Mir Movsumzade: the Crippled Healer of Azerbaijan

Mir Movsumzade (b. 1883) was respected as a semi – religious symbol who was rumored to possess healing powers, despite his own disabilities which deprived him of mobility and affected his motor system.

Pilgrims pray
Pilgrims pray

Mir Movsumzade (b. 1883) was respected as a semi – religious symbol who was rumored to possess healing powers, despite his own disabilities which deprived him of mobility and affected his motor system.

Because of his disability, he was also known to the people as “Et – Agha”, which in translation from Azerbaijani means, “Meat Man.” The name is said to come from his physical appearance which could have lead one to believe that he had no bones, given his skeletal problems.

After his death in 1950, he was buried near his family dacha in Shuvelyan. His tomb was reconstructed and repaired after Azerbaijani independence in 1991 by Haji Tahir, Haji Shamshir and Haji Nizam – residents of the same settlement.

Since then, the location of his grave has become a pilgrimage site, and has been equipped with a mosque for prayer, a site for sacrifice and a guest house for those who make the pilgrimage from afar. There is also a blood donation center on site.

View of Mirmovsum Agha pilgrimmate site from afar
View of Mirmovsum Agha pilgrimmate site from afar
Entrance to the site
Entrance to the site
View of the site from the courtyard
View of the site from the courtyard
Men’s section on 2nd floor
Men’s section on 2nd floor
Pilgrims pray
Pilgrims pray
Mir Movsumzade and his sister, Sekine, were burried together
Mir Movsumzade and his sister, Sekine, were burried together
View of their burial site from above
View of their burial site from above
A pilgrim reads from the Quran
A pilgrim reads from the Quran
The first floor is intended for visitation by women
The first floor is intended for visitation by women
Women coming to the site for prayer
Women coming to the site for prayer
The mosque connected to the pilgrimmage site
The mosque connected to the pilgrimmage site

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