DEATH SERVICE TRADITION IN SOUTHERN
AZERBAIJAN
In our world where rapid changes and
important developments are experienced, an inevitable end
awaits the human kind: death… The beliefs and practices
surrounding the society make this End more acceptable.
The occasion of death being unavoidable
is one of the fields in which there is considerable social
aid and solidarity especially in smaller populated areas
where customs, traditions and beliefs prove to be more
effective. Usually, death appears as a fearsome process.
Many societies regard it as the continuation of the person’s
soul while his physical being vanishes. Some unordinary
behaviors, caused by subconscious oppression due to fear,
have been considered to be the initial signs and
implications of death (such as dreaming of a coffin, wedding
gown, wedding, house collapsing, tooth falling, shoe facing
the opposite direction, scissors left open, corpse’s neck as
bent and flesh as soft, patient turning pale and having no
appetite, staring at some point etc.).
The path of avoiding is chosen for the
events believed to cause death. These are practices such as
giving alms to the needy for a dream regarded as bad,
narrating the dream to running water, emptying the water
cups in the funeral house, mopping the house as the funeral
leaves, turning the cauldron of washing water of the corpse
upside down etc.During death special care is given for the
person to die in comfort. In order to achieve this, the
pillow underneath the person’s head is taken away, water is
fed into his mouth, special care is given not to mourn
loudly and his far away relatives are summoned. A clergyman
is called in or those who know read the Koran.
After the realization of death, usually
the funeral is taken from the place of death to the bed
prepared. His jaw and feet from the two thumbs are tied
together. If the death occurred overnight and a relative is
expected to arrive from far, the funeral is kept waiting.
The waiting time generally does not exceed 14-15 hours. The
death news is announced to the surroundings via media and
through the mosque. In the aftermath process other practices
are carried out which are believed to facilitate the
corpse’s journey to the other world. These practices also
aim to protect the remaining ones from the adverse effects
death might bring.
The initial preparations take start by
washing and shrouding of the body under certain rules. Women
wash the female corpse while men wash the male. Those who
are responsible for washing the corpse are experienced ones
who know the necessary rules. Washing takes place in
villages inside houses or in a garden on a wooden surface
and not many are allowed to pass through to this area. In
large cities washing service is carried out in cemetery
ablution houses. The color of the cloth used as shroud is
white. The corpse which has been shrouded and brought into
the coffin is taken to the cemetery among shouts of “La
elaha ellallah” (there is no God but Allah). The ritual
prayers are performed at the cemetery. Afterwards, the
coffin is taken to the burial area. The tomb is prepared
before the coffin is brought in. The preparation today is
done by digging of the grave in a straight way or by digging
out a separate hollow and placing the corpse inside. The
hollow is woven with stone or briquette, and then soil is
spread over it. The corpse is buried without the coffin.
After the burial service is completed, inspiring words are
spoken for the deceased by a clergyman or a knowing person
with a belief that it might be helpful for him in the other
world. Before the surface of the grave is handled, enough
time is given for the soil of grave to settle down. The time
is usually a year later. A tombstone stands on the head side
of the grave. Stone, concrete or recently marble can be used
to construct graves. While graves may be constructed on
public grounds, there are also ones built on family
property. Family graves are formed in the large cemeteries
of some cities. The tombstone is decorated and on it the
first and last names as well as time of birth and death of
the deceased sometimes with a couple of literary words are
inscribed. Each of the tombstones has a historical document
quality in terms of reflecting the era constructed. Stepping
on graves is prohibited and people are cautious against
animals to enter these areas.
In Southern Azerbaijan, after the burial,
to solace the ones in the funeral house, condolences are
passed by way of visits to the house or the grave of the
deceased. These condolence visits continue for a while. In
the meantime, food is cooked and distributed for 3-7 days in
the house the deceased left. Special days are held in
remembrance of the deceased on the third, seventh, fortieth
days of his death and after one year by performing religious
ceremony and food service. During these special days: the
third, seventh, fortieth day of the deceased as well as on
bairams and on Thursdays, halvah is cooked and given out
especially in cemeteries. Private belongings of the deceased
are kept in the house as souvenirs while many handed out to
the poor.
If a wedding is to take place on the same
location of the funeral, permission is asked from the
funeral house. The grief and sorrow with the loss of an
acquaintance or someone we feel close to is experienced
within social clichés and this process is called “mourning”.
Those in the funeral house and the relatives of the deceased
do not partake in entertaining occasions and do not wear new
garments for some time (from 40 days up to 1-2 years). In
some regions men do not shave for 40 days. Requiems are
performed for the funeral. There is longer lamenting if the
deceased is a young one.
The soul of the deceased is believed to
be wondering around everywhere and at times visiting his
house and leaving pleased if something is carried out on his
behalf and unhappy if not. Tomb visits are performed mostly
on religious feasts and especially on Thursdays. People pray
beside the tomb, light candles and give out halvah during
these visits.
