Devotees of the Muslim Sufi saint Bayazid Bistami, known as Sultan al-ʿArifin (‘Sultan of the Gnostics’), come to his shrine (mazar) at Nasirabad in Chittagong, Bangladesh, and pray to the charismatic saint in the belief that, through his prayers and intimate connection with God, all their wishes will be granted. Not much is known of the shrine’s history, but to this day it is considered to be an especially sacred place for both Islamic and Hindu worshippers. Pilgrims of both faiths pay their respects to the saint, light candles, offer incense, and tie strings of red thread (lal nara) to sacred trees next to a saint’s grave. They also make food offerings to the sacred turtles that are thought to have restorative properties and able to grant special favors.