The Hinglaj Mata Mandir located in Baluchistan
The Patriotic People’s Front Assam (PPFA) in a statement urged the Central Government to pursue with matter with Baluchistan authorities for necessary steps so that the “Sanatani Baloch” nationals can worship the deity without any fear or trepidation during the annual religious festival that marks the victory of Maa Durga against the demon Mahishasura.
The Sanatani Baluch nationals
Prominent Baloch nationalist leader Hyrbyair Marri, while interacting with the PPFA recently, mentioned that the Hinglaj Mata temple is in a deplorable condition due to the indifferent approach of occupying Pakistani forces in Baluchistan.
President of the Free Baluchistan Movement said Baloch people have high regards for the shrine even though majority of them practice Islam. The spirited Baloch leader also greeted the Hindu families of Baluchistan and Bharat (Hindustan) on the occasion of the impending religious festival that epitomizes the victory of good over evil.
The Hinglaj temple has an idol of Goddess Shakti (Sati), daughter of Daksha Maharaj, who married Lord Shiva against her father’s wish. According to popular belief, in an important Yajna organized by the proud king Daksha, Sati (Parvati) and Shiva were not invited, but she wanted to attend the ritual. Daksha made humiliating comments against Shiva and, faced with the disgrace, Sati immolated herself.
Angry Maheswar soon arrived there and cut Daksha's head. Mahadev then took Sati’s corpse on his shoulder and performed Tandava Nritya as he started wandering about. Then, with an aim to douse Shiva’s rage, Lord Vishnu cut Sati's mortal remains into 51 pieces through Sudarsan Chakra. The body parts of Sati fell at various places and all these locations became places of deep significance and came to known as Shakti Peeths.
It is believed that Sati’s head with Hingul (vermillion/sindoor) fell on the place (now in Baluchistan) where the Hinglaj temple is located. The most sacred part (Yoni) fell on Nilachal hills of present-day Guwahati (then a part of Kamrup empire), where the famous Kamakhya temple is located.
The PPFA appeals to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take a personal interest to activate diplomatic channels with an aim to revive the Hinglaj temple and pave easier ways for Indian pilgrims to visit the shrine. As the Baloch nationals are secular in nature, they should also be taken into confidence in fulfilling the dream, concluded the forum.