Karbala’s message resonates with Hindus too: indian scholar
Karbala’s enduring message of resisting tyranny strikes a chord not only with Indian Muslims but also with Hindus and followers of other faiths, says an Indian professor.
Professor Balram Shukla, the director of the Swami Vivekananda Cultural Centre in Tehran, made the remarks in an interview on Press TV’s weekly show ‘The Subcontinent’, which aired on Friday.
Shukla called Imam Hussein (PBUH) “the epitome of the struggle against tyranny and untruthfulness,” saying he is revered by people of different religious denominations including Hindus.
“India is a syncretism of all cultures that you can find on the surface of Earth. A variety of cultures live together in peace. And in this colorful India, one of the brightest colors, I think, is that of Muharram and that of Imam Hussein (PBUH),” Shukla said.
“In all parts of India, we find that Muharram is observed, mourning is observed, and people find themselves close to the imam and there’re many localized traditions that are not visible even in Iran or other parts of the world.”
Shukla, a Hindu, also spoke about his personal experience of observing Muharram commemorations, which are part of the rich cultural heritage of India and an example of interfaith harmony.
“I’m from the city of Gorakhpur in the (northern Indian) state of Uttar Pradesh, and there is an Imambara (Hosseiniyeh). Imambara is a specific place for mourning Imam Hussein’s (PBUH) martyrdom,” he stated, adding that people of all religions go there and “mourn for the imam, observe the mourning, and watch ta’zieh (a recreation of the scenes of Karbala).”
He said Indian people from various religious backgrounds understand the message of Karbala, which is about fighting injustice and standing on the right side of history.
The Indian cultural house director said that at various places in mainland India, Hindu families have been holding ta’zieh processions for hundreds of years, believing that Imam Hussein (PBUH) is an embodiment of piety, courage, and sacrifice, and someone who belongs to the whole of mankind.
“Karbala was an event that could transcend localities, geographies, ethnicities, and even religions including Islam. This is not something exclusive to Muslims. All human beings of each and every ethnicity find themselves close to the imam because of the special message that Karbala conveys,” he said.
“Karbala sends the message that even if you seem to be small, even if you seem to be weak, you should not quit being on the side of truth and ultimately, you will triumph.”
On why Imam Hussein (PBUH) is so popular in the Hindu-majority South Asian country, he said the Indian people’s love for Prophet Mohammad’s (PBUH) grandson has its roots in India’s history and its eastern culture that has been intertwined with the Islamic culture for centuries.