Tazia Making- Unique Craft

 
 
Tazia Making – Unique Craft with Deep Roots in Cultural Milieu of India

Dr.Mazhar Naqvi

Tazia, the most important icon of Muharram ceremonies, is also an example of a unique craft with deep roots in the historical and cultural milieu of India. Prepared as a replica of Imam Hussain’s shrine at Karbala, thousands of tazias in various shapes and sizes are taken out as an integral part of Muharram processions. The word "tazia" is a derivative of an Arabic word "taziat" meaning 'condolence.' According to Hollister 'the custom of carrying these models of Hussain's tomb is said to date from the time of Timur (d. 808 A.H./1405 A.D.), who brought such a miniature tomb back from Karbala, later called the tazia.' Scholars agree on the origin of the tazia rituals in India, but differ on whether Timur had the zarih (the miniature model) built on order, or had it brought from Karbala.

The practice and rituals of commemorating the tragedy of Karbala spread with the expansion of Islam in India. As the people adopted Islam and started to commemorate the martyrdom of Imam and his companions at  Karbala, they established their own traditions of azadari (performances of all the Muharram rituals in general in which taziadari is one of the most significant aspects ) according to their diverse cultures.

Indian Touch

The influence of local cultures on the Muharram rituals became inevitable. Even during the Mogul Empire “Taziadari” was common. In due course, the Hindu practices strongly influenced the paraphernalia of .the Muharram rituals as a whole. The liberalized religious policy of Qutb shahi rulers popularized azadari among muslims and non- muslims alike.

Oudh rulers did the likewise in Lucknow during their regime. Hindu states of Baroda, Indore, Gwalior, Patiala and Rajasthan also patronized taziadari, considering it as the true notion of tolerance (Rawadari).The royal patronage encouraged many artisans to take up Tazia making as a full- time profession.

Their imagination, backed by the emotional appeal of the martyrs of Karbala, developed Tazia making into a unique craft surrounded by multi cultural and multi religious traditions.

Tazia tower, a major tourist attraction of Jaisalmer, illustrates the creativity of Tazia makers at its best. . The exquisite design and fine carvings on the walls and ceilings of each floor of the Tazia Tower reflects the rich artistic skills of the local craftsmen of the bygone era.

The art of making tazia somewhat retains its original form in India. Tazias made of paper and bamboo are for one time use and buried under the soil, but many of wood crafted tazias are of permanent nature and some of them are more than a century old.

  Art of Tazia Craft

Any kind of religious or sacred art deals with the faith of its practitioners, so the artist is free from restrictions and margin of innovativeness in its execution is given. In Nawabi Lucknow, artists created Tazias, using material from their professions. For instance, ‘ghisiarahs’ (grass-cutters) made tazias of grass,banjarahs (grain merchant) with bamboo; kite-makers with paper; bazaz (drapers) with cloth; green-grocers with vegetables; fruit-sellers with fruits; potters with clay; minhars (bangle-sellers) with bangles; Carpenters with wood; thatheras (makers of hardware or metal pots) with brass or bronze; malis(gardeners) with flowers; bharbhonjas (men who parch grains) with barley; patolas (makers of fringe or tape) with colored threads; mat-makers with mat and shama saz( Candle makers) with wax..

Tazias are also made of different materials, like Lead, Brass, Copper, precious stones. "Nageeney Ki Tazia" of Varanasi is a masterpiece handicraft and very costly also. An eco- friendly (Green) tazia is also taken out in Sambhar, a town of 22,000 people some 80 kms from Jaipur. Fondly called “Sarson Ka Tazia”, speaks volumes of cordial relations between the Hindus and Muslims.

The plan is usually square, or octagonal. The skeleton is made of wood and if required, reinforced with steel. In the front, to the centre is the main arched door, on the right of which is a miniature mazaar, marking the place where Imam Hussein was martyred. Another element is a row of concave arched niches called mehrabs by the craftsperson. Sometimes calligraphy is also featured.

The tapering technique and use of minarets are the distinguishing features used by the artist to enhance the grandeur and the beauty of the form in the construction of Tazias. In drawing the plan, the principal feature of the tazia is based on two basic geometric shapes, the square and the circle.

The base on which the tazia stands is called takht. It is cubical in form with hollow interior in order to reduce weight of the construction; it goes up to the starting point of manzils (storeys or shaft). However, the pista is always solid. The takht is placed on a structure of the traditional charpai (bed).

Next to the takht there is a supplementary body comprising of four units called manzils or storeys (shaft), which also provide foundation and height to the super-structure. The placement of manzils in the tazias is similar to the bhumi (Storey or stage) and amla (flat fluted melon-shaped member usually at the summit of the Indo-Aryan type of shikhara or spire) in the chhapra (the middle portion) of the storeys in the Orissan temples.The top portion of the  tazia comprises of palki (palanquin), saiwan (canopy),gumbad (dome) and chand-tara (moon and star) called capital or super-structure in the top portion comprising of shikhara or amla(Spire or tower) and kalasa (a vase or an ornamental pot found in finials and capital) in the Orissan temples. The gumbad is placed on the shaft and is projected with the traditional model of palki, however, saiwan(canopy) protect the palki.

The saiwan may be in black or green, whereas the palki must be in red, relating to Hussain. The saiwan andtaj (crown) is provided as a covering and to raise the grandeur of the palki. The gumbad. palki and saiwanare given an extra projection also called palki ka saiwan (projection of palki); it may be in black or red and embroidered in golden or silver thread. It rests on the saroo (pillars) that transform into chhai (capital) at the top level.There is no prescribed size of Tazias. Factors such as material, affordability, influences of regional architecture, competition among the artists and material determine the size, decoration and height of tazias. Hence, one witnesses tazias of varying sizes i.e. from tiny to monumental during Muharram processions.Artists take the work very seriously and consider it sacred; some even perform ablutions before starting work. The sacred aspect of the art instills the urge in them to create incredible and immense tazias. Most of the tazias are created with two conceptual principles namely ‘jamal (beauty), and 'jalal' (grandeur)'.

Color Code

The art of tazia-making does not reflect any special color preference. There is however always an urge to embellish the tazia and different means are adopted to adorn it. Sometimes its embellishments depend on the materials used in its creation. It is a symbol of the spiritual, the family and the most precious riches and material.A tazia is usually candy-colored: vibrant magenta, turquoise, red, green, silver and gold. Fluorescent colors are much in vogue. The facade is heavily embellished in paper: kite paper, cardboard and the much favored foil, or panni.

Traditionally, the artists have used four colors, namely black, red, green and gold. It is said that the Arabs wear black turbans only when they are on mission of revenge for honor. Black has acquired a political significance; also it has been the color of mourning since Islamic times in Iran. Black is also the color ofalams(Standards). They were green in the battle of Karbala, but later black alams were made on the Sham-e Ghareeban (Evening of Ashura dedicated to the destitute of Karbala).

There was a tradition amongst the Arabs that the widows put black flags on top of their houses, which symbolized the absence of the males. Islam's standard is green and is the Muslim's emblem of salvation.

In Islam green is the color of knowledge. Green is also considered as the most appropriate color for the mystery of mysteries.It is narrated that  Bibi Fatima, the  beloved daughter of Prophet , asked her sons Hassan and Hussain which colors would they like to wear on the day of Eid (Muslim festival)? They replied green and red respectively. Since then, Green and red are associated with Imam Hassan and Imam Hussain respectively. Red is used for Imam Hussain metaphorically, and it represents resistance in Tazias. This centrifugal red helps in stimulating the activities that deal with the mysteries of life.

The abundant use of golden color in the tazias mark the importance of the martyr's cause; the shining light denotes divinity as according to the Quran nur stands for the attribute of light meaning God.

About the Author

Dr. Mazhar Naqvi, a historian and culture expert, is a prolific writer and contributes regularly to leading newspapers. Dr. Naqvi has served as media adviser to Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Govt. of Japan.