Hazrat Abbas & Mashali(Torchlight) Alam

Anjuman-E-Rizviya Reciting Nauha

Dr.Mazhar Naqvi

Mashali (Torchlight) Alam of Anjuman-E-Rizviya is the only procession of its kind in Kanpur. The Alam is taken out on the 8^th night of Muharram to recall the martyrdom of Hazrat Abbas, the younger brother of Imam Hussain and Alamdar (Flag Bearer) of his small force at the battle of Karbala. Two things make the procession unique .The first is its start by a Sunni Muslim Master Muneer Saheb at a time when sectarian violence between Imamis and Non-Imamis was in an alarming stage in Lucknow .The second is the use of Mashals(torchlights). Master Muneer floated the idea of procession when struggle for independence from British was at its peak. People all over the country were resorting to boycott of foreign goods, mass arrests, demonstrations and anti-establishment processions. The followers of Mahatma Gandhi introduced concept of Torchlight processions to keep the British authorities on their toes even at night. Kanpur was epicenter of such activities since 1857.It had played a crucial role in 1857 under the leadership of Nana Rao, Nanhe Nawab, Azeemullah Khan, Jwala Parsad, Tantiya tope and Hulas Singh. The city continued its anti-British stance even after the failure of 1857 movement that had witnessed matchless Hindu-Muslim Unity. In response to the call of Mahatma Gandhi, Kanpur also did not lag behind. Torchlight processions became a regular feature in the city. People considered such processions as the most significant and effective way of registering protests against oppression.

A teacher by profession, Muneer Saheb had spent his life among the descendants of Nanhe Nawab residing in Patkapur locality. He was also one of the founders of Anjuman-e-Rizviya. He was also perturbed over the mounting differences between Shias and Sunnis in Lucknow where the twin communities had been living as a fine example of peaceful co-existence since the advent of Imami dynasty of Awadh in early 18^th century. He urged the Anjuman to start a torchlight procession in memory of Hazrat Abbas as a part of Ashra ceremonies. His logic was simple. Muharram processions are indeed taken out in memory of Karbala martyrs butthey  also symbolize protest against oppression. Imam Hussain had preferred sacrifice instead of accepting allegiance to oppressive Yazidi regime. He offered his small house in Chota Phatak area of Nawab Compound as the point of origin for procession. Muneer Saheb also suggested taking out procession between two rows of torchlights in view of its emergence as the most powerful way of registering protests. Anjuman accepted his suggestion and thus started the Mashali procession. Since then, it has continued uninterrupted and is considered to be the most popular procession of Kanpur.

Anjuman took out the procession on 8^th Muharram last night also. It started from the Azakhana of Javed Mehndi, located very close to the residence of Muneer Saheb. The venue was changed a few years ago when family of Muneer Saheb expressed inability to offer their house and mother of Javed came forward to let Anjuman use her Imambara for the solemn purpose. So the point of origin remains the same lane from where the procession has been originating for the past eight decades. At the stroke of 12 at night exactly, the procession emerges from Aza-Khana. Prior to it, Nazar is offered and Anjuman recites Nauha dedicated to Alamdar-e-Karbala-‘Dilbar-e-Shah-E-La Fatah Abbas” Then, it wends its way to Asafi Imambara located at a distance of half a kilo meter  in Bara Phatak locality amidst thunderous chest-beating(Matam).

Since 1990, Anjuman Raza –E-Islam has also started taking out a torchlight procession on 8^th Muharram to pay tribute to Hazrat Abbas who is known as Emperor of loyalty and bravery. The procession starts from Aza-Khana Laddan Chaudhry Saheb and terminates at Imambara of Ata Abbas.(The article is based on the inputs received from senior residents of the locality).