Muharram is the first month of the Islamic calendar and also holds significant importance in the lives of Muslims due to the history associated with it. After the event of Karbala, the orientation of the month of Muharram changed completely and a new orientation had emerged with many traditions attached to the mournful happening.
The Event of Karbala:
Yazid I (647–683) was appointed to the throne caused likely by the plots and evil schemes for governance. Yazid beheld treachery, viciousness, ill faith, & wrongdoings as the sublime part of his character. He also mocked the Wahi revelation while performing the role of Khalifa. His words and actions were met with the grandson of Hazrat Muhammad (P.B.U.H) Imam Hussain (a.s).
Imam Hussain (a.s) was the most pious head and rightful successor and condemned all the wrongful acts of Yazid. He (a.s) also refused to do Bayat in order to save the religion of his Grandfather (P.B.U.H). As a person determined and known for his cruelty, Yazid decided to oppress and force Imam Hussain (a.s) into Bayat. Therefore Muharram is the month when Yazid I (647–683) led his army to block the progression of Imam Hussain (a.s), His family members and His companions in order to take Bayat in favour of his governance. Imam Hussain (a.s) was determined not to accept the rule and governance of Yazid and deemed it illegitimate. However, Yazid being a morally cruel and defiant character, tried to suppress the voice of righteousness by crowding Imam Hussain (a.s) and his family and friends who were migrating to Kufa from Mecca.
They were being crowded with an army ten times in number than the lone warriors in Imam Hussain’s (a.s) army. On the 7th of Muharram, the water blockage took place in order to pressurize Imam Hussain (a.s) into Bayat. Then on the dawn of 10th Muharram, the oppressed and innocent ones received the rank of martyrs as the result of the utmost and beyond cruel attack by the wrongfully guided ones. One of the shaheeds was a six months old infant, the son of Imam Hussain (a.s), known as Ali Asghar (a.s). He (a.s) had been shot with an arrow ten times bigger than the size of His (a.s) body. At last, close to the time of Namaz e Asr, the land of Karbala witnessed the last battle of the Grandson (a.s) of Prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H) in which He(a.s) received shahadat like the others.
Mournings By The Muslims:
Muharram has thus been regarded as one of the holiest months like Ramadan. Muslims mourn in this month by re-enacting all the pain and sufferings by the Ahle Bayt (a.s), the bloodshed, burning tents, and oppressed family members. In the wake of such happenings, many traditions have been followed to mourn. Processions have been held every year where different clerics deliver sermons defining the event of Karbala and how to stay true to the objective of Imam Hussain (a.s). These processions are then followed by Nauha Khwani, where people recite poems describing repercussions of such events, where Muslims self flagellate themselves with bare hands or even sharp objects. These activities are done to re-enact the sufferings and pain the Ahlul Bayt (a.s) went through.
Also, some view this as the way of showing the oppressors of Karbala that Imam Hussain (a.s) was indeed the most righteous and that we, as followers, are here to mourn and support His (a.s) principles and objectives. Black is usually the dressing colour followed in the month of Muharram ul Haram to showcase the grievances beheld by the Muslims. Azadari and other such small processions are held domestically in the houses separately for both the genders to give Pursa to Imam Mehdi (a.j.t.f).
Conclusion:
It is indeed true that such a fateful chain of events led to the change in orientation for the month of Muharram. It is due to Karbala and the sacrifice of Imam Hussain (a.s) that the morally depraved and ill-fated governance along with their oppressors had achieved what had been their destiny.