Zahīrōk(Balochi:زهیروک) is one of the musical forms of Balochistan and baloch people, especially in southern Balochistan Makran and it's musical tradition and basically expressing deep feeling and strong emotions about separation.^[1]

In the beginning, Zahirok was only sung by two groups of baloch women. ^[2]

some Balochs often believe that zahırok is the basis of all Balochi music and the essence of the melodies used in singing Balochi narrative song.^[3]

Zahırok is one of the most important and well-known balochi song genres, often described as the “Balochi classical music” by the Baloch themselves.^[4][5]

Etymology

The term "Zahirok" refers to burning with longing which literally translates into “a melancholic song or a song of separation. it is about loss or absence (especially of distant loved ones) and a general term for several melody types used in narrative song performance.^[6]

Features

A zahirok always begins with cihal, which is followed by a small number of lines, some of which are normally repeated.^[7]

Every zahiroks has a beginning section called a "picking up" (çistkanag) and a rising section called a "carrying up" (burzā barag). Once. the zahīrok has reached its "peak" (burzī), the pahlawān and/or surozī must "bring it down" (erārag) in a prescribed manner in order to conclude or "kill" (kuşag) the zahīrok.^[8]

zahirok is performed by male singers and played by Donali, Suroz and ghaychak. ^[9]

References