Nima Ushij

Shrine of His Holiness Nima Ushij

Human beings remain victims of the Gods they invent. Sattar, an indigent peasant farmer finds a tree branch that seems perfect for a cane. He ties a few strings to it to mark the branch for cutting in the spring. He intends to fashion the beautiful branch into a cane and offer it for sale in the village market. The strings tied to the branch mislead a few women of the village into believing that a new saint has been found. Later, when Sattar returns to his branch, he realizes that the tree has become the target of the villagers' worship. Poverty prevents him from abandoning his plan for the exquisite branch. He cuts it and thus causes his own tragic demise. Once invented, the saint takes a life of its own and leads the naïve villagers to actions that are even more asinine than murdering the impoverished young farmer.