Sehwan Sharif

Lal Shahbaz Qalandar was a thirteenth-century Sufi poet and wandering ascetic whose shrine at Sehwan has become one of the most intensely devotional places in South Asia. The tomb sits under a gilded dome behind a silver gate, and the courtyard outside holds the dhamaal: every evening, drummers beat the great naqqara drums and devotees dance themselves into trance, men and women, in a practice that has continued for centuries and belongs to a strand of Islam that is deeply rooted in Sindh. The annual urs in the Islamic month of Shaban draws hundreds of thousands, filling the town completely. Sehwan itself is a dusty Indus town of narrow lanes, sweet shops and pilgrim lodgings, built beside a mound that holds an ancient fort, and the shrine dominates everything about it.

What you actually see

• The shrine of Lal Shahbaz Qalandar - the gilded dome and silver gate.
• The evening dhamaal - drumming and trance dancing in the courtyard.
• The urs - the annual festival filling the town with pilgrims.
• The old fort mound - the ancient earthwork beside the town.

When to go

November to February for the weather; the urs, on the Islamic calendar, is the extraordinary time to be here but also the most crowded and demanding. The dhamaal happens most evenings year-round. Sindh summers are extremely hot.

Honest expectations

The shrine is crowded and intense, with heavy security screening at the entrances; bags and cameras may be restricted. Modest dress is essential and women should cover their heads. Photography during the dhamaal requires real sensitivity and permission. Accommodation in the town is very basic.

Nearby

Manchar Lake lies northwest; Ranikot Fort is south towards Sann.