By Cihan Şenlik
Hundreds of Alevi people living in London joined together at the Alevi Cultural Center and Cemevi England (İAKMC) for ‘Aşure Day’.
The 1339th Anniversary of the Battle of Karbala was commemorated along with the Aşure Day which was held in Wood Green, North London.
Approximately 2 tons of Ashura soup was served to hundreds of people last year and just as much if not more is expected to have been made this year.
Member of the local council and community leaders and members participated in the program.
Speaking to the Londra Gazete, İAKMC President Kadir Yürük thanked everyone who contributed to the preparation and distribution of the Ashura and said:
“After the end of Muharram fasts, we prepared and shared Aşure Lokma with the participation of all our village and local associations in the Alevi Cultural Center and Cemevi in England this year.
I would like to thank our lives, guests and everyone who contributed. Let our lokma and the labour of our employees be accepted on the right floor, as our companion Khidr, with Love. ”
President of the British Alevi Federation Israfil Erbil, who participated in the program, said the following in his speech:
” Today is our first Ashura without of our former president Tugay Hurman, who left us at such a young age today, again Gülbahar (Aslan) is the commemoration of our lives. This year was a bad year, this year was a painful year. Muharram’de 12 Imams, Karbala, and then live with the pain of Ashura, peace, hope, happiness, as long as we return to our lives will remember the condition. Their sorrows and memories will be with us, but we will share our Ashuri today, with the Ashuri to look forward to the future with hope. Our Ashura is the transformation of different grains in a cauldron into a colour. Our Ashura is a taste of different tastes. ”
WHAT IS ASHURA DAY?
Ashura is the tenth day of Muharram, the first month in the Islamic calendar. It marks the day that Husayn ibn Ali, the grandson of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, was martyred in the Battle of Karbala.
Ashura soup was cooked after a fast in Muharram before being martyred in Karbala was made and shared in a festive atmosphere. From the dates after the imam Hussein’s testimony, Ashura soup was cooked and distributed as a necessity of devotion to the memories of all martyrs who gave their lives, including the martyrs of Karbala and 12 imams.