Hanuman Jayanti, as it is said is celebrated all over India to mark the birth of lord Hanuman. It usually falls on the full moon day in the month of Chaitra.
That will be the fifteenth day. Tuesday is said to be the scared day for his worship. And so it happened that 11th April, of the running year, Hanuman Jayanti was on a Tuesday.
Some also celebrate Hanuman Jayanti during the Diwali period. The Chotti Diwali is said to be his birthday. Hanuman is said to be one of the forms of Lord Shiva.
He is in 11th form. Hanuman Jayanti is not only celebrated in India but all over the world. He is the god that gives strength, courage and power and is said to drive away any evil.
Birth of Hanuman
There are several stories that state something about the birth of Hanuman. Each story has a different meaning and each story has its own importance.
But what is mentioned since ages and has not been altered due to its continuous repentance is that, Anjana is considered to be the mother of Hanuman.
These stories have fascinating description of how Lord Hanuman was given life and how he is also a reincarnation of lord Shiva.
According to one story Hanuman was born in the mountains named Anjaneri. His mother as repeatedly mentioned in the scriptures is Anjana, was a beautiful maiden but was cursed.
And because of the curse she was born on the human land. Her curse was broken when she gave birth to Hanuman.
But for the curse to be broken Anjana had to please the lords. According to the writings of Valmiki, a 12 years of prayer was the result of the birth of the son of the wind god, as he is widely known.
Anjana worshiped lord Shiva for a child and so pleased with her devotion granted her with a son. Kesari was known to be the father of Lord Hanuman. Hanuman is also said to be one the many forms of Lord Shiva.
Often time’s lord Hanuman is referred to be the son of the wind god or the Vayu dev. Some scriptures says that when Anjana was worshipping to lord Shiva; somewhere in other part of the world, Dasharath, the king of Ayodhaya, was also pleasing gods to grant him with kids.
The worship is also called as Putrakama yagna, a ritual to grant kids. After his long worshipping, he was given some oblation or Prasad in the form of pudding.
He gave that pudding to his three wives which led to the birth of his four sons Rama, Lakshmana, Bharat and Shatrughna.
As so it happened a mythical miracle occurred and a kite that that was flying overhead happened to grab some of that pudding and it flew towards Anjana and dropped where Anjana was worshipping.
The wind god offered the Prasad to her. As a result, she gave birth to Hanuman.
This story is scripted in the Bhavartha Ramayana. Since the wind god played a major part in the birth of the Vanara god he is therefore also referred to as son of wind god.
Another fascinating story as written in the Vishnu Purana, when Naarad muni got infatuated by a beautiful princess and wished to marry her.
He went to Lord Vishnu, so that he could make him admirable like he is and so he can attend the Swayamvara, where the princess shall chose him.
Naarad asked for a pretty face like that of lord Vishnu but Vishnu without him knowing gave him the face of a monkey.
When Naarad arrived at the ceremony where the princess was choosing her husband, he was made fun of and laughed at by the princess. Infuriated by the insult Naarad cursed Vishnu.
He said that one day Vishnu shall depend on a monkey for help. But lord Vishnu calmed the infuriated Naarad and said that everything was done for his own benefit.
And so happened the curse turned out to be a boon when Hanuman was needed to win the war against Ravana and help Rama win. And so we have lord Hanuman. Without whom the victory would have been impossible.
Some stories have also written in them that wind god was able to direct his male energy into that of Anjana’s womb as per directed by Shiva. And so Hanuman is called the son of the wind god.
The Rituals for Worshipping Lord Hanuman
Although some rituals are same in all the parts of the country there are some states that have different manners to please the Vanara god.
Usually the worshippers apply sindoor as a tilak on their foreheads to identify themselves as a devotee of Hanuman.
There is a legend behind this that when hanuman went to rescue Sita he found her applying sindoor or vermillion, on her forehead he asked her the reason to do so.
Devi Sita replied that it was for the long life of Lord Rama. And immediately after that hanuman applied the sindoor all over his body resulting in immortality of Rama.
Lord hanuman being the eternal devotee is usually pleased when there is a chanting of Rama. And so devotees chant the name Rama to please the god.
Devotees also sing Hanuman Chalisa on that day. Devotees offer prayers with orange sindoor, rose, basil leaves, holy water of Ganga.
There are prayers accompanied with songs. And not forgetting ladoos. The ever cherished food of lord Hanuman.
So much so that it cannot happen that there is absolutely no mention of Him trying to eat sun thinking as one giant ladoo? Different part of the country have a slightly different procedures.
- In southern countries such as Telangana and Andhra Pradesh the birth of hanuman is celebrated 41 days prior to the Chaitra Purnima and it ends in Vaisakha, tenth day.
- Hanuman Jayanti, in Maharashtra is observed on the full moon day according to the lunar calendar. During this timeframe food is distributed to people.
- Devotees also observe the day by fasting. They were orange colored clothes as it is said to be an auspicious color and wear vermillion on their head.
Sankatmochan, Pawanputra and Maruti Nandan as he is called is one of the major characters of The Ramayana and also the greatest devotee of Lord Rama; and so his birth is celebrated with utmost care.
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