SEHWAN (Dadu), Aug 16 In a trembling voice a Lahooti narrated how 13 pilgrims died en route to the shrine of Shah Bilawal Noorani a few years ago but he was not distracted by dangers for a moment and did not give up the 14-day arduous journey through rugged mountainous terrain.

Lahootis, as the pilgrims who travel to the Noorani's shrine in Dhuraji, Balochistan, are called, began their journey on the last day of the Urs of Sufi saint Lal Shahbaz Qalandar.

Large and small caravans from different parts of the country left Sehwan on Thursday evening to take the arduous route to Dhureji.

Lahooti was the highest rank of pilgrims to shrines, said Shah Mardan Lakyari, a bearded man wearing a Kantha (a string of beads) round his neck and Kolaba (bracelet) on his wrists. Associated with the shrine of Zawar Reejh Ali Shah Lahooti of Kazimabad in Gambat, Shah Mardan is leader of a caravan of 80 Lahootis. A caravan is always led by a Syed and with a Malang or a Faqeer carrying a black or red alam (standard).

Shah Mardan said his family had been visiting Lahoot (the area in and around Noorani's shrine) for decades and he had been heading caravans for 25 years.

He said that the caravans would accommodate any person from anywhere in the world regardless of race, creed, caste or religion.

As a rule all members of the group seek permission of their leader for everything like where to sleep, when to start journey, when to eat etc.

The caravans set out from Lal Bagh of Sehwan, which is the point where the Lahootis assemble and necessary items like food, water and medicine are collected.

They prepare food together and eat together and they never take food without the leader having tasted it first.

Ten-year-old Himmat Ali is in Shah Mardan's group. He is going to Lahoot for the first time with his father Fakir Ahmed Ali who has been taking the arduous journey for 15 years.

Sitting on a clean sheet spread over a Rilli (Sindhi quilt), Shah Mardan signalled members of the group to begin the journey and the pilgrims chanted full-throated slogans of “Nara-i-Hyderi Ya Ali” and “Lal Qalander Mast” as they prepared to set out.

Two pilgrims held the standard as others filed behind their leader who carried a Kashkol in one hand and a stick in the other with a Nad (horn trumpet) slung over his shoulder.

Shah Mardan said that if a pilgrim missed even a single step during the journey, he would not deserve the honour of being a Lahooti. Use of vehicle was forbidden; the journey has to be on foot, he said.

The group made its first stop at the shrine of Ahmed Shah Badshah where food and lodging were provided by caretakers of the shrine.

Shah Mardan said that the next stop would be at Panjtan Bagh in Neheng town where they would spend a night at the shrine of female saint Mai Rohi and make the fourth stop at the Moula Ali Ja Kanda near Bhit mountain.

After climbing the Bhit (wall) mountain, which is called so because of its steepness, the Lahooti caravans cross over to Chungan and down to the shrine of another female saint, Mai Kinri, where they make a stopover and then leave for the shrine of Behlool Deewana.

Behlool Deewana is associated with Abbaside caliph Haroon Rashid and his wife Zubeda of the eighth century Baghdad. According to popular belief, his shrine lies in the Nerheng area like that of king-turned-saint Abu Bin Adham in the Rohri area. It is up to researchers to dig the truth out of a heap of myths.

Shah Mardan said that at the shrine of Behlool Deewana they would get langar (food) and mourn the martyrs of Karbala.

After stopping over at the mosque of Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai they reach their destination, the Shah Noorani area in Balochistan.

About hardships they face during the arduous journey, he said that caravans always faced shortage of drinking water. In 2004, 10 people of his caravan died at different places after drinking polluted water, some suffered from gastroenteritis, he said.

He said that after completing their pilgrimage at Noorani Sarkar they had to return to the shrine of Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai on the 14th of Ramazan to complete the spiritual journey. Some pilgrims also pay a visit to the shrine of Abdullah Shah Ghazi.

Barkat Ali Lahooti, deputy leader of the group, who has devoted 37 years of his life to the family of Shah Mardan, said they always faced hardships and dangers during the journey with no one beside them to help, except God and Moula Ali Mushkilkusha.

About 20,000 pilgrims take the journey to Lahoot every year through mountainous tracks familiar only to experienced Lahootis.

Barkat Ali remembers the tragic event during a journey in 1994 when 13 pilgrims died en route to Lahoot. But despite the hardships and dangers, they never thought even for a moment of giving up the journey and returning to safety of their homes, he said.