Maata Jee

 

This sacred place of pilgrimage for Hindus in general and for the devotees of AADH SHAKTI “DEVI MAATA” sect in particular is situated in the mountain cave “HINGLAJ” on the river bank of “HINGHOL” at the tail of “KHEER THAR” mountains called “KANRAJ” in tehsil Lyari of Balochistan , the province of Pakistan.It is considered one of the famous and largest TEERATHS of Indo-Pak Subcontinent.

LOCATION : It is about 170 miles 250 KM from Karachi. One has to go by road on main Karachi-Quetta Highway up to zero point for about 75 miles. Then by road towards west threough Lyari town and then to signal fauji camp stop,crosssing Aghore River. Then through Goongi River and last stop to “Asha Pura” sarai(INN). There are worship places of GANESH DEVA,MATA KALI,GURU GORAKH NATH DOONI,BRAHAM KUNDH,TIR KUNDH,MAHA KALI KUNDA,GURU NANAK KHARAO,RAM JAROKHA BETHAK,ANEEL KUNDH ON CHORASI MOUNTAIN and on the way CHANDRA GOOP , KHARI RIVER and AGHORI PUJA.

Hinglaj MataMYTH : According to the history given in the holy books Sati, a daughter of Raja Daksh was married to Lord Shiva. Once the Raja arranged Brahspati Sav-Yajna at Kankhal near Haridwar. Brahma was the chief guest. Daksh invited all the Devtas but totally ignored Shiva who was known as Supreme among the Devtas. Narad Muni flashed this message to Sati and Shiva. They felt insulted. But even then Sati insisted that they should join the Yajna since there was no harm in going to father’s residence for a daughter even if she had not been invited.

Hinglaj yatraLord Shiva refused to accompany her but said he won’t mind if Sati insisted on attending Raja Daksh’s Yajna. Sati could not restrain herself and went to Kankhal,. She found that no space had been earmarked for her husband at the Yajna site. No body attended her rather she had to listen derogatory remarks from her father for her husband. Feeling highly insulted , Sati immolated herself in the Yajna-Kund.

Idol Mata HinglajWhen Lord Shiva learnt about the immolation, he sent his messengers to disturb the Yajna. They created panic there and separated Daksh’s head from his body, the same head was later thrown in to the Yajna-Kund. Later Shiva took her wife’s dead body on his shoulders and started wandering in the hilly areas , dancing about like a demented creature. The angles , fearing a premature end of the world, approached Lord Vishnu requesting him to contain lord Shiva so that the living world could be saved. Lord Vishnu converted Sati’s dead body into pieces. Wherever a piece fell down, a Shakti Peeth developed there. This was how 52 Shakti Peeths emerged in undivided Hindustan. Shri Hinglaj is one of them.

Himglaj yatra BalochistanSince, according to the myth, Sati’s head with its Hingul (Sindhoor, Vermillion) fell at this place on the hills, it was named as Hingul Parvat and the Peeth was known as Shri Hinglaj Mata Asthan. This Peeth is considered supreme because Sati’s head had fallen here .

It is believed that Lord Rama, Sita and Lakshman visted this peeth during Banvas.

Hinglaj Mata YatraAfter creation of Pakistan, the govt. had declared it a prohibited area for residents of India but devotees residing in Pakistan and other foreign countries still take holy pilgrimage to the Peeth starting from Shri Swaminarayan Mandir complex in Karachi during Navratras in the month of April. Like Amarnath Yatra in Jammu and Kashmir, the Hinglaj Yatra is also considered difficult-one but those who perform it, are blessed heavily by the Mata.

As already defined, Brahmkshatriyas on their creature from Kshatriyas were told by Rishi Dadhichi that Hinglaj Devi would be their Kuldevi and they should worship the Goddess Hinglaj for all times to come.