Connaught Place Hanuman Temple, New Delhi

Address

26, Baba Kharak Singh Rd,

Hanuman Road Area, Connaught Place,

New Delhi, Delhi 110001

Moolavar

Hanuman

Introduction

Hanuman Temple in Connaught Place, New Delhi, India, is an ancient temple and is claimed to be one of the five temples of Mahabharata days in Delhi. The temple is situated on the Baba Kharak Singh Road (old Irwin Road) about 250 m (820.2 ft) southwest of Connaught place in Central Delhi, which is the commercial hub of Delhi

Puranic Significance

Special Features

The temple, which has a self-manifest idol of Hanuman, has an unusual feature fixed in the spire (Shikhara) in the form of a crescent moon instead of the symbol of Aum or Sun that is commonly seen in most temples. This became particularly important during the Mughal period corroborating this extraordinary depiction. The idol in the temple, devotionally worshipped as “Sri Hanuman Ji Maharaj” (Great Lord Hanuman), is that of Bala Hanuman namely, Hanuman as a child. As the idol of Hanuman faces the southern direction, devotees can discern only one eye of the idol. The idol depicts a Gada (mace or club) in the left hand with the right hand crossed across the chest showing veneration to the adjacent idol of lord Rama, Lakshmana and Sita.

The foyer is ventilated with clerestory windows that are adorned with paintings of Hanuman in the cardinal directions depicting his four aspects. Below each Hanuman painting, the full text of Tulsidas’s Sundar Kand is inscribed on the marble tablets affixed on the walls. The Sanctum Sanctorum, which houses the Hanuman idol, is on the north wall on the right side of the entry foyer (pictured), with the idol facing the southern direction in a small bas-relief carving (pictured). Images of Radha and Krishna, a central triumvirate of Rama, Lakshmana and Sita are also installed to the right of the Hanuman idol on the same wall. The height of the temple is reported to be 108 ft (32.9 m). The ceiling of the main mandap (hall or pavilion) depicts the epic story of Ramayana artistically painted.

Festivals

Hanuman Jayanti (birthday celebrations of lord Hanuman) is held every year with great fanfare on the full moon (Purnima) day in the month of Chaitra (March – April) as per established lunar Panchangam or calendar