This is a video of Bihari Muslims in Bangladesh playing the drums for their Ashura Festival. This was quite a festive occassion with kids and young people running on the streets, shouting something which I, of course, could not understand, plus this festive and loud drum-playing.
According to an expert on Islam who was with us, in the Middle East countries that he lived in, the festival would be a time wherein Shiite Muslims would whip and cut themselves up until they bleed. We may have missed the opportunity of seeing this practice happen among the Bihari Muslims since we went there at night or there may not be too many people willing to do it. Too bad. It would have been a sight to behold!
It is interesting how it sounds much like the practice of Filipinos on Black Saturday, which is of a different setting and belief, but with the practice of hurting oneself physically. I was able to find more info about this festival and also of the Bihari Muslims in this blog.
Friday, January 25, 2008
Ashura Festival Drum-Playing
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3 comments:
oo nga, it would have been a sight! ano kayang parte ng katawan ang sinusugat nila? wala lang, kyuryus lang ba...
Surely you be enjoying such sight have you witness people hurting themselves for no good cause. I would pity them and would shake my head should I see that kind of self induced suffering.
Hi sis Ganda, sayang nga e. I saw some of the pictures of this festival. They whip their backs and chests. Maybe, they cut their arms. In some places, they just use red paint to symbolize the blood. I guess if you are very fanatic, then you induce the blood from your own body.
Hi Manong Ihapuwan, some practices are not of our worldview so we may not be able to understand why. That's why it's interesting =)
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