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WHAT TO SEE : Shrines |
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Gorno-Badakhshan has a wealth of shrines (‘Mazar’, pronounced locally ‘Mazor’) and sacred places (‘Oston’) dedicated to holy men. The majority of these are venerated by the Ismaili community in the Pamirs, but there are also shrines in Sunni villages - for example, the picture below is from the village of Poi-Mazar at the upper end of the Vanch valley - a region in which the population is almost totally Sunni - showing what, according to legend, is the grave of Ali.
The shrines of Gorno-Badakhshan are characterised by the presence of sacred stones and the horns of ibex and Marco Polo sheep (Ovis Poli), symbols of purity under Aryan and Zoroastrian religious traditions, long before the introduction of Islam; they also show evidence of regular use for fire rituals, in which aromatic herbs ('strachm' or 'yob') and animal fat ('roghan') are burnt. The local traditions and legends attached to some shrines also pre-date the introduction of Islam in the Pamirs. This section has been put together with the kind assistance of Professor Jo-Ann Gross, of the College of New Jersey, who is currently preparing a scholarly study of Tajik shrines. A non-exhaustive list of shrines in Gorno-Badakhshan follows, the more interesting of which are shown in bold. N.B. The name of the village is followed by the name of the shrine(s) there. Professor Gross subdivides the shrines of
Badakhshan in the following categories: Darwaz District Yoged: Ostoni Khoja Khizr, Ostoni Shah Owliyo, Ostoni Khoja Chiltan, Ostoni Khoja Nazar Vanch District Poi Mazar: Sardi Saïd, Sardy Bard, Abdulkakhori Sarmast Shugnan District Porshnev: Mir Sayyid Ali Hamadoni – Kushk, Sumbi Duldul – Barchiddara
Gumbazi Pir Sayyid Farukhshoh – Saroi Bakhor (above)
Piri Shohnosir – Midenshor (above) Roshtkala District
Tavdem: Oston and mazor of Sayyid Jalol The recent renovation was intended to preserve rather than rebuild the original shrine: special care was taken to build a new protective structure outside of the original and the old earthen, and stone shrine with carved wooden beams thus remains undisturbed. Tusyon: Shoh Burhoni Vali Rushan District Vomar: Ostoni Sayyid Jalol Bassid: Khazrati Khojai Nuruddin (below); Safdaron. |