Object Number: VRM3606

Dimensions: 29.5 x 18.0 cm

Material: Brass

Find Location: Dhaka, Bangladesh

Date: 19th Century CE

The disintegration of the Mughal Empire into regional powers in the early 18th century was hastened by a combination of European incursions and internal instability. While most Mughal Emperors were Sunni, many of the rulers of its successor states were Shia, including those who ruled the Bengal Basin from the city of Murshidabad. This led to a flourishing of Shia art, architecture and culture within the region.

Ashura is observed on the tenth day of Muharram, the first month of the Islamic calendar. For Shia followers of Islam, this is a day of mourning to remember the martyrdom of the Imam Hussein, grandson of the Prophet Muhammed (PBUH), during the battle of Karbala in 680 CE. Dramatic plays re-enact Hussein’s death and are accompanied by processions of mourners carrying flags and tajiya, replicas of his mausoleum. Processions are led by an individual holding an alam, or standard, comprising an ornate metal fitting attached to the top of a wooden staff.

This alam is shaped as a Panja, or protective hand. Made from brass, it is intricately engraved with Arabic script. Both sides are inscribed with the names of significant religious figures, including the five holy personae of Shia Islam: the Prophet Muhammed (PBUH), Ali, Fatimah, Hasan and Hussein. The invocation “Ya Ali, Ya Ali”, is also present and is used by Shia Muslims, especially during religious ceremonies, to call upon Ali ibn Abi Talib, the first Shia Imam.

The Panja has a depiction of a building, which the text identifies as the shrine of Iman Hussein at Karbala in Iraq. This provides a tangible link between Ashura, Karbala and Iman Hussein, whom it commemorates.