31 August 2003, 21:45
Duldul Ali
Holy place (pir), named after the horse (Arab. duldul) of the fourth "Righteous Caliph," Ali ibn Abi Talib (died of a wound in 661). Legend has it the hoof-prints of his horse were left on stones half a mile from the southern Derbent wall when Ali rode about Derbent's vicinity.
The pir is fenced in stones. Visiting Duldul Ali was accompanied with a tiuti'e ritual: the believer applied some spittle to his forefinger, put the finger into dust and then on his forehead, chest, and heart. Before New Year, pilgrims took a vow (nezr, from Arab. nazr) to make some sacrifice, donation, or do a good deed, pronouncing a spell under their breath: "Fulfill my wish and when it's fulfilled, I'll make you a present." The pir was believed to have power to cure; they brought sick children to it and put them into "cradles" cut in stone.
Caliph Ali's name is also bound up with the place names in Talysh/Talish, Azerbaijan: Ali-riz and Ali-chopan. Ali-riz ("Ali's track") is a small rock on the right bank of the Ulumchai, not far from the previous location of the Ulium settlement, which has a few dents. One of them that looks like a human footprint and is about 60 cm long is worshiped as Ali's footprint; round dents at a distance as his horse's hoof-prints. Everyone going by Ali-riz leaves presents: usually small pebbles, variegated cloth shreds, sometimes coins. Sick people leave shreds of their clothing hoping to recover. Ali-chopan is a passage between two stones, in the lane from the settlement of Monidigia to Zuvand. There is a small hollow in the rock 2 m above the ground; travelers try to throw a small pebble into it: who hits will have good luck.
