The Most Sacred Hindu Place in Pakistan

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              HINGLAJ :: The Most Sacred Hindu Place in Pakistan

           (where the head of Sati is believed to have fallen)

Hinglaj is one of the most important Hindu pilgrimage place in

 Pakistan. It is situated in Balochistan province about 250 km

 north of Karachi city.

Theological origin:

To still the divine dance, Tandava, of Lord Shiva following the

 death of Dakshayani, Lord Vishnu scattered the remains of 

her embodiment over various places of the Indian 

subcontinent. It is said that the head fell at Hingula or Hinglaj

 and is thus considered the most important of the 51 Shakti 

Peeths. At each of the Peeths, Bhairava (a manifestation of

 Shiva) accompanies the relics. The Bhairava at Hinglaj is 

called Bhimalochana, located in Koteshwar, Kutch. The 

Sanskrit texts mention the part as 'Brahmadreya' or vital

 essence. For details, see this.

The mantra or incantation for Devi Hinglaj is attributed to

 Saint Dadhichi, an important saint in Hindu theology. The

 mantra is

 :
ॐ हिंगुले परमहिंगुले अमृतरूपिणि तनुशक्ति

मनः शिवे श्री हिंगुलाय नमः स्वाहा

OM HINGULE PARAM HINGULE AMRUTRUPINI TANU

 SHAKTI

MANAH SHIVE SHREE HINGULAI NAMAH SWAHA

Translation : "Oh Hingula Devi, she who holds nectar in her

 self and is power incarnate. She who is one with Lord Shiva

, to her we pay our respects and make this offering (swaha)."

Yet another incarnation:

ब्रह्मरंध्रम् हिंगुलायाम् भैरवो भीमलोचन:

|
कोट्टरी सा महामाया त्रिगुणा या दिगम्बरी ||

BRAHMARANDHRAM HINGULAAYAAM BHAIRAVO

 VIMALOCHANAH

KOTTARI SAA MAHAAMAAYAA TRIGUNAA YAA

 DIGAMVARI

Translation : "Mahaamaayaa (Queen of Illusions) who

 represents the supreme virtue by reigning over all three

 virtues, has Bhimalochana as her Bhairava, and derides the

 worldly trappings by dancing naked, resides in this cave of

 Hingula that enshrines her sacred head."

Social significance:

Despite the partition and the increasing Islamic stance of the

 Pakistani Government and society, Hinglaj has survived and

 is in fact revered by local Muslims who call it 'Nani ki

 Mandir'.

 Muslims offer red or saffron clothes, incense

, candles and a sweet preparation called 'Sirini' to the deity.

 The Muslims protected sites like Hinglaj which are the last

 vestiges of the Hindu society which once straddled the area.

Hingula means cinnabar (HgS Mercuric Sulphide). It was 

used in ancient India to cure snakebite and other poisonings

 and is still employed in traditional medicine. The Goddess

 Hingula is thus believed to possess powers which can cure

 poisoning and other diseases. The Muslim name 'Nani' is an

 abbreviation of the name of the ancient Goddess "Nanaia"

, whose Persian name is "Anahita".

Pilgrimage:

Although the road linking the port of Gwadar on the Arabian

 Sea with the interior has shortened the pilgrimage a lot, the

 ancient path followed for millennia through the Baluch desert

 is endowed with a unique importance. The very journey on

 foot is considered a penance to purify oneself before

 approaching the deity. An account of such a journey is given

 below.

The pilgrims are led by priests or caretakers of the shrine

 through the desert. They hold a wooden trident in their

 hands. The trident or Trishul is the weapon of Lord Shiva

 and hence is associated with the Sati too. Since they hold

 the trident during the trip, they are called 'Charidaars' (those

 who hold the stick or chadi). The Chadi is draped with

 saffron, red or pink coloured fabrics.

The priests give a saffron cloth to every pilgrim and an oath

 is taken that each would help the other. However they are

 warned not to share their personal stores of water. This act

 is deemed to be a sort of fast and penance necessary for the

 journey.

On the path to the shrine are situated wells which are

 guarded by the local tribesmen. Feuds over water, a scarce

 commodity, is common in the area. The tribesmen are

 offered food consisting primarily of Roti (circular flat disks of

 baked flour) in lieu of water.

Baba Chandrakup:

An important stop during the pilgrimage is the mud volcano

 called 'Chandrakup', mainland Asia's largest mud volcano. It

 is considered holy and is addressed as 'Baba 

Chandrakup'(literally Father Moonwell). The volcano is filled

 with mud, instead of magma, hence the term "mud volcano"

. It is considered to be the abode of demigod Babhaknath. It

 is one of the few sites of active volcanic activity in the Asian

 mainland. The mud is semi fluid and sometimes it spills over

 and aggregates and cools into hillocks which surround the

 site. There are altogether 18 mud volcanoes in the region

.
Pilgrims stay up all night at the base of the volcano making

 Rotis which are offered to the volcano. The activity is

 considered to be very holy. The ingredients, flour, ghee 

(clarified butter), jaggery, sugar are mixed on a cloth which is 

held at all times at four corners by pilgrims. This is done to

 ensure that it never touches the ground. The prepared rotis

 are covered with wood.

At daybreak, the Rotis are carried by the pilgrims and priests

 to the mouth of the crater. A Chadi or Wooden Trident is 

planted near the edge of the crater and offerings of incense

 and cannabis are made along with recitation of 'mantras'.

 The rotis are then tore up and cast into the crater.

After this ritual every pilgrim is asked to confess his sins and

 ask for forgiveness. Anyone who refuses or hesitates to 

confess to his or her sins is ostracised and abandoned by the

 party. After the confession, the party proceeds with the

 permission of 'Baba Chandrakup'.

Reaching the shrine:

The pilgrimage continues for another four to five days after

 leaving Chandrakup. The final stop is a small village with

 wooden houses. It is home to the caretakers of the shrine

 and Baluch tribesmen who revere the deity even though they

 are Muslims. Before entering the shrine, the pilgrims bathe

 in the Hingol River (also called the Aghore River). The shrine

 is situated on the mountain on the other bank of the river.

 The pilgrims bathe and visit the shrine in their wet clothes.

Shrine's mark:

The shrine is recognised by a mark which resembles the sun

 and the moon. This mark is upon a giant boulder at the top

 of the hill containing the cave. It is believed that Lord Ram

 created this mark with the strike of his arrow after his

 penance ended.

Shrine:

The shrine is called 'Mahal', a word of Arabic origin which

 means palace. The natural beauty of the shrine has 

spawned folklore that it was constructed by demigods called

 'Yakshas'. The walls and roof of the cave are encrusted with

 colourful stones and semi-precious veins. The floor is also

 multi hued.

The entrance to the cave is around 50 feet in height. At the

 end of the cave is the sanctum sanctorum, which houses the

 holy relic. It is covered by red clothes and vermilion. There

 are two entrances to the sanctum. One has to crawl into the

 sanctum, take the 'darshan' and leave through the other

 opening. Prasad is distributed to the pilgrims and they return

 after seeing the Milky Way at night.

A brave child of Lyari Karachi

Abdul Baqi : A brave child of Lyari Karachi 

KARACHI: As ninth-graders at a government school in Lyari scrambled to their seats with their pens and answer books to give their board exam, 15-year old Abdul Baqi lied on his side at a table, holding a pen with both hands, solving questions as fast as he could.

The severely disabled child had arrived in a pram to give his exam. He was too small for his age, his limbs were twisted and his spinal chord had not developed properly. Hence, he had trouble controlling his movements.

Yet, his moral was high, and despite missing out five years from his studies he had managed to cope up, his father said. “Now he even gives tuitions to grade six students who arrive every day at our house,” he said.

“He is very smart, he can read the Quran and I hope he can achieve all that he dreams of,” said his proud father, waiting outside the exam centre. Inside, Baqi wrote frantically. “I want to be a software engineer when I grow up, Children gathered around him as exam ended. Perhaps because they had never seen anyone like him before. Or perhaps because he had motivated him to study harder. And more importantly dream big.

When he finished the paper, the invigilator was surprised. “He is a

 very intelligent child. In the 30 minute multiple choice answer

 part, most children left out two to three questions.

 But Baqi attempted all 10 in the time span.” It was disheartening to

 know that the board administration had done absolutely nothing to

 ease his plight. Providing him with a writer, who could pen down

 his thought, could have been the least they could have done.

Chitral Valley: Natural beauty is un matched. Pakistan have world most beautiful places for visit,

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                         Natural beauty is un matched

Chitral Valley is another wonderful tourist destination in Pakistan. Popular for mountaineering, trekking, fishing and hiking, Chitral Valley is located at an altitude of 1,128 metres above sea level. Chitral is surrounded by Afghanistan on three sides. Chitral has a number of beautiful tourist spots that you can visit. Quite hot during summer, the best time to tour Chitral Valley is from July to September. Chitral Valley is known for its hospitality and if you get an opportunity to stay with traditional family in Chitral, it would be wonderful experience. 

Traditional hospitality is what you should not miss on your tour to Chitral. Cuisine and culture is what you enjoy on your tour to Chitral Valley. Music is another exciting experience in Chitral. You can listen to the soothing notes of the traditional 'Chitrali Sitar' in the bazaars of Chitral. A tour of Kalash Valley is what you should not miss on your Chitral tour. Kalash Valley is one of the major tourist attractions in Pakistan. This is situated in the Chitral district of Pakistan. This valley has a unique and amazing culture. 

The People here live in small villages which they built on the hill sides. These villages are at the banks of the streams and rivers. People construct their homes with rough shaped logs. There are different theories about their past and descent. According to a legend Kalash- are the descendents of the five soldiers of the Alexander Army, who settled down in Chitral. 

SHANDUR PASS.  Shandur – The Highest Polo Ground on Earth, is about 3738 meter an above sea level and lies midway between Chitral and Gilgit. Each summer a hug event called the Shandur polo festival is organized here, which is a big source of attraction for the tourists. The polo ground is about 168 Km from the main town Chitral and accessible by jeep. The road is closed during winter due to heavy snow.

 Polo is a popular game in Chitral. During festive occasions polo matches are held. Polo matches are quite popular among the people of the area and tourists. If you are planning to visit Chitral Valley, plan your trip in July, as every year in the first week of July, Shandur Pass comes alive with cheers of Polo fans.

The weather of Chitral is extremely harsh and cold in the winter and pleasant in the summer. The best season to visit the valley is from May to September. Temperatures in summer range between 25 and 40 degrees Celsius while in the winters it plunge below minus

There are a number of famous places in Chitral such as Drosh, Ayun, Madaklasht, Arandu, Birir, Rumbur and Bumburate; Garam Chashma, Reshun, Booni. The Kalash valleys are the repository of one of the unique cultures and mysterious histories of the world. This culture is certainly the residuary of the pre-historic age.

For the last about two decades, Shandur, the world’s highest polo ground, has become famous all around the world for the annual polo festival. Shandur is located on the mountainous area between Chitral and Gilgit-Baltistan and its is about 100 kilometres from Chitral town and 40 kilometres from Mastuj in Upper Chitral.

beautiful Pakistani Villages and their Life Style

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                           Pakistani Villages and their Life Style

Pakistan's beautiful countryside, culture, hospitality and traditions are unique.  buttermilk and vegetables with rice bread is famous breakfast.

In the morning fresh air in the countryside is very proper for health. Even in today's modern age, in the villages farming methods are old. The people of the village are together in happiness and sorrow.

Pakistani Peoples really miss their home when they go outside from their home town countryside or abroad. Now we will show you a huge collection of Pakistani villages which throws light on their life style. I hope you will enjoy and pictures will makes you happy if you are Pakistani or indian.

The Islamic Republic of Pakistan, a Muslim state, won its freedom from India in 1947. Sixty percent of its population lives in villages. Farmers or herders have jobs in nearby cities or towns. Traditional

customs have a strong influence on the life in rural areas of Pakistan, e.g. men have more social freedom than women do. Women avoid contact with men outside their family, and they cover their faces with a veil in the presence of strangers.

In the villages, family houses cluster tightly together along narrow alleys, sharing a tank or shallow pond for washing clothes and for watering vegetables and livestock. House walls are mostly built of mud, and they rise to meet thatched roofs. A typical home may have a few pieces of simple furniture with straw mats covering the bare earth floor. A few stone or brick houses shelter the wealthy landlords and merchants. Most of the villagers live in same-styled, mud houses and cooperate with each other in daily life.

Villagers normally eat very simple meals consisting of a vegetable curry, a gruel of parched grams or lentils eaten with a bread called 'Chapati' or 'Roti.' The women cook the food which they serve on trays set on the floor. Women eat separately after the male members of the family have taken their meal. Women respect their male family members even during meal time.

Villagers lead very simple lives in Pakistan. Although they are doing a great job for the economy of Pakistan and are the backbone for Pakistan's exports, they are still waiting for the amenities that city people enjoy. They eat very simple food but produce many edible things for the city people. In fact, it is proof of their simplicity and innocence that they are happy in mud houses. They don't want to lead the snug life. Nevertheless, it is their right to have some civic amenities of a comfortable life.

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SAWAT VALLY Mini Switzerland of Pakistan (Paradise On Earth)

Swat is known as the Switzerland of Pakistan. Swat, the 

land of romance and beauty, is celebrated throughout the

world as the holy land of Buddhist learning and piety. Swat

acquired fame as a place of Buddhist pilgrimage.

Buddhist tradition holds that the Buddha himself came to Swat during his last reincarnation as the Guatama Buddha and preached to the people here. It is said that the Swat was filled with fourteen hundred imposing and beautiful stupas and monasteries, which housed as many as 6,000 gold images of the Buddhist pantheon for worship and education. There are now more than 400 Buddhist sites covering and area of 160 Km in Swat valley only. Among the important Buddhist excavation in swat an important one is Butkarha-I, containing the original relics of the Buddha. 

The lush-green valley of Swat, with its rushing torrents, icy-

cold lakes, fruit-laden orchards and flower-decked slopes is 

ideal for holidaymakers. It has a rich historical past, too. This

 is "Udayana" (The Garden) of the ancient epics; the land of 

enthralling beauty, where Alexander of Macedonia fought and

 won some of his major battles before crossing over to the 

delta of Indus River. This is the "valley of hanging chairs", as

 described by the famous Chinese pilgrim-chroniclers, Huaen

 Tsang and Fa-Hian in the fifth and sixth centuries. Swat was 

once the cradle of Buddhism of all of its schools – Mahayana,

 Hinayana and Tantrayana, where once 1,400 monasteries 

flourished. It was the home of the famous Gandhara School 

of Sculpture that was an expression of Greco-Roman form in

 the local Buddhist tradition.

WHAT TO SEE IN SWAT?

Saidu Sharif, Mingora & Murghzar: Headquarters of Swat Valley, Saidu Sharif houses the Swat Museum that contains one of the finest collections of Gandhara art in the world. Mingora, the twin city of Saidu Sharif, has yielded magnificent pieces of Buddhist sculpture and the ruins of great stupas. Marghazar, 16 km from Saidu Sharif, is famous for its “Sufed Mahal” the white marble palace of the former Wali (Ruler) of Swat. Kabal is 6 km from Saidu Sharif with its excellent golf course.

Malam Jabba
At 2,636 m above sea level, Malam Jabba Ski Resort stands on top of a mountain of the Hindukush range, north east of Saidu Sharif. It is 314 km from Islamabad and 51 km from Saidu Sharif. After driving for 10 kms on Saidu Sharif-Kalam road, turn right from Manglor for Malam Jabba. Amidst its natural beauty and imprints of Gandhara civilization, lie the modern tourist facilities of a 52 rooms motel, 2 skiing platforms, chairlifts, roller/ice skating rinks, restaurant, telephone and snow clearing equipment etc. The food, lodging and skiing facilities are all managed by foreign trained staff and offered at competitive prices. The summer temperatures of 10oC to 25oC give way to lush green meadows and thick green forests of Pine & Deodar trees. In the winter when the temperature falls to –5oC to –10oC, the angel white snow makes it an ideal place for skiing.

Around Swat
Miandam: At 1,830 m above sea level, Miandam Valley is 50 km from Saidu Sharif and recommended for those looking for a peaceful place full of fragrance and scenic beauty.

Madyan & Bahrain: Both the towns are a good stop-over while travelling from Saidu Sharif to Kalam. Madyan is famous for its trout hatcheries and Bahrain for its meeting of two rivers and its handicrafts.

Kalam: The most popular tourist spot in Swat Valley (2,073 m) is 100 km away from Saidu Sharif. In addition to PTDC’s seasonal coach service, there is a regular private bus and van service between Mingora and Kalam.

Ushu, Matiltan and Mahodand Lake: This is the most spectacular area of upper Swat Valley. While staying overnight at Kalam, you can enjoy a day trip by jeep to these beautiful tourist spots. Distance is just 13-16 km from Kalam.

Utrot-Gabral: Another scenic valley of upper Swat, located 21-29 km from Kalam. The road is jeepable and jeeps can be hired from Kalam. A day trip with picnic lunch is recommended.