Hinglaj Mata Temple

pilgrimage site

Hinglaj Mata Temple in Hingol (Balochistan), Pakistan is one of the Shakti Peethas, the sacred shrines of the Divine Mother in the Shakta tradition of Hinduism.

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Baluchistan Canyons© Uzair189 (CC BY-SA 4.0)

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Historic heritage sites of Gujarat with GPS coordinates© Ms Sarah Welch (CC BY-SA 4.0)

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Baluchistan Canyons© Uzair189 (CC BY-SA 4.0)

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Type: Pilgrimage Site
Best season: Winter

Hinglaj Mata Temple in Hingol (Balochistan), Pakistan is one of the Shakti Peethas, the sacred shrines of the Divine Mother in the Shakta tradition of Hinduism. According to tradition, this is where the brahmarandhra (crown of the head) of Goddess Sati fell when Lord Vishnu's Sudarshana Chakra divided her body. Here the Goddess is worshipped as Hinglaj (Kottari), and her guardian Bhairava (a form of Shiva) as Bhimalochana. Shakti Peethas are among the holiest pilgrimage sites for devotees of the Goddess, drawing pilgrims especially during Navratri and Durga Puja. Each is tied to the legend of Sati, whose body parts fell across the Indian subcontinent and beyond, sanctifying the ground where they landed.

When to go

Navratri (around October and April) is the most auspicious time; winter months are comfortable for a quieter visit.

Why visit

In Hingol National Park on the Makran coast, about two hundred and fifty kilometres west of Karachi, and the April yatra is the largest Hindu pilgrimage in Pakistan. Outside India, and a Pakistani visa is not straightforward on an Indian passport.

Cultural notes

Presiding deity (Shakti): Hinglaj (Kottari). Bhairava (consort/guardian): Bhimalochana. Associated relic: the brahmarandhra (crown of the head) of Goddess Sati. The site forms part of the Shakti Peetha pilgrimage circuit rooted in the Daksha Yagna legend.

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