The Dervish House

The story of the present book narrates the life of the Maziris (workers of Bushehr) and their relations with their superiors (the colonel). It is the night of Ashura, and a mourning ceremony is held in a mosque in Bushehr. A group of Maziris have gathered in the Dervish House (the mosque’s pantry) and engage in conversation. The discussion revolves around Akbar, who is the head of some Maziris, having a conflict with Colonel Kal Naeem. A ship is due to arrive the next day, and the Maziris must go to unload its cargo, but Akbar refuses to show up, planning to ruin Kal Naeem’s work. The Maziris are uncertain and speculate about the dispute between Akbar and Kal Naeem. The situation is that Akbar himself witnessed Kal Naeem running over and killing Gholu Siah, one of the Maziris, with a crane. Akbar does not want to forgive this bloodshed; he believes that Gholu Siah’s blood was unjustly spilled, like that of Ali Akbar Hossein (a martyr in Imam Hussain’s army). All of Akbar’s friends abandon him for various reasons and go to mourn Imam Hussain, leaving Akbar alone seeking justice for the martyr they all witnessed.