Hinglaj Mata / Nani Mandir
Sights/Landmarks
Hinglaj Mata (Hinglaj Devi, Hingula Devi, Nani Mandir) is a Hindu temple in Hinglaj, a town on the Makran Coast in Balochistan, and is the middle of the Hingol National Park. It is one of the Shakti Peethas of the goddess Sati, and is a form of Durga or Devi located in a mountain cave on the banks of the Hingol River. One of the legends is that Durga came in the form of a beautiful 16-year old girl to slay Ruler Hingol who perpetuated atrocities on the people of Hing. The name Hing-laj comes from Durga saving the laj (honor) of people of Hing.
The cave temple of Hinglaj Mata is situated 250 km (160 mi) northwest of Karachi, at the end of a range of Kirthar hills in the Makran desert stretch on the west bank of Hingol River. The shrine is located in a small natural cave with a low mud altar. There is no man-made image of the goddess, and a small shapeless stone is worshipped as Hinglaj Mata. The stone is smeared with sindoor (vermilion), which possibly gives the location its Sanskrit name Hingula - root of the present-day name Hinglaj.
The annual four-day pilgrimage to the Hinglaj Mata Temple is in April.
Google Maps Location: 25.5122836,65.5173429
The cave temple of Hinglaj Mata is situated 250 km (160 mi) northwest of Karachi, at the end of a range of Kirthar hills in the Makran desert stretch on the west bank of Hingol River. The shrine is located in a small natural cave with a low mud altar. There is no man-made image of the goddess, and a small shapeless stone is worshipped as Hinglaj Mata. The stone is smeared with sindoor (vermilion), which possibly gives the location its Sanskrit name Hingula - root of the present-day name Hinglaj.
The annual four-day pilgrimage to the Hinglaj Mata Temple is in April.
Google Maps Location: 25.5122836,65.5173429
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