Muharram

Festivals are a few special occasions when people forget their differences and come together to celebrate their culture, tradition, and community. On these few days, people travel long distances to reunite with their family members and get in touch with the values and beliefs of their unique culture.

Not all festivals are joyous. Some are celebrated to mourn the people and reflect on the incidents in the past. Muharram is one such festival in Islam that commemorates the death of Prophet Muhammad’s grandson, Hussein Ibn Ali. It also marks the first month of the Islamic New Year and is considered the second most holy month after Ramzan.

The Muharram festival is celebrated for ten days. The 10th day of Muharram, called Ashura, is an important day for Muslims. For Sunni Muslims - it is a day of celebrating the victory of Moses over the Egyptian Pharaoh. For Shia Muslims - it's a day of mourning over the death of Hussein Ibn.

In every corner of India, the Muslim population celebrates the Muharram festival by fasting, participating in a mourning procession, and attending special prayers in Imamabras and shrines. They dress in black clothes, read scriptures and holy books, flagellate, and re-enact the battle of Karbala.

In India, the month of Muharram 2023 will start at sunset on 29 July, as per the Georgian calendar. The 10th day of Muharram 2023 falls on 19th August and is declared a holiday by the Indian Government.

Suppose you are excited to be part of Muharram 2023, witness the age-old traditions, and call out happy Muharram. In that case, we have a list of places famous for the celebration of the Muharram festival and which can be easily reached by numerous bus routes at affordable rates. Simply enter your route details into the redBus website or app and view the best buses offered at the lowest prices on your given route.

Uttar Pradesh - Lucknow

Lucknow is home to a high number of Shia Muslims, and the Muharram celebration is the longest and more unique compared to any other city in India.

Azadari, or mourning in Lucknow, is observed for 68 days in remembrance of the events of Karbala. Four main processions will be held in the first ten days on the 1st, 7th, 8th, and 9th day, which signifies important events in the past.

Madhya Pradesh - Bhopal

Bhopal is another city famous for the processions with a large number of tazias - especially made by Eunuchs and alams on the occasion of the Muharram festival.

There are few or no direct bus routes to Lucknow and Bhopal from the southern States. For people travelling from south India, booking a bus to Mumbai or any other place in Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh would be more convenient. From there, book a bus to the main destinations..

Telangana - Ruyyadi, Hyderabad

Hyderabad, with its predominant population being Muslims, is famous for all the Muslim festivals. But, for brave hearts, the self-flagellation of the mourners in the Muharram processions is one of the most brutal and sad spectacles to be witnessed.

Ruyyadi is a Telangana village famous for celebrating Muharram for the past 154 years. Over 2 lakh devotees from various parts of Telangana and Maharashtra visit the processions and participate in prayers.

Ruyyadi can be easily accessed from Hyderabad by the local government bus network.

Kerala - Kozhikode

Kerala has a large Muslim population which is locally known as Mappilas. Pulikali or Tiger Dance is a common feature of the Muharram in Kozhikode. Where Muslims put on masks and paint their bodies, to look and act like a tiger, dancing on the streets to the beat of the drums.

There are few or no direct bus routes to Hyderabad and Kozhikode from the northern States. For people travelling from north India, booking a bus to Mumbai, Bangalore, or any nearby places would be more convenient. From there, book a bus to the main destinations.

No matter which corner you want to visit in India for Muharram 2023, redBus provides you with various choices to make your trip more affordable and convenient. The information and options provided on the redBus site, such as the rating of bus operators, duration of travel, amenities available, and Boarding & dropping points, help you book your journey and also plan the complete itinerary of your trip.

When travel becomes this easy, don’t hesitate to participate in Muharram 2023!