How to Worship Hanuman and Where
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Hanuman worship is simple and open to everyone. Sincere devotion matters more than elaborate ritual.
Days and times
Tuesday and Saturday are traditionally days of Hanuman worship, and many devotees visit temples on these days. Hanuman Jayanti is his birth festival. Morning and evening are common times for prayer. Customs vary between regions and families.
Common offerings
- Sindoor mixed with sesame or jasmine oil, applied to his image.
- Flowers, especially red flowers and marigold garlands; garlands of betel (paan) leaves are also offered in many places.
- Sweets such as boondi or besan laddu, and simple offerings like jaggery, gram and banana.
- A lamp (diya) and incense.
Texts devotees recite
- Hanuman Chalisa: the forty-verse hymn, recited daily by millions.
- Sundara Kanda: the fifth book of the Ramayana, centred on Hanuman.
- Hanuman Ashtak: eight verses beseeching Hanuman as Sankat Mochan.
- Bajrang Baan: a widely recited hymn for protection.
- Ram naam: chanting Ram's name is said to please Hanuman most.
See the simple path vidhi for reciting the Hanuman Chalisa.
Famous Hanuman temples
- Sankat Mochan Hanuman Temple, Varanasi
- Traditionally linked to Tulsidas, and known for its Tuesday and Saturday crowds.
- Hanuman Garhi, Ayodhya
- A hilltop fort-like temple in Ram's city, reached by a long flight of steps.
- Salasar Balaji, Rajasthan
- One of the best-known Balaji temples, in the Churu district.
- Mehandipur Balaji, Rajasthan
- A major Balaji shrine in the Dausa district.
- Kashtabhanjan Hanuman, Sarangpur, Gujarat
- A popular temple of Hanuman as the remover of hardships.
- Hanuman Dhara, Chitrakoot
- A shrine on a hill where a stream is said to flow near Hanuman's image.
- Anjanadri Hill, near Hampi, Karnataka
- Revered by many as his birthplace.
- Anjaneri, near Nashik, Maharashtra
- Another place honoured as his birthplace.
- Jakhu Temple, Shimla
- A hilltop temple known for its tall Hanuman statue.
- Bhadra Maruti, Khuldabad, Maharashtra
- A temple where Hanuman is shown reclining.
- Prachin Hanuman Mandir, Connaught Place, Delhi
- A long-standing Hanuman temple in the heart of Delhi.
Learn about his birth festival, the lessons of his life, or return to the Hanuman ji guide. Details of temples, timings and customs can change, so please check locally before you visit.
A note on sources: the story of Hanuman is told in the Valmiki Ramayana (Sanskrit), Tulsidas's Ramcharitmanas (Awadhi), the Mahabharata, the Puranas and many regional retellings. The accounts agree on the main events but differ in details, so this guide says so wherever traditions differ.