Qom’s holy shrine and central quarters have a positively carnivalesque atmosphere to them. The entire complex is surrounded by merchants sitting on sidewalks selling an array of spices, rugs, religiously-themed jewelry, and books, while a large bazaar containing the aforementioned products and a million other doo-dads opens up across the large courtyard that connects the shrine to central Qom. Meanwhile, on the city’s tree-lined main street sit dozens of fast food restaurants selling all variety of falafel, samosas, and shawarma in stands bedecked in Persian, Arabic, and Urdu signage. Indeed, wandering through the rooms of the holy shrines, one is struck by the sheer diversity of the visitors that pray, sit and sleep in every corner of the place. From the clothes of the visitors more than half a dozen nationalities are easily identifiable- Iraqis, Bahrainis, and Saudis in light-colored gallabayas and black abayas with face coverings, Pakistanis and Indians in shalwar kameez and brightly-colored saris, Lebanese and Azerbaijanis in suits and headscarves or chadors, alongside a bewildering array of Iranian ethnic groups- Bandari Arabs in their distinctive multicolored abayas and metallic or leather facial masks, Turkmen and Khorasanis with Asiatic features and dark chadors, as well as Persians and Azeris in black chadors and tieless suits. ... For the world’s 200 million Shias, however, Qom is more than just a great place to get chapatti. As a locus for international pilgrimage, Qom brings together millions of people who have few commonalities except their Shi’ism and reinforces this transnational identity as a relevant source of meaning. Particularly given Shi’ism’s legendary historical status as a persecuted, minority religion, and the ongoing organized persecution of Shia Muslims in places like Pakistan, Iraq, Bahrain, and Saudi Arabia, religious pilgrimage tours to Iran serve as a kind of haven for many worshippers to practice their beliefs in peace and to be surrounded by fellow believers.
Posted on: Sun, 31 Aug 2014 14:47:39 +0000