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Hanuman Temple Connaught Place Delhi
The capital city of Delhi is thronged with numerous temples tracing their history from ancient times that are today counted amongst the top tourist attractions in India. Amongst those, one such revered shrine is Hanuman Temple located at Baba Kharak Singh Marg in Connaught Place. Every year, lakhs of devotees come to this place to commemorate Lord Hanuman who is also the presiding deity of this Hindu temple in Delhi. Moreover, as per the folklore, the deity of the temple is self-manifested. The idol of Lord Hanuman at the temple is placed in such a way that it faces the south direction holding a ‘Gada’ (the weapon of Lord Hanuman) in his left hand, while, the other hand rests on his chest in reverence to the effigies of Lord Rama, his brother Laxmana and wife Sita. On every Tuesday and Saturday, the temple receives oodles of pilgrims who come to offer their prayers. Besides, the auspicious day of Hanuman Jayanti also marks a heavy gathering of devotees at this Lord Hanuman’s temple in Delhi.
Boasting a height of around 108 feet, this temple, at present, serves as one of the major religious centres in Delhi. Being reckoned amongst the oldest Hanuman temples in India, this shrine is also believed to be erected by Pandavas after the Kurukshetra war against the Kauravas, and thus, it is also known as one of the five temples of Mahabharata days in Delhi. However, the original temple said to have been constructed in 1724 AD by Raja Jai Singh. Since its inception, the temple has undergone numerous modification. An amazing fact to know about this temple is that from August 1 1964, the temple is following a unique way of worshipping the deity where a 24-hour hymn chanting is performed at the temple. It is claimed that this unique fact is also listed in Guinness Book of World Records.
Spacious Architecture
This centuries-old temple of Lord Hanuman in Delhi traces its history from 1724 AD. It has a magnificent architectural design with a height of around 108 ft. that lures the eyes of many pass byers. The entrance gate of the temple is ornamented with embossed artwork. Along with that, the Hindu epic Ramayana is also painted on the roof of the temple by the saint Tulsidas. Just below these paintings, one can see the engraved verses of Sundarakant of Tulsidas’s Ramcharitmanas.
Legend and History
As per tales and stories associated with this temple, it is said that Tulsidas - the great Hindu saint and renowned poet who penned down the hymns of Hanuman Chalisa, visited this temple. On his visit to Delhi, he was called by the Mughal Emperor who him to perform a miracle; he successfully did so with the blessings of Lord Hanuman. By seeing his miracle, the Mughal Emperor got pleased and awarded the Hanuman Temple adorned with an Islamic crescent Moon finial. It is also said that because of this crescent on the spire of this shrine, Muslim rulers who conquered the country at various times did not do any harm to this temple.
Opening/Closing Timing:
The timings of Hanuman Temple Connaught Place are 5:00 AM to 1:00 PM and 3:00 PM to 11:00 PM. On Tuesdays, the operates from 4:00 AM till 2:00 AM. Whereas, on Saturdays, after opening at 4:00 AM, the temple does not close, and thus, remains open the whole night. Despite the fluctuating timings, the morning aarti begins at 5:30 AM daily.
Location Address:
Hanuman Mandir (Temple), Connaught Place, Delhi - 110001
How to Reach?
In order to reach, one has to get down at Rajiv Chowk metro station which serves as the nearest metro station to Hanuman Temple. The station is located at a distance of a few metres from the temple, and hence, you can cover it just by walking. Rajiv Chowk is touted as the busiest metro station of Delhi and is lies on both Yellow line and Blue line metro.
Best Time to Visit
This Hanuman Temple in Connaught Place can be visited any time during the year. Yet, the days of Tuesday and Saturday are considered the best time to visit Hanuman Temple in Connaught Place. Moreover, the auspicious day of Hanuman Jayanti (birth anniversary of Lord Hanuman) marks the heavy footfall of devotees.
Nearby Tourist Attractions
In around the temple, there are numerous attractions where one must visit after exploring the Hanuman Temple in Connaught Place. These are:
- Gurudwara Bangla Sahib
- Jantar Mantar
- Palika Bazaar
- Jhandewalan Hanuman Temple
- India Gate
- Central Park
- Agrasen ki Baoli
- Connaught Place Market
- Sacred Heart Cathedral
- Shivaji Stadium