Moharram, or MUHARREM, the first month of the Mohammedan year, kept by the Shiite Mohammedans as a month of fasting and mourning, in commemoration of the sufferings of Hassan and Hussein (Hasan and Hosain), nephews of the Prophet. A celebrated passion-play (Eng. version by Sir Lewis Pelly in 1879) is performed during this month in honour of the two saints at several towns in Persia and India.
Moharram
Chambers's Encyclopaedia, Volume 7: Maltebrun to Pearson, p. 251
Source scan(s): p. 0260