Karnataka - Hubli-Dharwad   

Muslims, Hindus observe Moharram peacefully

Staff Correspondent

A large number of Hindu men and boys performed `huli kunita'

UNITED: People participating in the procession carrying `panja' as part of Moharram at Gardenpet in Hubli on Tuesday.

HUBLI: People belonging to both Muslim and Hindu communities in Dharwad, Haveri and Gadag districts on Tuesday observed Moharram. It was observed peacefully much to the relief of the police, who had made elaborate security arrangements.

People carried panja over burning coal, as Moharram is a commemoration of the sacrifices.

Hindus participate

Several people belonging to Hindu communities observed Moharram and completed the harake on the last day on Tuesday. A large number of people especially men and boys belonging to Hindu communities painted their body or parts of their body like that of a tiger and visited households and performed huli kunita as part of their harake. This ritual, which usually begins a week before, concludes on Moharram day. The ritual is still observed in most of the villages in North Karnataka apart from urban areas.

While the ritual of carrying the panja took place in the morning, a procession was taken out in the evening, in which a large number of people belonging to both the communities took part.Moharram is observed by Shia Muslims to commemorate the martyrdom of Prophet Mohammed's grandson, Imam Hussain, who was killed in the Battle of Karbala in A.D. 680.

The prophet's son-in-law Ali, and Ali's elder son Hassan, are also remembered during this period as having suffered and died for righteous causes.

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