Barikan Village

Barikan Village belongs to the Central District of Taleqan County in Alborz Province and lies in Miyan-Taleqan Rural District. This mountain village is one of the villages of the ancient Taleqan region and overlooks the Taleqan Dam area. Barikan sits between the Bariklu and Damagheh hills to the east and Kand Hill to the west, forming a relatively narrow area; this is also one of the explanations offered for the origin of the village's name. The village stands at an elevation of about 2,050 meters above sea level, and the differences in elevation within its area clearly reflect the region's mountainous setting. The people of Barikan are Tat and speak the Tati language, and the village also has a notable cultural heritage and local traditions.

In addition to its mountain scenery, Barikan holds a range of natural and cultural features that make it a good destination for nature tourism and for getting to know village life. The Barikan River, called "Barikan-Rukhaneh" in Tati, rises in the mountain range south of the village and the Arzhang area, and after joining the Arzang River, it continues on to join the Shahrud. The "Kamiki-Rukhaneh" is another seasonal river in the area; it rises in the Seyf-Darak Valley and, after passing through the Gahareh and Kamiki-Dareh valleys, joins the Shahrud. Numerous springs are another of Barikan's natural features, among them Agha Cheshmeh and Barikani Cheshmeh. Alongside its nature, the village's traditional architecture is also significant: in old Barikan, adobe, straw-clay plaster and wooden beams were commonly used, and houses were usually built with south-facing porches. Handicrafts such as small carpets, kilims and karbas (coarse cotton cloth) weaving, along with products such as apples, walnuts, oleaster, cherries, plums and apricots, have shaped part of the village's cultural and economic character. Local rituals, especially the Muharram mourning ceremonies and the traditional chest-beating style known as "Shilangeh", are also notable cultural aspects of Barikan.

Barikan can be reached via the Taleqan to Shahrak road. This route begins at kilometer 90 of the Tehran–Qazvin Freeway, branches off the main road about 3 kilometers before Taleqan Shahrak, and reaches the village after about 2.1 kilometers. Both the main and the secondary access roads to Barikan are paved. The distance from Barikan to Taleqan Shahrak is reported to be about 4.4 kilometers, to the start of the Taleqan Dam 11 kilometers, and to the Taleqan Dam Lake about 8.1 kilometers. Given the region's cold, mountain climate, spring and summer are the better times to visit and enjoy nature in Barikan; at these times there are more opportunities to explore the village, the rivers, the springs and the surrounding landscapes. When visiting Barikan, avoid damaging vegetation, polluting the rivers and springs, and entering farmland or private property, and take your trash with you so that the nature and rural character of the area are preserved.