The covered souk ringing the Imam Ali Shrine is one of the liveliest in southern Iraq, especially during the major Shia pilgrimage seasons. Stalls sell prayer beads, turbas (small clay tablets pressed from Karbala soil), rings of agate and turquoise from Iran, religious books, embroidered shrouds, perfumes, and devotional posters.
The food side of the bazaar is just as interesting: bins of dates from the southern marshes, sacks of cardamom and sumac, sweets like mann al-sama (manna from heaven), and stalls grilling kebabs for the constant stream of pilgrims. Prices are negotiable and shopkeepers are generally friendly to foreigners, who are still a curiosity.