MODERN PERSIA AND ITS CAPITAL 





Photograi h from Faye Fisher 



A GROUP OF MOURNERS OBSERVING THE RELIGIOUS FESTIVAL OF MOHARRAM 



BY FLAGELLATION 



The men who participate in the rites in honor of the assassinated Hosein (see illustration 

 on opposite page) work themselves up to such a pitch of frenzy that they go through the 

 streets shrieking and striking their heads with long knives. 



At such vantage points a mendicant der- 

 vish, sketchily garbed in a tattered crazy- 

 quilt, is usually on hand to croak "Ya 

 Hakk" at the passerby (see Plate VIII). 



THE POMPOUS PERSIAN GROCER AND HIS 

 STOCK 



The narrow cross-street from this in- 

 teresting corner to the northern end of 

 Khiaban-e-Lalehzar, one square to the 

 east, passes a number of typical native 

 groceries. These are merely large stalls 

 set in the street wall, with almost the en- 

 tire stock in trade exhibited at the broad 

 entrance — long cones of sugar and strings 

 of very-much evaporated figs suspended 

 overhead, and matches, soap, and trays 

 of rice, dried beans and fruits, raisins and 

 walnuts displayed on the broad sloping 

 counter, where the passer-by can bargain 

 with the fat proprietor without entering. 



The green grocer, also, has on display 

 his entire assortment of lettuce, spinach, 

 onions, tomatoes, pomegranates, apples, 



oranges, peaches, grapes, and long, yel- 

 low melons — in fact, a very wide variety 

 of seasonable vegetables and fruits — 

 which he has grouped with natural art in 

 a beautiful harmony of color in pleasing 

 contrast to the dingy street. True, they 

 are open to the flies and street dust, but 

 this fails to annoy the average patron. 



The pompous grocer himself is an im- 

 posing type in his flapping, capacious 

 trousers and skirted robe, belted at the 

 waist with a voluminous sash or shawl, 

 green in color if by good fortune he is a 

 descendant of the Prophet. He anoints 

 his beard and finger nails with henna, and 

 if he should lift his large, egg-shaped, 

 black felt hat he would reveal a modish 

 haircut that has left smoothly shaven a 

 five-inch path straight back over the top 

 of his head. 



Khiaban-e-Lalehzar is Teheran's Fifth 

 Avenue and the pride of all the inhab- 

 itants. In the evening this short street 

 with male promenaders. 



is thronged 



