Shafaqna English– Muharram is a unique month in Karbala. The demand for food and services rises three to four times as processions require constant supplies, and families purchase more than usual to host pilgrims.
With the arrival of Muharram, local businesses in Karbala are witnessing a sharp increase in activity as pilgrims flock to the city for religious commemorations, creating a surge in demand for food, services, and temporary labor.
Muharram is the first month of the Islamic lunar calendar and holds special significance for Shia Muslims, who mark it with mourning rituals, especially on the 10th day known as Ashura, commemorating the martyrdom of Imam Hussain (AS), the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). The season culminates in Arbaeen, a major pilgrimage observed 40 days after Ashura.
Millions of Shia Muslims from Iraq and abroad travel—many of them on foot—to Karbala to honor Imam Hussain’s (AS) sacrifice.
Abu Ali, a 52-year-old grocery store owner in the old city, noted that sales have multiplied during the first days of Muharram. “This month is unlike any other. The demand increases three to four times as processions require constant supplies, and families buy more than usual to host pilgrims,” he told Shafaq News.
Economist Karim Al-Hilu noted: “During Muharram and Safar, demand for food surges, especially in the first ten days and around Arbaeen,” when thousands of volunteers set up roadside kitchens along pilgrimage routes to serve free meals to the millions walking to the Shrine of Imam Hussain (AS) in Karbala.
Source: Shafaq News