Volume 13, Issue 62 (2025)
CFL 2025, 13(62): 1-41 |
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Hosseini A, Rezaei M. Structural Analysis of Religious Rituals in Bushehr Province: Based on the Rituals of Muharram, Hajj and Ramazan. CFL 2025; 13 (62) :1-41
URL: http://cfl.modares.ac.ir/article-11-76588-en.html
URL: http://cfl.modares.ac.ir/article-11-76588-en.html
1- PhD of Persian language and literature , siminhosseini.ac@gmail.com
2- Associate Professor of Persian Language and Literature
2- Associate Professor of Persian Language and Literature
Abstract: (130 Views)
Rituals reflect the culture of a people, nation, and society. In this study, using a descriptive-analytical method and based on structural analysis, the religious rituals of Bushehr province are examined, focusing on the rituals of the months of Muharram and Safar, Hajj, and Ramazan. The significance of the study is to introduce and familiarize these rituals and the goal is to recognize their common pattern and structure. The results show that companions, place, music, verbal element, sacrifice and Holy food are the main elements while plants, water and fire are variable elements in the studied rituals. These rituals follow limited patterns in terms of structure; the pattern of evil-action-removal of possible evil is seen in the Safar Behdar ritual; the pattern of need-action-removal of need is seen in Dum Dum Sahari; the pattern of demand-action-removal of demand is seen in Showalghouth, and in other rituals, the pattern of need, demand, commemoration-action-visual signs-removal of need and demand is observed.
Research background
There are works written about the rituals of Bushehr province, including the studies on Sangestan and popular beliefs and customs of Bushehr people (Ahmadi-Rishahri, 2003), sounds and mourning rituals in Bushehr (Sharifian, 2004), Tangsiri literature and dialect culture (Zandeh-Boudi, 2004) and a ten-volume collection on history, land, culture by Rastegar (Rastegar, 2013).
The research conducted on Bushehr rituals is merely a compilation without content and structural analysis. This study is the first research on Bushehr rituals that analyzes and structures rituals based on structural analysis, and can be a model for examining rituals, customs, popular literature, etc. based on structural analysis
Goals, questions, and assumptions
The necessity of this research is mainly due to the introduction of a part of the culture of Iran and the use of researchers. Considering that many rituals and ceremonies are changing or being forgotten, the study of each is essential to preserve spiritual culture. The aim of this research is to find elements and recognize common patterns of religious rituals of Bushehr province, focusing on the rituals of the months of Muharram and Safar, Hajj and Ramazan. The research questions are:
1. Do the religious rituals of Bushehr province have common elements?
2. What pattern or patterns do the religious rituals of Bushehr follow?
Main discussion
Structural analysis is a means of achieving a better understanding of human nature and character, or at least a better and more complete understanding of a particular human society (Propp's translator's introduction, 2017, p. 20). Before Strauss, Propp adopted this method of analysis in stories. Propp selected one hundred stories from Russian fairy tales and, after analyzing them, identified common elements and structural patterns in the stories, calling his work morphology. “By transferring Propp’s theory to the field of myths, Levi-Strauss tried to show that various myths in apparently unrelated cultures are in fact different forms of a single, fundamental pattern” (Bertens, 2012, p. 76).
Strauss sought to figure out why myths around the world have so many similarities and similarities, while cultures are so different. He believes that the answer to this question can be found in a logical structure that exists in the human mind, even in the mind of uncivilized savages (Propp, 1992, p. 29). Strauss believes that by analyzing the materials under study, one can reach patterns that show the structure of that phenomenon and that the structure of cultures can be obtained in this way (Strauss, 1997, pp. 39-49)
1. Table of elements of religious rituals
2. Table of religious ritual patterns
Conclusion
The general nature of religious rituals in Bushehr province is one of supplication. In rituals such as the month of Muharram, God is directly asked for peace, forgiveness, and help, and in rituals such as Hayat Haji and Safar Behdar, the sea - as water and one of the four elements of nature - is asked for help (on behalf of God). Place, companions, verbal elements, music, sacrifice and Holy food are common elements. Other factors such as fire, water and plant which are actually three of the four elements that constitute the existence (plant as a representative of soil) are seen in these rituals. The structure of these rituals also follows uniform patterns. The pattern of evil-action-removal of possible evil is seen in the Safar Behdar ritual, the pattern of need-action-removal of need is seen in Dum Dum Sahari, the pattern of desire-action-removal of desire is seen in Showalghouth, and in other rituals, the pattern of need, desire, commemoration-action-visual signs-removal of need and desire is observed. This fixed pattern also has similarities and even unity with the constructive pattern of many myths of the cycle of existence, which believe that in the beginning the world was painless, evil, and ideal, and in the next stage, a mixture of evil and good was created, and man fell into difficulty, and finally evil disappears and an ideal world will be created.
References
Bertens, H. (1992). Fundamentals of literary theory (translated into Farsi by M. Abolghasemi). Mahi.
Propp, V. (1997). Morphology of fairy tales (translated into Farsi by F. Badrehi). Toos.
Strauss, C. (1997). Myth and meaning; conversations with Claude Lévy-Strauss (translated into Farsi by Sh. Khosravi). Markaz.
Research background
There are works written about the rituals of Bushehr province, including the studies on Sangestan and popular beliefs and customs of Bushehr people (Ahmadi-Rishahri, 2003), sounds and mourning rituals in Bushehr (Sharifian, 2004), Tangsiri literature and dialect culture (Zandeh-Boudi, 2004) and a ten-volume collection on history, land, culture by Rastegar (Rastegar, 2013).
The research conducted on Bushehr rituals is merely a compilation without content and structural analysis. This study is the first research on Bushehr rituals that analyzes and structures rituals based on structural analysis, and can be a model for examining rituals, customs, popular literature, etc. based on structural analysis
Goals, questions, and assumptions
The necessity of this research is mainly due to the introduction of a part of the culture of Iran and the use of researchers. Considering that many rituals and ceremonies are changing or being forgotten, the study of each is essential to preserve spiritual culture. The aim of this research is to find elements and recognize common patterns of religious rituals of Bushehr province, focusing on the rituals of the months of Muharram and Safar, Hajj and Ramazan. The research questions are:
1. Do the religious rituals of Bushehr province have common elements?
2. What pattern or patterns do the religious rituals of Bushehr follow?
Main discussion
Structural analysis is a means of achieving a better understanding of human nature and character, or at least a better and more complete understanding of a particular human society (Propp's translator's introduction, 2017, p. 20). Before Strauss, Propp adopted this method of analysis in stories. Propp selected one hundred stories from Russian fairy tales and, after analyzing them, identified common elements and structural patterns in the stories, calling his work morphology. “By transferring Propp’s theory to the field of myths, Levi-Strauss tried to show that various myths in apparently unrelated cultures are in fact different forms of a single, fundamental pattern” (Bertens, 2012, p. 76).
Strauss sought to figure out why myths around the world have so many similarities and similarities, while cultures are so different. He believes that the answer to this question can be found in a logical structure that exists in the human mind, even in the mind of uncivilized savages (Propp, 1992, p. 29). Strauss believes that by analyzing the materials under study, one can reach patterns that show the structure of that phenomenon and that the structure of cultures can be obtained in this way (Strauss, 1997, pp. 39-49)
1. Table of elements of religious rituals
| Ritual | Place | Verbal Element | Music | Sacrifice | Holy food | Companions | Fire | Water | Plant |
| Muharram | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ | |
| Safar Beh Dar | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ | |
| Month of Hajis | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ | ||
| Hayat Haji | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ | |
| Dum Dum Sahri | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ | ||||
| Shoulghouth | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ | ||
| Grah Geshu | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ | ||||
| Eid Tahloo | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ |
2. Table of religious ritual patterns
| Rituals that begin with evil | Rituals that begin with need | Rituals that begin with demand |
| Safarbeh: evil-action-end | Muharram: need-visual signs-action-end | Hayat Haji: demand-visual signs-action-end |
| Hajj month: need-visual signs-action-end | Shoulghouth: demand-action-end | |
| Dum Dum Sahri: need-action-end | Untying: demand-visual signs-action-end | |
| Eid Tahloo: demand-visual signs-action-end |
Conclusion
The general nature of religious rituals in Bushehr province is one of supplication. In rituals such as the month of Muharram, God is directly asked for peace, forgiveness, and help, and in rituals such as Hayat Haji and Safar Behdar, the sea - as water and one of the four elements of nature - is asked for help (on behalf of God). Place, companions, verbal elements, music, sacrifice and Holy food are common elements. Other factors such as fire, water and plant which are actually three of the four elements that constitute the existence (plant as a representative of soil) are seen in these rituals. The structure of these rituals also follows uniform patterns. The pattern of evil-action-removal of possible evil is seen in the Safar Behdar ritual, the pattern of need-action-removal of need is seen in Dum Dum Sahari, the pattern of desire-action-removal of desire is seen in Showalghouth, and in other rituals, the pattern of need, desire, commemoration-action-visual signs-removal of need and desire is observed. This fixed pattern also has similarities and even unity with the constructive pattern of many myths of the cycle of existence, which believe that in the beginning the world was painless, evil, and ideal, and in the next stage, a mixture of evil and good was created, and man fell into difficulty, and finally evil disappears and an ideal world will be created.
References
Bertens, H. (1992). Fundamentals of literary theory (translated into Farsi by M. Abolghasemi). Mahi.
Propp, V. (1997). Morphology of fairy tales (translated into Farsi by F. Badrehi). Toos.
Strauss, C. (1997). Myth and meaning; conversations with Claude Lévy-Strauss (translated into Farsi by Sh. Khosravi). Markaz.
Article Type: پژوهشی اصیل |
Subject:
Popular literature
Received: 2024/08/15 | Accepted: 2025/02/1 | Published: 2025/05/31
Received: 2024/08/15 | Accepted: 2025/02/1 | Published: 2025/05/31
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