Investigating the Behavior of Buying Souvenirs and Blessings among Pilgrims in Mashhad

Bostan, Zahra

doi:10.22034/farzv.2024.426881.1941

Investigating the Behavior of Buying Souvenirs and Blessings among Pilgrims in Mashhad

Document Type : Original Article

Author

Zahra Bostan

Assistant Professor of Sociology, ACECR Research Institute for Tourism, Mashhad, Iran: Z.bostan7@gmail.com

https://doi.org/10.22034/farzv.2024.426881.1941

Abstract

Souvenirs are interpreted as reminders of travel experiences, and buying souvenirs and taking blessings is one of the main components of pilgrimage. As a tangible symbol of the pilgrimage, souvenirs are a possibility to expand the sanctity and blessing of the pilgrimage. This research seeks to investigate what goods and with what motivation pilgrims buy as souvenirs during their trip to Mashhad, and to what extent they are satisfied with their shopping experience, and what types of objects pilgrims tend to buy as a blessing. Take to your city. The distinguishing feature of this research is to address the role of the special feature of “being blessed” in pilgrims’ souvenirs. Therefore, the typology of souvenirs and blessed gifts that pilgrims take to their city was also discussed. This research was conducted by survey method and 580 pilgrims were randomly selected during Nowruz 1401. The research tool was a researcher-made questionnaire and the questionnaires were completed by interview method. The interviewers were stationed at the four entrances of the Holy Shrine in order to consider the diversity of the sample. The findings showed that the souvenirs bought by the pilgrims can be classified into three major groups: local food, religious items, and consumer items. Of course, the share of local food is more in the souvenir basket of pilgrims. They were satisfied with their souvenir shopping experience in Mashhad (in terms of product and seller characteristics). Pilgrims are more satisfied with the stores and products related to Astan Quds Razavi. For the majority of pilgrims, the feature of “blessing” of souvenirs is very important, and they bought more religious goods as a blessing. Pilgrims receive gifts in the shrine as a blessing, which is sacred and precious to them. These gifts were classified into three groups (blessed foods, religious-cultural items and parts of the holy place). Pilgrims are more inclined to receive blessed food, especially “Ghazaie Hazrat” as a blessing. What is clear is that economic problems in recent years have affected the buying behavior of pilgrims, and pilgrims are more accepting of cheap goods. At the end, suggestions for future studies regarding the purchase of blessed souvenirs are provided.

Keywords

souvenir

blessing

pilgrim

shrine of Imam Reza (as)

Mashhad

Subjects

Promotion and deepening of Razavi culture and education

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