HOLY CARPET

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 59, 11 March 1937, Page 25

HOLY CARPET

CUSTOM REVIVED

Enormous crowds, drawn from all parts of Egypt, recently watched the picturesque ceremony of the departure from Cairo of the Holy Carpet for Mecca.

This was the first time the carpet had been sent since 1926, when there was a serious clash between its Egyptian Army escort and the Wahabis, who objected to various features as being idolatrous.

Following Egypt's recent treaty with Saudi-Arabia, the carpet will now be sent each year, but will not have a military escort. The entire Egyptian garrison of Cairo paraded, and the day was kept as a public holiday.

The carpet consists of rich black brocade inscribed with texts from the Koran in gold and silver, made by a family of Cairo workers. It is really a series of coverings for parts of the Great Mosque at Mecca. It is.accompanied by the Mahmal, a richly-decorated litter mounted on a camel. This has been sent every year since the twelfth century in memory of a pilgrimage made by an Egyptian queen to Mecca. The coveted post of leader of the pilgrimage is held this year by the President of the Senate, Bassiouni Bey. The carpet prepared in 1926 is being used, with the name of King Farouk substituted for that of King Fuad, and the special addition of the name of King Ibn Saud.

On the arrival at the parade ground of the Chief Regent, Prince, Mohamed Aly, the camel carrying the Mahmal began to perambulate a marked circular area in front of the Royal tribune. It was followed by a camel carrying the sacred green banner and by native flautists on camels.

This procession went. round seven times to the accompaniment of weird native music. Each time they neared the Regent the camels were made to lower their heads.

Then the carpet, stretched on wooden frames,: was borne out by the soldiers, and the whole caravan passed before the Chief Regent, who handed to the leader of the pilgrimage a message from King Farouk to be delivered in Mecca. \

.The Imperial Airways flying-boat, Cantor, Avhich is inaugurating the first Empire air service across the Meditertanean from Marseilles, via Borne and Athens, arrived at Alexandria terminus of the Mediterranean section.