Hanumān Jayantī 2174

Hanuman Jayanti celebrates the birth of Sri Hanuman, the greatest devotee of Sri Rama. Across North India and much of the country it is kept on the full moon of Chaitra.

Hanuman was born to Anjana, a celestial apsara living on earth under a curse, and the vanara chief Kesari. By the blessing of Vayu, the wind god, he is called Pavanaputra and Maruti, and he is honoured as a portion of Lord Shiva.

As a child he saw the rising Sun and leapt into the sky to seize it, thinking it a ripe fruit. Indra's thunderbolt struck his jaw (hanu), which gave him the name Hanuman. When Vayu withdrew in grief, the gods restored the child and blessed him with strength, wisdom and freedom from harm. Those powers carried him across the ocean to Lanka in search of Sita.

Temples open before dawn, since tradition holds that Hanuman was born at sunrise. Devotees offer sindoor and oil, recite the Hanuman Chalisa and the Sundara Kanda, keep a fast, and share prasad.