The exile of the ancient mourning rituals of Imam Hossein (AS) in Abarkoh

A cultural heritage researcher in Abarkoh, Yazd, while criticizing the removal of many traditional and ancient mourning rituals of the people of this region by certain people under various pretexts, said: This unpleasant event has caused great damage to this style of mourning, which itself is an important tourist attraction and in Promoting the culture of Ashura is effective.

“It is not acceptable to drink water that this is not a condition of loyalty”, it is left strange in the alleys of Abarkoh…

“Hamid Akrami” in an interview with ISNA reporter begins his speech with this sentence and says: This is only a part of a mourning tradition in Abarkoh, which has a very strong and rich theme, and unfortunately today there is no trace of it except in the pages of the ancient history of Abarkoh. is not.

He states: After 15 years of research and research, we have come to know more than 23 types of Muharram Abarkoh mourning customs, and a huge part of this treasure, which itself could be a very precious and valuable resource for the religious tourism of the city, in the group decisions of the religious delegations. And some officials of the city have not been implemented and the new generation does not have the slightest knowledge about them.

Akrami continues: water conversation, musketeers, palm trees, congregational trumpets, home prayers, prepared ceremonies, sprinkling of water with pine leaves, syrupy alleys, ta’ziyeh of Shamar and Hazrat Abbas (peace be upon him) and stoning of Shamar are among the traditions that during The performance brought people closer to the reality of the concepts of Ashura and the goals of Imam Hussain (AS) and influenced people, but today only their names remain.

This researcher in the field of cultural heritage points out: the mourning of Abarkoh has become unique in the country due to the special traditions and ceremonies that are infused with the blood of the people of this country, and many of its rituals have also been registered in the national register, so changing and removing these rituals can harm put a burden on the figure of this valuable heritage that has irreparable damage, and the least of which is the diminution of the presence of people, especially young people.

He states: the issue that some rituals (stabbing) causes the denigration of religion and is a tool of abuse by domestic and foreign enemies, and its removal seems necessary, and some traditions (the collective trumpet) are also not applicable due to the advancement of technology and the existence of various other media. It is acceptable, but it is not permissible to change, distort and even ignore many traditions that great scholars such as “Mr. Mirza Abdul Ghani Rajaee” promoted and emphasized on its implementation due to the visualization of the Ashura event.

A historical path that deviated

Akrami states: On the day of Ashura, after mourning in the place, according to the long-standing tradition, the delegations go in a special order along an innovative and predetermined route, during which all the delegations pass in front of the Hosseiniyehs of other neighborhoods. In this order, first the delegation of Darb Qala neighborhood, then Nabadan, moved from their Hosseinieh in order, and after passing through Hosseinieh of Bazar neighborhood, they entered Imam Hossein (peace be upon him) square, and on the way to the gate of the square, the historical context and the alleys of Aghazadeh house. They used to go through Qalanou neighborhood, Jahanistan, Imamzadeh Ahmad (a.s.) and Hosseinieh neighborhood of Nabadan.

He reminds: In recent years, people in the delegations have shortened this route due to the fatigue of the mourners and lack of time, and other delegations do not pass through the alleys, and many traditions that were performed in these alleys, such as sprinkling pine with rose water, curse of Shamar and alleys Sharbat has been lost because of this.

This Abarkohi researcher also regrets the lost order when mourning begins and the processions move at night in the alleys and says: In the past, when the processions left the hosseiniyehs of their neighborhood, they used to turn the assembly drum into a street drum by mentioning “Ya Hossein”. whose mourning rhythm was (Shah Hossein or Hossein, Shah).

Spirituality that fades

Akrami goes on to clarify: on the way, one of the mourners sings beautiful poems such as “Mukhor ab rua is not that this condition is not faithful” and the mourners in this interval until they reach the next assembly with the same special order, while whispering these poems and pouring Tears were resting. When approaching the next Hosseiniyeh, the varchin varchin drum was played to prepare the chain women.

He reminds: the new assembly is also accompanied by the drum of the assembly and the song “Mahrumm Hossein, Mazloum Hossein, Atshanam Hossein, Arianam Hossein” which these days is accompanied by chanting “Hossein, Hossein, Aba al-Fazl”, with the same order and processions as the original And it was done without disrespecting other mourners. In the past, the playing of different types of drums would indicate that a certain delegation is currently in the street or in Hosseiniyeh, or is ready to enter the new parliament or not; But today sometimes it is not clear when the delegation passes through the alleys.

Akrami points to the re-creation of old mosques in recent years by some concerned people and says: In the past, mosques were prepared to mourn the martyrs by covering them, setting up flags, preparing the preacher’s pulpit, reading Chavoshi and giving tea, but today due to the lack of The space and weight of delegations, many of these houses, such as the house of Mohammad Sadiq Imam and the house of 0 Haj Jafar Falahzadeh, have been closed.

Revival of the Musketeer Board and the tradition of water endowment

This Abarkohi researcher also criticizes the substitution of water tankers instead of the musketeers’ board and adds: the reason for this is the reduction of the number of musketeers and the loss of some beliefs. In the past, when the musketeers came to the gathering, they would sing the verses related to the discussion of water, such as “Drink Sabiyeh water and curse Haq Bar Yazd” with a special and sad rhythm, and people would also drink the water of the muskets as a blessing.

This activist in the field of cultural heritage admits: “Tawkiyehs” and “Pakandehs” used to dedicate water to Hazrat Aba al-Fazl (peace be upon him) on the day of Tasua, and the musketeers filled their muskets with water from these places and went among the people. . Even today, if people know that putting musk on shoulders and giving water to mourners is no less than chaining and breast beating and harvesting knowledge, then the musk bearers’ board can be revived.

Akrami stated that what we have heard from Muharram guests in Abarkoh as well as the residents of the city indicate the coldness of mourning in recent years. During chaining and the sound of chains disappearing and the presence of women in the squares instead of the houses and roofs to see the procession and mourn are among the harms that fuel this coldness.

A ritual that was limited in Abarkouh after the national registration

Akrami mentions the ritual of “Shedah Gerdani” in Abarkoh, which has also reached the national register, and states: In the past, to close the Shedh, a fasting ceremony was performed along with the cooking of stringed rice and other offerings, and this symbol was very sacred for the people. In the past, the battalions used to move among the chaining and breast-feeding delegation at regular intervals.

This activist in the field of cultural heritage emphasizes: Abarkoh mourning mixed with these traditions can become an important religious tourism event, and this is only possible by preventing distortions and changes.