New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-09-09
"HOSSEIN! HOSSEIN !"
THE MARTYR PROCESSION AND PASSION
PLAY OF MOHARREM.

rate. the more observant Of the technical require
ments Of the faith. the forms of worship. the
fasts and feasts and other ceremonial functions.
The Shtes. on the other hand, are sceptcal and
Indifferent. paying little heed to religious mat
tiers. excepting in one brief period Of the year.
But when the festival of Moharrem comes
around. in the month which inhdels and gaours
call July, they become even more jealousy de-
vout than the Sunites. as If in one month to
make up for the neglect Of the other eleven. Dur
ing the ten days of the celebration they fast most
vigorously They neither shave the head nor
trim the beard They read. or have read TO them.
the story of the seventh century tragedy. when
Ali, as well Hossein. the Shiie saints. with
their sons were barbarously murdered at the in
stigation of the Arabian Khalif Yezid; they join
in the frenzied dances of the Dervishes carried
far into the night until they drop from sheer en-
haustion and attend as a solemn duty, the per-
Torrance of the sacred play. in which the slaugh-
ter OF the Imam is enacted before their eyes.
This "Hossein Play" is one OF the most pictu
rescue and noteworthy of all the passion plays"
of the world. 1t is the great feature Of the Mo-
harrem festival among the Shiites of Persia. the
Caucasus and Afghanistan. But in Shusha the
old capital Of Karabagh, now marked and known
as the Trans-Caucasian province of Elzabethpol.
murder of Hossen by a solemn procession abso-
lutely unique In character. a martyr process
sion. as it may properly be termed. which for
downright barbarty for the suffering entaed
and the torture voluntarily endured. is, accord
ing TO an observer Of IT in The London Stand
ard" without a parallel. The Shusha Mohar-
rem procession is famous among the Shiites. and
attracts large numbers OF devotees from the
leading centres of Trans-Caucasia. Erivan. North
ern Persia and AsiatiC Turkey II takes place
on the tenth day of the festival. for il is radi
ton in Shusha TO perform the Hossein play In
ten acts. one act being given each succeeding
day of the feast in the open space In front Of the
Mosque and In the Enclosure Of the caravanserai
The martyr procession is arranged to pre-
cede the performance OF the last act Of the play.
which eliminates In the murder OF the sainted
Imam Hossein.
Shusha is q town OF the normal Caucasian
| type rather cleaner and with some straighter
streets, but built struggling. so that II covers
| goodly extent of ground. and The houses OF the
Trans-Caucasan Tartars well adapted for Wit
Messing an outdoor spectacle like the Moharem
| procession They are. for the most port, two
storied with an open balcony. or veranda on
| the second floor the roof being brought down
| so as to cover It and thus form an agreeable
| shelter from the sun and bad weather. Turning
! out into the thoroughfare adjoining the mosque.
through which the "martyrs'' are TO pass on the
| morning of the procession, on, finds the bal
| comics all occupied and the street packed with
| devout and orderly crowd: but such crowd as
! can only be seen In the Trans-Caucasian nigh
| lands True-blooded Tartars Of the Tcherkess
! type in long black 'khalat' and "kalpak." felt
| gown and fur cap; strengthening Perslans In the
conical Astrakhan headgear that procaims their
| nationality: strangers from the Caspian Sea re-
| rions In turbans End jack boots, with curled
| points turning inward. and women In the
| "yashmak" that falls to their feet and allows
nothing TO be seen but the holes for the eyes ana
| a pair Of yellow boots. Now and then Russian
official In his peaked cap and gray overcoat'
| makes his way eisurely among the people ana
here and there you may catch a glimpse OF
| bIack-eved "Kaul" or gypsy horsedealer with
! two enormous plaits hanging down in front OF
his ears eager to turn the festivity to account
| nv making a deal II he can. and even "A stray
| e.un,e NJ the Highland Jew of the Caucasus,
| u,,b nerfect arsenal Of small arms about his
nerson that compels the respect OF the maraud-
| ING tribesmen OF the hills The two mnarets OF
| tho MOSQUE and It's central dome carry white
| flags which are also borne by a few horsemen
| grouped at intervals along the line Inc crowd
| which occupies only one side OF the street. so az
TO allow the procession to pass more easily along
the other, is devout and orderly. but many OF
the men medtatively beat their breasts from
time to time, or rock themselves 10 ana lro IN
silent devotion. Presently horsefnan waving
a white flag rides by. the measured tramp OF
multitude moving is heard. and all heads are
| turned eagerly towarddhe high. white column In
| the distance which stands out boldly against the
| hu,v background beyond Noisy EXPLANATIONS
an1f
loudly repeated. "Ghosseinr' "Ghossein!"-for so
| ,ho Tartars pronounce the name Of the saint
uosseln-is heard. heralding the approach OF the
| .r,vrs" The c~y IS taken up by the crowd.
and In few moments the procession Is well
| within view.
| In front come the lesser martyrs or the DAY
| .hose who have volunteered to submit to the
| minor degree of torture. There are ABOUT lou
NJ them marching two and two. Each mas MS
| head clean-shaven. and goes barefoot. and is at
| tired In a long white cloth. fastened rouhd inc
| neck and hanging down in front as iar as 'ne
| 80, onr,es Each carries in his right hand
| q charm curved and cross-hted sword. Inc
su,ord "a held In q peculiar way. the thuho as
| nail as the forefnger being over the guard anu
| .,ro. fingers round the handle. the blade turheu
| ,rward The right hand. grasping the "eaPo''
! T., pressed against the chest. and the sharP euse
| ooainst the bare forehead, In such manner 'na'
| :. ,,ys the flesh and skin as the bearer walks
long The forehead and front OF the Skull are
scored and gashed to the bone win deep GUS
| 81 ,,oh tho blood drips and dribbles. The race
| '0 .r.d nd streaked with congeaied ana cio't'
80 corning dark network that cohceaHs Tue
| ..o, as enectually as mask anu ieaNe'
thing visible but the yellow OF the eyes anu ~"
,..o.,, ,leam OF the teeth. The whi'e c'o.' ,""e
IVORY s ,.or, ~ each is covered with the thckeneo
ing ING ~ ,hckenng blood that constantly triek ,ss
an% the sword cuts spots falling on to the
from ,s ss which themselves bleed from Ta'ne' IN