Ashura

Remembering Kerbala under the shadow of Qum

Much less people attended this year Nabatye’s renowned commemoration of Ashura. And much less people participated in the “tuddrub” (hit), traditional beating of the head with knives and sabers that attracts many international media. Compared to last year Ashura’s commemoration, the black colors in sign of Hussein’s mourning, son of Ali and Fatima and grandson of the Prophet Muhammad, eclipsed the red of the penitents’ blood (…) Many followers reacted this year to Hezbollah’s call against it and many joined Dahie’s (Beirut suburbs and Hezbollah stronghold) ceremonies rather than Nabatye’s one. But despite the undeniable effect that this had in dropping the number of young hitting their heads with blades, some of the explanation could reside away. Since the war on Iraq in 2003 and with the elevated danger that implied for Shia pilgrims to travel to Iraqi shrines in holly sites as Nayaf, or Kerbala, Iran has hurry up to provide a safer alternative to the pilgrims with its own shrines as Mashhad, Qum or the impressive Khomeini’s tomb near Teheran. Recovering not only a good share of the worldwide incomes derived from pilgrimage but also its renewed role in directing the Shia community. While years ago Iran was defending Iraqis Shia for their right to “tuddrub” during Ashura, today’s Iran opposes it joining the call of Hezbollah. We could see subtle winks of Iranian’s influence in this year’s Nabatye’s Ashura in the increasing numbers of poster and iconic representations of Hussein that are omnipresent in any Iranian Bazaar. See: http://vocesalternativas.wordpress.com/2009/01/09/ashura-homenaje-a-la-tristeza/