I have seen many wonders of Balochistan, but Peer Chatal Shah Noorani is different from all. Jhal Magsi is a famous destination in Balochistan. But very few people know about it. Date trees welcome you from the entrance of this place.
Deep in the center of the Kachhi district of Balochistan, the shrine of Peer Chatal Shah Noorani lies just below the vast brown loom of the Khirthar Mountains at the mouth of the Mula pass.
I visited Pir Chhtal Shah Noorani with my wife in January 2021. However, this place is not known to many tourists. Sadly the natural areas which become known to people become polluted with trash.
If you are more of a visual person, then please watch the following video, which summarizes my trip to Peer Chatal Shah Noorani:
Natural Spring of Peer Chatal Shah Noorani and Mystical Fishes
Peer Chatal Shah Noorani’s tomb in Gandawah is a place of cold water ponds. This place is famous for not only jeep rallies but also as a favorite place of Arabs for hunting.
The tomb is almost 900 years old. There is no roof above the grave as whenever someone tried, the top fell. There is a tree of Khabar next to the tomb and in its surroundings.
There is nothing available about the saint that from where he came here. Locals say that Chhatal Shah Noorani was a granter of wishes. Most Hindus and Muslims alike came here to fulfill their heart’s desires.
The water flow around the tomb is also ancient. The Mula Pass had been the most comfortable passage to connect the Sindh Valley and the Kalat summit.
The Moola is the only river in Balochistan is the only one in the 400-kilometer-long Kirthar Mountains that cuts clear across the area from the west to the east. Halfway down its course, the river turns north and widens until it cuts the rocky Kirthar bar to reach Gandawah.
The point where it joins the lowlands is known as Naulung — Nine Fords. Interestingly, among some Balochs, it is also known as Punjmunh — Five Mouths. In the year 325 BCE, having repaired the defenses of the fort of Pattala (Hyderabad), Alexander retired 10,000 soldiers and pushed them back to Macedonia and Greece under the aging general Krateros.
Already loaded with valuable treasures from their Indian warfare and now further weighed down with generous rewards, they happily marched along the eastern wall of the Kirthars and up through the Moola gorge en route to Persia.
The popularity of this is due to these fishes that are available from small to big size. According to locals, if anybody tries to eat these fishes, it is harmful to him.
These fishes are locally known as kirruf. These natural ponds are a source of attraction for visitors. People from far away come here for a picnic as it is a source of interest for them. These fishes vary in different size, and they make the water more attractive.
While we were standing near the pond, we observed mahashir fish, nearly 60 cm long. They came and started floating around us. These fishes are habituated to humans because visitors usually fed them. However, no one ever ate them since the fish were the saint’s pets.
According to locals, anyone eating these fish experienced a painful and offensive punishment the day after as the fish rose to twist out of the eater’s sphincter muscle. Who Pir Chattal was is not known precisely. But one thing is sure, this saint, whoever he or she was, has been about for a good bit of time.
This water is cold in summer and hot in winter. These are different partitions of ponds in Peer Chatal Shah Noorani. The water of every division is crystal clear, and its clarity is due to its continuous flow. Chatal Shah Noorani is among the most beautiful places in Balochistan. It is a worthwhile place to visit for every tourist once in a lifetime.
Hopefully, this blog will inspire you to visit Peer Chatal, Shah Noorani. Also, if you have any questions on Balochistan or my experience traveling on a bicycle/motorbike, please comment below or email me. I’ll try to reply to you as soon as possible.
