Singer and composer Mohammad-Réza Shajarian, a sacred monster of traditional Iranian music, was buried in the northeast of the country on Saturday near the mausoleum of the epic poet of Persian literature Ferdossi, the official Irna agency announced.
A true national monument in Iran, Shajarian died Thursday at the age of 80 at Jam Hospital in Tehran, following a long battle with cancer.
His body was transported the next day to the holy Shiite city of Mashhad, capital of Khorassan-é Razavi province (northeast), where he was born.
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The artist was buried in the city of Tous, according to his will, near the tomb of the tenth century poet Ferdossi, author of the Persian epic
Chahnameh
(the Book of Kings).
"
Due to the Covid-19 pandemic
", a crowd of "
about 150 people
" including his family, officials from the Ministry of Culture, musicians, and admirers of the singer was present in the courtyard of the mausoleum during the the funeral, according to Irna.
Hundreds of other people gathered outside, singing the songs of "Ostad" ("Master" in Persian) and watching the ceremony on large screens, the same source added.
The police "
tried to ensure the safety of the ceremony with the collaboration of the physical protection forces of the municipality of Mashhad,
" Irna said.
Homayoun Shajarian thanked the participants for attending his father's ceremony, despite "
the difficulties
", according to the agency.
Funeral attendees "
whisper
" Shajarian songs to "
show their admiration
" for the artist, writes Irna.
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Shajarian's death made the front pages of most Iranian newspapers of all political persuasions on Saturday, even the sports press, and some devoted exclusive reports to the singer.
Also an instrumentalist, Shajarian nonetheless had difficult relations with the authorities in Tehran throughout his long career, first under the reign of the Shah and then with the Islamic Republic.