A Story of Exile; Marashis of Transoxiana

The most sorrowful experience for a community or political formation is their exile from their own land. Being forced to leave one’s homeland where one has existed for years after all kinds of political and religious experiences is certainly a psychological trauma for those states or individuals who are exposed to such a situation. Especially the heavy depression suffered by exiled societies have often led them to assimilation in time, and normalised their estrangement from both their identity and their land. This situation, which can be described as psychological warfare, often leads to elimination of establishments and persons which could pose a threat, and destructive effects are felt for centuries. In this context, the exile story of Marashis that reigned in Mazandaran is a heavy blow inflicted on Shia. Marashis, who had formed a political identity based on Shiite ideology, were continuously criticised for their beliefs, and trivialised. The current article addresses their sorrowful exile