Rudkhan Castle (Persian: قلعه رودخان; Gilaki: رودخان دژ), also Roodkhan Castle, is a brick and stone medieval fortress in Iran that was built to defend against the Arab invaders during the Muslim conquest of Persia. With the fall of the Sasanian Empire, this area became a defensive position against the Arabs in the then-newly established Tabarestan.
Located 25 km southwest of Fuman city north of Iran in Gilan province, it is a military complex which was constructed during the Sasanian era (224-651), and later rebuilt in 1096 by the Nizari Isma'ilis for use by the Assassins. The castle is built on two tips of a mount, with an area of 2.6 hectares (6.4 acres).
The Rudkhan Castle River originates in the surrounding heights and flows from south to north. Rudkhan Castle sits at the two peaks of a mountain at elevations of 715 and 670 metres and contains strong fortifications and battlements at a length of 1,550 metres.
Father's Day is a holiday of honoring fatherhood and paternal bonds, as well as the influence of fathers in society. In Catholic countries of Europe, it has been celebrated on March 19 as Saint Joseph's Day since the Middle Ages. In the United States, Father's Day was founded by Sonora Smart Dodd,[1][2][3] and celebrated on the third Sunday of June for the first time in 1910. The day is held on various dates across the world, and different regions maintain their own traditions of honoring fatherhood.
Father's Day is a recognized public holiday in Lithuania and some parts of Spain and was regarded as such in Italy until 1977. It is a national holiday in Estonia, Samoa, and equivalently in South Korea, where it is celebrated as Parents' Day. The holiday complements similar celebrations honoring family members, such as Mother's Day, Siblings Day, and Grandparents' Day.
The Persian New Year, Norooz, is traditionally celebrated on 21st
March in Iran and many other countries in the region. But in the past,
the people of Gilan, in northern Iran, used to have a parallel New Year
ceremony called Norooz Bal which was held in early August.
The word Bal, meaning flame, refers to the fires which were lit on
mountain tops to herald the arrival of Norooz for the villages below.
This was the responsibility of the herdsmen and shepherds who used to
migrate to the mountain grazing lands during the summer. They gathered
around the fire, thanked God for his bounty during the season, hugged
and congratulated each other on the arrival of the New Year. The settled
farmers living in the surrounding villages took part in these
celebrations too, wearing new clothes and performing various traditional
games.
Source:
http://www.jadidonline.com/story/01102009/frnk/nowruz_bal_eng
The timing of the Norooz Bal suited the rhythm of the settled farmers and migratory herdsmen of Gilan. High summer is a time when the lambing season is over, the flocks have reached their milking capacity and the herdsmen start preparing to leave the summer grazing grounds and move towards the plains. The settled farmers in the low lands too would have harvested their crops and are ready for a respite.
The Norooz Bal tradition, abandoned for many decades, has now been
revived and celebrated in the area for the last four years ago. In this
multimedia report we see many colourful scenes of these joyful
festivities.