These photos show the people of Baq Malek village in Isfahan province of Iran marking Ashura.

Millions of people across Iran marked Ashura which reached its climax on Wednesday and Thursday. Ashura marks the martyrdom of Imam Hussein (AS) - the grandson of Prophet Mohammed - in 680 AD in the battle of Karbala.

Mourners, mostly dressed in black, beat themselves with fist and chain to show their grief to what happened to Imam Hussein and his family in the battle. Different cities and provinces have their own special ceremony in marking Ashura. Special ceremonies are held in Zanjan, Qom, Tehran, Yazd and Mashhad. People usually travel to their own native cities to commemorate Ashura.

The mourning ceremonies which start on the first day of Muharram - the first month of the Islamic calendar - and reach their peak on Ashura (the tenth of Muharram), families donate food and a climate of friendship and sympathy prevails in the society.

... Payvand News - 12/16/10 ... --