Rudaki Day · Ruz-e Rudaki

Culture of origin: Iranian · Cultural

Holiday sources: Iran

Rudaki (c. 858 – 940/41) is regarded as the first major poet to write in New Persian. A poet, singer and musician at the Samanid court in Bukhara, backed by the vizier Bal'ami, he reportedly composed more than 180,000 verses, of which only a small part survives, including pieces of his verse Kalila wa-Dimna. He died poor and blind in his home village near Samarqand. In Tajikistan he is the father of Tajik literature.