Shah Jalal Dargah

Shah Jalal came to Sylhet in the fourteenth century and is credited in tradition with the spread of Islam through north-eastern Bengal, and his tomb in the city is the most visited shrine in Bangladesh, a walled complex on a rise with the tomb chamber, a mosque, a graveyard and a large tank. The tank holds a population of gazar catfish that pilgrims feed and that are treated as under the saint's protection, and feeding them is part of a visit. His sword and other objects associated with him are kept and shown. The complex is busiest on Thursday evenings and at the urs, the annual commemoration, when very large crowds attend and the surrounding streets fill with stalls and qawwali.

What you actually see

• The tomb chamber - the most visited shrine in the country.
• The catfish tank - fish fed by pilgrims and treated as protected.
• Relics of the saint - the sword and objects kept at the shrine.
• Thursday evenings and the urs - when the complex is at its fullest.

When to go

November to March; Thursday evenings and the annual urs are the busiest and most atmospheric. One to two hours. Modest dress and shoes off. Women's access to the tomb chamber is restricted.

Honest expectations

Access to the tomb chamber is restricted for women. It is very crowded on Thursdays and at the urs. Photography inside is limited. The surrounding streets are congested and pickpocketing happens in crowds.

Nearby

Sylhet city surrounds it; the tea gardens lie south.