VHP Resolution to save HINGLAJ SHAKTI PEETH in Pakistan

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VISHVA HINDU PARISHAD

MEETING OF CENTRAL GOVERNING COUNCIL AT

BANSWARA (RAJASTHAN)

RESOLUTION No-3

Subject: HINGLAJ SHAKTI PEETH (PAKISTAN)

This meeting of the Central Governing Council of Vishva Hindu Parishad being held at Banswara (Rajasthan) on July 19-20, 2009, thanks the Hon’ble Members of the Baluchistan Legislative Assembly (Pakistan) (including also a few Hindu members of the Assembly) for being aware of the importance of the Hinglaj Shrine (Badrinath Hinglaj Devi Mandir) famous throughout history as “Maruteerth Hinglaj” (Desert Shrine Hinglaj – one of the 52 Shaktipeeths) and opposing on June 28, 2008 the proposed construction of the Hingol Dam in Lasbela district by the federal Government of Pakistan and unanimously moving and adopting a resolution against the inevitable submergence of the historic Hindu Shrine ‘Hinglaj Mata’ and the destruction of the already fragile eco-system and wildlife of the Hingol National Park (set up on about 610,043 hectares in 1988 under the custody of the World Bank) in the proposed dam’s reservoir. The misconceived project would also displace the local Baluch tribal population that has been protective of the ancient Shrine since times immemorial.

Hundreds of thousands of Hindu pilgrims from all over the world visit the ancient temple in April every year. With the construction of the dam the cave temple will get submerged and also all roads leading to the site would be blocked.

The project would hurt the religious sentiments of over One Billion Hindus of the world including those few that still manage to live in Pakistan. Hinglaj is moreover an ancient heritage of mankind and all heritage lovers of the world should also come forward to save it.

This meeting also demands from the Government of Pakistan to scrap the Hingol Dam project in Lasbela district of Baluchistan (Pakistan) that threatens to submerge the ancient Hinglaj Teerth and also demands from the Government of Bharat to convince the Government of Pakistan to do so.

This meeting emphasises here that it is not at all against “development” to address the material needs of the people, but if it is at the cost of the cultural, spiritual and living heritage and tradition of mankind, then it is misdirected and misconceived and VHP is compelled to mobilise world opinion and action against any wicked design. Vishva Hindu Parishad, therefore, heartily supports the suggestion of the Baluchistan Assembly resolution calling upon the federal government of Pakistan to relocate the dam project elsewhere that won’t destroy the Hinglaj Shrine and the Hingol National Park.

This meeting further demands that the Government of Bharat should initiate a dialogue with its Pakistani counterpart to notify Hinglaj along with the Hingol National Park as a ” holy pilgrimage site and protected historic heritage”, develop it and make the Shrine accessible to pilgrims and devotees from all over the world on the lines as Ajmer Sharif (Ajmer), Haji Ali Dargah (Mumbai), Hazrat Niamuddin Auliya (Delhi), etc., in Bharat are easily accessible to the devotees from around the world.

This meeting also urges upon the Hindu society, the Environmentalists, Ecologists and heritage lovers of the world to remain exercised to vehemently oppose if the Pakistani authorities go ahead with the misconceived Hingol Dam Project at the present location without addressing the worldwide concerns to save the Hinglaj Teerth and the Hingol National Park.

Maru Teerth Hinglaj : A Brief Introduction

According to the Peeth Nirnay Tantra, the wide network of 52 ancient Shakti Peethas is spread all over India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal, Tibet and Pakistan. The Shivacharita besides listing 52 Maha-Peethas, speaks about 26 more Upa-Peethas. The Shakti Peethas (holy places of cosmic power) are places of worship consecrated to the goddess ‘Sati’, the female principle of the Indic tradition and the main deity of the Shaakta sect. This goddess is often associated both with Gowri/Parvati, the benevolent goddess of harmony, marital felicity and longevity, with Durga, goddess of strength and valour, and with Mahakali, goddess of destruction of the evil.

The Puranas say that when Lord Vishnu cut up with His Sudarshan Chakra (discus) the body of Sati into pieces so that Lord Shiva would calm down and stop His Tandava, the pieces and the Devi’s ornaments were scattered over various places between the Himalayas and the Indian seas. The Puranas say that the Brahmarandhra (the suture on the top of the head that protects the vital essence of the Sahasrara – the crown plexus – according to Yoga science) portion of Sati fell at Hingula or Hinglaj and is thus considered the most important of the 52 Shakti Peeths. Hinglaj gets its name from the term ‘Hingul’, i.e., Sindoor or Vermillion that a married lady wears between the tip of her forehead and the crown plexus in her parted hair to define her sacred marital status and also as a prayer for her husband’s longevity. The place is called ‘Hinglaj’ as the ‘Hingul’ portion of the Devi’s body fell here on earth. The Devi here is worshipped by the name of Kottari. At each of the Peeths, Bhairav (a manifestation of Lord Shiva) accompanies the relics. The Bhairav at Hinglaj is called Bhimlochan. The river that passes through the area is also called ‘Hingol’. Pakistan also houses another Shaktipeeth, namely, Shivaharkaray, a little away from Sukkur Station from Karachi, consecrated by the Eyes of the Shakti called here as Mahishmardini with Her Bhairav Krodhish.

The holy Hinglaj Shrine is situated in southern Baluchistan (a province of Pakistan) – a few hours North-East of Gawadar and about about 170 miles (250 KM) from Karachi city (Pakistan), on the Banks of River Hingol at Makran. This sacred place of pilgrimage is situated in a mountain cave “Hinglaj” on river bank of “Hingol” at the foothills of “Kheerthar” mountains called “Kanraj” in Lyari district of Baluchistan. It is considered one of the famous and biggest “Teeraths” of South Asia.

The main shrines of pilgrimage (Teertha Yatra) for devotees of Mata Hinglaj are the ones dedicated to Bhagwan Ganesh, Kalika Mata, Guru Gorakhnath Dhooni, Brahma Kund, Tir Kund, Guru Nanak Kharao, Ramjharokha Baithak, Anil Kund located at Chaurasi Mountain, Chandra Goop, Khari river and Aghore Pooja.

The reputation of Hinglaj as a holy place much precedes the Arab invasion and the advent of Sufism towards the Sindh region. The utmost importance of this Shakti Peeth in the ancient human history is even corroborated by the first epic of the world – the “Ramayana”. It records that Maryadapurushottam Sri Ram accompanied by Sita and Lakshman undertook the arduous desert pilgrimage to the holy shrine of Hinglaj to offer worship and meditate there sometime after He returned from Lanka having done away with the global axis of evil of Ravana. This site is also associated with the memory of the great Rishi Dadhichi. Many other great personages, saints, Rishis, scholars and heroes of yore such as Guru Gorakhnath, Guru Nanak Dev, Dada Mekhan, etc., paid visits to Hinglaj Teerth. Devotees from all around the world worshipped the “Hinglaj Mata Teerth” for centuries. As mentioned above, they visit this cave temple in the ancient volcanic mountainous desert in April every year. This was a prime pilgrimage centre for Bharatiyas until the sore partition of 1947 when they lost easy access to this cultural heritage and pilgrimage site as to other important sites of Hindu & Sikh worship in Pakistan. In recent years also devotees from African and European countries undertook arduous pilgrimages to Hinglaj Mata Teerth. The site has much social significance in South Asia and is also alive in the cultural consciousness of Hindus through pilgrimages and even through the famous Bengali film of the 1950s titled “Maruteerth Hinglaj” (Desert Shrine Hinglaj), the Bengali Mahanayak Uttam Kumar being in the lead role. Even Baluch Muslims worship Hinglaj Mata as “Nani-Ka-Haj” (meaning “Grandmother’s Shrine”) and have been protective of the glorious shrine. Each year they organize a grand cultural fair at this shrine. Muslim residents actively take part in this celebration. They worship the Goddess with the same devotion as they do in the mosque. As for the offerings they carry mostly a Red Cloth, Attar (Perfume) and Agarbattis (Incense Sticks). Just like Hindus they too worship the temple with their cultural rites and rituals

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