Essay on the Muslim Festivals Celebrated in India!
1. Muharram:
Muharram is a month long mourning on the death anniversary of Imam Hussain, the son of Ali and grandson of the prophet of Islam. He died fighting at Karbala against Yazid, the son of the usurper Moaviah to the khalifaship of Islam.
The first ten days are observed as days of lamentation by the Muslims in general and the Shias in particular. Tazia processions are observed. The festival of Muharram was observed throughout the period up to Mughal rule.
Under the Mughals (who were Sunnis) also no restrictions were put on its observance. Aurangzeb, however, put a ban on the practice of Muharram processions, but the Muharram assemblies, mourning and distribution of charity continued to be practiced all over the country.
2. Id-i Milad:
Id-i-Miland, or the feast of the prophet’s, nativity is celebrated on the 11th of Rabi-ul-Awwal with great solemnity. On this occasion special lectures were arranged in which the chief incidents of the Prophet’s life were narrated.
Quran was recited amongst the large gatherings. While the recitation of Quran was going on rose water was profusely sprinkled and sweets and halwa was distributed among the people. It is said that Shah lahan observed this festival with great solemnity and took a seat on the carpet after leaving his throne.
He also distributed charity liberally. It is recorded that on one occasion Shah Jahan gave twelve thousand rupees as charity.
3. Id-ul-Fitr:
Id-ul-Fitr or Id-ul-Saghir, was a two days festival which began on the first day of Shawal. This day of rejoicing comes after the long-drawn-out fast of Ramzan. The people broke their fast after sighting the new moon. Usually the sighting of the moon was followed by firing of guns and blowing of trumpets.
The next morning the Muslims dressed themselves in best clothes, met their relatives and friends and exchanged sweets and good wishes, it was customary to call on elders and superiors and to offer them greetings.
In the afternoon the Muslims went to Idgah to offer prayers. Jahangir and Shahjahan particularly celebrated this festival with great enthusiasm and offered charily to the poor. Even Aurangzeb celebrated this festival with great enthusiasm.
4. Id-ul-Zuha:
Id-ul-Zuha or Bakr-Id was celebrated on the 10th day of Zu-i-Hijja. On this occasion people sacrificed a quadruped such as goat, sheep or even cow as a commemoration of the ram which “redeemed Islam when his father Abrahim was ready to make him a sacrifice”. This festival was celebrated in the pre-Mughal period too, but under the Mughals it began to be observed with great pomp and show.
The emperors took keen interest in the celebration of this festival. There are instances on record when the emperors themselves went to the Idgah and sacrificed quadrupeds. Jahangir is recorded to have sacrificed three goats with his own hands at this festival. The well-to-do people arranged the ceremony at their homes and offered fatiha in the name of their deceased relatives.
5. Nau-Roz:
Nau-roz was the national festival of spring which was celebrated on the new Persian year. This festival lasted nineteen days. During this festival the bazars, houses and shops were cleaned and white washed. This festival was mainly confined to the upper classes of Muslims who were associated with the Sultan.
It was usually celebrated in large gardens and parks. During the festival various sports, games, dances and music concerts were arranged. Musicians from Iran were specially invited to give their performance. On this occasion special coins known as Nisar were issued by the royal mint, which were distributed among the poor people.
Manrique has given a description of this festival which deserves to be studied. He says, “The first courtyard was rendered gay by a large body of glittering cavalry numbering 4000 horses, all dressed in coloured embroidered silk, while the horse-men wore brilliant silken robes, followed by 610 royal elephants dressed in gay silver mounted coverings and decorated with silken flowers and carrying silken and golden howdaha formed the second guard. The first hall was all covered with pictures and paintings of battles, riding parties, hunting scenes etc.”
The festival of Nau-roz was forbidden by the Mughal Emperor Humayun under religious influence. However, even during the Mughals period the practice of observing state banquets on the day of Nau-roz was continued. This festival has now virtually died out.
6. Shab-i-Barat:
The festival of Shab-i-Barat is celebrated on the 14th of Shabban. It is believed that on this day the Prophet ascended the heaven. It is a common belief that on this night, the lives and fortunes of mortals for the coming year are registered in heaven.
One day before the actual date of the festival the people prepared stew, curds, sweet-meat etc. and offered fatiha. Certain scholars have expressed the view that the festival of shab-i-Barat was copied from the Hindu festival of Shivaratri.
This impression exists because some of the religious enthusiasts spent the whole night of Shab-i-Barat in offering special prayers and reading Holy Quran. The common people celebrated the festival by illuminating their homes and mosques.
The festival was celebrated with great enthusiasm by Jahangir and Shahjahan. They got the palaces, government buildings, gardens, reservoirs etc. illuminated. A great fire work was displayed in the diwan-i-am. The emperors also distributed gifts to the poor on this occasion.
In addition to the other festivals the Muslims observed other festivals which though net that popular, were observed by a sizeable section of the people. These included Bara Wafat, observed on the twelfth of the month of Rabi-ul-Auwal in commemoration of the prophet’s birth and death, Akhiri-Chahar Shamba, Chahellum, etc.