Hajij village in Kermanshah province has a complete package to offer. If you want to have a short trip in which you enjoy historical, natural, religious, food, health, anthropology, and handicraft allurements, Hajij would be your best choice.
Hajij is an old village in the heart of the valley, between mountains and springs, with superb architecture, hospitable people, local organic produce, mineral springs, and folklore music.
This village rests within 34 km of Paveh and 123 km of Kermanshah. There are many relics in Hajij.
Some say a member of the Imams’ family came to this region during the struggle against the Abbasid caliphs. An experienced artist accompanied him on his way to the village of Hajij. They say he was the one who established Hajij in a deep green valley.
Hajij is a stepped-shape village with stone architecture in which the houses are tiny, and the roof of each house is the yard of another house. These houses are made of drywall without mortar, have two floors, and face the roaring Sirvan River. Hajij, the village’s name, is derived from the prominent character of the valley. In Kurdi, it means green and deep valley.
Hajij village covers about 53 hectares and has paved streets. The beautiful Shaho mountain from the north, west, and south surrounds it. On the east side, there is the heart of Hajij, the Sirvan River.
The smiling people of Hajij speak the Kurdish language of Uorami and wear colorful local costumes. Livestock, keeping some birds, and gardening are the main occupations and sources of income for the people of this village. They also manufacture handicrafts, producing a variety of Kurdish clothing, for instance. The people of Hajij are experts in weaving kilims, Jajims, shawls, quilts, handkerchiefs, and baskets. They are trying to revive their country’s ancient handicrafts, such as the traditional Kurdish outfit, Maras Bafi, and the use of the forgotten loom machine.
“Maras Bafi” is one of the ancient traditional arts of the people of Kermanshah province, which was recently nationally registered. Maras is a fabric produced in the Kurdish regions. They use the texture of this fabric for the production of local clothing (men and women). Maras Bafi has been a popular art in these areas since ancient times.
Winters are cold in Hajij so, the best time to visit this place are summers and springs, which create pleasant weather in the pristine nature and lush pastures.
There is a spectacular nature around this stepped village that attracts every viewer. Not everything ends with the houses that exist in this stepped area. By taking a hick away from this village and continuing the paths on the road, you will see landscapes of the unique nature of Hajij.
A cave within the mountain with six meters diameter surrounds a roaring spring, which the locals call Bell. This spring flows into the Sirvan River. This spring flows through this high-pressure water cave, which boils from the heart of the earth and flows into the Sirvan River.
One of the most important and famous rivers around Uramanat and near this village is the Sirvan River. It has divided the Uraman region into two parts with a long and tortuous route. The banks of this river are the best places to listen to the sounds of nature and watch its beauties. Daryan Dam, which stands in the middle of this river, gives a magnificent view of the region.
Boating on the river is one of the most enjoyable activities available to tourists in the area. A little further on, the source of the Bell is a few steps above the heart of a pit full of water, two kilometers from Hajij. Mountaineering on Shaho Mountain is another option that can add to the attractions of this trip. Do not neglect the harvest of medicinal plants such as borage, marshmallow, astragalus, and sheng while climbing. There are also bears, jackals, wolves, and foxes in its wilderness.
A beautiful construction called the tomb of Imamzadeh Seyyed Obaidullah presents a pleasant atmosphere for worship in the heart of the village. The main mosque or the old mosque with unique wooden architecture, columns, and carvings complements this view. This building is made of stone and lined with mud inside.
The main mosque of Hajij is a perfect example of ancient Iranian architecture with wooden columns and beautiful carved decorations. It elaborates doors and windows made by carpenters who consider themselves from the generation of the same artist who came to this place. The village artists consider themselves a descendant of the man’s companions and continue to make the necessities of life for the people of Uraman.
In the center of the village, there is a deep pool called the old pool. In the past, before piping water, people used it for ablution and daily water withdrawal.
Hajij is also close to the beautiful region of Uraman (Now a World Heritage Site), and one of the ways to reach it from Marivan is to choose Uraman Takht road.
One of the once-in-a-lifetime experiences that Hajij offers -and let’s not miss it- is the ceremony of their dervishes in a monastery where the followers of Qaderieh do their special Sama and Dhikr.
The constructions of the monastery, the shrine, and the Kuse shrine are among the attractions of Hajij.
One of the unique ceremonies that these dervishes have in this village is the Dhikr and Sama ceremonies. In these ceremonies, they play a local mournful song called Shamshal. It is a wind instrument similar to a reed.
The people of this village are Muslims and follow the Sunni sect. They are self-sufficient in providing all their daily necessities, from the weaving cloth worn by the people of Kurdistan to the traditional clothes woven from wool and the color of nature, up to food provision and necessities and everything that needs to live in prosperity.
It is a sign of effort, strength, taste, and art rooted in their culture, beliefs, and abilities.
Hajij is a village with the beauty of the Zagros valleys, the charm of the Shaho heights, the clarity of the Saran Uraman springs, the antiquity of the Kermanshah civilization, and the imaginative paradise.