Sehwan Sharif
A Sindh town built around the shrine of Lal Shahbaz Qalandar, where trance, drumming and healing are part of the daily scene.
Practised and told of here
Best time: The urs, the annual death commemoration, in the Islamic month of Shaban; dates move each year.
Sehwan Sharif is an old town in Sindh with a gold-plated shrine to the Sufi saint Lal Shahbaz Qalandar, who died in the thirteenth century. Pilgrims of many backgrounds come to ask for blessings, healing and the end of trouble.
Dhamal
Each evening drummers play at the shrine and devotees dance, spinning or stamping in a trance known as dhamal. Many come for relief from illness or distress, which they attribute to the saint's help; some people have been brought by their families because they are believed to be troubled by jinn. Anthropologists see these as ways of holding grief and mental illness within a community.
Danger and care
The shrine has been hit by violence: a bombing in 2017 killed around 90 people. Many devotees returned within days. Some Islamic reformers object to saint veneration and music at shrines, and the debate is part of the shrine's setting.
Visiting
Women and men may enter different areas. Ask before photographing anyone in trance, and check local advice on security before travelling.
A respectful visit to Sehwan Sharif
Living communities are not a show. Ask before photographing a person or a ceremony, and follow local rules.
- The shrine gate Leave shoes and enter with the crowd.
- The dhamal Watch from a respectful distance, without coming too close to the dancers.
- The old town Walk to see the rose sellers and the small shops for amulets and rosaries.
Written by the EveryJaadu desk with AI assistance. Background: "Sehwan" on Wikipedia. Opening hours, markets and ceremonies change; check locally before travelling. If something is wrong, tell us.
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