Why Pakistani Muslims Pray at a Hindu Shakti Peetha in Balochistan
Nidhi | Jul 16, 2025, 13:21 IST
( Image credit : ANI )
Highlight of the story: Hinglaj Mata is one of the holiest Shakti Peethas, believed to be where Sati’s head fell, hidden deep in Pakistan’s Balochistan desert. But what makes this ancient shrine truly extraordinary is that local Muslims, especially from the Baloch tribes, protect and revere the goddess as ‘Nani Mandir’. Every year, thousands of Pakistani Hindus risk rough terrain and border controls to do a barefoot pilgrimage through Hingol National Park, welcomed by Muslim villagers who open their doors and guide them. This living bond proves faith can cross borders, deserts, and religious lines in the most unexpected ways.
Tucked away in the rugged Makran desert of Balochistan, Pakistan, where the dusty hills meet the vast Hingol National Park, lies a sacred cave shrine that has defied borders, faith lines, and time itself. This is Hinglaj Mata, one of the 51 Shakti Peethas of the Hindu tradition, and perhaps the only one that lives on under the watchful care of local Muslims who revere her as ‘Nani Mandir’: the Grandmother Temple.
How did a Hindu goddess come to be loved by Muslims in an arid corner of Pakistan? The answer is a tale of devotion, legend, and a living example of faith that transcends identity.
The Mythic Story:
According to Hindu mythology, when Goddess Sati immolated herself in grief at Daksha’s yajna, Lord Shiva, in his fury, roamed the cosmos with her corpse. To calm him, Vishnu used his Sudarshan Chakra to sever Sati’s body into 51 parts. Each place where a part fell became a Shakti Peetha. Hinglaj Mata is believed to be the spot where Sati’s head fell, making it one of the holiest sites for Shakti worship.
The Location:
Hinglaj Mata’s shrine lies deep within a mountain cave in the Hingol National Park, Pakistan’s largest national park, about 250 km from Karachi. Pilgrims trek through rocky canyons, dried riverbeds, and salt flats to reach her. There are no luxurious pathways here, just raw devotion.
The Barefoot Journey:
For centuries, Hindu devotees, mainly from Sindhi and Baloch communities, have risked harsh terrain, scorching heat, and geopolitical tensions to do the 3–4 day barefoot pilgrimage called Hinglaj Yatra. Many travel in groups called ‘Sangar’, singing bhajans and carrying flags as they walk across the desert.
‘Mata Nu Madh’ for the Sindhis:
For Sindhi Hindus, Hinglaj Mata is the Kuldevi (family goddess). Even those who migrated to India after Partition continue to make the Yatra whenever possible, proving that faith remembers its roots, even when people are forced to leave theirs behind.
Nani Mandir: A Grandmother to All:
Here’s where the story becomes extraordinary. The local Muslim communities, especially the nomadic Baloch tribes, have long revered Hinglaj Mata. To them, she is ‘Nani’, the wise grandmother who protects the region. They believe her presence blesses their lands and livestock.
A Shared Faith:
During the annual Hinglaj Yatra, Baloch Muslim villagers open their homes to Hindu pilgrims, guide them through the desert, and protect the shrine year-round. Local legends tell of how any attempt to harm the temple or its pilgrims has always ended in divine retribution, a reminder that the goddess guards her devotees, Muslim or Hindu alike.
The Hingol River Miracle:
Pilgrims bathe in the Hingol River before entering the cave. Locals believe its waters have healing powers, and the river never runs dry because ‘Nani’s grace keeps it flowing’. Even Muslim families sometimes tie threads and offer prayers for their children’s health and family’s safety.
Before the Partition:
Before 1947, pilgrims from Sindh, Punjab, and even Gujarat would travel freely to Hinglaj Mata. After Partition, the border made it difficult, but the shrine endured, protected by the same people who once herded cattle around her hills.
A Symbol of Syncretic Faith:
Scholars and historians see Hinglaj as a powerful example of syncretism, where folk beliefs, Sufi traditions, and local deities blend into an unspoken code of respect. The shrine reminds us that spirituality in South Asia was never just about rigid lines; it was about living in harmony with the divine in any form.
Some even say that when Hindu pilgrims arrive, it feels like Nani herself smiles through the desert winds, happy that her children remember her, no matter their religion.
In a world where differences are so easily weaponized, Hinglaj Mata stands alone, a Shakti Peetha in a Muslim-majority land, kept alive by those who have never let faith be chained by a single name.
So the next time someone tells you gods divide us, remember Hinglaj Mata, the goddess whose shrine proves that sometimes, they unite us more deeply than we realize.
How did a Hindu goddess come to be loved by Muslims in an arid corner of Pakistan? The answer is a tale of devotion, legend, and a living example of faith that transcends identity.
1. Where It All Began: The Shakti Peetha of Hinglaj Mata
Gujarat_ Ambaji gears up
( Image credit : ANI )
The Mythic Story:
According to Hindu mythology, when Goddess Sati immolated herself in grief at Daksha’s yajna, Lord Shiva, in his fury, roamed the cosmos with her corpse. To calm him, Vishnu used his Sudarshan Chakra to sever Sati’s body into 51 parts. Each place where a part fell became a Shakti Peetha. Hinglaj Mata is believed to be the spot where Sati’s head fell, making it one of the holiest sites for Shakti worship.
The Location:
Hinglaj Mata’s shrine lies deep within a mountain cave in the Hingol National Park, Pakistan’s largest national park, about 250 km from Karachi. Pilgrims trek through rocky canyons, dried riverbeds, and salt flats to reach her. There are no luxurious pathways here, just raw devotion.
2. A Pilgrimage Against All Odds
Prayagraj, Mar 30 (ANI)_
( Image credit : ANI )
The Barefoot Journey:
For centuries, Hindu devotees, mainly from Sindhi and Baloch communities, have risked harsh terrain, scorching heat, and geopolitical tensions to do the 3–4 day barefoot pilgrimage called Hinglaj Yatra. Many travel in groups called ‘Sangar’, singing bhajans and carrying flags as they walk across the desert.
‘Mata Nu Madh’ for the Sindhis:
For Sindhi Hindus, Hinglaj Mata is the Kuldevi (family goddess). Even those who migrated to India after Partition continue to make the Yatra whenever possible, proving that faith remembers its roots, even when people are forced to leave theirs behind.
3. Unseen Guardians: The Muslims Who Call Her ‘Nani’
Goddess
( Image credit : Pexels )
Nani Mandir: A Grandmother to All:
Here’s where the story becomes extraordinary. The local Muslim communities, especially the nomadic Baloch tribes, have long revered Hinglaj Mata. To them, she is ‘Nani’, the wise grandmother who protects the region. They believe her presence blesses their lands and livestock.
A Shared Faith:
During the annual Hinglaj Yatra, Baloch Muslim villagers open their homes to Hindu pilgrims, guide them through the desert, and protect the shrine year-round. Local legends tell of how any attempt to harm the temple or its pilgrims has always ended in divine retribution, a reminder that the goddess guards her devotees, Muslim or Hindu alike.
The Hingol River Miracle:
Pilgrims bathe in the Hingol River before entering the cave. Locals believe its waters have healing powers, and the river never runs dry because ‘Nani’s grace keeps it flowing’. Even Muslim families sometimes tie threads and offer prayers for their children’s health and family’s safety.
4. A Goddess Who Crosses Borders and Faith
Before 1947, pilgrims from Sindh, Punjab, and even Gujarat would travel freely to Hinglaj Mata. After Partition, the border made it difficult, but the shrine endured, protected by the same people who once herded cattle around her hills.
A Symbol of Syncretic Faith:
Scholars and historians see Hinglaj as a powerful example of syncretism, where folk beliefs, Sufi traditions, and local deities blend into an unspoken code of respect. The shrine reminds us that spirituality in South Asia was never just about rigid lines; it was about living in harmony with the divine in any form.
5. Not Just a Shrine: A Living Lesson
Hindu Goddess
( Image credit : Pexels )
Some even say that when Hindu pilgrims arrive, it feels like Nani herself smiles through the desert winds, happy that her children remember her, no matter their religion.
Beyond Borders, Beyond Religion
So the next time someone tells you gods divide us, remember Hinglaj Mata, the goddess whose shrine proves that sometimes, they unite us more deeply than we realize.