Chub-Zani, a local mourning ritual

Chub-Zani is one of the oldest traditional rituals performed by the people of Iran’s Dezful to commemorate the Muharram mourning season in public.

With a history that dates back to 500 years ago, this ritual has recently been inscribed on Iran’s National Cultural Heritage list.

Chub-Zani involves reciting poems and pushing two sticks forward and backward.

The traditional ritual is a symbol of the war scene, which is accompanied by drums and trumpets in front of Tekyehs, venues for the gathering of mourners known as ‘heyat’ (literally meaning group or delegation) to honor the life of Imam Hussein (AS).

As part of this ceremony, some men are divided into two groups and fight each other with sticks, shields, swords and armor.

Chub-Zani has been performed in some old neighborhoods of Dezful during the first ten days of Muharram.

Shia Muslims mourn for 50 days during the lunar months of Muharram and Safar for Imam Hussein (AS) and his companions who were martyred in a battle against the tyranny of the time.

The mourning ceremonies reach their climax on Ashura, the tenth day of Muharram, upon which Imam Hussein (AS) and his companions were martyred.

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