Muharram is not a festival in the sense that it mourns the Karbala tragedy. Imam Husain, the grandson of Prophet Muhammad, was martyred in the 61st year of the Hijra (A.H.). People hit themselves with whips and knives, sometimes even with rods and swords to share the pain of the death of the martyr.
After the death of the Prophet, fights for succession began. As Islam believes in only one prophet therefore there was no question of a successor. After him, the Koran was considered the final word in revelations and settlement of disputes and conflicts.
But a Caliph was needed and Muhammad had not named anyone to occupy the position and had no sons but only one daughter Fatimah. She was married to Ali, and had two children - Hassan and Hussein. Abu Bakr, a loyal follower of Muhammad was elected Caliph. His reign was peaceful, as was that of his successors. However, during the reign of Ali, there was major opposition from the masses, and Ali was assassinated. His son Hassan was poisoned, while his other son Hussein was killed in the battle of Karbala. This divided the Muslim community into two sects - the Shiahs and the Sunnis. The Shiahs consider Ali, Hassan and Hussein the rightful Caliphs and publicly mourn their death during Muharram.
In India Muslims mourn the day and take out processions carrying beautifully decorated Taziyas (bamboo and paper replicas of the martyr's tomb). These are studded with gilt and mica, and green alams (standards of Hazrat Imam Hussain's army) made of silver, copper and brass. A horse also accompanies the procession in memory of Hussain's horse Dul Dul. Marsiyars (mourning verses) are recited and young men beat their breasts crying "Husain! Husain!" in collective sorrow. On the tenth day, the processions carrying the taziyas and alams is called Ashura. It terminates in open spaces called Imambaras, where the taziyas are buried, or in the local burial ground known as the Karbala.

Where: All parts of the country, particularly Lucknow.