Forging a Russian Hajj Route 95Thieves abounded on the trans-Caucasus line, according to a Persian notable
named Hosayn Farahani who rode the line in 1885 to get to Mecca. He was part
of a new trend of Persians taking a more circuitous route to Mecca through the
Caucasus and the Black Sea, lured by promises of speed and comfort on the new
railroads and steamships. He was shocked by much of what he experienced
along Russia’s railroad across the Caucasus. He complained of the uncouth and
drunken Russians he met along the way, from Baku to Batumi. He found the
ride to be something of a shock culturally, and was dismayed by how unaccom-
modating the railroads were to Muslim religious customs and cultural norms.
The rail cars were not sex segregated, and men and women, Muslims and “infi-
dels,” sat side by side. The train lacked clean, fresh water on board for drinking
and ablutions. Farahani described with disgust how the only drinking water on
board was in a huge barrel, made impure by non-Muslims scooping from it
with their dirty cups.^29
Figure 3.1. View of the Merv station along the trans-Caspian railway. 1899. (General
Research Division, The New York Public Library, Astor, Lenox, and Tilden Foundations)