Book about the funeral ceremony of Ismaili Muslims in Gorno-Badakhsan brought out in Dushanbe

24 February 2009 Asia-PLUS Daily Blitz

KHOROG, February 24, 2009, Asia-Plus /Iftikhor Mirshakar/ — 1,000 copies of a book entitled “Sources of the “Charoghravshan” Ritual” have been delivered to Gorno Badakhshan. The book about the most important ceremony for Ismaili Muslims in Gorno Badakhshan is authored by Umed Mamadsherzodshoyev, the director of the branch of the Association for the Study of Persianate Societies (ASPS) in Khorog, has been published in Dushanbe. Charoghravshan (Chirag Rawshan), the funeral ceremony, is followed by Ismaili Muslims in Afghan Badakhshan and northern Pakistan as well, and book contains many written sources about this ceremony, the charoghravshan text, and views of Ismaili Imams, thinkers and poets of this ceremony. Charoghravshan is one of the most important ceremonies for today’s Ismaili Muslims in Gorno Badakhshan. The ceremony is strictly followed and people clearly enjoy today’s freedom of practice. Maddohs, the songs of praise, are performed during the charoghravshan ceremony.

These songs consist of different kinds of religious poetry, mostly written in the Tajik or Persian language. The poetry can be either of classical Persian mystic poetry (often related to the poetry of Rumi and Hafiz) or of modern poetry devoted to the veneration of the Ismaili Imams. Another important element of charoghravshan is the use of candle made from cotton stripes during the ceremony.