HYDERABAD: Hyderabad’s small but tightly-knit and somewhat reclusive Hazara ethnic community, which has a reputation of being fearless, shuns its low profile existence during Ashura days as its young and elderly men lead central procession of 10th of Muharram in the city every year. They have kept the distinction intact for decades.

The community is concentrated in Hazara Colony in Hussainabad, which witnesses multiple activities during Muharram ranging from serving of ‘langar’ (free food) to staging of old mourning processions.

Mallah and Solangi communities were the oldest ones living in the area followed by those whose elders migrated from India and Hazaras. Several houses of their community are located in Hazara Colony mainly close to the protective bund.

Hazaras, usually, pass a low profile life even though they are serving in government departments. However, when it comes to Ashura, the Hazara men including young and elderly lead the central Ashura’s procession on 10th of Muharram here. They would keep the tradition intact even tis day, they resolved.

Hazara Imambargah is located a few paces from the protective bund. Members of the community profess Asna Ashari sect among Fiqah-i-Jafria and have been living in the area for close to seven decades. Because of distinct facial features this ethnic community is easily distinguishable.

Ashura (today’s) central procession emanates from Qadamgah Maula Ali off Station Road. Hazaras’ dasta (circle) remains in the forefront of a procession staged under the aegis of Anjuman-i-Hyderi (AH), registered in 1948.

“Our dasta is the first among all Anjumans without any fear while other Anjumans get their numbers after balloting,” says a bearded Hamid Hussain, administrator of Hussainabad’s Hazara Imambargah.

“We never felt frightened or threatened even when Hazara community members were being massacred in various parts of the country, particularly in Balochistan. We had led Ashura’s procession even in those days without having any fear,” said a confident looking Hamid Hazara.

Hyder Ali, his young fellow who works in a private school, is incumbent general secretary of the community’s Anjuman after the death of his father.

The 7th Muharram mehndi of Shahzada Qasim was one of the important events of the community in Hussainabad. It is held inside an Imambargah. “Like any other event of Shahzada Qasim’s mehndi, women from other ethnic backgrounds turn up in our Imambargah to have their ‘mannat’ for different reasons including social, domestic, personal and family oriented,” informs Hamid.

District police provide security to mourners who are part of central procession. Besides other mourners, Hazaras were taken to Qadamgah under security for leading the central mourning procession. They beat their chests and flagellate en route to Karbala Dadan Shah from where they were brought to their Imambargah under security.

“Many of our elders had settled here in Hyderabad and Nawabshah soon after partition. Gen Musa also owned land in Bulri Shah Karim, Tando Mohammad Khan district,” Hamid Hazara recalled. Some community fellows also live in Latifabad Unit-3 and in 60-Mile area in Shaheed Banazirabad district.

“Our members are associated with government jobs and also own shops in Qadamgah area and deal in used clothes business in loonda bazaar,” he says. They are active in different political parties, chiefly Pakistan Peoples Party. “Sindh Assembly member Jabbar Khan considers our colony as his strong vote bank,” Hamid says.

Their Muharram observance of rituals was largely confined to their locality and mainly at the Imambargah. Ritual of our 7th Muharram mehndi is also performed within the Imambargah,” interjects an elderly Nadir Ali Hazara in Persian while speaking to Hamid.

He also agreed with Hamid that his community fellows here never scared away from terror incidents targeting their community members. Many including children had lost their lives in the terror waves of religious extremism, sweeping the country.

Hazara community stages Imam Hussain chehlum’s procession in Hussainabad instead of participating in the central procession of the city which was brought out by Anjuman-i-Imamia Sindh (AIS). After taking a round of the street the mourners again converge on the Imambargah, and Hamid explains why.

“Our community’s ‘dasta’ used to be at the forefront at number one in chehlum procession as well like Ashura’s. But then Anjuman-i-Imamia Sindh (AIS) changed our number to which our community members objected and parted company with them,” says Hamid. AIS stages chehlum’s or “Arba’een” central procession in the city. It emanates from Qadam Gah and culminates at Dadan Shah.

AH general secretary Syed Raza Rizvi points out that Hazaras participate as one community or tribe under the command of their elder. “We always want that procession is led by those who are organised more than anyone else. And that’s why we keep our own Anjuman at the tail of the procession to make sure that the procession reaches its destination on time,” he says.

Hazaras, he says, don’t participate in any balloting for getting number of ‘dasta’ as they are somewhat exempted from this process. But other Anjumans have to participate in the process. So, he says, that’s why Hazaras lead AH’s central procession every year.

Published in Dawn, August 9th, 2022