Thousands Gather in Palangan for Annual Hezar Daf Festival

The Hezar Daf festival (Thousand Daf) occurs annually in the historic village of Palangan, located in Kurdistan province, western Iran. In addition, it’s a vibrant celebration of Kurdish culture and tradition and a beautiful way to experience the unique sights and sounds of Palangan.

The historic village of Palangan in Kordestan came alive with music and joy on Friday as it hosted the Hezar Daf Festival, attracting around 30,000 visitors from across Iran. This vibrant festival, meaning “one thousand drums” in Persian, echoed with ancient melodies, lifting the spirits of everyone present. Moreover, Palangan is famous for its unique terrace-shape structure and stunning natural beauty. It stands as one of the prominent tourist attractions in the town of Kamyaran.

The Hezar Daf (Thousand-Daf) ceremony was held on April 19, 2024. Moreover, the event was attended by a large number of people, including officials and daf players from across the country.

Palangan, a strong candidate for the World Best Tourism Villages list, has been hosting this festival for two years now. The event celebrated on the last Friday of the first month of the Persian calendar. It brings together various drumming and artistic groups, showcasing the rich cultural heritage of the region.

The name itself translates to “Thousand Dafs,” and the festival lives up to its name with hundreds of daf players participating in a religious and mystical ritual. Daf is a traditional Kurdish frame drum, and during the festival, players stand on the roofs of terraced houses in Palangan and play the daf, while singing religious songs.

Appealing Villages Of Iran

Whole village, mostly women takes part in this tradition. It is the most beautiful visual in the area as it shows the sense of harmony and love towards tradition in the area. Moreover, the village situated in a picturesque location, pushing thousands of visitors to come and visit this every year.

This year, Palangan is making a renewed push for recognition by the UN after narrowly missing out on achieving that distinction last year. Iran has nominated eight villages for the UN Tourism Organization’s Best Tourism Village title, and Palangan stands a strong chance. Officials are actively evaluating cultural and natural resources, economic stability, and tourism potential to reach a final decision soon.

The festival has quickly become a popular tourist attraction, drawing people from all over Iran and even abroad. Moreover, it’s a vibrant celebration of Kurdish culture and tradition, and a beautiful way to experience the unique sights and sounds of Palangan.