Paper short abstract:

The paper will document and analyze the performance of rituals and the role of Karbala imagery in the context of ashura processions in Hyderabad.

Paper long abstract:

The community, according to Heinz Halm, "is created through the process of rituals" more than "the profession of belief in dogma." In Islamic history, the battle of Karbala is the single event that has had an immense impact in shaping the sectarian identity of Shia community worldwide and their sense of Husain's martyrdom. Since then, Shia religious practice has incorporated rites and rituals commemorating the martyrs and Prophet Muhammad's family. Ashura procession is one such ritual which makes up the core performance of the annual observance of Muharram. Mourning the martyrs of Karbala during these processions involves mimetic rituals of self-flagellation, weeping and carrying alams (standards). In Hyderabad, the processions have been held since the reign of the Qutb Shahi dynasty (1518-1687). Present day ashura processions of Hyderabad are well known throughout India and in Shia communities of other countries for their pageantry.

A remarkable feature of the performance of Shia religious rituals is the display of popular devotional art, which depicts the narrative of Karbala. I use the term Karbala imagery to refer to these contemporary productions of devotional art. This artwork is displayed in shrines and streets of Shia neighborhoods and serves a crucial function during the performance of rituals. This paper aims to offer a description of Shia commemorative rituals as well as analyze ritual performance. It will focus on the function of Karbala imagery in the context of these rituals, particularly the bodily practice of self-flagellation known as matam.