Hayaat-e-Mah Laqa Hayaat-e-Mah Laqa: Pg. #27

Preparations for Mourning during the Days of Muharram (Contd.)
"Mah Laqa Bai would give thousands of rupees to the devotees according to their status. Her grand palace was situated in Ailchi Baig. Since this place was used for the education of song and dance, a separate area was identified to construct a place for mourning. In front of the palace, a hall for drum beating was also constructed. During this period, the place was decorated in many remarkable ways. Entry to this area was prohibited except for those who were in a state of ablution, and also those who recited fatiha. Wearing red clothes was also prohibited. A dais covered with black velvet was set up for delivering the compositions on lamentation and to narrate the tragedy of Kerbala. In front of the hall of lamentation, poles were erected for lights and clothes were hung in a pattern. From the first to the last day of mourning, the area used to be lit up bright from evening to morning. The marsiya reciters would recite with great expertise. This was followed by breast-beating, which created a highly charged atmosphere of mourning and lamentation. If someone fell unconscious, rose-water was sprayed over him to bring him back to senses. Later, food of great variety was laid out. This continued for all the ten days of mourning. When the night deepened and people dispersed, some special ones would arrive for mourning."