ASHURA (TABRIZ)

ASHURA in Tabriz, Iran. 2013.

The most intense religious and traditional festival that I have ever witnessed.

It is the day the Shia muslim followers remember the murder of Imam Husayn ibn Ali

 and his family and his companions. It is a day of deep grief and -as I felt it- love to each other.

People will cry, literally beat themselves up -sometimes even with iron chains- 

but also come together and share food with each and everyone.

My first time witnessing Ashura left me deeply impressed by its force.

It took me one year to touch the images of that special day again. I just want to share some 

of the photographs very carefully as they can be misunderstood and misused just too easily.

As I heard already last year that world reknown Magnum photographer Steve McCurry will also

 portray these special ceremony this year I want to show the events seen through my eyes first.

I will take another day or two for it though as I have to consider what 

I can publish without showing the hospitable society of Iran in a wrong light.