The ritual of Hoom Babaei is held on the 15th night of the holy month of Ramadan in Kashan.
People believe that, on such a night, the second and third Shiite Imams, who were children at the time, went to the door of the Prophet of Islam and, after knocking on the door, recited Surah Ash-Shams and then blessed their grandfather (the Prophet), their parents and all Muslims.
The Prophet of Islam and the first Imam of the Shiites (the children’s father) also gave them some food to encourage the children.
Nowadays, this belief has become a tradition, and on this night, which is also the night of the birth of the second Imam of the Shiites, a number of children, teenagers, and young people, called the Hoom Babaei group, go to the doors of houses after iftar and ask for help for the people in need.
They choose a cashier from among them, who is responsible for collecting money or snacks such as dried plums, cookies, dates, walnuts, and almonds.
Another person called meidandar is also chosen, whose job is to sing the verses.
The rest of the youth and children must accompany his song in unison.
For example, he sings “night is mid-month night when we are guests” and everyone responds in unison “Hoom Baba.”
When the landlord hears the children’s voices, he brings gifts or snacks to the door and gives them to the cashier.
The ritual goes on until midnight, and after covering all the houses, the cashier distributes what is collected among themselves or the needy, and in some neighbourhoods, it is spent on the reconstruction of the water reservoir and other public installations.
Interestingly, Hoom or Heoomeh is a mysterious plant, which holds the position of gods and goddesses in Indian and Persian mythology.
Traces of this plant-deity can be seen in the oldest written works such as the Vedas and the Avesta and then Ferdowsi’s Shahnameh.
One of the destinations where you can see this ritual is the village of Maraq in Kashan.
