Soleyman Estrotan

Soleyman Estrotan, a Yarsan tanbur player and expert in kalam (the sacred hymns of the Yarsan), was born in 1310 SH (1931/32) in the village of Sorkhak-e Sanjabi. From childhood he was full of eagerness to learn. The eventful course of his life from earliest childhood – hardships and troubles, perhaps, in his own words, destiny and the will of the “golden pen” – made him a patient, capable and wise man.

Being orphaned as a teenager meant that he grew up under the tutelage of his paternal uncle Shir Mohammad, one of the notables of the Sanjabi, an open-handed man and the Hatam (a byword for generosity) of his time. His uncle was devoted to Sultan Sahak and Pardiwar, and a point of connection for his curious mind.

He learned the religious teachings and principles from Darvish Moradkhan, and before long he himself became a skilled master of the tanbur, of daftar reading (the daftars being the Yarsan sacred books) and of interpretation. For a long time he served the people in the Literacy Corps (Sepah-e Danesh), the village arbitration councils (Khaneh-ye Ensaf) and elsewhere, and he trained many pupils in tanbur and kalam. Among his outstanding qualities are patience and the stamina for extensive study, care for people, courtesy and good manners.

He is currently training many pupils.

Source: Telegram channel “Navaye Tanbur”, 28 July 2017; written by Omid Omidvar.