The Lahooti pilgrimage is an annual foot journey of about two weeks from Lal Bagh in Sehwan, Sindh, across seven mountains to the Shah Noorani shrine and the cave of Lahoot Lamakan in Balochistan. It takes place in the Islamic month of Sha'ban, and pilgrims stop at 14 places, spending one night at each. Those who complete it are called Lahootis.
This is a religious practice, not a trekking route. This guide explains how it is organised, what the stages are and why outsiders should think hard before joining. For the shrine and cave themselves, see our guide to Lahoot Lamakan.
| At a glance | |
|---|---|
| Starts | Lal Bagh, Sehwan Sharif, Sindh |
| Ends | Shah Noorani shrine and Lahoot Lamakan, Wadh, Balochistan |
| When | Sha'ban each year (the date moves about 11 days earlier annually) |
| Length | 14 destinations, one night at each, on foot only |
| Numbers | Dawn reported about 20,000 pilgrims a year in 2009 |
| Security | The UK advises against all travel to Balochistan |
What is the Lahooti pilgrimage?
Each year, thousands of devotees walk from Sehwan, the town of the Lal Shahbaz Qalandar shrine, to the valley associated with Syed Bilawal Shah Noorani. Dawn describes the journey as crossing seven mountains over hazardous terrain, and it has to be completed within 14 nights.
The pilgrimage is a devotional discipline. It is walked rather than driven, and the idea of the journey matters as much as the arrival. Pilgrims who finish are known as Lahootis.
When does it happen?
It happens in Sha'ban, the month before Ramadan. According to Dawn, the pilgrims gather in Sehwan on 21 Sha'ban, shortly after the annual urs of Lal Shahbaz Qalandar, and begin with a shared meal at the enclosure of Syed Hajan Shah Lakyari, before moving to Lal Bagh, about 2 km from the shrine.
The Islamic calendar moves about 11 days earlier each year against the Gregorian one, so the pilgrimage falls in winter in the coming years, roughly January and February. Local announcements will give the exact dates.
The 14 stages
Dawn lists the stages of the walk as follows. Spellings vary between sources:
- Lal Bagh, near Sehwan
- The shrine of Sain Ali Raza Shah in Jhangara, about 6 km on
- Panjtan Ja Chashma, a spring
- The shrine at Naing Sharif
- Baga Shir
- Haoot cave
- Shah Ja Kanda
- Noor Wahi
- Chung mountain
- Har Mori
- Mai Ji Kandri
- The dargah of Syed Bahlool Shah Dewano
- Shinh Lak
- The khooi (well) of Sarkar Shah Abdul Latif
After these, pilgrims reach the Shah Noorani shrine and the cave of Lahoot Lamakan. Legend says the mystic Shah Abdul Latif stayed at the last stage on his way to the cave.
How a caravan works
According to Dawn's 2009 reporting, the walk is organised in caravans. Each is led by a Syed with a malang as attendant, and the leader is usually someone with many years of experience on the route. Members ask permission before they do anything, meals are cooked and eaten together, and the leader tastes the food first.
The journey has to be on foot. Shrines along the way provide langar (free meals) and a place to sleep, and pilgrims set out with devotional chants.
None of this is arranged for visitors. A caravan is a religious community with its own rules, and a stranger should not expect to join one, photograph it or be accommodated by it.
The hazards
The terrain is rough, remote and dry, and the main danger has been water. Dawn reported that 13 pilgrims died on the way in 1994 and that ten members of a caravan died from polluted water in 2004. A later Dawn feature in 2016 reported that almost 200 devotees had died after drinking spring water that turned poisonous some years earlier. Reports of this kind are hard to confirm exactly, but they are why experienced pilgrims carry their own water and follow their leaders' advice on where to drink.
Other risks are heat or cold depending on the season, exhaustion and rocky passages, and flash floods in the dry riverbeds when it rains. Medical help is far away.
Security
The route ends in Balochistan, and the UK government's advice is against all travel there. In November 2016, a suicide bomber struck the Shah Noorani shrine, and the area has seen road accidents and security incidents since. Pakistani pilgrims continue to go every year, and the shrine now has police, Levies and walk-through gates.
If you are not a devotee with a caravan, we would not advise attempting the walk. Anyone with a connection to the pilgrimage should check local news and the district administration's advice shortly before leaving. Overseas visitors should check their own government's advice, because it can void travel insurance.
Is there an easier way to see Lahoot Lamakan?
Many people reach the shrine by road instead, from Karachi, though the last stretch is rough and floods can cut the route. Our Lahoot Lamakan guide covers the road, and the Balochistan night travel ban explains why daylight travel matters.
For understanding the Sehwan end of the story, our Karachi to Sehwan Sharif distance guide covers the road to the town. Our experiences page shows the trips we do run, and none of them include this pilgrimage.
Frequently asked questions
How long is the Lahooti pilgrimage?
It lasts about two weeks. Pilgrims stop at 14 places and spend one night at each, and the whole journey must be completed within 14 nights.
When does the Lahooti pilgrimage take place?
In Sha'ban, the month before Ramadan. Dawn describes pilgrims gathering in Sehwan on 21 Sha'ban, after the urs of Lal Shahbaz Qalandar.
How far is Sehwan from Lahoot Lamakan?
Sources don't give a reliable walking distance. The route crosses seven mountains in 14 stages, so it is far more than a day's walk.
Can anyone join the pilgrimage?
It is a devotional journey led by experienced caravan leaders and not a public tour. Visitors should not expect to be taken in by a caravan.
Is the Lahooti pilgrimage dangerous?
It can be. Contaminated water has caused deaths in the past, the terrain is rough and remote, and the end of the route lies in Balochistan, where security advisories apply.
