ashura.
mourning, free tea, but not everyone's cup of tea.
ashura in a nutshell: shia commemorating the death of imam hussein, grandson of muhammad, killed in the battle of karbala.
yazd, my first impression of ashura: people dressed in black, flogging themselves symbolically, fire, smoke, drums, people gathering at tea stands.
a mullah holding a speech in front of some people, otherwise regular life continues on amir chakhmaq square.
this needs explanation.
- what is this all about?
- free tea
- what?
the guy smiles and walks on. sometimes people are quite direct. sometimes they are not. i'm irritated. the answer was not as religion-related as i expected.
isfahan. lucky me, i'm able to watch the main celebration at one of the world's biggest squares. thousands of people in black. it's not clear if it's a day of mourning or a day of celebration, maybe both. for sure it's a day out for families.
not possible to take any good pictures. too many people watching. and they're all in front of me. but there's a plattform for press people. security with weapon in front. i give it a try and just hold the camera in front of his face. he doesn't move. neither do i. serious-security-stare vs. nice-pseudo-press-guy-grin competition. i win. much better perspective: endless bands of men performing the ritual of rhythmic self-flagellation, singing, marching around the square. after a while i need a change. how about getting close? if i'm not stopped, than it's not forbidden. nobody stops me. i'm not into mass celebrations of any kind at all, but i have to say it's great fun to observe. some of the people around me are in trance. i have to pay attention not to be hit by the metal things they use for the ritual or the flags. or not lose my hearing from the drums around me ... otherwise i spend time taking 'some' pictures to say the least... me being in trance, too
yet, after watching all this, the principle of self-inflicted pain is beyond me. i've seen it all over the world in different religious rituals. but what's the point? show solidarity or loyalty? how would that improve a bad situation? i'm just too much of a rationalist. the only self-inflicted pain i remember comes from eating e.g. way too much of self-produced mousse au chocolat or chocolate soufflee.
after a while i continue to jame mosque where i'm invited to have lunch with a family. more english-farsi-we-make-ourselves-understood-in-some-way-talks. always funny.
walk into another gathering of tons of people. non-tourist area. somebody wants to show me something, no clue what that should be. i'm pushed and pulled through the masses. it's the women's area, but it seems to be alright, i earn only 'hello mister' and smiles. finally we end up at a richly decorated shrine. definitely not in the guide books. this is in fact off the beaten track.
the day ends at khaju bridge. people are gathering for sunset, singers are performing under the arches. the only ones not liking it is the police, they are not pleased to hear singing at an official day of mourning. so i observe a game that is obviously played once a while here: police approaches, people give signals to stop singing, singing continues when police is gone.
on the way back to the hotel a women signals me to join her at one of the tea stands. she's not dressed in black.
- lady, did you celebrate ashura?
i earn a shocked face
- NO, it's a religious celebration!
now i understand the 'free tea' statement. iranian society is as heterogeneous as ours.
yazd, my first impression of ashura: people dressed in black, flogging themselves symbolically, fire, smoke, drums, people gathering at tea stands.
a mullah holding a speech in front of some people, otherwise regular life continues on amir chakhmaq square.
this needs explanation.
- what is this all about?
- free tea
- what?
the guy smiles and walks on. sometimes people are quite direct. sometimes they are not. i'm irritated. the answer was not as religion-related as i expected.
isfahan. lucky me, i'm able to watch the main celebration at one of the world's biggest squares. thousands of people in black. it's not clear if it's a day of mourning or a day of celebration, maybe both. for sure it's a day out for families.
not possible to take any good pictures. too many people watching. and they're all in front of me. but there's a plattform for press people. security with weapon in front. i give it a try and just hold the camera in front of his face. he doesn't move. neither do i. serious-security-stare vs. nice-pseudo-press-guy-grin competition. i win. much better perspective: endless bands of men performing the ritual of rhythmic self-flagellation, singing, marching around the square. after a while i need a change. how about getting close? if i'm not stopped, than it's not forbidden. nobody stops me. i'm not into mass celebrations of any kind at all, but i have to say it's great fun to observe. some of the people around me are in trance. i have to pay attention not to be hit by the metal things they use for the ritual or the flags. or not lose my hearing from the drums around me ... otherwise i spend time taking 'some' pictures to say the least... me being in trance, too
yet, after watching all this, the principle of self-inflicted pain is beyond me. i've seen it all over the world in different religious rituals. but what's the point? show solidarity or loyalty? how would that improve a bad situation? i'm just too much of a rationalist. the only self-inflicted pain i remember comes from eating e.g. way too much of self-produced mousse au chocolat or chocolate soufflee.
after a while i continue to jame mosque where i'm invited to have lunch with a family. more english-farsi-we-make-ourselves-understood-in-some-way-talks. always funny.
walk into another gathering of tons of people. non-tourist area. somebody wants to show me something, no clue what that should be. i'm pushed and pulled through the masses. it's the women's area, but it seems to be alright, i earn only 'hello mister' and smiles. finally we end up at a richly decorated shrine. definitely not in the guide books. this is in fact off the beaten track.
the day ends at khaju bridge. people are gathering for sunset, singers are performing under the arches. the only ones not liking it is the police, they are not pleased to hear singing at an official day of mourning. so i observe a game that is obviously played once a while here: police approaches, people give signals to stop singing, singing continues when police is gone.
on the way back to the hotel a women signals me to join her at one of the tea stands. she's not dressed in black.
- lady, did you celebrate ashura?
i earn a shocked face
- NO, it's a religious celebration!
now i understand the 'free tea' statement. iranian society is as heterogeneous as ours.