5/5 Kotha M. 1 year ago on Google • 50 reviews
Hanuman
Temple
in
Connaught
Place,
New
Delhi,
India,
is
an
ancient
Hindu
temple
and
is
claimed
to
be
one
of
the
five
temples
of
Mahabharata
days
in
Delhi.
The
other
four
temples
are
the
Kalkaji,
a
Kali
temple
in
South
Delhi
containing
Swayambu
(Sanskrit:
"self
manifest")
rock
Idol,
the
Yogmaya
Temple
near
Qutub
Minar,
the
Bhairav
temple
near
the
Purana
Qila
and
the
Nili
Chatri
Mahadev
(Shiva
temple)
at
Nigambodh
Ghat
outside
the
walls
of
Old
Delhi.
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
Hindu
symbol
of
Aum
or
Sun
that
is
commonly
seen
in
most
Hindu
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.
Entry
to
the
temple
is
through
the
Baba
Kharak
Singh
Marg
(Road).
The
approach
is
through
a
set
of
marble
steps
from
the
road
level
leading
into
the
main
foyer
of
the
temple
through
massive
silver-plated
doors,
which
are
engraved
with
scenes
of
the
epic
Ramayana
story.
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.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.
A
tapering
crown
adorns
the
idol,
which
has
a
sacred
thread
on
the
right
shoulder
and
is
clad
in
a
fashioned
dhoti.
The
height
of
the
temple
is
reported
to
be
108
ft
(32.9
m).[8]
The
ceiling
of
the
main
mandap
(hall
or
pavilion)
depicts
the
epic
story
of
Ramayana
artistically
painted.
In
recent
years,
the
New
Delhi
Municipal
Corporation
(NDMC)
has
enhanced
the
religious
character
of
the
temple
precincts
by
incorporating
within
the
main
complex
a
shrine
to
Shiva,
Parvati
and
their
children,
of
the
same
size
as
the
adjoining
main
sanctum,
another
enclosure
housing
idols
of
Durga,
Lakshmi
Narayan
and
Ganesha
and
on
the
south
in
an
annex
the
idol
of
goddess
Santoshi
Mata
(the
wish
fulfilling
goddess).
The
last
named
deity
has
created
a
cult
culture
among
women
with
Friday
worship
that
was
propagated
by
the
religious
feature
film
Jai
Santoshi
Ma,
since
1975
4 people found this review helpful 👍
