Calling and Gathering

To visit my friend and also to buy a DAF (Persian frame drum) I planed to spend one day and one night in Sanandaj (capital of Kurdistan province). When I got there, I called my friend and asked him if he knows someone to help me buying high quality Daf. He introduced me to a person called Rahim, who is playing Daf and conducting the sacred chants. We went to couples of music shops and he was looking for a well made Daf with great sound, at that time he didn’t know that I was playing this instrument for many years. Finally we came out with four hand-made Daf with great sound, which have been signed by the artist who made them. In the way home I asked Rahim if there is any chant in the hermitage that I can join. He replied, since our doyen (they call it Sheikh) has just returned, after living outside the country for a long period, we are about to go to visit him and there is no chant in Sanandaj, but if you like, you can join us. I was like WOOW, what a great chance. We went to the small village near Sanandaj and this was the beginning of my adventure. I spent nearly a week among them (totally forget about my job and research project in Tehran) and each night I was hosted by different people who didn’t even know my name. Actually this is quite normal in Iran, especially when you visiting suburbs and countryside. Each time Rahim and I walked to the house of our host, he start playing Daf and welcoming us by singing songs.
The sacred chants are starting by singing some poems from Rumi and the person who is singing the poem, calls the other to join the chant (first photo), actually this is some kind of announcement for the others to know the chant is about to start. The group that I’ve met is practicing the specific training line in Sufism which is called Tariqat-e Qaderi. Each person who joins the chant start singing poems in harmony with the one is currently singing by the other person (second picture). After a while you are surrounded by the great music and the most amazing thing is they are all ordinary people, but they do know music by their hearts and have a great feeling about music and literature.