Braving hardships, hundreds come to the shrine of Hinglaj Mata in search of lost promises
MORE than two hundred kilometres from metropolitan Karachi, where the distressful routine full of anxiety and daily turmoil, shakes up the hardest of human being, lies a temple.
Surrounded by hills, and protected by thorny bushes this almost five thousand-year-old place of worship in the Lasbella district, is home to the goddess Hinglaj Mata. Thousands of devotees come to her every year in search of peace, tranquillity and pray for material wealth.
The temple is located between two craggy uneven hills that seem to have been hacked in two by a mighty, fearsome earthquake. The two halves, facing each other, are the mirror image of each; if there is a six feet deep crevice in one, there is a similar protruding uneven rock opposite to the accessible depression in the granite of the other. Unforgiving time and the ferocious wind that whooshes across the narrow chasm between the valley has not chiselled out or defaced any. Simply because the mountain is made of material that is as hard as steel.
Whether it is the torrential rains hitting the tempered quartz or the eroding gusts of stormy wind, the mountain has stubbornly refused to be subdued by the forces of nature. Had it been hewed and softened by such adamant power of divine system, the faces of the mountain would have been smooth and soft.
No tree or bush sits in pits and projections high up. Of course loose earth and soil blowing through the ever-present breeze would have settled in them and with them the wild seeds, lying dormant would have germinated and taken roots.
Down below flows a silent stream. It is the offspring of a mild spring that flows from the belly, deep in the earth, probably created when the mountain parted. The source is deeply covered by rocks and tunnels that no human being can reach. It is a blissful spring released by the merciful nature. It is the only stream for miles around, except the Hingol river that has walls and bed of impregnable material. There could even be an unseen reserve of fossil water lying hidden for million of years, deep within the bosom of the unyielding earth.
That mystery at the feet of the sacred temple has made the stream a revered nectar, a gift from Hinglaj Mata for her tired pilgrims who must, as a matter of tradition, walk on foot for a mile to show their devotional depth.
Since the annual gathering to celebrate the Hinglaj Mata festival falls in scorching months of April, every traveller, hungry and thirsty has to reach this blessed stream to quench his thirst. Taking three dips in the shallow steam meaningful for a vow that a brother makes. If he dips thrice and smiles at a girl or woman, he has to accept her as his sister.
This ancient tradition holds true and strong, even today. Strangers may live miles apart but, at every festivity, she will expect him to join and he shall reach her, irrespective of the hardships involved because he has vowed at the feet of the sacred Mata that she will be his sister for life. He will abide by the promise he has made to the holy soul. Amongst the bathers you see in the picture some are dipping themselves to complete the formality of tying the knot of fraternity between a brother and a sister.
Others who are not involved in the completion of the ritual, are taking dips to wash away their sins, as has been believed for generations. Back at home they will celebrate the new bond so that their bond of faith and sincerity gets known to every one in the community.
Hundreds attend the four day long festivities. The rough and pebbly path caused blisters and wounds accentuated with the bites of scorpions and poisonous snakes, like the asp that killed Cleopatra. But for the brave and the determined, there are not obstacles.
No one can reach the temple unless he or she has crossed the Hingol river, flowing through the deep gorge made by the fast and powerful flow of water. Before reaching the temple one must wash himself or herself thoroughly to wash dirt and sins. It adds immensely to the faith and gives hope and assurance that his or her prayers will be fulfilled.
That is exactly why Ramchandra the apostle of god, who ruled Ayodhya, some four thousand years ago prayed here kneeling before Hinglaj Mata to bless him to retrieve her wife, Sita, who had been abducted by the devil King of Shrilanka.
Since an apostle of that level prayed and got his wish fulfilled, it added immense weight to the power and majesty of this temple. For centuries pilgrims have continued thereafter to reach this very blissful temple, where no wish gets rejected.
I saw several devotees young and old praying in silence squatted on the floor with folded hands and bare feet, reading hymns and religious script. When I asked a young couple from Jacobabad what were they asking for, there answer was brief and simple, “peace” both intoned simultaneously.
After the mass prayer and devotional rituals are over, getting shaved is one of the essential customs. The devotees bow obediently before the street barber, who smothers the head and face with soap and shaves them off clean.
There are several spots for devotional rituals on the way, where incense burning, showering of rose petals, sprinkling rose water, burning an earthen lamp in and offering a coconut broken in two is essential. Half of the coconut is thrown to the central hearth to keep the fire of devotion golden while the oil in the coconut burns slowly.
Food is plenty, but not the drinking water; it is therefore distributed free, some with ice, some warm but water is the precious fluid that sustains life in the wilderness in a remoteness where death and sickness is at the threshold as happens in every place of devotion thronged by teeming crowd.
Families therefore, choose to travel as a unit to help each other. Ascetics and those that have left this mortal selfish world are also seen. They sit in mediation, raising hand and closing eyes to indicate peace for everyone. There is joyous air and blissful hum, absolute freedom from any violence with generosity flowing all around to fall in line with the teachings of Hinglaj Mata who has preached and practised tranquillity and welfare for every mortal.
Braving hardships, hundreds come to the shrine of Hinglaj Mata in search of lost promises
