Exploring the Socio-Political Impact of Eid-Milad-un-Nabi Processions in Pothohar Region: A Transformation from Piety to Power"

Abstract

The present study explores the origin of Eid-Milad -un-Nabiprocessions in Rawalpindi, with a focus to discuss how an occasion which was previously associated with religious piety converted into a show of power.The historical city of Rawalpindi used to house a mixture of many communities i.e., Sikhs, Muslims, Hindus, and Christians. In 1896 the construction of the famous Jamia Masjidbecame a bone of contention between Sikhs and Muslims. After just a couple of decades, the chosen locality and surrounding areas witnessed a massacre, this incident of violence withinthe Pothohar region took the lives of hundreds of innocent people. This was the time when Muslims started the procession of Eid-Milad -un-Nabi, in which thousands of Muslims participated. It was observed as a deviation from mere religious piety to a show of power. This research would also explore how the Eid-Milad -un-Nabiprocession presently serves socio political purposes and its conversion into a method to satisfy intrinsic political interests. This project aims to delve into how the Barelvis institutionalized Miladin their political activism, striving to reinstate piety within their political agendas and secure a prominent social space in society