17 – Maqam (Tarz) Hey Dus (“O Friend”)

Range: C, D, E, F, G, A (and A♭), B (B♭).

Variable notes: A, B.

Tuning: Haft Dastan or Barz (C, C, G)

This is one of the kalam maqams – sacred maqams (melodic-modal pieces of the tanbur repertoire) sung to the sacred verse of the Yarsan (Ahl-e Haqq) – and according to Heydar Kaki, “its avaz section [the unmetered vocal section] begins on the degrees of Sahari; in its metric section it is accompanied by a change of degrees (modulation), and it returns twice to the original mode of Sahari.”

As for the poem of the maqam, although the first couplet is by Darvish Nowruz Sourani (thirteenth century AH / 19th century CE), according to Ali Akbar Moradi this maqam is one of the very ancient maqams. Today it is one of the Yarsan supplications for the weak and the needy, who place their hope in the heavenly generosity of Baba Yadegar and call on him with the words Hey dus. Ali Akbar Moradi also adds that this maqam is one of the ghara-chupi maqams, which are accompanied without hand-clapping. The ghara-chupi maqams are: Hey Dus, Baliha, Babanausi, Tanamiri, Lav Hay Lav.