Hanuman Jayanti
marks the birth of Hanuman- the monkey god, during the month of Chaitra
(April).
Hanuman
symbolizes strength and power and is also known as Bajrangbali. He was
an ardent devotee of Lord Ram, and is worshipped for his unflinching devotion
to the god. From the early morning, devotees flock Hanuman temples to
worship the monkey god. The priest bathes the idol and offers special
prayers to the god. The entire body of Hanuman is then smeared with sindoor
and oil, a symbol of life and strength.
According
to a popular belief, once when Sita was applying sindoor to her hair,
Hanuman asked her the reason for doing so. She said that by applying sindoor,
she ensured a long life for her husband. The more sindoor she applied,
the longer Lord Ram's life would be. The devoted Hanuman then smeared
his entire body with sindoor, in an effort to ensure Lord Ram's immortality.
Hence Hanuman's idol is always smeared with sindoor.
On this
day, devotees offer sweets and fruit, especially bananas, to the god.
Men also fast from morning till evening. In some parts of the country,
especially Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, the festival involves more elaborate
celebrations. Huge tents are erected in front of Hanuman temples where
people congregate to listen to recitations of the Hanuman Chalisa.
Festive
programs are organized on this occasion, such as the Nautanki in Uttar
Pradesh and the Jatra in Bihar being the most popular. These dramas represent
a particular aspect of the life of Hanuman, especially emphasizing his
devotional nature and his bravery in the epic, Ramayana.
Games like
wrestling are a common part of this festival. Body-builders and wrestlers
assemble at a wrestling field in the morning after praying for blessings
from the monkey god. A tilak of orange sindoor from Hanuman's body is
applied to their forehead, for it is considered to be auspicious and bestow
good luck. All these events and games are said to represent the power
and strength that Hanuman symbolizes.
The worship
and belief in Hanuman is strong in India and Hanuman Jayanti is an important
festival. As an unmarried, celibate god, he is especially popular with
body-builders, who believe that like him, one needs to be celibate in
order to have a strong body. Hanuman is said to be able to assume any
form at will, wield rocks, move mountains, dart through the air, seize
the clouds and rival Vishnu's bird, Garuda in swiftness off light. He
is worshipped in folk tradition as a deity with magical powers and the
ability to conquer evil spirits.
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