New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-08-28
THE HOME OF CHOLERA.
MESHED THE HOLY. ITS SHRINES AND
PLAGUE SPOTS.

cholera,s home Time was when the dreah
disease made Mecca its headquarters ana was
thence scattered to the four corners OF the gloDc
by the hosts of pilgrims returning rom tla'
shrine. Prominently the holy city OF the
Moslem world. Mecca and is visited ny count
less mutitudes of worshippcrs herded together in
. trulv horrible state OF uncleanlincss. The only
wonder is that the ravages Of the plague were
not greater. II still exists there But Bri'lsh
rule in Egypt. at Alden and at Suez, has proved
a potent quarantine, and now the world Is niue
mcnaced from that quarter. Calcutta, DchueS'
and other Indian cities have also in years past
been literal pesthouscs. Why not? single
pool or reservoir is used for bathing, as recep-
tace for ofral and sewage, and also as the source
from which the supply Of drinking water Is
drawn. Imagine all the sewers of New-York
cmptying into the Central Park reservoirs and
thousands of the populace daily making their
additions in it. and yet the same water, unftcrcd,
being used for drinking and other household pur-
poses and all this under the rays OF tropical
sun. Loathsome as the picture is. It's actuai
counterpart in real life is to he seen in more than
one great Indian city. Yet British rule is there
also cxcrtcd in the direction Of improved sanitary
conditions. so that it Is no longer thence that the
pcstilencc proceeds
MISUNDERSTANDING or Mcshed the Holy, Is
now the offender the most sacred Moslcm city
in the world after Mecca itself. Within 1t Is
buried Reza, the eighth in the list OF twelve
Jmams Of Caliphs recognized by the Shia sect of
Mosems. The Perslans all Shias, and KHz1
is the only Imam buried in Persia Hence, Tn"
especial holiness Of Mcshed, and Tie reason why
it is visited annually by vast hosts of pilgrims
called Mcshedces The twelve Imams, according
10 Shia faith. have been Ali, the son-in-aw Of
Mahomet IIassan, IIosscin, Zcimal Abcdin,
Mahomet Banker Janar, Musa. Rcza, Mahomet
Taxi Ali-un-Naki, llassan Askar and FL Mahdl
There can be no more, for after the twelfth Imam
the Judgment day 10 come But the Juds-
ment day has not vet dawned, so legend has
arisen that Fl Mahdi did not die. as was reported
but that he is concealed in Bagdad. and VIII
nrescntIv rcappcar Moreover, no Imam was ever
70 die natural death Reza did not. lie was
poisoned by Maimoom, son of Haroun-al-Raschid,
the deadly dose being placed in bunch OF
grapes.
Not many European visitors ever reached ths
holy city OF Persia and none are even allowed 70
approach the temple containing the tomb OF keza.
The myriads OF the faithful go there yearly. and
it is now the place where cholera Is chiefly propa-
gated and from which it is carried into other
Asiatic countries and into Europe itself by way
~ Russia. The traveller approaching Meshed
rood. Some are alone; some are in groups of TWO
or three: some are in large parties Some are
afoot. but most Of the men are mounted on horses
,ruIes or donkeys The women are in curious
contrivances halfchairs haf-littcrs, on tho backs
NJ mules Those on their way toward Mcshcd cry
n the traveller who passes them also going
,hitbcr "Eltimassa doah.' OF Pray for us
meaning AT the shrine Of Reza. The reply Is
BE sharti hayat," or If we live TO get therc'
The road from Teheran leads over and among inc
mountains. and the first sight OF the holy city Is
from tho side OF the mountain overlooking the
valley IN which it lies. At this point are many
c,i,rs and monuments erected by piOus PILGRIMS
N mark the spot from which they hrst caught
SIGHT OF Mcshed The distance il several miles,
but one can see distinctly number OF golden
domes and spires chief among them being the
dome Of the shrine of Rcza
No one who Is not Aloslem IS allowed TO go
anywhere near the holy tomb. So far as can
no observed from distance. the entire structure
dom. drum. minarets and all-is covered with
gold Other shrnes near by gilded. or painted
yellow or blue One Of the finest was built by
tho daughter-in-law o. Timour Leng. and others
wore the work Of the famous Nadir Shah The
whole city IL probably four miles in circum-
ference. and is surrounded ny mud wall. with
numerous round towers. There Is stream OF
water flowing through the centre OF the city
brought by canal considerable distance. IL
serves as the common open sewcr OF the city, ana
az the bathing place for all the faithful who
wish 10 visit the shrine II also supplies the
population with water for drinking and all other
purposes Hence it is easy 10 see how cholera
has made the place its home.
The actual tomb Of the Imam is made Of "A
single stone. seven feet long. Around it Is
this il second railing of solid gold. blazing
with Jewels This was erected by Nadr Shah,
that amiabe monarch who used 10 sit in
temple praying all day while his soldiers for
every word he uttered gouged out the eyes Of
a man Another railing. made OF steel. Is outside
Of this one. At the entrance 10 this shrine the
pilgrim pauscs and prays to the Imam for the
permission to approach nearer. Then. taking it
for granted that the permission Is given. he APP
proachcs the tomb from the right side. And this
is the most extraordinary thing; for in Moslcm
countries amid the SUM Sect which is the chief
sect Of Islam. the faithful always turn their faces
toward Mecca when they pray, and when man
is buried he is always laid with his right side
toward that sacred city. The tomb OF Reza il
thus placed And shrines built that as
one enters them his face Is toward Mecca. But
IL is evident that Mt the great shrine Of Mcshcd
this rule is reversed. The pilgrim approaches
the tomb Of Rcza. and prays there. with his
back turned toward Mecca. At the right side
Of the tomb. then. he prays for all his relatives
and friends. and also for all those who the
road have asked his prayers for them. Then he
goes 10 the foot Of the tomb and repeats the
same prayers Next he moves around to the left
and prays. Here he would naturally face toward
Mecca. But instead OF doing he turns his
side toward the tomb and faces toward Kcrbcah
where is the tomb OF the holy Imam Hosscin.
son OF Ali IIossein ia regarded as the most
holy Of them all. He was n sort OF savior
through whose death eternal life was secured 10
Moslems Accordingly, prayers addressed to his