Ashura Amongst the Indian Husayni Brahmins: An Analytical Survey of its Philosophy

The epic of Ashura has been a perfect model for Muslims throughout history. Soon after the call of Imam al-Husayn for help, history has proved to voice several answers here and there. Despite the Umayyad's futile edict to hold happy ceremonies on Ashura to send its memory into oblivion and make the whole scene blurred, Ashura has since received various proponents. In India, Husayni Brahmins regard the Hindu characters Ka bat and Cha raan as devotees of the Ahl al-Bayt. They believe that Yazid was an evil character; they staunchly believe in Imam al-Husayn. The Indian Husayni Brahmins commemorate the Ashura episode right from the first eve of Muharram and continue it for sixty-eight days, i.e., the eighths of the Arabic month Rabi` al-Awwal. The present paper deals with live memory of Ashura amongst the Hindus and Husayni Brahmins of India.