Hanuman Jayanti

Hanuman Jayanti, a Festival

This festival is very important and one of the most unique examples of the truest divine adherence of the most devout meditative land. It is celebrated every year during Chaitra Shukla, Purnima. This time, the festival is timed on 07 April 2020, Tuesday. The day of Tuesday marks special importance for the celebration of Hanuman Jayanti. because lord hanuman was born on Tuesday. In addition to that, this festival is celebrated in Kerala and Tamil Nadu on the Amavasya of Margashirsha, and in Odisha, it is celebrated on Pratipada tithi of Vishakha month. Not only in India, even in other parts of the world hanuman Jayanti is celebrated in the spirit of great splendor by devotees. The whole country witnesses an unprecedented joy during this occasion. Devotees offer a variety of sweets and gifts, perform Anushthan, vrat, puja, and offer vermilion to lord hanuman in temples. Devotees organize huge feasts on different places. Devotees offer a variety of things to lord hanuman out of sheer devotion, like sweets, laddu made by pure country-made ghee, fruits, flowers, aromatic stuffs etc. This Jayanti is celebrated by festooning hanuman-dedicated temples, and by including a variety of stuffs used for worship of the lord.

Hanuman Jayanti, and birth of Hanuman

According to religious books, attainment of desired goal becomes very easy, if you have iron willpower and self-confidence within you. Adhered to the same level of devoutness, Mata Anjani sat on a hard meditation for twelve years non-stop, in order to attain the boon of a son from lord Shiva. During these years, she survived on just air, at which lord Shiva granted her boon of himself to be born to her as His eleventh incarnation of Rudra, saying the baby would be called hanuman. The most important and famous story behind the birth of hanuman is associated with lord Rama and tyrant Ravana. As per the narratives in religious books, when Ravana sat on meditation to please lord Shiva for the divine favor on his family, at this, lord Shiva granted him a boon that his entire generation would get salvation from the hands of lord Rama himself. Lord Shiva himself took the incarnation of baby hanuman and later helped in the fulfilment of the boon granted to Ravana about salvation for his family, and hanuman became immortal as a staunch devotee to lord Rama. In the Purnima of Chaitra Shukla, the day is known as the day of hanuman Jayanti for being the birthdate of lord hanuman. The festival dedicated to hanuman is celebrated in great splendor all over India. One can spot massive feasts in various places.

Vrat And Puja during Hanuman Jayanti

Shri Hanuman Jayanti occasions adherence of fasts observed by devotees. Devotees, after waking up in Brahma Muhurta, first of all, finish their daily routines like attending washroom etc. Then, they wear clean clothes or new outfit. They choose a sacred seat to worship the lord. They recite mantras, sprinkle holy water on body, perform Aachmana, take water in hand, invoke lord hanuman and take Sankalp regarding the vrat/fast. Thereafter, either visit a temple, or invite a Brahman (priest) to your home for Hanuman puja. Perform the puja religiously and place in front of the lord your desires to fulfill, like wellbeing of your family members and do worship of lord hanuman during His Jayanti. Lord hanuman gets pleased with his puja done staunchly and blesses the devotee with desirous results.

Meeting of Hanuman and Lord Rama

Once upon a time, Maryada Purushottam Lord Rama, while performing his human-like act, reached to a mountain called Kishkindha to search for his lost wife, Mata Sita. Lord Rama met with an army of monkeys there at the mountain. This is where lord hanuman accepted Rama as his Lord, and dedicated the whole army of monkeys in the service of lord Rama and to fulfill the pursuit of victory in Dharma-Yuddha (battle of righteousness). He destroyed Lanka kingdom on the order of lord Rama which later paved salvation for tyrant Ravana and his army. Goswami Tulsidas writes, according to hanuman, “I’ll take no rest until I finish the works of lord Rama.” Since then lord hanuman assimilates the appearance of lord Rama in his heart. Places where devotional songs dedicated to lord Rama and mother Sita take place, lord hanuman appears there, blessing the devotees with his divine grace.

How Hanuman Ji known as Hanuman

Once lord hanuman caught the sight of sun rising in the east. Wearing its natural beam of red, the sun was misconstrued as a kind of fruit by baby hanuman, who then flew to the sun to eat it. However, his action posed a threat to lord Indra, who hurled a thunderstruck from his divine weapon to which hanuman sustained a broken chin called Hanu.  This incident made him famous as Hanuman all over the universe. The result of broken chin of hanuman infuriated his father, Pawan, who then stopped the flow of air, resulting in an insufferable agony for every living being. Group of Gods prayed to hanuman. Pleased with the beseeching of Gods, he had the air released. Later, all Gods granted a different variety of weapons and indomitably powerful physique to hanuman. In addition, hanuman is also known as Sankat Mochan, dear son of Anjani, Bajrang Bali, Pawansut etc.

Hanuman Jayanti and importance of applying vermilion on him

People beleaguered by a lot of problems can only be saved by lord hanuman; whether the problems relate to hindrance caused by evil spirits, bodily disease, poverty, ignorance or planet-caused deterrents. Lord hanuman eliminates these problems. This life is severed by lots of obstacles; therefore, to win over them and attain desirable results, worship lord hanuman during hanuman jayanti on Tuesday or Saturday religiously and apply country-made ghee of cow to him. Hanuman should be worshipped using Janaeu, sweet betel leaf, pure silver curve, and red cloth. Applying vermilion upon hanuman is also known as offering Chola. Means to say, you will attain radiance of his divine favor in your life in the same fervor with which you worship him. There is no doubt about it. There is a very interesting tale behind applying vermilion to lord hanuman, that he smeared vermilion on his whole body in order for his divine lord, Shri Rama’s longevity.  Since then he is pleased with Sindoor/vermilion.

Sundar Kanda in Hanuman Jayanti

During this festival, devotee, who worships lord hanuman, and recites Sundar Kanda, hanuman chalisa, bajarang baan, hanuman baahuk etc. religiously, gets desirous results in his life. Sufferings of all types get eliminated, and the devotee gains temporal prosperity. Every lesson of Sundar Kanda is as beautiful as it sounds when you read it, undoubtedly.

Importance of Hanuman Jayanti

Its very special festival. Devotees throng at hanuman-dedicated temples to get the glimpse of the lord. Huge feasts are also organized during the occasion of hanuman jayanti. Devotees carry out distribution of prasad and also receive it. Besides, philanthropical deeds like distributing prasad in the poor also take place. If you worship Dakshin Mukhi hanuman statue with Diya and follow other rituals, then the worship and its importance become double in your favor. On the auspicious day of hanuman jayanti, Ram Charita Manas and Sundar Kanda are recited. Lord hanuman is the staunch devotee of Maryada Purushottam Lord Rama. Therefore, one should pay tribute to lord rama as well during hanuman jayanti. The devotees carry fast for the whole day and follow all special rules dedicated to the festival. Special worship dedicated to lord hanuman is also done. Wish for worldwide peace is also sought during the day. Lord hanuman is the giver of Ashta Siddhi and Nav-Nidhi. Means to say, he is the giver of boon as you wish. Compliance of necessary obligations during the day is must. For example, avoid liquor, do not eat non-veg foods. Also avoid salty food stuffs. Worship lord hanuman religiously. Celibacy and adherence to rules hold special importance in the worship of lord hanuman. Because He is a celibate deity. Therefore, women must not touch the statue of lord hanuman. Ladies, who want to seek eternal blessing of fortune from lord hanuman, should pray the lord afar.

Don’t forget to read: About Lord Hanuman and Vat Savitri Vrat