Balochistan is famous for its spectacular mountain ranges that dominate the horizon. It is a place where fertile valleys are encircled by barren peaks. A magical land where amidst aridity will be found breathtaking views of oasis, beaches and cascades. A land of rich heritage and literature, entailing stories crafted as beautifully and eccentrically as the composition of the landscape itself. These stories are composed of myths and legends which interestingly also led to appellation of many of Balochistan’s favourite viewpoints.
Pir Ghaib
Pir Ghaib Waterfall is located on Sibi Road at a distance of 70 km from Quetta. It is said that there used to be a time when Bolan was ruled by a cruel king who derided Islam and was ruthless towards His mankind. A Muslim Pir along with his sister, Bibi Nani, decided to travel to his kingdom and guide him to the right path. Upon their arrival, the King got offended and their invitation was turned down. Subsequently, he ordered his army to slay the siblings at night. The Pir came to know of his plans in a dream, woke up and escaped with his sister. While on the run barefoot with an army chasing them behind, there came a point where they had to separate. Bibi Nani went her own way but the Pir reached a dead end with only a large mountain ahead. With no sign of a way out, he prayed to the Almighty for a miracle. Only then, the mountain opened flooding water out which created a natural oasis. The Pir jumped in and disappeared forever. Even today, there is no source of water coming from inside the mountain. The place is accordingly named as Pir Ghaib (the Invisible Saint).
Bibi Nani Pull
Soon after Pir Ghaib and Bibi Nani separated, she went down to the Bolan pass and it is said that she remained there for the rest of her life, with her cause of death still unknown. She is buried under the Bibi Nani Pull where her tomb stands today. What makes her story legendary is the fact that this tomb survived 30 feet high tides of flood water in October 1986, which destroyed everything along the Bolan bank except this tomb. The tomb thus witnesses many pilgrims who acknowledge Bibi Nani’s extraordinary parable.
Gondrani/ Shehr-e-Roghan
Gondrani (also known as Cave City of Lasbela and Mai Gondrani) is an archaeological site located 20 km to the north of Bela and 175 km from Karachi, in Lasbela. The whole place consists of around 500 caves which dates to the 7th Century, according to some historians, who believed that this town used to be a Buddhist monastery before being discovered. Although the course of building of these caves is not known, the popular tale attached to it is of the supernatural beings who resided inside these caves hunting down the locals as their sustenance. Until one day a sacred lady, Mai Gondrani, sacrificed her life to execute these demons and save her people.
Shehr-e-Roghan is another name given to this town, which literally translates to The City of Spirits. The reason it is called so is due to another allegory linked to this place. It dates back to the reign of Hazrat Suleiman in which a King lived there with his very beautiful daughter, Badiul Jamal. It is said that she was captured by demons who lived inside these caves, and over time many princes came to free her but to no avail. The last prince who successfully rescued her was Prince Saif ul Mulook, who later married her.
The Chiltan Mountain (Koh-e-Chiltan)
Koh-e-Chiltan is the highest peak of Chiltan mountains range (10,479 ft). It is the fifth-highest peak of Balochistan and third-highest of Quetta. The word Chiltan is derived from “Chehl-tan”, a Persian/Balochi word meaning Forty Bodies. It is believed that a Brahvi couple who was childless kept praying for a child unswervingly for many years. As a miracle of God, they were eventually blessed with not one but forty children. The couple being poor could only afford to bring up one child, hence left the other 39 in the forest of these mountains with a heavy heart, at the mercy of mother nature. One day, the mother of these children along with the only boy who stayed with the parents, went out in search of the remaining ones. To her surprise, those 39 even took their brother with them and vanished forever. The local shepherds of the past have sworn upon witnessing 40 children acting mischievous in those mountains, which led to the appellation of these mountain ranges. However, nobody has ever been able to find those forty bodies.
Koh-e-Sulaiman/ Takht-e-Sulaiman
The Sulaiman Mountains lie to the north of Balochistan. The story of these mountains dates to a famous incident of Prophet Sulaiman climbing to the top of it for the first time, to observe the whole of South Asia, such is its height. It was thus named Koh-e-Sulaiman (Mountain of Sulaiman). The fourth highest peak of Balochistan, Takht-e-Sulaiman (3483 meters) is the place where he sat in his throne. It is also believed the Prophet Noah’s ark descended to Takht-e-Sulaiman as well.
Pir Chattal Noorani Gandhawa
Approximately 294 km from Quetta, in the heart of Balochistan is a place famous for its desert safari, called Jhal Magsi. In the center of which a blissful view of an oasis is witnessed, filled with fresh water and 2 feet long flamboyant fish in great number. It is called Pir Chattal Noorani Gandhawa, which is known to be a resting place of a famous saint Pir Chattal and his sacred fish. Anyone who tried to catch, eat or cause any harm to them faced a dreadful death after which the fish used to come out of their bodies alive! The story is most likely to be a myth but has surely managed to protect the refreshing nature around the place. The fish have remained unharmed for thousands of years and are so accustomed to being fed by the visitors that they will reach out to where ever a person stands.
Hence, the landmarks of Balochistan enfold stories of an enchanted past. A past that has served as an identity for this land, for several generations that have passed and those to come.
