New-York tribune., 1873-01-18
THE LAND OF THE SULTAN.
TURKISH LIFE AND CUSTOMS.

CkLEBRAIiON Of oEfbN oAEookD
NIGHTS.
IpRoN AN OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUNE
CoNsrANTINoPLE, Dec. 4-The month OF
amaEan, which has just closed is the most evenful in
the Turkish year. During the entire month every Mus
EumaD who obeys the ad0onitons OF the Koran has aD
stained from all food and drink from sunrise TO sunset
Nowadays there are many skeptics among the Turks
who have little faith In their religion. but very
few would dare openly TO break positive command OF
the Koran. This prvation Is small at this season
OF the year when the days short and the weather
cool but the Mohammedan year lunar ip the course
OF years each month through all the seasons OF
the consequently the Ramazan sometimes comes IN
BANNER when the days long and the heat intense
Then Il is that the power OF endurance OF
the true believers is put to its strongest TEST
Many a poor laborer suffers severely when oompeneu
20 such painful abstinence, and sometimes, though
very rarely. his resolution gives way Every morInng
nj SUNRISE or as soon as black thread can be dstin
gushed from white one cannon Is fred and all Mus
sumans cease from their eastng, the fast OF the day
besins and until the again sounds at night, 1t Is
very strictly kept 1t amusing, however to watch the
preparations that made just before sunset The sell
Iers Of bread and various viands which make up the
native bill Of fare drive thriving trade, and may
often see a Turk seated with spoon in hand and all
things ready the sound Of the evening TO make
ample amends for his abstinence during the last ten or
twelve hours.
A gentleman was once travelling in the interior with
ms naive servant fStn1dLduJ bHty uh''AN
determine accurately whether the was below the
horson and supposed that they too far distant
from the neighboring town 10 hear the sound OF the
evening gun; but it seemed TO the gentleman that the
must have passed. he assured his servant that he
could safely parake food. The fellow had only eaten
few mouthfuls however, when the faint sound OF the
cannon was heard on evening breeze Great was his
CONSERVATION; be rolled the ground in an agony OF
tears and grief for the fast of the entire day was Vita
ted and he must compound for his violation of it by
fAstng day some other month or by giving aims. In
general however travellers sick persons may break
of and fast theisame number OF days
another time but they consider it much more mero-
fast during Ramazan There is little business
done among the Turks during this month"; OF course the
poorer classes who live by their daily labor are obliged
70 work the bazar there scarcely anything done,
and the Government offices closed most of the time
During the day the wealthy Turks exchange visits and
sleep. Almost any fine afternoon, but especially on
Thursday which the ladies' day, large concOurSe of
people may be in the open place IN tront OF the
seraskeriat Tor war ofcesl and the Mosque of Sultan
Byazid. Nearly all the Turkish ladies who can do so
come out for ride Many Of the Turks have fine horses
and carriages others hire them; and all the afternoon
constant Of carriages crculates slowly roundand
round the square The sight interesting TO one
who has seen anything Of the kind before The
ladies are Of course all Of them vailed but in such
manner as 70 highten rather than TO conceal their
beauty; their eomplexions are rather too waXy, and
their faces lack expression in most cases. but some OF
them are exceedingly beautiful OF course being On
entails they delight in bright cOlOrs which renders the
scene very picturesque.
But II the MohamInedans fast during the day they
feast night appearance of the streets there
In decided their ordinary gloomy aspect after
nghtfa. In Pira, the European part OF Constantinope
the streets always lighted at night but In sambon
they are almost totally dark, and those who are obliged
to required by law to carry lanterns During
RamazaD however great part of the population spend
the early part Of the night the streets feastng and en-
toying themselves; the cafes are brilliantly
lighted and the shops selling confectionery and the
various dantes in which the Turks delight. are deco
rated with coored and other devices for making
snowy effect Every mnaret in the city illuminated
and as the Turks are especially skful in this sort Of
decoration, 1t merits than passing notice. Each
mosque has minarets. The Mosque OF Sui
Achmet has SIX, more than any other in the world
St Sophia Soymanich have four each all the other
important mosques have two. and there are many
smaller Ininarets belonging private praying places
These mnarets according TO their sire have one, tWo
or three galleries from which the muezin gives the call
20 prayer five times day, and every night during
Ramazan they are surrounded By glitterng cincture
In addition this the minares connected by lines
of light and various devices outlined between them
sentence from the Koran ship, flower some such
ngure and the irOn-clads in the harbOr covered
from stem to and from mast top TO the waters
edge with lights Of different colOrs, making the harbor
seem Ike fairy land. A few days before the end OF
Ramazan occurs the Kadir-gedeSSy Tor "Nght Of
PowersJ This is one Of the seven blessed
nights" observed by the MOhammedans, and
commentaries the night IN which the Koran
was sent down TO the lowest heaven, whence Gabriel
revealed it Mohammed by parcels as occasion re-
qured The Sultan goes in state of the mosques
for evening prayer attended by numerous cortege
On this night OF all others, the Turks display their in
genuty producing the most brilliant pyroteehnc dis
plays the dazzling combinations OF lights The
mosque at TOphdneh (Or cannon place is especially
famed for the in which 1t is decorated and the
ta With their retwork galleries are hung with
thousands OF small glass globes fled with olive oil,
which burns with a beautiful pure fame. The street
leading TO Dolmabaghtehe the largest OF the Imperial
palaces at Constantnople and where the Sultan
lives most Of the time, is crowded with
living stream flowing toward the palace,
and the open space front OF the principal gate Is
thronged by the vailed beauties Of many harem,
attended by their dusky guardians. Sayos OF artillery
arc fired when the Sultan returns from the mosque and
rockets bursting into showers Of many coored lights
add greatly TO ve brilliant enect OF the scene Along
the Bosphorus, lights CLEAN from many mosque and
koaak from the Marmora the Black Sea- and caques
fit here and there with ooored lights at the PROV.
sTbe seven " blessed nights" OF the Mussulman year
come IN the following chronological order l. The Aer
loud or Night Of the Prophets Birth" celebrated in
the month Redjb. g. LeihtLReghGtb or Night Of the
Prophets Arrest" which occurs IN tbei same month g.
The might Of Mohammeds Ascension" at the close OF
the same month On the sultan's attending mosque on
this sacred anniversary he, in common with ali the
faithful at prayers drinks cups Of milk offered by
the officiating imam This is 10 commemorate the Mos
lem tradition of milk aud honey having been given by
angels 70 the Prophet his accession TO Paradise g.
The Berat Night lof the Charter" in the month
sAahan when every true Mussulman Is inspired with
reverenta feelings Of hope and fear for 1t Is the solemn
night which the gels OF the Lord who attend the true
heita ouOhh hie lie