In ancient times, a series of sacred spots gained significance due to a tale of Goddess Shakti, also known as Sati. The legend goes that these sites hold a deep connection as they mark the places where parts of Goddess Sati’s body came to rest after a tragic event. These locations, with the assistance of Lord Vishnu, have garnered spiritual importance and their influence stretches across various countries like India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal, Tibet, Sri Lanka, and Bhutan. In this article, we’ll explore three such significant spots situated in different regions of Pakistan.

Legend

Sati was the first wife of Lord Shiva and the first form of Goddess Parvati. She was the daughter of King Daksha, who was the son of the creator Lord Brahma, and Prasuti, the daughter of Manu and Shatarupa. Sati felt really sad and upset when her father didn’t invite her and Shiva to a special ceremony called yajna. Because of this, she felt so hurt that she ended up sacrificing herself in the fire of the yajna.

Shiva was really heartbroken when he found out about Sati’s death. He couldn’t bear the pain and started dancing in a way that could destroy everything, called Tandava Nritya. He even carried Sati’s body on his shoulders while he danced around the world. To help Shiva feel better, Vishnu used his special Sudarshan Chakra, which is like a rotating blade on his finger. He used it to cut Sati’s body into many pieces.

Wherever these pieces fell on the earth, those places became very special and holy. People built temples there and put statues of Sati (Goddess Parvati) and Shiva. These special places are called Shakti Peethas. They remind us of the love between Sati and Shiva, and how they are connected to each other forever.

1. Shivaharkaray or Karavipur Shakti Peetha

Shivaharkaray, also known as Karavipur, is a special place called a Shakti Peetha. It’s dedicated to the Hindu Goddess Durga and can be found near Parkai railway station, close to Karachi in Pakistan. According to ancient stories, the Goddess’s third eye fell at this spot when she sacrificed herself.

People come to this place to worship the Goddess, who is also known as Mahishasuramardini because she defeated the Demon Mahishasura. Her partner, the Hindu God Shiva, is worshipped here too, but in a form called Krodhish, which represents anger. Shivaharkaray is the third one among 51 special Peethas that are mentioned in ancient texts.

2. Sharada Peetha

Sharada Peetha used to be a special Hindu temple and an old place of learning located in Neelum Valley, Azad Kashmir, Pakistan. A long time ago, from the 6th to the 12th centuries, it was one of the most important temple universities in a place called the Indian subcontinent. People knew this place for its big library, and stories say that scholars would travel really far to get to its books. It helped a lot in making the Sharada script famous in North India, and the script got its name from this place. Because of Sharada Peetha, Kashmir got a nickname too – “Sharada Desh,” which means “country of Sharada.”

3. Hinglaj Mata

Hinglaj Mata, also called Hinglaj Devi or Hingula Devi, is a special Hindu temple located in Hinglaj town, which is on the Makran coast in the Lasbela district of Balochistan. This temple is right in the middle of Hingol National Park. It’s known as one of the 51 Shakti Peethas in the Hindu religion, where people worship the Goddess Shakti. This temple is one of the three Shakti Peethas in Pakistan, the other two being Shivaharkaray and Sharada Peetha.

Inside a mountain cavern by the Hingol River, there’s a form of the Goddess Durga or Devi that people worship. Over the last 30 years, this place has become more and more popular, and it’s become a point that brings together many of Pakistan’s Hindu communities. The Hinglaj Yatra, a big Hindu pilgrimage, happens here and it’s the biggest one in Pakistan. During springtime, more than 250,000 people take part in this pilgrimage called Hinglaj Yatra.