CHANTING OF WOMEN. 179 



plains of Kerbulla, upon the lOtli day of the 

 Arabian month Mohurrum. 



These tragical events form the subject of 

 the ten days' mourning festival, which com- 

 mences on the morning after the moon 

 becomes visible. During the first six days, 

 mourning assemblies were held at Khyrpoor 

 in the house of Syed Jaffer Ali Shah, here- 

 ditary conscience-keeper to his sovereign, and 

 in other places, where preachers recited ser- 

 vices relating to the sad events above men- 

 tioned, from the various books composed on 

 the subject, descriptive of the life, sufferings, 

 and martyrdom of Husseyn and Hussun. The 

 Murseealis^ or hymns, said to be of great merit, 

 were chanted with much effect ; the names 

 of their lawful leaders were mentioned with 

 blessings, and curses were showered on the 

 usurping Caliphas. This chanting was accom- 

 panied with every sign of grief, the mourners in- 

 cessantly beating their breasts as they invoked 

 the names of the martyred Emaums, Y\diilst tears 

 were shed in abundance by both sexes, and an 

 attendant, with a bag of ashes, powdered tliere- 

 with the heads of the weeping congregation. 



12' 



