ORIGINALLY Hinglaj had nothing to do with religion or nationalism. Hinglaj is the historical monument of Sindhu civilisation. Hingol was one of the great many kingdoms of Sapta Sindhva (Sindhu des of seven rivers) and Hinglaj devi was the last mother queen of the matriarchal era of the Indus Valley.

Another name of Hinglaj devi is goddess Naina which is very akin to goddess Nania of Sumerian civilisation. The great poet of the Indus Valley, Shah Latif, called her 'Nani Ama(n)' and thereafter the Hinglaj Temple became famous as the Temple of Nani Ama(n), especially in the Muslim populace. And Hinglaj Yatra has now got a new altitude beyond the religious divide.

It is unfortunate that we disown our own history, are ever ready to give up our past. How can one weigh the advantages of destruction of Harappa, Taxila or Moenjodaro?

Hinglaj is even more ancient than these historical sites. Mehargarh and Hinglaj are the monuments of advent of civilisation.

Legend of Shiva Parpati explains the transition of matriarchal era to patriarchal era. Shiva is the first male god of Sindhu civilisation whose whole shakti (power) was enshrined in his spouse Parpati (Hinglaj devi), that is why she is also called shakti devi.

It is well-known that Shiva was the lord of indigenous Dravidian people of the Indus Valley. When they were forced to migrate to the Ganges Valley by Central Asian Aryan invaders, they continued to worship their Shiva there. Long after the Aryans settled in Sapta Sindhva and owned Shiva along with their god Indra, the people of the Ganges valley started to visit the land of their ancestors. Hence the tradition of Hinglaj yatra took place.

Hinglaj doesn't belong to any single religion or nation only, it is a great asset of the Indus Valley and is heritage of the whole humankind, which should be put in the world heritage list of Unesco.

JAGDEESH AHUJA

Hyderabad