A grand Hanumath rath (chariot) from Kishkindha, the birthplace of Lord Hanuman, which is present day’s Hampi in Karnataka, has arrived in Ayodhya ahead of the Ram temple’s Pran Pratishtha ceremony on January 22. The chariot travelled to Janakpur, the birthplace of Goddess Sita in modern-day Nepal, and visited temples all around the nation before reaching Ayodhya.
A group of 100 enthusiastic devotees journeyed with the chariot, chanting “Jai Shree Ram” slogans and waiving saffron flags featuring pictures of Bhagwan Ram.
Bal Hanuman has arrived to see Ramlala's consecration, his chariot has reached from Kishkindha.
— IndiaToday (@IndiaToday) January 19, 2024
It is said that the work of Ram is incomplete without Hanuman, something similar is being seen in Ayodhya where before the consecration of Ram Lala, child Hanuman has reached Ramnagari… pic.twitter.com/rqBy0SZnTf
The touring Ayodhya, the chariot has been placed on the banks of the Sarayu River, drawing the attention of pilgrims and tourists alike.
The colossal rath has golden-coloured embellishments that resemble a temple. On one side of the chariot are pictures of various places it visited before reaching Ayodhya.
“The chariot has been prepared for Rs 40 lakh. It has statues of Lord Ram, Lakshman, Goddess Sita, Lord Hanuman, Lord Virupaksha of Hampi, and Anjani, the mother of Lord Hanuman. The yatra began three years ago. Wherever we go, we perform all temple rituals and locals come to attend the prayers,” Abhishek Krishnashastri from Sri Hanuman Janmabhoomi Teertha Kshetra Trust said.
“Devotees from Kishkindha visit Ayodhya every year for Dev Deepawali but the chariot has come here first time, he added.
“When thousands of people are heading to Ayodhya for the big day of the arrival of Lord Ram, how can Lord Hanuman not be there?” said Abhishek Krishnashastri adding, “We have come here from Kishkindha to offer our seva (service) to Lord Ram. The chariot has a statue of Lord Ram hugging Hanuman, who is considered to be His biggest devotee.”
According to the Hindu Sastras, Lord Hanuman is the biggest devotee of Lord Ram. HE devoted his entire life to serving Lord Ram and Mata Sita. Folklores have it that once when Mata Sita told Hanuman that she applied Sindoor (vermillion) for the long life of Lord Rama, Hanuman smeared Himself in Sindoor with the hope that this would extend Lord Rama’s life even further. Such was His devotion to Lord Rama. Many use a saffron colour vermillion during Hanuman Puja.
Lately, everyone has been talking about the Bhavya Ram Mandir, which will soon be open for darshan for all Ram devotees. However, today we will discuss the Hanuman Garhi Mandir, a 10th-century temple in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh, that is devoted to Lord Hanuman, the biggest devotee of Bhagwan Ram.
Located on the right bank of the Saryu River in Ayodhya, Hanuman Garhi is the oldest temple in the city. For years when Ramlalla was in a tent, the Hanuman Garhi Mandir became witnesses to the devotee’s resilience.
Hanuman ji of Hanuman Garhi Mandir is believed to be the ‘kotwal’ of Ayodhya. It is said that Lord Hanuman has been protecting Ayodhya from the day he was given residence at Hanuman Garhi. It’s a custom and belief in Ayodhya that devotees should first visit the Hanuman Garhi temple and venerate Lord Hanuman before visiting the Ram Mandir. Hanuman ji’s “permission” to visit the Ram Janmabhoomi is in and of itself prasad for the devotee. The pedas are only a transient manifestation of that prasad.
On 5 August 2020, when Prime Minister Modi reached Ayodhya for the Bhoomi Pujan of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi, he had visited the Hanuman Garhi Mandir first, upholding the tradition of seeking the blessings of the ‘Kotwal’ of Ayodhya.
Legend has it that after Lord Rama and Mata Sita, along with Lord Hanuman, defeated Ravana and returned to Lord Rama’s birthplace of Ayodhya, Lord Hanuman settled in a cave there to guard the place. Although the story of the Hanuman Grahi temple is very long, there are beliefs that when Lord Ram started going to his abode he handed over the charge of the place to Lord Hanuman. Since then Lord Hanuman has been guarding Ayodhya, the birthplace of Lord Ram.
According to the Skanda Purana, Hindu King Vikramaditya built the Hanuman Garhi Mandir along with 360 other Hindu temples in the 10th century.
Hanuman Grahi Mandir has a similar history like the Ram Mandir which dates back to 492 years
Meanwhile, Aurangzeb, the Mughal tyrant, who also gave the order to demolish several temples in Varanasi and Mathura like the Kashi Vishwanath Temple to name a few, demolished the Hanuman Garhi and erected a mosque there. Subsequently, The Bairag conquered the region by vanquishing Nawab Shujauddula, the Awadh King. A new temple for Lord Hanuman was constructed after the mosque was demolished. Some old texts also read that the enormous Hanuman Garhi Mandir was completed some 300 years ago with the help of Saint Abhayaramdas. Nirvani Akhara’s student, Sant Abhayaramdas, was a devotee of Lord Hanuman.
A few Muslims believed that Hanuman Garhi was constructed on top of a mosque. As a result, they made numerous attempts to break the temple but remained unsuccessful.
It is important to note that several temples in India were demolished by the Mughals to establish their rule over the country and build Mosques instead. The Ram Mandir also has a similar history which dates back to 492 years. The temple believed to have been demolished by the Mughal tyrant Babar in 1528, has been at the centre of a historical and spiritual quest for centuries. This quest, deeply embedded in the hearts of millions, has seen countless devotees laying down their lives for the cause. Today the temple is being built and every Hindu devotee is looking forward to the ceremony of Ram Mandir Pran Pratishtha scheduled on 22nd January in Ayodhya.
The architecture of Hanuman Garhi Mandir in Ayodhya
The temple is constructed like a four-sided fort, with a circular rampart at each corner that houses Lord Hanuman’s temple. It takes 76 steps for a devotee to reach Lord Hanuman. The three doors of the main garbha girha are ornate with silver embellishments. You can view a 6-inch statue of Lord Hanuman at the main temple, perched on Mata Anjani’s lap in the Bal (child) avatar. The Deity is adorned with a silver tulsi garland that bears the name of Lord Rama. The mandir’s walls are decorated with images of Hanuman Chalisa.
According to Shri Gauri Shankar Das Ji, there is a victory pillar also known as Vijay Stambh which was bought by Lord Hanuman from Lanka and set up here to commemorate Lord Rama’s triumph over Ravana.
Hanuman Garhi Darshan Timings:
The darshan timing in the Hanuman Garhi Mandir varies from season to season. In the summer season, the darshan timings are from 07:30 am to 11:30 am and 04:30 pm to 09:30 pm. Whereas in winter the darshan timings are 09:00 am to 11:00 am and 04:00 pm to 09:00 pm.
