There is history and then there is the memory of history.

While history is
preserved in annals, its memory comes down to generations through the interplay of
culture, traditions and oral accounts.

Every significant event ever unfolded on the face of the earth is temporal in a
sense that it occurs in a particular time-space setting, and at the same time,
eternal, because of its sheer ability to recreate itself over and over again.

While the temporal aspect is discrete and entrenched in time, determining the
course of succeeding events, the eternal aspect is pliable and serves as a
cornerstone in times to come, in order to make sense of the past, reconcile with
the present, and map out the future.

When it comes to tragedy, the memory can overshadow the event itself. Memory is
human, all too human. History is not.

Karbala is memory. Such is the timelessness of the memory that the howl of Karbala
still echoes in the air after all these centuries.

Tragedy of Karbala stands un-paralleled for its significance as a historical event

for Muslims belonging to any denomination.

Such is the versatility of the symbolism attached to it that it has attracted

poets, mourners, mystics, revolutionaries, devotees and writers alike.

Such is the appeal of the tragedy that Karbala has become a significant constituent
of the cultural construct of the subcontinent.

After the tragedy of Karbala, Muslims experienced a new cultural synthesis

++++ Now if we talk about the cultural tradtions in which the karbala tradegy has
an immense role,the frist one is marsiya.

Karbala has enriched Urdu poetry as well. The “marsiya” has come to be an
inseparable part of Urdu poetic tradition.

Marsiya depicted the memory of Karbala in indigenous South Asian imagery.

Mir Anis and Dabir through the genre of Marsiyya in Urdu literature made Hussain
into an eternal literary metaphor.

Rich in imagination, tragic in content, magnificent in diction; the marsiyas from

Awadh not only capture the seventh century butchery at Karbala, but also underscore
the socio-political conditions of 17th century India where the Mughal Empire was
loosing its legitimacy rapidly.

Karbala has influenced writers and poets inside and outside this movement alike:
Faiz, Mahindra Singh Bedi, Munshi Premchand, Makhdoom Muhayuddin, Faraz, Josh
Malihabadi, Ali Sardar Jafri, to name a few.

Within the tradition of The Progressive Movement, writers and poets have borrowed
significantly from the memory of Karbala in their struggle against colonial and
postcolonial injustice.

The practice of putting up stalls of drinks for the faithfuls participating in

mourning processions has a religious as well as historical and geo-cultural
significance.

The literal meaning of the word ‘Sabeel’ is ‘Way’. It is believed that Imam Hussain
(R.A.), his family and his troops were deprived of water for five days

Sabeel is regarded as a signature Moharram activity now. The variety of drinks

available at different sabeels, in different parts of the city, range from plain
water to traditional beverages, chilled milk flavoured with nuts and cardamom, and
multiple types of tea.

Moroever, massive amount of food is distributed called as NIAZ . The caterers cook
food right in the street.

The more popular dishes for niaz are kheer, haleem, chickpea rice, chicken pulao
and a few others. Some people also distribute suji ka halwa

So much has changed in our times. Mystics lie in their graves and have ceased to be
a potent social voice.

Progressives seem to be worn out after all these years of continual struggle in the
face of tyranny and oppression.

Or perhaps, nothing has changed.

The turn of the century has brought horrors upon religious minorities in Pakistan.
From metaphysical metaphor and poetic symbols of revolution, the resilient memory
of Karbala is increasingly transforming itself into a symbol of endurance in the
face of violent militancy in our times.

We witness the religious and ethnic minorities being oppressed and denied of their
basic human rights. Extremism is at its peak.

History might be dead, but the memory is alive; after all these centuries, still
alive. Because memory is human, all too human.

Obaidullah Aleem was well ahead of his time when he wrote these verses in the most
prophetic manner:

“Is Qafilay ne dekh liya hai Karbala ka din

Ab reh gaya hai Shaam ka bazaar dekhna”

(The caravan has already seen the day of Karbala

It is the bazaar of Syria that is yet to be seen)