Muslims across India observe Muharram today

Muharram is the first month of the Islamic calendar. It is held to be the most sacred of all the months, excluding Ramadan.

The word Muharram signifies that it is unlawful to fight during this month, and it is derived from the word haraam, meaning "forbidden".

Some Muslims fast during these days.

The tenth day of Muharram is called 'Yawmu-l 'Ashurah', which is known by Shia Muslims as 'the day of grief'.

On this day, the community organizes processions in different corners of the world where people cut or hurt themselves with knife and razors in public view, chanting the words 'Hai Hasan'.

The Shia community in Muslims start the mourning from the first night of Muharram and continue for two months and eight days.

Fasting differs among the Muslim groupings; mainstream Shia Muslims stop eating and drinking during sunlight hours and do not eat until late afternoon. Sunni Muslims also fast during the first ten days of Muharram, or just on the the tenth day, or on both the ninth and tenth days.

Shia Muslims observe these sacrifices to replicate the sufferings of Hussein ibn Ali on the Day of Ashura.

While they mourn for the entire period, the last days are the most important since these were the days where Hussein and his family and followers that consisted of 72 people, including women, children and aged people were killed by army of Yazid I at the Battle of Karbala on his orders.

Surviving members of the family of Hussein and that of his followers were taken captive, marched to Damascus and imprisoned there.

The first month, Muharram, is considered to be one of the four sacred months that God has mentioned in the Quran.

Tight security arrangements have been made across India for the observance of the day.