Noha is a specific genre that commemorates the martyrdom of
Husayn ibn Ali in
Urdu language, and is itself separate from classical
Marsiya. In
Kashmir during the mid 20th century, a new genre began to develop parallel to classical Kashmiri marsiya that was observed free from literary conventions, techniques and standard forms of prosody, spontaneously came to know as "Nowha", and locally preferred as "Koshur Nowha" however initially called "روان". Before this evolution, Kashmir has its own rich heritage of commemorating the martyrdom of
Husayn ibn Ali in native
Kashmiri language through much evolved historical to classical
Kashmiri Marsiya. Kashmiri nowha has historically not competed with traditional marsiya given the local ceremonial context. However in 1923, a first of its kind, free elegiac verses were recited from Kamangarpora in downtown city of
Srinagar as the muharram procession commenced towards Shia dominated
Zadibal, for the first time beyond the dawn Years later, Mirza Ghulam Mehdi Beigh of sonwar, later migrated to Daulat Abad, Nowpora in Srinagar gave a proper standardized form to Kashmiri Nowha, and began to recite a macaronic styled nowha himself "Aye Gul-e-gulzar Ali Akbaram
Urdu: اے گلِ گلزار علی اکبرم" that is still being recited by his descendant Manzoor Hussain Beig with zuljanah processions of capital city. With decades after, kashmiri nowha became so popular that all contingents of mourners in Kashmir tried their skill in reciting and evolving this genre. Later, Kagazgar family in Srinagar also came to the forefront and began to compose a parallel genre Nowha, in comparison to Marsiya. With regard to literary techniques, prosody is essential element now as the metre of nauha should be synchronous with rhythm of flagellation or chest hitting practice. Few new type nowhas are influenced by Iraqi latmiya, with a lapse of one beat. ==See also==