HOLY CITY OF KARBALA, Iraq: Ashuraa - day of mourning - marks the martyrdom over 1,300 years ago of Chief of martyrs and head of youth of paradise Imam Hussein, the grandson of the Prophet Mohammed (s) at the burning desert of Kerbala in Iraq in 680 along with his 72 faithful near and dear ones for safety of religion and shariah and defense of high human values.

The main mourning gathering across the globe was held at the holy shrine of Al-Imam Al-Hussein (AS) in the holy city of Karbala where several million mourners commemorated the darkest day of universal history.

Staff Lieutenant General Othman al-Ghanimi, commander of the Karbala area, said 30,000 members of the security forces were deployed at the northern, southern, and eastern entrances of Karbala to protect the pilgrims.

Men cloaked in black beat giant drums, and youths blew military-style bugles. Mourners dressed in white burial shrouds - to show their willingness to die for Hussein - whipped their backs with chains and cut their heads with knives (aza o tatbeer), drenching themselves in blood to mourn his loss. Men and women wailed in mourning, breaking down into tears.

For the past week, Karbala has been draped with black cloth arches and festooned with huge colored banners and black standards. Mournful, pounding chants pour from loudspeakers across the city, filling the air with mourning.

Najaf:

Baghdad:

Following is a camera report on Ashura from across the globe: