Darvish Changiz Abdipour

Another of the great masters is Darvish Changiz Abdipour, who was born in 1323 SH (1944/45) in Kerend (today Dalahu county) into a devout, community-minded and artistic family. His father (Baba Morad) was one of the great masters of the techniques and art of handicrafts, one of the renowned blacksmiths of that region. His maternal grandfather was a master of kalam (the sacred hymns of the Yarsan), daftar recitation (daftar: the Yarsan sacred books) and tanbur playing, who most of the time served in the circle of Agha Seyed Rostam and at times recited daftar and kalam for his children. This kindled fervour and passion in Darvish Changiz Abdipour, and he took up learning kalam, daftar and tanbur under Aziz Kakaei of Tutshami, a student of the late Kadara.

Darvish Changiz was the first high-school graduate (diploma holder) of the town of Kerend. At Razi High School in Kermanshah he received the “Engineer Zanganeh” scholarship, and after his service in the Literacy Corps (Sepah-e Danesh) he became head of Bank Saderat in the cities of western Iran. Some time later, following an inner transformation, he gave up the bank post and turned to blacksmithing, his father's trade.

He is one of the great kalam singers of the Yarsan; at the feasts of Khavandkar (the Lord) and at Yarsan ceremonies his pleasing voice fills people's hearts and souls with fervour for the Truth.

Death

Darvish Changiz Abdipour died in Farvardin 1403 SH (March/April 2024). His funeral procession set out on Friday, 17 Farvardin 1403 (5 April 2024), from his home in Bagh-e Nader to the cemetery of the Shova quarter, and Agha Seyed Nasreddin Heydari, the leader of the Yarsan, issued a message of condolence. After his death the “Navaye Tanbur” channel reposted part of his interview in the documentary “Avaz-e Khoda” (The Song of God) by Iran International.

Source: Telegram channel “Navaye Tanbur”, 1 June 2017 (written by Alireza Abbasi Gurajubi) and 4–12 April 2024.