Azadari in Lucknow

Azadari in Lucknow or Mourning in Lucknow, is name of the practices related to mourning and commemoration of the anniversary of the death of Imam Husayn ibn Ali at the Battle of Karbala in 680, particularly in period of Muharram (in the Indian sub-continent Muharram in the context of remembrance of the events of Karbala means the period of two months & eight days i.e. 68 days starting from the evening of 29 Zill-Hijjah and ending on the evening of 8 Rabi-al-Awwal) and in general round the year.

The Government of Uttar Pradesh banned the processions in 1977 because of riots and violence. As a result of protests, demonstrations, court arrests, self immolations and deaths of Shia youth, under the leadership of shia ulemas, the Shias were permitted by the government to stage an Azadari procession in January 1998 (21st of Ramzan). A limited number of processions are allowed, and security is tight.

Nawab Asafudaula used to spend 60,000 Rupees on a single Muharram.

During Nawabi time Azadari practices were even observed by non-Shias, particularly Sunni Muslims of lower stratum. Sleeman, who spent considerable time in Lucknow notes that the Shias and the Sunnis participated with equal enthusiasm in practices of Muharram.

Riots took place in 1908, 1930s, 1968, 1969, 1974 and 1977. The Government of Uttar Pradesh banned the processions in 1977.

Even the Shias and Sunnis concede that the Shia-Sunni conflict in Lucknow is not long-standing. They date it back to start of the 20th century.

The first Shia–Sunni riot occurred in 1908, when a tazia procession of Shias was attacked by group of militant Sunnis hiding in a Sunni mosque. After which a four-member committee under chairmanship of Justice T. C. Piggot, an ICS officer and a judge of High Court was formed to look into the matter. The conclusion of committee was that "the attempt to transform the tazia processions in honour of first four Caliphs was an innovation. "The personal knowledge of those members of the Committee who are well acquainted with Lucknow is on the whole favourable to Shia view." The Committee also recommended that there should be general prohibition against the organised recitation of Madhe-Sahaba verses on three days, viz., ashura (the tenth day of Muharram), Chehlum (the fortieth day of ashura), and the twenty-first day of Ramzan. The Government accepted the report of the Committee.

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