Ashura

In 2006 I captured these photographs in Old Delhi, around the Jama Masjid — India’s largest mosque — on the day of Ashura. For Shi’a Muslims, Ashura is an outpouring of grief and catharsis, honoring the battle-death of Husayn ibn Ali, grandson of the Prophet Muhammad. Men and even young boys engage in self-flagellation to honor Husayn’s sacrifice, while women sing mournful elegies. The streets echo with cries of "Ya Husayn!" as devotees, many dripping with blood, embody the spirit of martyrdom. Their belief is that Allah protects the righteous from all physical pain on this day of lamentation.