The white shrine of Lalon Shah is, for most Bangladeshis, the main reason for visiting Kushtia and come they do, in their hundreds. Lalon Shah is one of the most famous holy men in Bangladesh and his shrine is a fascinating peek into a mystical side of Bangladeshi life. The shrine centres on the holy man’s tomb and that of his adopted parents, while around the perimeter of the shrine are the tombs of various local dignitaries. Behind the tomb complex is a covered area where musicians sometimes play and sing Lalon Shah’s songs, while pilgrims burst into dance.
In mid- and mid-October, the Lalon Utsab festival is held on the grassy maidan, overlooking the river nearby. It’s a multiday folk-music extravaganza and attracts thousands of pilgrims, itinerant vendors and marijuana-smoking holy men who travel from all across the subcontinent to commemorate Lalon Shah’s birth (March) and death (October).
The shrine is a Tk 30 rickshaw ride from Hotel River View. Ask for ‘Lalon Shah Mazar’.
