Photo: Mumbaipsytrance · CC BY-SA 4.0Field guides / Balochistan / Kalat / Kali Mandir, Kalat
Field guide · Heritage
Kalat
Kalat District · Balochistan, Pakistan
Kali Mandir, Kalat
One of Pakistan's oldest Hindu temples, in Kalat's Shahi Bazaar, with a great marble image of the goddess Kali and a festival each January.
The Kali Mandir in the Shahi Bazaar of Kalat is one of the oldest Hindu temples in Pakistan, dedicated to the goddess Kali. Tradition holds that it was built under the Sewa dynasty, before the coming of Islam to South Asia, when the town was known as Kalat-i-Seba; the local Hindu community believes the goddess spent much of her life in this region. Its marble image of Kali, standing on the chest of Shiva, is among the largest in Asia, and an annual three-day festival each January draws devotees from across Pakistan.
Why go
- ✦One of Pakistan's oldest Hindu temples
- ✦A great marble image of Kali
- ✦A three-day festival every January
How to Reach
In the Shahi Bazaar, Kalat, on the Quetta–Karachi road (N-25).
Planning tip
Best Time to Visit, April–May and September–October; Kalat's winters are very cold. The festival is in January.
Getting there, In the Shahi Bazaar, Kalat, on the Quetta–Karachi road (N-25).
Allow, Half an hour to an hour.
What to Do
Nearby
Straight-line distance from Kali Mandir, Kalat, within 5 km.
