Chup Tazia (; ) or silent '' tazia'' is the name given to religious processions held mostly on 8th of

Rabi' al-awwal Rabiʽ al-Awwal (, also known as Rabi' al-Ula (), or Rabi' I) is the third month of the Islamic calendar. The name ''Rabī‘ al-awwal'' means "''the first month'' or ''beginning of Spring (season), spring''", referring to its position in the ...

Twelver Twelver Shi'ism (), also known as Imamism () or Ithna Ashari, is the Islamic schools and branches, largest branch of Shia Islam, Shi'a Islam, comprising about 90% of all Shi'a Muslims. The term ''Twelver'' refers to its adherents' belief in twel ...

Shia Muslims Shia Islam is the second-largest Islamic schools and branches, branch of Islam. It holds that Muhammad in Islam, Muhammad designated Ali ibn Abi Talib () as both his political Succession to Muhammad, successor (caliph) and as the spiritual le ...

Bangladesh Bangladesh, officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by population, eighth-most populous country in the world and among the List of countries and dependencies by ...

India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...

and

Pakistan Pakistan, officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of over 241.5 million, having the Islam by country# ...

to commemorate the death of

Imam Imam (; , '; : , ') is an Islamic leadership position. For Sunni Islam, Sunni Muslims, Imam is most commonly used as the title of a prayer leader of a mosque. In this context, imams may lead Salah, Islamic prayers, serve as community leaders, ...

Hasan al-Askari Hasan al-Askari (; ) was a descendant of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. He is regarded as the eleventh of the Twelve Imams, succeeding his father, Ali al-Hadi. Hasan Al-Askari was born in Medina in 844 and brought with his father to the garris ...

, the eleventh of the Twelver Shi'a Imams.Census of India, 1961, Volume 1, Issue 3
Manager of Publications, Office of the Registrar General of India The procession is usually regarded as the last procession of the mourning period that begins in the Islamic month of

Muharram Al-Muharram () is the first month of the Islamic calendar. It is one of the four sacred months of the year when warfare is banned. It precedes the month of Safar. The tenth of Muharram is known as Ashura, an important day of commemoration in ...

.Palace culture of Lucknow
Amir Hasan, B.R. Pub. Corp., 1983 Mourning_of_Holy_Ashura_17

Origin in Lucknow

The tradition of ''Chup Tazia'' originated in the Indian city of

Lucknow Lucknow () is the List of state and union territory capitals in India, capital and the largest city of the List of state and union territory capitals in India, Indian state of Uttar Pradesh and it is the administrative headquarters of the epon ...

before spreading to other parts of

South Asia South Asia is the southern Subregion#Asia, subregion of Asia that is defined in both geographical and Ethnicity, ethnic-Culture, cultural terms. South Asia, with a population of 2.04 billion, contains a quarter (25%) of the world's populatio ...

. The procession dates back to the nawabi era and was started by Nawab Ahmed Ali Khan Shaukat Yar Jung, a descendant of Bahu Begum. It is one of the most important features of Azadari in Lucknow and is currently one of the nine allowed processions.twocircles.net, ''Before Muharram begins, gloom descends on Old Lucknow'', 7 December 2010
/ref> During the nineteenth century this procession, which previously was occurred on the day of '' Chehlum'' (20th

Safar Safar (), also spelt as Safer in Turkish, is the second month of the lunar Islamic calendar. Most of the Islamic months were named according to ancient Sabean/Sabaic weather conditions; however, since the calendar is lunar, the months shift ...

), was shifted to eighteenth day of ''Chehlum'' i.e. 8th of

. This final mourning procession begins on the morning of 8th of Rabi' al-awwal. Featuring ''alam'', ''zari'' and ''tazia'', the march originates from Imambara Nazim Saheb on Victoria street and moves in complete silence as it passes through Patanala until it terminates at Karbala Kazmain, where the colossal black '' tazia'' is buried. On 26 May 1969, after a series of clashes and murders, another riot broke out when a Shia ''Alam'' and ''Chup Tazia'' procession which had until that point passed through the predominantly

Sunni Sunni Islam is the largest branch of Islam and the largest religious denomination in the world. It holds that Muhammad did not appoint any successor and that his closest companion Abu Bakr () rightfully succeeded him as the caliph of the Mu ...

mohallas of Pul Ghulam and Mahmoodnagar peacefully, was suddenly brick-batted from a Sunni mosque as the procession reached Mahmoodnagar.

Allahabad

There are two ''Chup Tazia'' processions in

Allahabad Prayagraj (, ; ISO 15919, ISO: ), formerly and colloquially known as Allahabad, is a metropolis in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.The other five cities were: Agra, Kanpur, Kanpur (Cawnpore), Lucknow, Meerut, and Varanasi, Varanasi (Benar ...

, # The first procession of ''Anjuman-e-Haideriya'' starts from Imambara Mirza Naqi Beg in Rani Mandi and passes through Bachchaji Ki Kothi, Kotwali, Khuldabad and terminates at Karbala. # The second procession of ''Dasta-e-Abbasia'' starts from Imam Raza Masjid or Imambara Laddan Khan in Daryabad and culminates at Pathanwali Imambara Arab Ali Khan.

Hyderabad, India

Hyderabad Hyderabad is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Telangana. It occupies on the Deccan Plateau along the banks of the Musi River (India), Musi River, in the northern part of Southern India. With an average altitude of , much ...

, just before evening prayers, the procession starts from Dabeerpura Flyover and reaches Alawa-e-Sartouq Mubarak at Darushafa, a Shia majority area. At this place a short

majlis (, pl. ') is an Arabic term meaning 'sitting room', used to describe various types of special gatherings among common interest groups of administrative, social or religious nature in countries with linguistic or cultural connections to the Mus ...

is arranged and after this majlis the black flags, which symbolise sorrow, are removed and red flags are hoisted to symbolise joy. This changing of flags takes place as the next day, the ninth of Rabi al awwal, is a festive day known as Eid e Zehra.

Karachi

Chup Tazia began in

after its

independence Independence is a condition of a nation, country, or state, in which residents and population, or some portion thereof, exercise self-government, and usually sovereignty, over its territory. The opposite of independence is the status of ...

in 1947. Mr. Nawab Hassan Lucknowi brought Chup Tazia to

Karachi Karachi is the capital city of the Administrative units of Pakistan, province of Sindh, Pakistan. It is the List of cities in Pakistan by population, largest city in Pakistan and 12th List of largest cities, largest in the world, with a popul ...

. After his death, his son led the procession. Now Mr. Imtiaz Hussain leads the Chup Tazia procession in Nishtar Park, Karachi. There are two Chup Tazia processions in Karachi: #After Fajr, the first procession sets off from Nishtar Park in Soldier Bazar and culminates at Imambargah Hussainia Irania in Kharadar after the Zohrain prayers. #The second procession starts from Qasr-e-Musayyab in Rizvia Society and culminates at Masjid-o-Imambargah Shah-e-Najaf on Martin Road.

Kamoke-Gujranwala

Chup Tazia began in Pakistan after the

in 1947. In 1998, Syed Ali Abbas Naqvi started in Kamoke-Gujranwala, Pakistan. Alipur Chatha (Akalghar) was started in Alipur Chatha (Akalghar) District Gujranwala by Dr. Syed Ali Akthar in 1948 when he migrated from Sadhaura District Ambala (now District Yumnanagar) India. starts on 6th of Rabi ul Awal.

References