Mashhad (the city with 1000 faces) is the second biggest city in Iran, and a holy place for the Shiite Muslims, who represent some 15% of the Muslim community. Mashhad means “place of martyrdom” since in 818 Imam Reza, the eighth Imam died of poisoning here. This poisoning was the second biggest loss for the Shiites against the Sunnites, after the massacre in Kerbala in 680. So Mashhad became the major pilgrimage place in Iran. Some 20 million pilgrims visit the Holy Shrine. Only Nadjaf, In Iraq, where Ali, the first imam is buried is an even more holy place. Mashhad has a partnership with Santiago de Compostela in Spain, one of the major pilgrimage places for Christians.

Besides the Holy Shrine, there is not much to visit here, so I went there this morning, but things are not so easy. Today it is Friday, the holy day for Iranian Muslim who work on Saturdays and Sundays. When I arrived the Friday prayer just started, and as a non-Muslim I am not allowed to enter the holy places during prayer time. But, after depositing my camera at the entrance, I could enter the site, but not the mosque itself.

So a sat there for quite a while, watching men doing their ritual washings, until I could not resist anymore. I took my shoes off, washed Head, nose, arms and feet, and followed the crowd entering the mosque. We passed several prayer rooms; passed the shrine of a holy man (I guess it was that of Kalife Harun Al-Rachid) All rooms were crowded with hundreds of praying men (women were praying on another place), there must have been some thousands on the whole site. The crowd entered a huge square, full of praying people. At the far end was another very impressive building. I guess this is where Imam Reza is buried. Meantime we were stepping over people, and after a few surprised looks to me, I lost my courage and turned back. This was just too dangerous. But I like playing with fire, so I took a few photo shots with my mobile phone, which the guards had not confiscated, and left the site.

I had tried twice to engage conversation with some mullahs, but they did not (or did not want to) speak English.

Yesterday I had an amazing evening, seeing a totally unexpected side of Iranian life. I will not describe it on this site, but will relate it in my book to be published end of this year.

People leaving the holy shrine after the Friday prayer