Bridgeton pioneer., 1916-12-14
REGION FULL OF ROMANCE
khanikin, kasr-i-Shirin aMN Other
Points on the Caravan Route
to Bagdad.

The Khanikin region, where tAe
Russians were reported to have been
checked some time ago in their r<&
vance upon Bagdad, is the subject of
the following war geography bulletin
issued by the National Geographic So
ciety:
1t is 80 hours journey, along
much-traveled caravan route, from
Khanikin to Bagdad. The latter city
lies S5 miles southwest of the Turkish
border town which is situated on both
sides Of the Hulvan river, tributary
of the Diala, whose waters empty into
the Tigris.
Nesting near the foothills of the
lagos mountains, with the fertile but
uncultivated Mesopotamian plain
stretching to the south, Khanikin is
commercial gateway between Persia
and Asiatic Turkey. Through it pass
the caravans which bear to Bagdad
the produce destined for transshipment
to the port of Basra on the Persian
gulf. To the east lies Kermanshah, IA
nous for it's carpets and its horses,
and situated almost equidistant from
Tabriz, Teheran, Ispahan and Bagdad.
Not only does the traveller journey
ing from Bagdad to Khanikin meet
trade caravans, but frequently he en-
counters curious funeral professions
OF Shiite pilgrims making their solemn
way from various points in Kurdistan
to Kerbela, below Bagdad. The faith
full believe that there is special virtue
In being buried near the shrine of
Husein, who fell at Kerbela in $50
A. D.. while battling with the enemies
of his father, Ali, son-in-law of the
prophet and fourth caliph.
Khanikin is charmingly situated in
the midst of gardens, whose fruits
and palms are famous. Six hours
journey from here, on the road to
Kermanshah, is Kasr-i-Shirin, once the
headquarters Of notorious robber
chief and interesting on account of it's
connection with the romantic legends
concerning Ferhad and Shirin. Here
are to be found the remains Of rock
hewn aqueduct, which in ancient days
conveyed water for a distance of 15
miles in order that the gardens of
Shirin might be made worthy of the
beauty of their far-famed mistress.
The story of Ferhad and Shirin is one
of the favorite romances of the East.
Ferhad was the greatest sculptor OF
his day, and a great architect While
making bas-reliefs of his sovereign,
ChosrOes II, and of the 1atter's bride,
the Christian Shirin (also called Sira),
the sculptor fell madly in love with
his beautiful model. ChOsroes, so goes
the legend, promised to bestow Shirin
upon his gifted subject provided the
latter would cut through the rock Of
Behistun and divert stream to the
Kermanshah plain. Ferhad under
took the task, but when the work was
almost completed an emissary came
from the false king bearing tragic
story of Shirin's death. The sculptor
in despair leaped from the rocks and
was dashed to death upon the site of
his engineering triumph.
In this neighborhood is Sar-i-Pulizo-
hab, where the Ali Ilahis believe David
lived and where rOck-hewn tomb is q
place OF pilgrimage. This sect, sup
posed to believe in the successive re.
incarnation of the godhead through
1,001 existences, had a remarkable be-
ginning, for it is recorded that Ali,
who is held to be their god, repudiated
the worship of his would-be followers,
and when Abdulla ibu Saba, an Arab,
proclaimed him to be God the disciple
and those who Joined in protestations
of reverence were ordered cast into a
pit where fire was thrown upon them.
While the burning brands descended
upon the zealots they cried out in their
agony, Now is the certainty of all GER
tainty that thou art God, for the
prophet has said, None but God shall
punish with fire.