The Thousand Daffs Festival was held on Tuesday in the historic village of Palangan, located in western Iran’s (Rojhelat) Kurdistan province. Thousands of male and female Daff players gathered to celebrate this ancient cultural and spiritual tradition.
The festival marked its third edition this year and drew an estimated 60,000 attendees from across Iran and abroad.
In addition to performances featuring the traditional Kurdish percussion instrument - the Daf - the ceremony also included the recitation of religious hymns, reflecting the festival’s spiritual roots.
Palangan, a historic village nestled in the rugged mountains of Iran’s Kurdistan province and the Hewraman region, is renowned for its distinctive stepped architecture, which dates back to the pre-Islamic era.
This unique architectural style has earned Palangan national recognition: it is one of only eight villages selected from 150 across Iran for its cultural and architectural significance, drawing thousands of tourists annually.
Palangan village is also part of the Cultural Landscape of Hawraman/Uramanat, which was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2021 for its terraced architecture, traditional agropastoral lifestyle, and rich cultural heritage.