Gathering of Sages by a Stream

A group of six men gathers by a stream, conversing and reading. The tiger skin used for resting (takht-i pust; literally, “throne of animal skin”), the animal hide draped around the shoulders, and the cloaks with elongated sleeves (khirqa), are typically associated with Sufi mystics and dervishes. Flowing across the middle of the composition is a stream, which was originally silver in color but is now tarnished. Frequently found in paintings of wandering sages, the stream denotes not only a physical meeting place but also a spiritual significance. Sufi literature compares water to life, in that it quenches the thirst of the soul, as well as to knowledge, in that it cleanses the soul of impurities. The chinar, or eastern plane tree (Platanus orientalis), seen here is considered sacred and often forms the backdrop of Sufi gatherings.