MONOGRAPH CENSUS OF INDIA 1961 No.3 MONOGRAPH SERIES VOLUME-I PART VU-B Field Investigation P. N. SAKSENA, M. A. LL.B., Dip. P. A. and draft S. BHATIA, M. A. S. P. THUKRAL, M. A. S. SURI, M. Sc. Supplementary field K. A. GUPTA, M.A. investigation Research design B. K. ROY BURMAN, M.Sc., D.Phil. Supervision and editing Foreword ASOK MITRA Office of the Reiisrrar 'G~neral India MOHARRAM in two cities Ministry of Home Affairs ( LUCKNOW AND DELHI) New Delhi-II Photography . K. C. KAPOOR: H. C. PANDE H. P. SARIN Maps & Drawings T. KESAVRAO S. L. CHOPRA Cover Page T. KESAVARAO Tabulation C. G. JADHAV S. C. SAXENA S. P. JAIN J. P. KHOSLA SUDESH CHANDER K. K. CHAWLA Glossary & Index S. P. THUKRAL Dictation & Typing S. N. KAPUR Typing G. L. BAWEJA B. N. KAPOOR: B. L. KAPOOR Assistance to the editor in- S. P. THUKRAL arranging the materials Proof' Reading R. L. GUPTA (Final Scrutiny) ASHA RANI GROVER DIDAR SINGH DHARAM PAL N. L. SAVITA D. C. SHARMA PREFACE Moharram in Lucknow is famous throughout India. 'In 1963, the Social Studies and Handicrafts Section decided to undertake a study of the festival. For this purpose a short exploratory study was first made by Sri P. N. Saksena; Junior Investigator in the office of the Registrar General, India. Later on, the scope of the study was expanded in consultation with Smt. K. A. Gupta, Senior Technical Assistant in the office of the Registrar General India, who had a Muslim background. She also undertook a short field investigation. In 1964, the study of the festival; was undertaken in a comprehen­ sive manner. It! was felt· that for the purpose of comparison, another city, in addition to Lucknow should also be taken up for study. Accordingl:y, Delhi was selected. , In each, city, the study was made at two levels - public level and family level. In Lucknow the study in the public revel was made by Sri P. N. Saksena, the study in the family level was made by Kum. S. Bhatia. In Delhi the study in the public level was made by Sri S. P. Thukral and the study in the family level was made by Smt. S. Suri. They canvassed the schedutes and prepared the first draft for their respective chapters. The responsibility for the final draft, however, belongs to me. The schedules canvassed during the study are furnished at Appendix IV. While drafting the report we came across a problem. Theoreti­ cally the date for the various performances connected with Moharram are fixed according to Hijari calendar. But as according to Hijari calendar, a new, date starts with dusk, there is frequently confusion about the corres­ ponding date according to Gregarian calendar even among the perfor­ mers. To avoid this confusion we have indicated the dates of Hijari calendar, starting from the morning, though strictly speaking it is not correct. I avail of this opportunity to express my thanks to various institu­ tions, scholars and others who helped the Investigators in conducting the study. I would like to make a particular mention of Maulana Syed Kalb-e- Prof. Masood Hasan Rizawi, Sham- Abid, Maulana Syed Kalb-e-Sadiq, shul Hasan 'Taj' and the family of Mirza Athar Hussain of Lucknow and Syed Husain Ali JaHri, Syed Amir Mirza Kazmi, Syed Mohabat Ali and Syed Mohsin Ali of Delhi. I am grateful to Sri Baldev Raj, Superintendent of Census Opera­ tions Delhi, who kindly allowed the photos taken by his photographer Sr~ H. P. Sarin to be used for this report. I am grateful to Sri K. D. Ballal:, Central Tabulation Officer, Office of the Registrar General India, for taking special interest for getting the monograph printed in time. Sri Bani Singh, who ably helped him also deserves my thanks. I am particularly grateful to Sri Asok Mitra, Registrar General, India, for his encouragement to this study. NEW DELHI B. K. Roy BURMAN 24-7-65 FOREWORD In my general Foreword to the ViUage Survey series of the 1961 Census pubtications, I have briefly explained how the idea of the Survey unfolded itself and developed between 1959 and 1961. Towards the end. of 1961 several distinguished scholars were invited to write special monographs for the ViUage Survey series. At the same time, the Social Studies Section of the Registrar General's Office, headed by Dr. B. K. Roy Burman, undertook experiments in various types of social! study. Dr. Roy Burman stimulated his colleagues and assistants to go into g(eat depth over specific problems of social change. His object was, apart from striking new lines in methodology and designs of schedules, new methods of tabulation and cross-tabula­ tion, new l:ines of correlating apparently unrelated fields of social phenomenon, to train his colleagues and assistants rigorously in the science of social investigation.· He took a wide range of problems and even a wider geographical distribution of them, throughout India. This study of Moharram in two cities - Lucknow and Delhi - is a testi­ mony to Dr. B. K. Roy Burman's abiHties in directing research and to the staunch­ ness and probity with which the investigation was conducted, analysed and report­ ed upon by. Shri P. N. Saksena, Kumari Suman Bhatia, Shri S. P. Thukral, Shri­ mati Savitri Suri and Shrimati K. A. Gupta. This study has added to our knowledge of .certain aspects of the cultural traditions of the Muslims of India and I wish to re­ cord my acknowledgements to my colleagues. New Delhi' Asok Mitra November 10, 1966. Registrar General, India. CONTENTS CHAPTER Page Introduction 1-16 II Public Performance of Moharram in Lucknow III Moharram at family level in Lucknow IV Public Performance of Moharram in Delhi V Moharram at family level in Delhi 1. Appendices 2. Glossary 3. Index .. ~ 121-124 INTRODUCTION Moharram is the festival of mourning among the became the Caliph. He signed a peace treaty with muslims in commemoration of the death of Imam Muaviya and abdicated his Caliphate in favour of Husain, the grand son of Prophet Mohammad, and his Muaviya. But according to the treaty, Muaviya was associates in the desert of Karbala about thirteen hundred not to have the right to nominate his successor, and on years ago. But it is not just mourning. A number of his death the Caliphate was to revert to Prophet ritual and social complexes have grown around it. As Mohammad's family" But, though-Imam Hasan abdicat· one middle.aged Shia of Lucknow said "Moharram pro­ ed his Caliphate, he could not live in peace and was vides flesh and blood to the Shia community." Another finally poisoned to death. His dead body was not allow· Shia of Lucknow said "it is perpetual Moharram with ed to be buried in the tomb of the Prophet. Violating us." • the terms of the treaty, Muaviya nominated his son Yazid as the successor to th~ Caliphate and obtained A study of the festival was undertaken by the Social oath of allegiance from the Muslim population in favour Study Unit of the Office of the Registrar General India, of his son. But Imam Husain, the brother of Imar.: in two cities, namely, Lucknow and Delhi. The study Hasan refused to take an oath of allegiance to Yazid. was made by participant observation of performance of So long as Muaviya was alive, he left Imam Husain Moharram both in public as well as in families. Infor· alone; but after his death, Yazid demanded the oath of mation was also collected by interview method. For allegiance from Imam Husain, which the latter refused. this purpose ten differel1t types of schedules' were can· Feeling that it was undesirable to stay at Medina, vassed, the copies of which are furnished at Annexure I. Imam Husain left the city on 28th Rajab 60 A. H. and went to Mecca alongwith his relatives including HISTORICAL SEITING OF MOHARRAM the women and the children of the Prophet's family. It seems that even during the life time of Prophet But as he was harassed there also, he left Mecca two Mohammad th,ere was mutual jealousy and antagonism days before the Hajj (pilgrimage). From Mecca he pro· among some of his followers. After the death of the ceeded for a place called Kufa in Iraq, as he was receiv· Prophet the Shias considered his son·in·law and cousin ing invitation from the people of Kufa to visit that place. Ali as the rightful Caliph. For them Caliphate was a He sent his cousin Muslim to Kufa to study the situa­ God·given office and not one to be attained by human tion and Muslim was killed by the order of the Governor appointment. Belief in this was an ordinance of God, of Kufa on 9th Zilhij. The information of Muslim's an article of the faith. He who did not accept it as death reached Imam when he was on his way to Kufa such, was an unbeliever. The theological position of the, at the place Zubalah, but he decided to continue the Shias was that the superhuman power of Mohammad de~ journey. He reached the place called Zu·Hasm where scended to the members of his house - Ali and his chilo his way was blocked by the "detachment of the army dren -, so that they could interpret the will of God and of Ibn Ziyad under Hurr. The Shias state that Hurr tell future events. On the other hand, the Sunnis hold and his people were badly in need of water and were that Caliphate is an elected office and must be occupi· dying of thirst.