The Hindu festival of Hanuman Jayanti, is just around the corner. Lord Hanuman is one of the most important and revered Gods in Hinduism. He is recognised as an epitome of devotion, faith, valour and selfless love (this selfless service for Lord Rama teaches us the meaning of true friendship).
Apart from Ramayana and Mahabharata, Hanuman is mentioned in several other religious texts. He is worshipped not only in India , but also in Southeast Asia, although in different forms and with varying legends.
The word Hanuman is derived from two Sanskrit words ‘Hanu’ and ‘Man’. While the word ‘Hanu’ means jaw, ‘Man’ means disfigured. Hanuman was called so because he had a disfigured jaw right from his childhood.
* When he was young Hanuman flew straight to the Sun (which he misinterpreted to be a ripe fruit) and tried to swallow it. That is when Indra attacked him with his Vajra (thunderbolt) and he fell straight to earth, when his jaw was disfigured.
* Lord Hanuman’s mother Anjana was a celestial nymph called Punjikasthala who was cursed to be born as a monkey on earth when she offended a sage.
* According to legend, Hanuman is one of the four people to have heard the Bhagwad Gita from Krishna and seen the Vishvarupa form, the other three being Arjuna, Sanjaya and Barbarika son of Ghatotkacha.
* Hanuman also created his version of Ramayan – which was supposedly a superior version compared to that of Valmiki’s.
* Women are not allowed to touch Hanuman’s feet. Hanuman was a bal brahmachari (meaning unmarried/ celibate). So, men are allowed to worship and touch the idol. Women can worship but should not touch the idol.