Sakina's Journal

My Photo scholarship 2010 entry

Iraq | Friday, October 15, 2010 | 5 photos

These 5 photographs were taken in Karbala, Iraq, located about 100 km southwest of Baghdad, with an estimated population of 572,300 people.

It is amongst the holiest cities for Shī‘ah Muslims and many visit Karbala for religious pilgrimage as Imam Hussain, the grandson of the Holy Prophet, was martyred and buried there. Imam Hussain's brother, Imam Al Abbas is also buried in Karbala.

Upto 22 million people visited the Shrine of Imam Hussain in Karbala in January 2010, according to the management.

I was one of those 20 million.
An insignifant pixel in a crowd of 20 million other pilgrims.
20 million other pilgrims, some of which who walked from other cities to Karbala on foot, by choice, their devotion on display; a protest against the injustice.
20 million other pilgrims, most of which had no place to sleep at night, who couldn't afford a hotel.
20 million people, most of which couldn't afford to eat meals a day.
20 million people, ALL of which who had no worries, atleast not when they were in Karbala. All of them, didn't spend one day without food, or water. Everything was taken care of, at no cost.

We all know Iraq is a poor, war-torn country.
My pictures will demonstrate that there is no scarcity of love, no scarcity of generosity, no scarcity of acceptance, or hospitability.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karbala