pune with muharram the first month of the islamic calendar under way its time for devout muslims to pay homage to the martyrs of karbala who fought a war that symbolises the eternal and unwavering stance of truth against falsehood the tenth day of muharram ashura falls on december 17 this year and marks the martyrdom of imam hussein the grandson of prophet muhammadaccording to islamic history the year 680 ad was witness to the massacre of imam hussein and 72 of his followers including his family members at karbala in iraq on the orders of yazid who had taken over the caliphate from his pious father amir muaviya after his demise and wanted imam hussein to accept his rule yazids men deprived imam hussein and his family and supporters of food and water in the course of a siege one by one the defenders fell and on the last day of ashura imam hussein himself was brutally killedimam hussein was a pious man and was the prophets beloved grandson he did not accept yazids caliphate as yazid was not following islam in the true spirit accepting yazid as caliph would mean accepting his ways hence imam hussein refused to follow him and laid down his life to save the deen islam says entrepreneur arif mohammad khan who has also penned a book on saints and tombshomemaker aazra quettawalla says this period is observed by both shias and sunnis in memory of the martyrs of karbala we remember that imam hussein fought this war for islam and for righteousness there are prayers in the evening and on the day of ashura we fast the fast usually ends with a simple meal of khichda a simple dish made of wheat meat and pulsesauto driver firoz khan says this is a time to sit back and take stock of how we lead our lives imam hussein shed his blood for the cause of truth do we have it in us to do the same or at least lead our lives in a way that is beneficial to othersbusinessman amjad akkalkotkar says no new projects or weddings take place in this period people remember the poor and give food and alms during each of the first nine days of muharram majlis assemblies are held where orators recall the incident of the martyrdom of imam hussain and his supporterspr professional zubair poonawalla says a typical feature of this period is the sabeels huge constructions containing pots of water and sherbet kept in the streets in the vicinity of mosques and homes these sabeels may contain water rose water sherbets or milk sherbets and help passersby quench their thirst children are the most enthusiastic of all when it comes to sitting next to the sabeels and offering a drink to anyone who passes by basically this is done in the memory of all those who valiantly fought and laid down their lives at karbala even when they had been deprived of water by the opponents