1) ბრედ პიტიX

2) მარადონაX
3) კრიშტიანო რონალდოX
4) ლეო მესიX
5) ბილ გეითსიX
6) ცუკემბერგიX
7) როჯერ ფედერერიX
8) ჯორჯ მარტინიX
9) THAILAND’S ECLECTIC MONKEY BUFFET FESTIVAL
10) რაული
11) ბიონსე
12) Muharram mourningდევიდ ბექემი
13) კიანუ რივზი
14) ადელი
15) მეგან ფოქსი
16) სკარლეტ იოჰანსონი
17) ადოლფ ჰიტლერი
18) ანჯელინა ჯოლიX
19) Famadihana: Madagascar's Day of the Dead
 Angelina Jolie - ანჯელინა ჯოლი

Angelina Jolie (b. 4 June 1975 – ) is an Oscar-winning

actress, movie director, humanitarian and global
celebrity. She rose to fame through her title role in
the film “Lara Croft”. In recent years, Jolie has moved
into film production, acting as director, writer and
producer. She has six children, three of whom are
adopted. She serves in a capacity as a Goodwill
Ambassador for the UNHCR.

Angelina was born in Los Angeles, California. Her

parents, Jon Voight and Marcheline Bertrand were
actors, and this was a significant influence on her
early life. When she was eleven, she enrolled at the
Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute and performed in several theatre productions. This early
training was important to her philosophy of acting. A major component of this acting
school is to stay in part for the duration of the filming – taking on the characteristics of
her characters.

She later studied film studies at New York University. Aged 16, she temporarily tried
modelling and appeared in some music videos. However, this career did not take off.
Ironically, for someone who would later be cited as the world’s ‘most beautiful women’,
Angelina had difficult periods in her childhood. She recounts being picked on by other
children for being very thin and wearing glasses.

More seriously, she had a difficult relationship with her father, Jon Voight. In her late
teens, and early 20s she also suffered from depression and periods of self-harm. Looking
back, she observed that she was Angelina credits her first adopted daughter for helping
her to pull out of depression and a tendency to self-harm. Jolie recounts then when she
saw her adopted daughter she knew she would have to live more responsibly for her
benefit. “I knew once I committed to Maddox, I would never be self-destructive again.”

In her teens, her acting career never really took off because her demeanour was often
considered too ‘dark’ and ‘punkish.’
In 1998, she starred in a biopic about Gia Carangi, a supermodel who struggled to deal
with her fame and success – dying prematurely from AIDS as result of sharing drug
needles. Jolie was praised for her performance; however, to perform the character she
adopted ‘method acting’ and took on similar characteristics to the role she was playing. As
a result, she became difficult to deal with, especially as there were some parallels with
Jolie’s own struggles with depression.
In 1999, she starred alongside Denzel Washington in the successful film ‘The Bone
Collector’ (1999). Also in that year, she played a woman who spent time in a psychiatric
hospital in ‘Girl Interrupted’ (1999). Her performance won her the triple crown of Golden
Globe Award, the SAG and Academy Award for the best leading actress. Jolie was gaining
a reputation for producing strong acting performances, and she became increasingly in
demand. Her growing acting profile also led to increased media interest, especially
because of her physical beauty and colourful life.

In 2000, she was chosen to play the lead role in ‘Lara Croft: Tomb Raider’. This was by far
her most successful film commercially, becoming one of biggest grossing films of the year.
The role involved considerable physical training to play the adventurous and athletic
character. (often said to be a cross between James Bond and Indiana Jones.

Humanitarian work
Filming ‘Lara Croft’ in Cambodia, caused Jolie to become more interested in humanitarian
activities. She became an active participant in her role as United Nations High
Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). She has travelled extensively to areas such as
Darfur, Sierra Leone and Afghanistan. In 2012, she was appointed Special Envoy to High
Commissioner Antonia Guterres. Jolie says she puts a third of her salary into savings, a
third for living expenses and gives the final third

to charity.
 Cristiano ronaldo - კრიშტიანუ როანალდო

Cristiano Ronaldo is a Portuguese professional footballer who has

played for Manchester United, Real Madrid, Juventus and Portugal.
Along with Lionel Messi, he is regularly considered to be one of the
top two players in the world. He became the world’s most expensive
player when Real Madrid signed him for 94 million Euros in 2009
from Manchester United. His sustained performance has enabled him
to break numerous records for goal scoring and has been named FIFA
player of the year (Ballon d’Or) five times. He has become an iconic
figure in the sport, with an impressive record of 1,000 professional
appearances and over 700 goals.

Short Biography Cristiano Ronaldo

Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro was born in Portugal 5 February 1985.

His second name ‘Ronaldo’ was named after his father’s favourite American actor –
Ronald Reagan.

From an early age, he loved playing football. His talent, enthusiasm and love for the game
soon became apparent. By the age of ten, his talent was becoming well known in Portugal
and he was signed for Nacional, a Portuguese side from Madeira. He later signed for
Sporting Lisbon – one of the biggest clubs in Portugal.

His first international exposure came when representing Portugal under 17s at the UEFA
championships. His performance caused him to be marked by leading European football
managers. In 2003, he played against Manchester United when Sporting beat them 3-1 in
a friendly.

Ronaldo_-_Manchester_United_vs_ChelseaAfter the departure of David Beckham, Sir

Alex Ferguson decided to buy the youngster for a fee of £12.24 million. He started playing
for Manchester in the 2003/04 season. Despite initially asking for the number 28 shirt,
Ferguson insisted that he wear the famous number 7 shirt.

At Manchester United, his career steadily progressed. In the 2006/07 season, Ronaldo was
a key figure in Manchester’s successful league campaign. Ronaldo scored over 20 goals, as
he won his first championship. In March 2007, his prowess helped him to gain a record-
breaking £120,000 a week five-year contract. He also won PFA player of the year award.

The 2007-08 season was even better, with Cristiano Ronaldo being named the player of
the tournament, as Manchester United won the coveted Champions League trophy. The
most prestigious club competition in the world. Sir Alex Ferguson said of Ronaldo:
“We’ve had some great players at this club in my 20 years, but he’s up with the best.”
 Diego Maradona Biography-დიეგო მარადონას ბიოგრაფია

Diego Maradona (1960 -) is one of the greatest

footballers of all time. A genius on the pitch with
an unrivalled ability to pass, shoot, dribble and
float past defenders. Maradona led Argentina to
World Cup success and Napoli to its first Italian
title. A maverick genius, Maradona’s struggles
with drug addiction marred his career, but for all
his flaws, he is widely revered for giving the game
some of its most memorable moments.

Early life
Diego Armando Maradona was born on 30
October 1960 on the outskirts of Buenos Aires,
Argentina. He grew up in relative poverty, but his football talent was soon noticed and he
made rapid progress through the junior ranks. When he went to trials at Argentinos
Juniors, the youth coach, Francisco Cornejo, who first saw Maradona couldn’t believe he
was only eight years old, as he was playing with the ability of an adult.
maradona
Maradona’s nutmeg
Maradona was a precocious talent and when he was still only 15 years old, he became the
youngest player in the history of the Argentinian league – making his professional debut
for Argentinos Juniors. On his debut game, Maradona announced his unique talent by
performing a perfect nutmeg (passing through his legs) of defender Juan Domingo
Cabrera. Maradona says of that memorable first day “That day I felt I had held the sky in
my hands.”

After five years at Argentinos Juniors, Maradona was the most sought after player in
Argentina. Aged only 20, he was transferred to his childhood dream club, Boca Juniors –
for a record $4 million. In his first season at Boca Juniors, he guided them to a league title.
International career
Maradona’s international career spanned four world cups, one youth world cup and 91
appearances where he scored 34 goals. He burst on to the international scene at the 1979
FIFA world youth tournament, where Maradona was the tournament’s stand out player as
he led Argentina to the title. His first world cup in 1982 was something of a
disappointment, Argentina were knocked out in the second round and he was sent off
during their 3-0 defeat to Brazil.
He married Claudia Villafañe on 7 November 1984. They had two daughters. They
divorced in 2003.

In 2005, he had a stomach stapling operation which helped control his weight gain. He
also managed to overcome his cocaine addiction, which he began in the mid-1980s.
Speaking in 2012, he spoke of his determination to overcome his past excesses.
 Lionel Messi Biography
Lionel Messi is an Argentinian footballer widely
regarded as one of the greatest players of the modern
generation. He plays for FC Barcelona and the
Argentina national team. He has won FIFA world
player of the year four times (a record already). He has
often been described as Diego Maradona’s successor
because of his prolific goal scoring record and ability
to dribble past opponents.

“I have seen the player who will inherit my place in

Argentine football and his name is Messi. Messi is a
genius, and he can become an even better player.”

His potential is limitless, and I think he’s got

everything it takes to become Argentina’s greatest player.”

– Diego Maradona
Short Biography Lionel Messi
Lionel Messi was born, 24 June 1987, in Rosario, Argentina to a working-class family. His
father was a factory steel worker, and his mother a cleaner.

He began playing from an early age, and his talent was soon apparent. However, at the age
of 11, Messi was diagnosed with growth hormone deficiency (GHD). This was a condition
that stunted growth and required expensive medical treatment, including the use of the
drug Human growth hormone.

His local club, River Plate were interested in signing Messi but didn’t want to pay for his
medical treatment. However, Messi was given a trial with Barcelona, and coach Carles
Rexach was impressed – offering Messi a contract (written on a paper napkin!) which
included paying for Messi’s treatment in Spain. Messi moved to Barcelona with his father
and became part of the prestigious FC Barcelona youth academy.
“I made a lot of sacrifices by leaving Argentina, leaving my family to start a new life. But
everything I did, I did for football, to achieve my dream. That’s why I didn’t go out
partying, or do a lot of other things.”

Messi and Ronaldo

Messi has often been compared to prolific Real Madrid goalscorer Christiano Ronaldo, but
both have been keen to downplay the rivalry.

“Messi has his personality and I have mine. He has his game and I have mine. I also play
in a big club like him. We are different in every aspect. But right now, he is the best.”

—Christiano Ronaldo, in September 2011

 Brad Pitt is an American Actor,
known as much for his versatility as
he is for his handsome face. He is one
of the best actors in Hollywood and
also one of the highest paid actors in
Hollywood. Brad Pitt is also a Movie
Producer. His most notable movies
are Troy, Interview With the
Vampire, Fight Club, Moneyball,
World War Z, Inglorious Bastards,
Fury and Mr. Ocean’s Trilogy and
Mrs.Smith. He has received multiple awards and nominations including an Academy
Award as producer under his own company, Plan B Entertainment.

Pitt first gained recognition as a cowboy hitchhiker in the road movie Thelma & Louise
(1991). His first leading roles in big-budget productions came with the drama films A
River Runs Through It (1992) and Legends of the Fall (1994) and horror film Interview
with the Vampire (1994). He gave critically acclaimed performances in the crime thriller
Seven and the science fiction film 12 Monkeys (both 1995).
Early Life of Brad Pitt
Brad Pitt was born on December 18, 1963. His full name is William Bradley Pitt. He was
born in Shawnee, Oklahoma. Brad Pitt was raised in Springfield, Missouri. His father, Bill
Pitt, owned a trucking company, and his mother, Jane Pitt, was a family counselor. He has
two younger siblings Doug and Julie Neal. He was raised as a southern baptist. Brad Pitt
grew up in a conservative household. He moved to LA after college.

Career
Pitt’s television debut came in May 1987 with a two-episode role on the NBC soap opera
Another World. His film career started as a supporting actor in 1989. Brad Pitt gained
wide attention with Thelma & Louise in 1991. He gained critical acclaim after starring in
Interview With the Vampire. In 1995 Pitt won two MTV Movie Awards for his role. The
film consisted of Tom Cruise, Kirsten Dunst, and Antonio Banderas. IT was a major
success. All of the major cast in the film are top actors in the 20th century.

Brad Pitt starred in Fight Club in 1999. This was also a super hit film. He starred as an
anti-hero Tyler Durden in the film. Since then Brad Pitt has acted in some of the most
successful films in history. He starred in the Epic film Troy in 2004. Brad Pitt played the
role of legendary hero Achilles. He starred opposite to Angelina Jolie in 2005 action-
comedy Mr. & Mrs. Smith. The film was a huge hit. He also had a main role in the
Ocean’s Trilogy. Ocean’s Trilogy cast included George Clooney, Matt Damon, and Al
Pacino. Brad Pitt won an Academy Award for 12 Years a Slave. He was the producer of
the film. Has been nominated for Two Best Actor Oscars.
 George R.R. Martin | Biography and Quotes

George R.R. Martin is the celebrated author of the

fantasy series “A Song of Fire and Ice” which he
helped turn into the hit tv series “A Game of
Thrones” Born in 1948, Martin began writing as a
teenager but for many years struggled to make a
living. However, by the late 1970s, he had
published his first novel “Dying of the Light” and
he proceeded to make a successful career from
writing and screenwriting for tv. In 1996, he
published his first novel “A Game of Thrones”
which became an international best-seller.
Martin’s novels are a mix of fantasty, historical
realism and explore issues of power, betrayal,
human suffering and idealism within dark times.

Early life
George Raymond Martin was born on 20 September 1948, in Bayonne, New Jersey. His
father worked on the docks and his mother came from a wealthy family who lost
everything in the Great Depression. Born in America, his heritage includes French,
English, Welsh, German and Ashkenazi Jewish roots. When he was 13 he received the
Christian name Richard. R.R. stands for Raymond Richard.

The Game of Thrones

It was in 1991 that he began formulating and writing “The Game of Thrones” the first
book in the “A Song of Ice and Fire” series. It took him a few years to write as he had to
continue with commercial work, but he found the characters and the imaginary world
were entering deep into his psyche.

“Whenever I put it aside it would continue to taunt me. I would find myself thinking
about it even [going] to and from the studio or before I went to sleep at night. Sometimes
on vacation. So the characters stayed with me. That was one way I really knew that this
was a series I had to write: this was a story I had to tell.” Jan interview

The new series was a culmination of his interest in fantasy and writing inspiration. It was inspired
by a mixture of Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings, The War of the Roses, The Accursed Kings and
Ivanhoe. It was an almost Shakespearian world of love, betrayal, passion and lust for power. Martin
was keen to base his books on the reality of feudal power and complex factors that motivated
individuals and shaped medieval society. Whilst Martin always loved Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings,
Martin’s world was more gritty, gloomy and has less sense of good vs evil. There is an element of
magic, but it is relatively understated. Martin is keen on historical fiction, but he states the
problem with historical fiction is you know who is going to win. His fantasy world enables him to
mix historical fiction with the freedom to develop the plot.
 Biography of Bill Gates
William Henry Gates was born on 28
October 1955, in Seattle, Washington. As the
principal founder of Microsoft, Bill Gates is
one of the most influential and richest
people on the planet. Recent estimates of his
wealth put it at US$84.2 billion (Jan. 2017);
this is the equivalent of the combined GDP
of several African economies. In recent years
he has retired from working full time at
Microsoft, and has instead concentrated on
working with his charitable foundation “The
Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.”

Early life of Bill Gates

His father William Gates Sr was a senior lawyer, and his mother, Mary, served as an
executive for a major bank. The family were wealthy but, remembering the challenges of
the Great Depression, they encouraged their children to work hard and take nothing for
granted.

Aged 13, Gates attended the private Lakeside school. It was here that Gates had his first
introduction to computers. He taught himself to programme in Basic, making a simple
‘Tic-Tac-Toe’ game. Gates enjoyed the process of working with computers and arranged
with a company Computer Center Corporation (CCC) to spend time on their computers –
learning source code, such as Fortran, Machine Code and Lisp.

In 1973, Gates enrolled at Harvard, where he studied mathematics and computer science.
However, Gates was more interested in pursuing his own coding, and when he saw an
opportunity to found his own company, he dropped out of Harvard without finishing his
course.
Bill Gates has often warned about the potential dangers of a global pandemic. In 2015,
Gates gave a warning that the world is not ready for the next pandemic, which could lead
to the deaths of millions of people. When COVID-19 became a threat to global health,
Gates devoted time and money to co-ordinating efforts to provide a global vaccine. He
spent millions of pounds in getting ready to mass-produce one of the many potential
vaccinations.

Religion of Bill Gates

Bill Gates is not overtly religion and has not specifically stated he follows a particular
belief system. He has expressed the view that he approaches life from a scientific point of
view, though he has participated in services of the Catholic Church (which is wife
attends).
Also, when asked whether he believed in God, Gates replied.
“The moral systems of religion, I think, are superimportant. We’ve raised our kids in a
religious way; they’ve gone to the Catholic church that Melinda goes to and I participate
in. I’ve been very lucky, and therefore I owe it to try and reduce the inequity in the
world. And that’s kind of a religious belief. I mean, it’s at least a moral belief.” – March 27,
2014.

“I think it makes sense to believe in God, but exactly what decision in your life you make
differently because of it, I don’t know.”
 Mark Zuckerberg, in full Mark Elliot
Zuckerberg, (born May 14, 1984, White Plains,
New York, U.S.), American computer
programmer who was cofounder and CEO
(2004– ) of Facebook, a social networking Web
site. After attending Phillips Exeter Academy,
Zuckerberg enrolled at Harvard University in
2002. On February 4, 2004, he launched
thefacebook.com (renamed Facebook in 2005), a
directory in which fellow Harvard students
entered their own information and photos into a
template that he had devised. Within two weeks half of the student body had signed up.
Zuckerberg’s roommates, Dustin Moskovitz and Chris Hughes, helped him add features
and make the site available to other campuses across the country. Facebook quickly
became popular as registered users could create profiles, upload photos and other media,
and keep in touch with friends. It differed from other social networking sites, however, in
its emphasis on real names (and e-mail addresses), or “trusted connections.” It also laid
particular emphasis on networking, with information disseminated not only to each
individual’s network of friends but also to friends of friends—what Zuckerberg called the
“social graph.”

In the summer of 2004 the trio moved their headquarters to Palo Alto, California, where
Zuckerberg talked venture capitalist Peter Thiel into giving them seed money.
Zuckerberg dropped out of Harvard to concentrate on the fledgling company, of which he
became CEO and president. In May 2005 Facebook received its first major infusion of
venture capital ($12.7 million).

Four months later Facebook opened to registration by high-school students. Meanwhile,

foreign colleges and universities also began to sign up, and by September 2006 anyone
with an e-mail address could join a regional network based on where he or she lived.
About that time Zuckerberg turned down a $1 billion buyout offer from Yahoo!, but in
2007 Facebook struck a deal with Microsoft in which the software company paid $240
million for a 1.6 percent stake in Facebook; two years later Digital Sky Technologies
purchased a 1.96 percent share for $200 million. In 2008 Zuckerberg’s new worth was
estimated at about $1.5 billion. After Facebook’s initial public offering (IPO) of stock in
2012, Zuckerberg’s net worth was estimated at more than $19 billion.
 Roger Federer Biography
Roger Federer born 8 August 1981 is a Swiss
tennis player, widely regarded to be the best
tennis player of all time. In a remarkable
career, he has won 20 Grand Slam titles and
reached the finals of all major grand slams at
least five times. During the period 2004 to
2008, he was world number one for a record
237 consecutive weeks. He has won the
Stefan Edberg Sportsmanship award (voted
by players) a record thirteen times. He also
supports several charities and is an ambassador for UNICEF.

Early Life Federer

e years, Federer learnt to control his temper. He is now regarded as one of the calmest
tennis players.

In 1998, he won the boys Wimbledon tournament, aged 17. That year he also made it to
the final of the US Open. Joining the senior ATP tour, Federer made steady progress. He
made his first final at the Marseilles Open in 2001 and won his first title in 2001 at the
Milan indoor tournament. In 2001, He also rose to prominence in the public’s mind by
beating four-time defending champion Pete Sampras to reach the quarterfinals.

In 2002, his beloved junior coach Peter Carter died (in a car crash in Africa). Federer said
his death was very traumatic, but it provided a motivation to remember and implement
his advice to be a better player, but also a better person and calmer when defeated.

In 2003, Federer confirmed his nascent talent by winning his first grand slam title at
Wimbledon. He ended the year as world no. 2 – just behind Andy Roddick. The next
year, Federer began to dominate the men’s game like no one else for a long time. He won
three Grand Slam singles titles (the first to do this since Mats Wilander in 1988)
Unsurprisingly he ended that dominant year as world number one. A position he was to
keep for the next four years.

In 2018, he successfully defended his Australian title. At 36 years and a half year, he
became the oldest ATP world No. 1 by more than three years. Federer is widely
considered the greatest tennis player of all time. Not only does he have a record 20 Grand
Slam titles but it has been achieved in a period of intense competition with the sport
taken to new levels of fitness and perfection. It is often referred to as “Tennis’ Golden
Age’
 Famadihana: Madagascar's Day of the Dead
Every few years in the highlands of
Madagascar, families reunite during a
festival known as “Famadihana”, which
literally means “the turning of the
ancestors’ bodies”.
A typical family reunion doesn’t usually
involve meeting your dead relatives. In
Madagascar, however, an important
celebration called Famadihana is a time
for Malagasy people to spend time with
their loved ones, both living and
deceased.

The Malagasy celebrate this event so that new family members can meet their ancestors
and memories can be shared and never forgotten. This practice of secondary burial
emerged in the 1820s after the repatriation of soldiers’ remains from far away. The festival
also regained popularity during tomb transfers when tombs started to be rebuilt in stone
with the introduction of the kiln.

Dancing with the dead

When guests arrive for Famahanana they give rice and money to the organizers, or
“tompon-draharaha”. The amount of the money and the quantity of rice is recorded in
what is known as “atero ka alao”, literally meaning “to give something and receive it
back”. This tradition ensures that when guests have to organise their own Famadihana,
they will be repaid and supported in kind. Since expenses are shared, all the money and
rice collected will be shared to everyone who has contributed to the expenses.

When all the guests have eaten the hosting family prepares the party to visit the tomb. As
a celebration of life and parenthood, people wear their best outfits. A group of musicians
playing trumpets, drums, and Malagasy flutes called “sodina” accompany the party and
follow them from the village to the tomb.Once there, the bodies are removed and placed
on reed mats. The host family wraps the bodies with new shrouds. At this point people
can place something the person liked when he or she was alive in with the new sheets.
For men, it may be cigarettes or alcohol. For women, perfumes or lipsticks. For children,
people commonly place sweets. Now freshly wrapped, the direct relatives dance with the
bodies and present them to the newcomers in the family.

The future of Famadihana

Over the last few years, the practice has been attracting criticism with many calling for it
to be stopped. More and more people have abandoned this tradition with the belief that
the practice goes against some religions. The festival is also increasingly more expensive to
run, and some media outlets have also linked the spread of plague to Famadihana.
 THAILAND’S ECLECTIC MONKEY BUFFET FESTIVAL

Every year, the city of Lopburi, in

central Thailand, goes to the monkeys.
On the last Sunday of November,
residents host a feast exclusively for
3,000 long-tailed macaques. Serving
massive towers of colorful fruit and
vegetables, as well as just about every
sweet you can imagine, the festival is
held as a “thank you” from locals to the
monkeys for attracting tourists to their
city. However, the roots of the buffet run much deeper than simple gratitude.

A CITY WITH A STORIED PAST

Located 93 miles from Bangkok, archaeological evidence confirms that Lopburi has been
continuously inhabited for at least 3,000 years—this makes it one of the oldest and most historic
cities in Thailand. Due to a millennia-worth of human habitation, the city boasts countless
ancient sites dating from a variety of civilizations and dynasties.

Lopburi also maintains a reverence for monkeys inspired by the city’s ties to the ancient past and
is even known as the “Monkey City.” The monkeys of Lopburi interact with locals and tourists
throughout the year. And they live among the ruins of the ancient Khmer Empire.

ROLLING OUT THE RED CARPET FOR LOPBURI’S MACAQUES

From what began in 1989 by hotelier Yongyuth Kitwattananusont, the Monkey Buffet Festival
was launched with the help of the Tourism Authority of Thailand. Over the years, the festival has
expanded to include larger numbers of primates. In turn, it has seen an increase in the number of
visitors who attend this unique event.

In the week leading up to the festival, locals pass out “invitations” to the monkeys with cashews
attached to them as a small incentive. But, Lopburi’s residents don’t stop there when it comes to
rolling out the red carpet for their furry neighbors.

A FESTIVAL LIKE NO OTHER

Beyond tons of food and plenty of primate mischief, the buffet celebration includes vibrant
musical and dance performances, highlighting the richness of Thai culture. There are also contests
and fun displays to check out, giving the festival a carnival vibe.
Muharram mourning - whip yourself to honour Hussain's sacrifice in Islamic countries and India

Muharram mourning - whip yourself to

honour Hussain's sacrifice in Islamic
countries and India

Muharram is the annual celebration which

commemorates the death of Muhammad's
grandson Hussain. He was killed along with
72 warriors at the Battle of Karbala. In a
rather bizarre custom, people go on
mourning processions to remember their
sacrifice and whip themselves using chains
to honour the sacrifice.

The history of Muharram:

Some fourteen centuries ago on the day of Ashura, the grandson of Prophet Muhammad, Imam
Hussain and his little son, were mercilessly killed by a cruel and oppressive ruler in the Battle of
Karbala. Although Imam Hussain was slain in the battle, his message of kindness, justice and
equality lives on among people who love him, and hence, that is his real victory.

The story of Muharram:

The real story behind the mourning of Muharram is a very tragic one. On the 10th day of
Muharram, also called Ashura, in the 61st year of the Islamic calendar, the fierce Battle of Karbala
took place. The battle was fought between a small group of supporters and relatives of Prophet
Muhammad's grandson Imam Hussain, and a much larger military of Yazid I, the Umayyad
caliph.

Imam Hussain's humble army comprised of only his friends and family, including women and young
children. But they were surrounded by a heavily-armed enemy army of thousands. They captured Hussain
and his group and deprived them of water and food in the desert heat for three successive days. The cruel
soldiers brutally killed Hussain and his 6-year-old son and took the women with them as captives.

It is a very emotional story and Muslims honour the sacrifice of the innocent lives by observing a mourning
period in the month of Muharram.

The significance of Muharram:

The month of Muharram is extremely holy for the Muslim community and Shia Muslims mourn the death
of Imam Hussein and his family on this day of sorrow. They respect their sacrifice and pray in abundance as
well as refrain from all joyous events.

The mourning period starts on the 1st day of Muharram and lasts for 10 days until the death day of Imam
Hussein. They mourn by putting on black clothes, observing abstinence, fasting and then they break their
fast on the day of Ashura, the 10th day. Traditionally, some of them even break the fast only after zawal
(afternoon), when they pay respect to Imam Hussein by beating themselves with chains in public, cutting
themselves with knives and sharp objects and holding mournful public processions. This painful observance
is an expression of their grief on the death of their leader Hussain, also considered to be the representative
of Allah. But most people mourn in a more non-violent manner by holding sad processions, and by
chanting "Ya Hussain", wailing loudly.