving Islam. He shed his blood in Karbala almost 1400 years ago. In order to remember their sacrifice and mourn on it, we shed our blood by beating ourselves with chains and cutting ourselves with sharp weapons," said Abbas Hussain, a devotee. "We claim that if we would have been present in Karbala, then we would have sacrificed our lives for Imam," he added.