The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-01-05
THE PERSIAN PASSION PLAY.



1t has been my privilege to witness what trav-
elers call the Persian Passion Play The Per
slams claim that Ali, the son-in-aw of the
Prophet, was rightfully the immediate successor
to the kaliphate. Upon the death of Hussein
lone of the two sons Of Ali the Persians found
their great religious festival which occurs IN and
takes its name from the month of Moharem in
the Mohammedan year. Not only in their own
country, but even here in Constaatinope, they
celebrate the day with a grief apparently
edy had occurred but yesterday. DR..
Ledyard, an American dentist, Haynes,
and |, finding the date of the celebration was at
hand, procured through our legation an introduc-
ton and recommendation to the Persian Embas
sadOr, who invited us to witness the procession
and exercises under his protection, Saturdaylast
the 18th of Moharen. AT about half-past in
the afternoon set out for Vaidekhan in
Stamboul, the place for the meeting and ceremo-
MES. We passed the entrance and found the
court packed. In the midst of a throng were two
furled standards, behind which stood horse
covered with rich Persian shawls. Two
long lines of were drawn up facing
each other at a distance of twelve feet
apart in a space which was readily kept clear for
them There were about two hundred, all with
bare shaven heads, their dress mainly a white
garment extending from the neck-before and be-
midtown to the hips They were barearmed
and barefooted, and each held in his right hand
a one-edged heavy backed sabre three feet long
and slightly curved which he brandiShed back
wards ana fOrWa1uS over MS mead AT last we
reached the side opposite the entrance, where
were the Persian grandees. The lower corridor
well and rather brilliantly lighted divans
or chairs were set in it. Persian emblems
decorated the walls and altogether the effect was
pleasing The Consul welcomed and gave us
chairs, and we sat down until the ceremonies
should commence Ropes were stretched in front
of TO define the line of march and at the same
time to keep the mob away from us, strong
guard of soldiers, with fixed bayOnet standing
in the ring At intervals of about thirty feet all
along the route of the procession standards
were fixed in the ground, supporting at height
of five or six feet large receptacles of open iron
work, filed and heaped with wood, to furnish
light for the occasion. Men went around light
ing the flambeax of which have spoken. They
blazed highly and brightly, making it very easy
to see with good deal of distinctness what was
going on i'll the court
Almost Immediately after they had been
lighted we heard the sound Of what we knew to
be the procession on its way. AT first it was a
chant that we heard, with a sound as of bare feet
on the pavement, keeping time to the rhythm;
then a voice would rise high above the others,
yet fine clear and pure in tone, as it scared
up the other voices hushed, as did the sounds
and noises around it. 1t was the recital in East
ern song Of the narrowing story they commem-
CRATE and sung by one whose sole profession it
is to touch the hearts Of the listeners The voice
was beautifully musical, and it thrilled and
quavered through the peculiar melody, while
the dead silence around testified to its effects
arose, as of some name names uttered by all,
and then the chanting and marching were re-
sumed. 1t seemed a long time for them to come
TO a point near enough for us to see them.
When they dir come we saw first 5he two ban
ners, then several men, naked to the waist and
each thrashing his own back with branch of
chains, which he welded with all his might.
After them came horse richly deeked and bear
ing little girl of some three or four years. abso-
lutely swathed from head to foot in black Black
bands partly concealed her fair little face and
with her hands, which were free, she was throw
ing ashes over her head. She was followed
by long procession of men beating their bare
breasts with their palms. some violently, and all
groaning ''Hassan, Hussein," to this aceompani-
ment SO they moved past us very slowly, only
a few inches at a time, and we could see that the
regular beat, as OF tramping feet, we had heard
at a distance, was really alone this body of men
pounding their chests. Three times the process
sion moved before us in the same order, and with
the same characteristics as at first, though more
rapidly and seemingly with greater numbers.
At the fourth circuit of the khan, following the
men with chains, whose backs looked black
where they had been beaten, but who were work
ing with the same energy as before, were three
hcrses. The white trappings of the first
were sprinkled with blood Upon its saddle
stood two white doves, whose plumage
was dabbed with blood, and upon the pommel of
the saddle fastened two short curved
naked swords The second also had bloody
trappings which were stuck full of long featb-
horse bearing the little girl. But after the
breast beaaers who followed we could at first see
q CLEAN of white, and now and then q glitter of
steel, and when they came near 400 men with
swords and clad as | noted at first. the white
almost covered with blood, which flowed freely
from their heads, the swords brandished and
bloody, the men bowling like demons. Each
clutched with his left hand the girdle of his com
paniOn, while he used the sword in his hand to
hack away at his own head
1t was awful sight, and weird one. The
moon, half covered with clouds. peeping over
the domes of the roof on the opposite side, threw
its light in upon the red freight of the torches
in the great, dingy khan, with its crowd of fran
tic and gesticulating devotees making one i'm
agine he had been suddenly changed to a being
of another world. When they next passed US
the torches were burning low from the charred
wood and an attendant stepping up to the one
opposite to us, poured oil upon it. AS the glare
of the fame leaped up, it showed men
whose heads We're covered with fresh blood
clots, their breasts drenched with the
streams from their wounds, vet cutting
vehemently as they passed along Some, so
weak from the loss of blood that they faint
ing, held tightly to their neighbors' gir1les and
pulled the whole line into confusion as they
reeed about; others in burst of frenzy rushed
hither and thither until tl4ey were seized and
Gained down. Attendants mopped the blood
from the faces of those whose eyes were blinded
by it, and threw the soaked clothes upon the
ground Others standing behind the line with
sticks tried TO prevent the maddest from cutting
themselves to death | noticed one mantle
shape of whose head indicated more brutality
than brain-become so wild that he would
have killed himself but for interference.
When they had passed they all left the
court and paraded no more, but were succeeded
by another band which the same spirit tortured
and tore Thus they went past us twice, with
more bowling, bleeding, and fainting, the last
time headed by musicians, who increased their
fervor by wail:ng flute notes and clashing Gym
balls A horse which bore upon the pommel of
its empty saddle the green turban of its slain
rider, another little child of Hussein, mounted
like the first and two horses with
empty cushioned saddles, were added to
impress upon all the fate of the
happy house. But these swordsmen, like
the first, just as they seemed at the height of
their fury, went out at the same side door, like
a torch dropped in water This was the close of