Rat Children Of Shah Daula

Driving around in metropolitan cities of Pakistan such as Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad bad, or Faisalabad, you would have no doubt come across beggars that knock on your cars windows asking you to spare some change. Amongst these beggars you’d find a large variety. Children, adults, the elderly, the disabled, amputees, snake charmers, etc. Amongst these beggars are the “chuhas” (translated to rats in Urdu, the national language of Pakistan) or the rat children, more commonly known as “Shah Daulah kay chuhay (translated to ‘the rat children of Shah Daulah’).
These rat children, look like rats or mice because of the deformity of their head, which gives them a resemblance to rats, caused by a condition known as Microcephaly. Microcephaly is neurodevelopment disorder in which the heads circumference is smaller than that of an average person, because of this, the brain also develops abnormally.

Shah Daulah was regarded as a ‘Pir’ (spiritual leader). A shrine in honour of his name was built in Gujrat, Pakistan. Ever since the 1870 his name has been synonymous with the rat children. Many myths and legends have been affiliated with Shah Daulah. There are few version o