Birdcage
In Shia Islam, Muharram is an important religious period, marking the slaying of Imam Hussein, his family, and followers. It is a period of mourning, marked through the Islamic calendar months of Muharram and Safar, but extends even beyond. During this time, majlis (gatherings) are held twice a day, in the morning and night. At these gatherings, men and women sit in separate spaces. These photos are from the vantage of young girls of a village in Kargil's Suru Valley. They sit in meshed balconies above the central hall of the Imambara. It's a space to gossip, snack, nap, watch videos, jump out of windows and climb walls, with a great vantage on the happenings on the ground floor. When the grieving by the adults becomes more pronounced, the girls put their heads down and weep as well. This however doesn’t last very long.
