Tracing the Legacy of the Alam in Moharram Observances

The alam symbolises both the eternal victory of Imam Hussain and the sorrow of martyrdom.

The alam is a key feature of Moharram observances, displayed in processions and imambaras alongside tazias—replicas of Imam Hussain’s shrine in Karbala, Iraq. The word alam means flag or standard, or the colour assigned to a military unit in modern parlance.

In Moharram, the alam symbolises both the eternal victory of Imam Hussain and the sorrow of martyrdom, recalling how his head and those of his followers were raised on spears and paraded through cities.

The tragedy of Karbala occurred in 680 AD, fifty years after the Prophet Mohammad’s death, when the Umayyad ruler Yazid declared himself Caliph and demanded Imam Hussain’s allegiance. As was customary, he sought Hussain’s submission by asking for his hand under his own. Refusing to legitimise Yazid’s unjust and tyrannical rule, Imam Hussain chose martyrdom, sacrificing himself and his 72 followers in the battle of Karbala on the 10th of Moharram, 61 Hijri (10 October 680 AD).

The alam often features a metal hand atop a decorated wooden mace, symbolising Hussain’s hand raised above Yazid’s. This hand also represents faith in the holy five—Mohammad, Ali, Fatima, Hasan, and Hussain. The bearer of the alam is called the alambardar, and three legendary flag bearers in Islamic history are Maula Ali (father of Imam Hussain), his brother Hazrat Jafar, and another son, Hazrat Abbas.

Like Ali, Jafar and Abbas symbolised valour and victory. In the Battle of Maota, Jafar lost both arms. Islamic tradition holds that Allah granted him emerald wings in heaven, inspiring the entirely green alam adorned with wing-shaped emblems at the top. In the Battle of Karbala, Abbas, commander of Hussain’s small force, lost both arms while attempting to fetch water for Hussain’s thirsty children during Yazid’s blockade. His alam, known as Abbas ka alam, features a small fabric mashk (water bag), pierced by an enemy arrow and spilling water onto the sands of Karbala—a symbol preserved in the alam ever since.

Attached to the alam is a rectangular banner called a patka, embroidered with gold and silver. Originally, the alam bore a green faraira (flag), but today it is usually black or white with red marks symbolising Abbas’s blood. The use of embroidered banners likely derives from Muslim courts and royal processions, where similar rectangular banners inscribed with Quranic verses were common. Such banners also appear in Christian religious processions across Iraq, Syria, Central Asia, and Europe. For example, the tower atop Jaisalmer’s Badal Palace is known as the “Tazia Tower” for resembling the tazias carried during Moharram.

In India, Shia rulers of Awadh, Murshidabad, Bengal, Hyderabad, Rampur, Mahmudabad, and other principalities infused azadari (Moharram observances) with royal splendour. They organised majestic tazia processions and built palace-like imambaras adorned with glasswork, mirrors, carpets, and precious metals. The alams made of gold and silver, along with richly embroidered patkas, echoed royal banners. Indo-Islamic traditions enriched each other over time. The tower atop Jaisalmer’s Badal Palace is known as the “Tazia Tower” for its resemblance to tazias paraded during Moharram.

Today, these alams are displayed annually in public and private imambaras across the subcontinent. The symbolic hand atop the alam has evolved into many designs and sizes The Taimuri alam at Mahmudabad Fort is a rare antique. At the same time, full-length alams—now uncommon—are preserved in the imambaras of Nawab Luft Ali Khan and Badshah Nawab Sahab in Patna, and at four sites in Lucknow: Qasr-e-Hussaini, Naya Najaf, and the imambaras of Agha Baqar and Ghariyali. In Iraq and Iran, similar massive alams are carried on roller stands.

Exquisite Awazi alams, featuring precious stones dangling from the insignia, and finely embroidered patkas are found at Deputy Azeem Sahab’s imambara in Sultan Palace, Wazirganj, Lucknow.

Awadh historian Ammar-e-Yasir holds an enchanting collection of antique alams and provides insightful commentary on their variety. Each design bears a specific name—Par-e-Buraq, Jangi Alam, Doo Saifi, Naiza, Tughra (calligraphy), Mahi (fish), Taoos (peacock), Sher Daha (lion-headed), Zareechy (wooden patka), and Awazi. The Zulfiqari Alam is prominently displayed on the mimbar (pulpit) of Lucknow’s Kala Imambara.

The hand on the alam also has a participatory significance. During Moharram majlises, devotees raise both hands in unison, responding to the cry “Labbaik Ya Hussain” (“We are here, O Hussain!”).

In India, three major alam processions stand out: Bibi ka Alam in Hyderabad, and Fatah-e-Furat and Shab-e-Ashur in Lucknow. Significant Moharram gatherings also take place in Srinagar, Zadibal, Badgam, and Kargil in Jammu & Kashmir.

(The writer is a lawyer and an expert in history and culture. Views personal.)