AN ETHNOGEOGRAPHY OF DEVOTION.

QUETTA -- The history of Shia Muslims in Balochistan, specifically Quetta, is said to be more than a century old. After the construction of the first Imambargah on Mekangi Road Quetta in 1922, there was a huge migration from Afghanistan during the Era of Ameer Abdur Rehman to Pakistan, Iran, and Russia. Most of the people who migrated to Quetta were people from the Qizilbash and Hazara communities from Kandahar, Herat, and Kabul. Later, people from other casts migrated from the sub-continent (Hindustan) for government jobs and business. These included people from Punjabi and Urdu speaking Hindustani families, Baltistani, Gilgit, Tibet, Toori, Bangash from Parachinar and many other small tribes.

According to Syed Daud Agha, former President of the Balochistan Shia Conference, the current Shia population in Quetta is nearly 700,000 and there are more than 50 registered Imambargahs in the vicinity of Alamdar Road and Brewery Road. After the creation of Pakistan, members of the Hazara community migrated in huge numbers as did people from the Urdu-speaking community. As the majalis shifted from Persian to Urdu language, there was a huge turnover in the Azadari of Quetta, and the Procession on the ninth day of Muharram was shifted to the tenth day of Muharram.

Separate Majalis for women were organized and after PTV Quetta Centre was launched in 1974, the Azadari got more recognition. After the creation of Balochistan Shia Conference, the procession of 10th Muharram was managed in a proper way and through a proper government channel. The initial members included Sardar Muhammad Ishaq Hazara, Agha Nasir Ali, Mirza Noor Ahmed, Agha Syed Hussain, and Sardar Asif Hazara.

Beginning of Azadari in Quetta

Mirza Abdul Ali, also known as Baba Abdul of Kandahar is said to be the Pioneer of Azadari in Quetta. He started a small Imambargah on Mission Road, 'Takiya Baba Abdul,' where the Persian-speaking community used to do Manqabat Khuwani. People say that Baba Abdul, like his father Abdul Wahid and Grand Father Abdul Wahab, was part of the Afghan Army but shifted to Quetta when the railway line connecting Chaman to Quetta was made. In addition to the Qizilbash Families of Qandahar, the Takiya was regularly visited by Hazara community members, 'Hazara pioneers,' who were part of the Indian Army in 1904.

The Imambargah of Baba Abdul was given proper shape by Allama Sheikh Abdul Ali Haravi Al-Tehrani. He was also one of the pioneers who spread Shia guidance to the people living In Quetta through his high knowledge of jurisprudence. In his book 'Balochistan Main Pairwan-e-Ali,' Agha Nasir, a former professor at The University of Balochistan, wrote that Allama Iqbal also used to visit Allama Haravi for jurisprudence in the Quran and teachings of Ahle Bait (a.s).

The Takiya of Baba Abdul shifted to Barnas Road (currently Alamdar Road) after the earthquake of 1935. The location was also residence to Mr Mirza Ashraf, his grandson. Later it was moved to Rehmatullah Road, where famous scholars of Qandahar, Maulvi Hasan Jan, Sheikh Tahir, and others used to recite majalis during Muharram.

The Procession of Muharram was initially held on...