Shimla Sri Hanuman Mandir – Himachal Pradesh

Address

Shimla Sri Hanuman Mandir – Jakhu, Shimla, Himachal Pradesh 171001

Diety

Hanuman

Introduction

Jakhu Temple is an ancient temple in Shimla, dedicated to the deity Lord Hanuman. It is situated on Jakhu Hill, Shimla’s highest peak, 2.5 km (1.6 mi) east of the Ridge at a height of 2,455 m (8,054 ft) above sea level. Sri Hanuman Jakhu is a statue situated in the temple premises which is one of the tallest in the world. According to the Ramayana, Hanuman stopped at the location to rest while searching for the Sanjivni Booti to revive Lakshmana. A giant 108-feet-high idol of Hanuman was unveiled at Jakhu Hanuman temple on 4 November 2010.

Puranic Significance

Jakhoo Temple has an interesting mythological story attached to it. It is generally said that during the battle course of Ramayana, Ram’s younger brother Lakshmana got injured by a powerful arrow and became unconscious. He couldn’t be revived despite several efforts. Then, a renowned priest told Lord Rama that he needed a particular Sanjeevani herb to bring him back to life. Hanuman was given the charge of getting the herb from the Himalayas. While going towards the Himalayas, he met sage Yaaku on the hilltop. Hanuman sat on the mountain and cleared his doubts about the herb. The mount couldn’t bear his weight and got flattened, remaining half of its size. After collecting enough information about the herb, he promised Yaaku to meet him while going back to Lanka. However, on his way back, he had to fight with a demon named “Kalnemi” who tried to fool him around, which consumed a lot of his valuable time. To reach Lanka on time, he chose not to meet sage and took the shortest possible route. When sage was disappointed, he thought of meeting him in person and tells the reason for breaking the promise. As Hanuman left the place, an idol of him appeared on the hill by itself. To honor the Lord’s visit, Yaaku built a temple there. It is believed till date that the temple has the footprints of Hanuman and the monkeys that stay around the shrine are the descendants of Lord Hanuman.

Special Features

It is at a height of 8000-feet from the sea level in Shimla and has a huge Hanuman Temple. The statue of Lord Hanuman is an important landmark here. This temple is home to a 108-feet tall Lord Hanuman statue, and this is the main reason why people come here in thousands to visit the famed Jakhoo Temple.