狂喜、天堂，與永恆的允諾Alamut, marriage of nature and history

古代的刺客是否也仰望著這美麗的銀河星空？




11世紀後期，裏海南邊的崇山峻嶺間，隱藏著一個信仰神祕的教派的刺客集團。


什葉派教士Hassan-i Sabbāh (Hasan ibn Sabbah , Hassan Ben Sabbah . 1050s-1124)是一位不世出的全才型傑出人物，在手相術、語言、哲學、化學、天文學和數學等方面，都有超乎常人的天分。


他以大麻膏製造的狂喜，與宗教（非回教正規）上的允諾，讓城堡裡的刺客們相信他們終將進入神的天國，各個都成為無畏的死士，活躍於阿富汗至敘利亞，踴躍參與刺殺遜尼派信仰的塞爾柱帝國的統治權貴，以及入侵中東的十字軍歐洲貴族。


十三世紀，山上的城堡被蒙古攻破後遭屠殺，組織被滅。目前僅存廢墟，是伊朗一處旅遊勝地。


　　位於裡海南邊的崇山峻嶺之中




波斯電視台PRESS TV 的介紹




Alamut Fort was once a mountain fortress in the arid hills by the Alborz Mountains, south of the Caspian Sea. It is in the vicinity of Gazor Khan, a village about 100 km from Qazvin.

According to Hamdollah Mostowfi (1281-1349), a well-famed Iranian historian, geographer and epic poet, the fortress was built in 840 at an elevation of 2,100 m. It was built in a way that had only one passable artificial entrance that wound its way around the cliff face. However, there was one natural approach which was a steep gravel slope, being too dangerous to use. All these and even more, made the conquering of the fortress a Herculean task.

The fort has an unusual system of water supply. The top of the castle was extremely narrow and long (perhaps 400 meters long), and no more than 30 meters wide in any place, and usually less.

In 1090 the fortress was infiltrated and occupied by the powerful Ismaili sect of Shia Islam, and was then fabled for its gardens and libraries.

The Ismaili sect came to be known to the West by the derogatory nickname Hashshashin and by a subtle distortion in pronunciation it bred the English word "assassin". This was due to the fact that those called Hashshashin were deployed to eliminate their opposition by direct orders from Hassan Sabbah, practicing what is now said to be "assassination".

The sect was preached by Hassan Sabbah (1097-1124) during Seljuk Dynasty, also known as Seljuk Turks, in the region.

Hassan was allegedly a statesman in the court of the Seljuk king, Malik Shah (ruling Iran since 1072 to 1092). His intelligence and capabilities were ostensibly coveted by other statesmen and as a result they conspired against him. Their malevolent plot worked well and the enraged king sentenced Hassan to death.

It was on the plea of Omar Khayyam, (the great Iranian poet and mathematician best known for his Roba'yyat or couplets) that the death penalty was terminated, and Hassan was instead banished from the kingdom.

It was then that he converted and swore allegiance to the Fatimid caliph in Cairo. There he studied the principles of Ismaili sect and in no time at all he was known as Da'iy-e Kabir, the Great Missionary.

Upon his return to Iran and after vacillating where to spot a base for launching his campaign against Seljuk rulers, he chose Alamut Fort as his and his men's bastion. He did this due to the impregnability of this mountain fort.

Unfortunately, due to constant raids during history the castle has fallen to ruins. Recent excavations have dug out the ruins of 23 other fortresses in the vicinity.

Gazor Khan, the neighboring village, is a time-honored hamlet to the south of Alamut Fort. Its locals have interesting customs. In their wedding ceremonies they have a traditional dance in which the bride and the groom family members slap one another on the face.

Summer is a convenient time to visit this region. In two days' time one can visit Alamut as well as Gazor Khan and the magnificent Evan Lake, not far away.

Evan Lake is encircled by four villages called Evan, Varbon, Zevardasht and Zarabad. The lake measuring over 70,000 sq. m. is elevated to an altitude 1,800 meters above sea level. Raised to such lofty an abode, it cannot be fed by any creek or river except for its bed streams slowly pumping water into the lake from beneath. Evan's deepest spot, its south-east angle, is 7.5 m deep.

It is believed, by some, that the lake is a remnant patch of the Caspian Sea before it receded to its present location millions of years ago.

Some believing "Evan" to be a spurious pronunciation, insist that the one original pronunciation is "Ovan". Nevertheless, most Iranians prefer the former pronunciation.

The lake has loaned its environment a green heaven and trees like willow, poplar, apple, cherry, oleaster and walnut thrive in this terrain. Different families of land and water herbs most of which are of medical values also exist in this luscious habitat.

Last but not least, a handful of animal species is another feather in Evan's cap. Brown bear, wild cat, lynx, hyena, leopard and a number of other quadrupeds exist here along with different kinds of wild birds and fishes.

A visit to Alamut Mountains can truly be a trip of a lifetime.

HZN/KB