Shehr-e-Roghan, The Mysterious Cave City

In Balochistan, Pakistan there is a famous archaeological town called “Shehr-e-Roghan” referred to the city of caves or city of Jinns. It is known now as Lasbela, located approximately 175 km from Karachi in the province of Balochistan.  The wilderness of Balochistan had traces of legends heavily influenced by Persian lore that connects the North and South of Pakistan. This is genuinely a true archaeological treasure but unfortunately this amazing treasure is concealed from the world. Different historians narrate Shehr-e-Roghan also called “Gondrani” with the Buddhists of 7th century AD. This amazing archaic cave city is elongating more than an area of three kilometers. Now what is so unique these cave houses are multi storey and are inter connected with each other through sundry walkways every cave house has a solo room and some have a veranda in front.

Different people have different thoughts, however it is said, that in the time of King of Soloman, a beautiful princess “Badiul Jamal” who was possessed by demons. So many princes tried hard to rescue her but could not successes. One day a prince Saiful Malook came and got rid of her tormentors. He vanquished the demons that haunted the Princess in the Cave city and they both left and went to into the North. Many myths are ascribed to this unexplained place. The locals of Shehr-e-Roghan believe that this might be the city of Jinns. With the passage of time, the caves conditions shaped in poor conditions due to high rate of erosion and lack of conservation efforts from the government. There is a grave of an old woman named Mai Balochani who yielded her life to execute the evil presences and recovery the nearby individuals.

A mystical legend says it was a city of huge Buddhist monastery because 1000 years before Buddhism had flourished in this area. In the British regime, more than 1500 rooms were found, which had ample windows and niches made for what historians believed, were for lamps and hearths in the center of the rooms were also found to keep the inhabitants warm. There were also many pathways within the mountain that connected the rooms together. If government gives some attention, then ancient cave city attracts both local and foreign tourists. The local travelers are looking this amazing site for an interesting expedition to explorer the mysteries.  

Therefore, questions still in people minds, that who built these inscrutable caves? Who lived in them? This is still a mystery there is no precise information available but one thing is for sure that this place is extremely marvelous. However, archaeologists and historians thought that the caves have the makings of a Buddhist monastery, probably dating back to the 7th century. So, rumors all over prevails in the recent times, that demons still inhabit the mountains and caves and attack the unwary visitors.