Imambara Zadibal was the first

Imambara A Husayniyya () is a building designed specifically for gatherings of Shia Muslim, Shia Muslims for spiritual practice, religious education and commemoration ceremonies, especially the Mourning of Muharram. The Husayniyya is a multipurpose hall ...

''( Husayniyya) or Marak'' constructed in

Kashmir Valley The Kashmir Valley, also known as the Vale of Kashmir, is an intermontane valley in northern Jammu and Kashmir, a region in Indian-administered Kashmir.(a) (subscription required) Quote: "Kashmir, region of the northwestern Indian subcont ...

by Kaji Chak, minister in the regime of Sultan Mohammad in the year 1518. It is situated in the Zadibal area of

Srinagar Srinagar (; ) is a city in Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir in the disputed Kashmir region.The application of the term "administered" to the various regions of Kashmir and a mention of the Kashmir dispute is supported by the tertiary ...

to the west side of Hari Parbat fort. This Imambara was burned down and destroyed number of times.

Architecture

This Imambara is a two-storey building. The building follows

Persian architecture Iranian architecture or Persian architecture (, ''Me'māri e Irāni'') is the architecture of Iran and parts of the rest of West Asia, the Caucasus and Central Asia. Its history dates back to at least 5,000 BC with characteristic examples distr ...

and has a

symmetrical Symmetry () in everyday life refers to a sense of harmonious and beautiful proportion and balance. In mathematics, the term has a more precise definition and is usually used to refer to an object that is invariant under some transformations ...

structure. The building has a central hall with high ceiling supported by pillars, walls decorated with calligraphic inscriptions and floral motifs. The hall is surrounded by rooms on all the sides. A large gate adorned with

carvings Carving is the act of using tools to shape something from a material by scraping away portions of that material. The technique can be applied to any material that is solid enough to hold a form even when pieces have been removed from it, and y ...

and designs act as the entrance to the hall. On the side of the hall, staircase leads to second floor of the building. The second floor has several rooms, a balcony that overlooks the hall. the Building can accommodate more than 32,000 visitors at a time.

Observances

Shia Muslims are a minority in Kashmir. During the first 10 days 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 ...

, Imambada Zadibal becomes a centre of mourning and religious gathering (

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 ...

) in Zadibal. Azadars ''(Mourners)'' join in the mourning, usually from Bota Kadal,

Lalbazar Lalbazar is a neighbourhood in Central Kolkata, earlier known as Calcutta, in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is part of the central business district adjoining B.B.D. Bagh area. The headquarters of the Kolkata Police is located here (18, La ...

and ending on the

day of Ashura A day is the time period of a full rotation of the Earth with respect to the Sun. On average, this is 24 hours (86,400 seconds). As a day passes at a given location it experiences morning, afternoon, evening, and night. This daily cycle dri ...

with large Zuljanah procession and parades through the streets of Zadibal ending at Imambada Zadibal. Mourning continues from first day of Muharram to third of the Islamic month Rabi al Awwal, after which Eid al Zahra, also known as Eid e Shuja, is celebrated. This marks the end of the two-month mourning period.

Building and destruction

The Building was destroyed and reconstructed several times.

Location

Reaching this shrine is easy because it is close to Srinagar Highway. The Imambara is in the middle of

Zadibal Zadibal ( ; ) is a notified area in the municipality of Srinagar, in the Kashmir Valley of Jammu and Kashmir (union territory), Jammu and Kashmir, India. Zadibal Assembly constituency is one of the 87 constituencies in Jammu and Kashmir Legisla ...

, and it is near the Khushal Sar Lake and Hari Parbat Fort that most people call Qilla. The nearest railway station is the

Srinagar railway station Srinagar railway station is a railway station of the city of Srinagar in the Jammu and Kashmir, India. The station is part of the Jammu–Baramulla line and lies in the newly created Jammu division, which once completed, will connect the ci ...

. It is an hour's ride away by car. Sheikh ul Alam International Airport is only a few kilometers from the Imambara. Taxi services are also available within the city of Srinagar.

References

{{reflist Buildings and structures in Srinagar Shia Islam Husayniyyas