Khajeh Mountain; A special mountain in a special land for Iran. This trapezoidal basaltic lava is a mountain that rises about 20 km southwest of Zabol and in the middle of Lake Hamoon. Not so long ago, Lake Hamoon was full of water, and Mount Khajeh, like an island rising from the waters of this lake, stood out from afar.
Khajeh Mountain in Zabul, Sitan and Baluchistan is the only natural feature of Sistan plain with an approximate height of 609 meters above sea level (about 100 meters above the ground). In this mountain, one of the rare ancient sites of the Parthian dynasty remains, which is known as Persepolis. Although many parts of this brick building have been destroyed for reasons such as natural and human factors, but the architecture of this castle can still be achieved.
This mountain takes its name from the tomb of Khajeh Mahdi who was one of the lovers of the Alavi family and his tomb is located on top of this mountain. Khajeh Gholtan, Kuh-e Noor, Kuh-e Mo’oud and Kuh-e-Bateni are other names that this mountain is called. This mountain and lake of Hamoon is sacred in the beliefs of the three religions of Zoroastrianism, Christianity and Muslims. This area has been studied and explored by many researchers so far, and everyone agrees that the building is Parthian and Sassanid.
According to Zoroastrian mythology, Lake Hamoon is sacred and the emergence of the savior occurs from this lake. According to the beliefs of Mazdisna and Pahlavi myths based on the teachings of Zoroaster Sepitman, at the end of the twelfth millennium, for the third time a girl from the family of Behrouz Parsa enters the water of Lake Hamoon and the last savior or “Sushyant” will be born from her. In this regard, Mount Khajeh has a special sanctity and mystery; Sushyant is mentioned in various forms in almost all Zoroastrian and Avestan texts, including Gathas, Yasna, Zoroastrian poems, and Yashts, and there is almost no doubt that Ashu Zarathustra referred to it in the Avesta
This building is also sacred for Christians, because they say that at the time of the birth of Jesus Christ in Baitullah, three magicians (spiritual) stood on top of this mountain and watched the light that was radiated from this prophet of God at birth and they believed in Christ.
In this ancient mountain, there is a fire temple, a shrine of Khajeh Mahdi and a cemetery from different eras. The most important and largest part of the ancient monuments of Khajeh Mountain is located on the southeastern slope of the mountain, which has three defensive walls, a main gate, side corridors, a central courtyard, a fire temple, and is known as “Kafron Castle”. The second complex is built at the highest point and overlooking the castle of Kafron. This place can be the royal place of the citadel.
The architectural decorations used in some parts of this building are similar to the Greek style, Doric-style capitals with scroll coils, others such as a small lotus flower (lotus), adapted from Achaemenid art. Some of them are similar to Mesopotamian art.
The surface of the mountain is a large and flat space of more than a few tens of hectares, most of which is covered with interesting stone tombs. These tombs are so amazing that it may take you hours. Tombs that are almost on the ground and are covered with flat and sometimes curved stones.
Among the interesting points of this mountain is the footsteps of Imam Ali (AS) and the burnt valley, which according to the local people was created as a result of the throwing of Zulfiqar Imam towards the infidels next to Khajeh mountain. However, the authenticity of these stories, like Mazar-e-Sharif in Afghanistan, is more like a myth.
