Muharram 2025: What You Should Know About This Weekend’s Ashura Processions

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The new Islamic year began on June 27, 2025, after the moon was sighted in India on June 26. Despite early confusion around whether Muharram would be observed on July 6 or 7, it's now clear that Yaum-e-Ashura the tenth day of the month will fall on Sunday, July 6. The day has been declared a public holiday across India.

In towns like Haldwani, preparations began well ahead of time. Saturday evening saw an intense wave of activity as people got ready for the main procession on Sunday.

Photo Credit: ANI

Saturday Night In Khwaja Chowk: Colour, Drums, And Tazias

By sunset on Saturday, Khwaja Chowk had turned into a working hub. Tazias-handmade, bamboo-framed structures symbolising the tomb of Imam Hussain were being carefully assembled and decorated. These are not mass-produced or factory-made. Each one reflects hours of effort by local artists and families. Covered in coloured paper, fabric, and lightbulbs, they'll soon be carried through town and laid to rest.

Youths in the area kept up another tradition-wrestling matches in open arenas, with drums and shehnai-style instruments setting the rhythm. The energy was high, but the mood remained focused. People knew what the next day would bring.

Sunday's Procession Route In Haldwani

On the morning of Ashura, around 50 Tazias will leave from Khwaja Chowk. The route winds through Line Number 17, then moves towards Nai Basti and Azad Nagar.

Along the way, people will gather for Majlis, where stories of Imam Hussain and the Battle of Karbala will be shared. These stories are not new, but they're told each year as if for the first time-spoken from memory, passed down across families, shaped by emotion more than script.

The final stop is the cemetery, where the Tazias are placed down, marking the end of the day's procession.

What Ashura Means To Different Muslim Communities

The tenth day of Muharram is marked by both Sunni and Shia Muslims, though in different ways.

For Shias, this day recalls the death of Imam Hussain, the grandson of Prophet Muhammad. His stand at Karbala is seen not just as history but as a moral example-of staying true to one's beliefs even under pressure.

Shia traditions include mourning gatherings, building and carrying Tazias, and walking in processions.

Sunnis often fast on this day and spend time reading religious texts and offering prayers. Though the customs differ, Muharram remains a meaningful month across sects-its message not lost, only expressed differently.

What Sets Haldwani's Observance Apart

In Haldwani, the mood is serious, but there's also a sense of involvement. This isn't a performance staged for cameras or an event planned by a committee. People do what they've done for years. They know their roles-whether it's decorating a Tazia, narrating stories at a Majlis, drumming through the lanes, or simply showing up.

Photo Credit: ANI

Not Just Another Holiday

This Sunday, July 6, is not just about staying home from work. Across India and especially in places like Haldwani people will step out to take part in something they've grown up with, something they carry with them.

More than reliving the past, it's about remembering why it still matters.