A 29-year-old man from Kerala, who has set out on an 8,640 km journey on foot to Makkah to perform Haj 2023, reached Lahore, Pakistan on Monday, February 6, 2023, after four months of waiting at Wagah border, Punjab.
Shihab Chottur took to Instagram and wrote, “Alhamdulillah reached Pakistan.”
Earlier on Sunday, Shihab Chottur made the announcement through a YouTube vlog, he has finally received official papers from Pakistan, permitting him to travel through the country.
“I had commenced my journey on June 2 and till February 2, I had been waiting for one paper and now I have received it. It’s now just hours remaining for me to set foot on Pakistani soil. I will resume my journey on Monday,” he said in the video.
For the past four months and nine days, Shihab has been staying at Aafiyah Kids School, Khasa, Amritsar, Punjab, waiting for the transit visa.
Shihab has already covered a distance of 3,300 km. About 40 per cent of the journey has already been completed from Kerala to Punjab.
After passing through Pakistan, he will reach Makkah in Saudi Arabia via Iran, Iraq and Kuwait, where he will perform his duty of Haj.
Shihab’s Kerala-Makkah journey
Shihab Chottur, who runs a supermarket, set off on his incredible journey from Athavanad, near Kottakkal, in Malappuram district, Kerala, on June 2. Every day, he walks at least 25 kms.
He will apply for the Haj pilgrimage after his arrival in Saudi Arabia.
Shihab is currently accompanied by three of his friends on this journey from Kerala to Makkah. A six-member team from Karnataka is following him in the current extension to facilitate their journey.
Shihab, grew up hearing stories of people travelling all the way from Kerala to the holy land of Makkah on foot during ancient times which made it his life’s dream to walk all the way to Makkah.
Shihab had been getting a rousing welcome as he passes through states with a large number of people thronging roads to greet him and catch a glimpse of him.
