DEVOUT Shiite Muslims were smeared with self-harm blood when marking Ashura, one of the holiest days on the calendar.
Ashuracommemorates the martyrdom of Hussein, the grandson of the Prophet Mohammed at the Battle of Karbala in 680 AD, on the 10th of the memorial month ofMuharram. It's an eye.
Each year, hundreds of thousands of people gather in Karbala, about 50 miles south of Baghdad,Iraqto observe a solemn holy day.
The Shiites performed one of the most spectacular rituals of the Holy Day. In this ritual, thousands of people sprinted from outside the center of Karbala to the golden dome of Hussein Shrine, rushing to answer their beloved saints. Shout for help in the fight.
Shiites consider Hussein and his descendants to be legitimate heirs of the Prophet.
Mass Rally, in the major cities of Islamabad andPakistan, continued for the second day, with participants rhythmically striking their bodies with knife-bladed chains.
The man staggered down the street and blood dripping from his back.
In the Shiite-controlled suburbs of Baghdad, a procession of men and boys showed extreme enthusiasm for Ashura's suicide bombing ritual.
They hit the head and chest all at once and whipped with chains until blood began to flow.
"We inherited this from our father and grandfather," said participant Hamza Abdul-Jalil. "God is pleased and we continue to follow this path."
Observed by Shiites around the world, there are many in and around Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, northern India. Hindus are also involved.
Their participation is despite the fact that more than 200 million people are governed by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which supports Hindu hegemony in a multi-religious nation, as in India as a whole.
"My grandfather prayed to Hussein as a child, and when my father was born, my grandfather began observing the mourning of Hussein's sacrifice," Bimura Devi, 72 years old said.
A Hindu woman filled the room with symbols of Alam, Tajiya, and other Karbala.
Her family lights candles and remembers Ashura's Hussein and other martyrs.
In the nearby village of Mahmudabad, nearly 500 Hindus attend a religious procession two days before Ashura each year.
Believers march in a narrow lane chanting Hussein's name. Village women traditionally fasted for three days.
"Imam Hussein's sacrifice in Karbala is an inspiration, and the Hindus of Mahmudabad respect this. He was killed, but it was a right and wrong victory," 19 Said Rohit Valmiki, a year old.
On Tuesday, the old town of Lucknow was a barefoot mourner who recited Elegy, beat his chest, chanted, and struck his back with a knife until he was bleeding.
Muharram has been marked in the city for at least 250 years since Lucknow was under the control of the Shiite kings of Iran.
"The first example of a religious procession can be traced back to 1838," said local historian Jafar Mir Abdullah.
He said the Lucknow complex culture influenced and attracted Hindus to Hussein and Karbala. Several built mosques and shrines.
In the 1970s, sectarian clashes between Sunnis and Shiites banned religious processes for 20 years. Currently, they are done under strict security.
Today, Muslims and Hindus in the province governed by hardline Hindu monk Yogi Aditianas, who is touted as a potential successor to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. There are concerns about further tensions among the Hindus.
"The current political situation in the state has created a division between the two communities," Abdullah said.
Valmiki added:
