Lord Hanuman is not only an absolute devotee of Lord Rama but also a merciful God who takes good care of His devotees. Devotees strongly believe that reciting the divine hymn Hanuman Chalisa continuously helps to overcome all sorrows and difficulties.
One of Hinduism’s most powerful and well-known gods, Hanuman is also known as the wrestling God. Hindus hold a large festival called Hanuman Jayanti to commemorate Hanuman Janmotsav or Hanuman’s birthday. The auspicious festival of Hanuman Jayanthi is observed throughout the majority of India on the day of the full moon (Purnima) in the Chaitra month, which typically falls in March or April according to the English calendar. Moving on to south India, however, different states celebrate it on different days. It is observed on the Margashirsha Amavasya (new moon day) in Tamil Nadu and Kerala while it is observed on the tenth day of the Krishna Paksha of the Vaisakha month in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Odisha, an eastern Indian state, celebrates Hanuman Jayanti on the first day of the month of Vaisakha, while Karnataka celebrates this auspicious festival on Shukla Paksha Trayodashi (the 13th day) of the Margashirsha month (in April).
According to myth, Lord Hanuman is the most potent being in all the realms and an embodiment of Lord Siva (11th Rudra). He is revered by Hindus as the personification of devotion, faith, bravery, strength, energy, and selfless love. The Hindu epic Ramayana features Lord Hanuman as one of its most well-known heroes and as its main figure. The epic claims that He was born to help Lord Ram and is a Vanara (a humanoid form that resembles a monkey). Lord Hanuman is a widely venerated deity who has the power to triumph over all evils and protect all of His followers. Devotees visit Hanuman temples on the auspicious Hanuman Jayanthi day and offer prayers. Since Lord Hanuman was born at sunrise, devotees perform several rituals in the early morning hours after taking a holy bath in honour of him. In accordance with tradition, they place a red tilak (vermillion) on the idol of Hanuman, chant various hymns and mantras, recite the Hanuman Chalisa, offer sweets and coconuts as Prasad, perform Aarti, and give Pradakshina. On this day, it’s customary to recite the Hanuman Chalisa and passages from the Ramayana (Sundarakand).
Lord Hanuman is revered as a representation of power, wisdom, and devotion and is thought to be Lord Shiva’s eleventh Rudra avatar. He is thought to be an immortal being with incredible power to drive away any kind of temptation or negativity. Lord Hanuman is a devoted follower of Lord Ram and Sita, and he has never displayed his bravery or strength in vain. These kinds of virtues can be attained on this day by praying to Lord Hanuman and reciting mantras in his honour. According to Hindu mythology, the only way to reach Lord Rama and have Him grant all of your wishes is through Lord Hanuman, and Hanuman Jayanti is the most auspicious day for this.
According to a well-known myth, Lord Hanuman was born on the day of the full moon, and his father Kesari was Lord Brihaspati’s son. Anjana, his mother, was an astral being (apsara) who was cursed by a sage to reside on Earth. She was only able to be freed from her curse after spending 12 years worshipping Lord Siva and giving birth to Lord Hanuman. Hanuman is therefore seen as Lord Shiva’s incarnation or reflection (11th Rudra avatar).
The birth of Hanuman and the part played by Vayu dev (God of wind) are both beautifully described in Goswami Tulsi Das’ sacred epic Ram Charita Manas. According to the epic, Vayu God was crucial in transferring Lord Siva’s energy to Anjana, the mother of Hanuman. So, Lord Hanuman is frequently referred to as Vayuputra, which is Sanskrit for “son of Vayu.” Devotees enjoy remembering Hanuman as a mischievous child figure on the auspicious Hanuman Jayanti day. One such legend eloquently describes how He scaled numerous mountains and flew extremely high considering it to be a ripe fruit.
The little Hanuman was stopped in His tracks by the evil planet Rahu, which was on its way to eclipsing the Sun. Rahu was easily beaten by Hanuman (who later requested Indra, the king of heaven, for assistance). Indra immediately reacted by unleashing His mighty weapon, the Vajra (thunderbolt), which struck the young Hanuman and rendered Him unconscious. After this incident, the god Vayu discovered his son unconscious on the planet and became furious, making life difficult for all creatures. Later, after realising their error, Lord Indra and the other gods revived the young Hanuman and bestowed upon Him numerous blessings.
Hanuman, a devotee of Lord Rama and an incarnation of Lord Shiva was born, and Hanuman Jayanti is observed to remember this. Devotees gather in large numbers at Hanuman temples on the day of Hanuman Jayanti to offer early morning prayers. For Hindus, it is a significant holiday, which we observe with great zeal. With the conviction that He is the real-life representation of Ram, people chant mantras, perform Hanuman Chalisa, and offer aarti. He is the ideal Karma Yogi and a selfless disciple. He gave Lord Sri Rama his undivided love and devotion and was a great devotee. Every year, on the auspicious Hanuman Jayanti holiday, devotees worship Lord Hanuman with sincere devotion. Some even go without food for the entire day to ask for His blessings for a prosperous life.
