Nakhl Gardani

Nakhl

The Nakhl is a woody structure shaped like a cypress tree, representing the coffin of Husayn ibn Ali. Dehkhoda defined it as "a big, tall bier (coffin) to which are attached daggers, swords, luxurious fabrics, and mirrors." Nakhls vary in size from simple ones carried by two persons to huge structures "supported by hundreds of men." Iranian sculptor Parviz Tanavoli described the Nakhl as a freestanding sculpture. The name Nakhl derives from the belief that Husayn ibn Ali's body was moved to the shade of a palm tree after his death, or that his body was carried using a coffin made of branches of palm tree, "the only material available in Karbala" at that time. In Yazd Province, located near the Kavir Desert, many Nakhls and their associated rituals are seen, with every village having its own Nakhl. The term Nakhl is often referred to as Naql, i.e. "to convey carry and transfer," in Yazd and neighboring towns and villages. Yazd is described as "Iran’s museum of mourning tools" by Jalal Al-e-Ahmad, and is home to the largest Nakhl, which needs to be carried by "several hundred men." This 8.5 meters high structure, constructed in 1879, stands in Amir Chakhmaq square of Yazd city and is decayed and no longer used because of safety concerns. On Ashura, Nakhl Gardani is held in different parts of Yazd, with the most crowded and beautiful one held in Taft city. The act of carrying the Nakhl, sometimes by "several strong men," is guided by the people standing on the Nakhl. The ritual, historically dating back to pre-Safavids (almost 450 years ago), is carried out at various places in Iran. The ritual is so common in Iran that in most parts of the country, either people have the Nakhl in their community or at least they know about it.