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We landed in Karachi on 24th Safar. Slept the whole day then went to attend a majlis that night. Being held in commemoration of the martyrdom of the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.W.) and Imam Hasan (A.S.) on the same day, 28th Safar, it was part of a Khamsa (group of five majalis) to be addressed by Zameer Akhtar on the tale of ‘grandfather and grandson’. I missed the first one but joined from the second. I was relieved to see Zameer Akhtar back in full form and better than ever. And I also learned that it was Muawiyah (L.A.) who opted for a truce with Imam Hasan (A.S.) rather than the other way round.

Two days later, I delivered the Tabarrukat that I brought for him from Syria. There I saw Haider Rizvi, owner of TV Today. He had come to convince Zameer Akhtar to speak on his channel against the attackers. Zameer Akhtar told him to wait till after the 8th of Rabi-ul-Awwal, when the Ayyam-e-Aza would end. Three other channels had already made an offer to him and he told them all to wait.

Days passed with the same routine. I got the video of the annual majlis of Karavan-e-Murtaza and watched it. Shaukat Raza Shaukat brought the roof crashing down with his verses on Hazrat Abu Talib (A.S.).

Khamsa ended on the eve of 28th, but there was a seperate majlis on the same topic the next night as well. There I got to decorate the Taboot of Imam Hasan (A.S.), the same one that was used for Imam Husain (A.S.) on the eve of Ashurah but with a green covering this time. Green is the color that is associated with Imam Hasan (A.S.), red with Imam Husain (A.S.). The special feature this time were the protruding arrows from the Taboot to signify the arrow-riddled Janaza of Imam Hasan (A.S.) that was prevented from burial beside the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.W.) by the “Ummah” who attacked it.

Taboot of Imam Hasan (A.S.)

The next day, the ash’ara at Qasr-e-Musayyab started on the topic of “Imamat and Azadari”. In the second majlis, Zameer Akhtar shook all of Rizvia Society with his speech. I kept teasing my sister for the next couple of days on what she missed.

On Saturday night, Zameer Akhtar addressed a Shab-Baidaari on the topic of the History of Azadari. After that I planned to go meet him but my father brought me home.

I missed the majlis on the fifth as I went to the Alvidai juloos at Imam Bargah-e-Tanzeem-ul-Momineen where we decorate and bring out Baadshah every year. One thing I wanna say here is, never touch a horse between the ears from behind and never stand near his rear legs. You’ll get a free ticket to America if you do, but someone will have to collect your pieces from all over the country.

Baadshah with my cousin Haider.

Baadshah was well-behaved and more sober this time, unlike last year when he got scared of the rising Alams. It’s awesome to run with him when he starts jump-trotting. And keeping his size in mind, it makes you look really brave and cool, even if you’re terrified inside and pleading with Allah to make him stop. But Baadshah don’t listen to Allah Mian either.

I was planning to do both Zanjeerzani and Qamazani at the end of the juloos but my nincompoop of a cousin above failed to get my tokas sharpened. Bloody &#@*()*#! So I postponed my “Grand Sunday Plans” to Thursday night for the Alvidai Matamdari at Imam Bargah-e-Baab-e-Askari.

The next three days went by smoothly, Thursday arrived. At night there was Nazar at my Phuppo’s. Got too late there so I had to skip another majlis and went straight for the Matamdari.

Haider and I picked up our Zanjeers from his friend who had gotten them sharpened. His were “talwars” or sword like zanjeers. There I came to know that my tokas had become really popular among the guys and everyone wished to do matam with them because they were the right size and shape and good for inducing deep cuts. They asked me to switch my zanjeers with them. My reply: “Chal be!” My tokas were celebrities!

Khair we went for the Matamdari. It started around half past twelve. I did matam for around ten minutes when my head began to spin. I stepped aside and another cousin Abbas (in pic above with folded hands) dried my back up with my shirt. So much for Zanjeerzani. And I didn’t even come around to Qama. Crap!

I kept thinking it was due to my reduced intake of food but Haider later came and told me it was because of the two Ghulam Latifs I’d had before the matam. Man, I hate John Player! Better to stick with DLs.

Nevertheless, I took advantage of the Nazar afterwards and drank three glasses of Lassi from the Sabeel to stuff myself. Came back to Haider’s place and we both went to sleep but not before we had made videos of our backs.

Would anyone like to see?

Khair, I came back home the next morning, took a bath and then left again for the Chup Taazia juloos from Qasr-e-Musayyab. Went straight to Rizvia Imambargah where Baadshah was brought. He was first given a bath to clean up all the sweat from running. It’s fun to watch him try to drink it all up when they wash his face. (You can find the video on my Facebook profile.)

Then he was decorated and taken to join the procession from Qasr-e-Musayyab.

Left to Right: Me, Baadshah, Allama Syed Zameer Akhtar Naqvi

My cousin Shahazeb walking Baadshah

I walked Baadshah for some time in the juloos, then I left for the last majlis of Ayyam-e-Aza, back at Rizvia Imam Bargah. It was the majlis of the Barsi of Allama Zameer Akhtar’s mother. There I joined in decorating the Taboot of Imam Hasan Askari (A.S.)  and then carried it out into the crowd after the majlis.

Flowers decorated on the Taboot of Imam Hasan Askari (A.S.)

We all bid farewell to Imam Husain (A.S.) and appologized for the lack of our efforts to commemorate and condemn the terrible attrocities on him and his family. Time passed quickly, maghrib arrived and Ayyam-e-Aza ended.

Eid-e-Zehra (S.A.) began.