Balochistan is the largest province of Pakistan by land area but is the least populated one. It is bordered by the Pakistani provinces of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to the northeast. Balochistan occupies the very southeasternmost portion of the Iranian Plateau, the setting for the earliest known farming settlements in the pre-Indus Valley civilisation era, the earliest of which was Mehrgarh, dated at 7000 BCE,[10]
The capital city Quetta is located in a densely populated portion of the Sulaiman Mountains in the northeast of the province. It is situated in a river valley near the Bolan Pass, which has been used as the route of choice from the coast to Central Asia, entering through Afghanistan’s Kandahar region. The British and other historic empires crossed the region to invade Afghanistan by this route.[44]
The ancient name of Quetta was Shalkot, a term by which it is still known among the people of the country. The city area of Shalkot was inhabited by the Kasi tribe and the surroundings were occupied by Bazai Tribe with a few other nomads including the tribes of Sulaimankhail, Kharoti, Nasar, and Baitanai. Being on the outskirts of Kandahar, it was not much developed. The major religion of Balochistan is Islam (96%), but there are also Christians (2.7%) and Hindus (0.5%).[9]
Miri Fort or Miri of Kalat is also known as The Sassui Punnhu Fort (based on the love tale Sassui Punhun,) and is situated at a distance of 15 km (9.3 mi) from Turbat on the bank of the Kech River.[2] It is believed that the fort was built between 6000 and 8000 BC.[3] There is a mud hill on top of which the fort is located seems to be a long dormant mud volcano measuring 500ft x 500 ft x 80 ft that is usually found in the region.
Sid Pani Nath Hindu Temple Quetta, Baluchistan By: Wali Khalil
Mirri Fort houses one of the few completely functional Hindu temples in Quetta city of Baluchistan. What is surprising is how well-preserved the temple and its deities and fresco are. Painting on the wall and roof is interesting and so vivid. The only history I could find was written in the Hindu Temple itself. Sid Pani Nath was a saint, and according to the Hindu religion, he could control the flow of river water. Contractor L. Baboo Ram constructed the Hindu temple (mandir) inside the fort walls in 1940.
NOTHING LIKE HINGLAJ TEMPLE
Another Hindu temple that we visited in Baluchistan was in the south, the Hinglaj Mata Hindu temple in Hingol National Park. Hinglaj was more of a meditation site than a temple.
Can anyone visit the Fort of Miri and the Hindu Temple?
Too bad the general public cannot appreciate the historical and heritage value of this Mirri Fort and Hindu temple, because it is in the government’s control. Might as well write a Mirri Fort obituary.
Miri Fort and the Hindu temple give a time capsule insight into the development of Quetta city itself – therefore it is worth the visit for history and anthropology buffs.
Further details can be found at: Quintessentially Quetta: Miri Fort and Hindu temple – How 2 Have Fun
