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LONDON, (CAIS) -- Nearly one thousand five hundred Iranians celebrated the birth of Persian freedom fighter and leader of the Khorramdinan resistance movement Babak, who fought against the Arab invaders in 8th century CE.

The pilgrims gathered at the Immortal Castle also known as Babak Fort to mark Babak's symbolic birthday, life and heroic death, yesterday July 9th. The castle located in Kalidar area near Tabriz in northwest of Iran, which some believe was his command center.

His staunch followers, all Iranian nationalists came from far and wide, to the mountainous castle, reading poetry including Shahnameh (the Epic of Kings), Hafez and played local traditional Persian/Azari music.

His historical fort, known as the Immortal Castle, is located 16 km southwest of Kelidar in East Azarbaijan Province and is 2,300 to 2,600 meters above the sea level.

The fort, surrounded by gorges as deep as 400 to 600 meters, is believed was constructed during the early Parthian dynasty (278 BCE - 224 CE). To reach the castle, one has to trek a tortuous and narrow passageway and then cross a corridor-shaped temple, 200 meters in lengths.

Babak was born into a Persian family in the Balalabad (modern Qaradagh) region of Atropatekan (today East Azarbaijan province) near the city of Artavilla (modern Ardabil). After his father died, in his early teens he was given responsibility for his two brothers and mother during a traditional Zoroastrian ceremony at a fir... >>>