Hindu Council UK

Hinduism > Festival Meanings & Significance

Hanuman Jayanti

On the full-moon day of chaitra exactly at sunrise a festival is arranged in the temple of Hanuman to celebrate his birth

Hindus believe in ten avatars of Vishnu. In order to destroy Ravan, Vishnu took birth as Rama. At the same time Brahmadev commanded all the gods, gandharvas and rishis to take birth (avatar) to help Rama. The avatar of Vayu (wind) was Hanuman, who was of all the monkeys the cleverest and the most powerful.

The Birth of Hanuman Anjana had no son, she began to do penance. She gave up eating and drinking. She prayed to god Vayu not only to get her a son, but that he should be powerful and swift, just like god Vayu himself. Vayu answered: "Tathastu", "Amen", "Let it be as you desire." In the morning of the first 14th day of Chaitra in a cave on the Rushyamuk mountain, Anjana gave birth to her son Hanuman. Soon after his birth Hanuman came out of the cave and, as the sun was rising, he went.


Rama's Devotee Saturday is the day of Hanuman, and some people fast on Saturday in honour of Hanuman. He was one of the chief warriors of King Sugreeva. Hanuman went all over Lanka and found the palace where Sita was kept in captivity. Eknath in his "Bhavartha Ramayana" describes one of Hanuman's great exploits. In the fight against Ravan, Lakshman was wounded by a poisoned arrow and fell unconscious. To save him four herbs had to be brought very urgently from the Himalayas. Hanuman offered himself for the task. He went at full speed towards the Himalayas. But as he could not recognise the needed herbs, he picked up the mountain in his hand and flew back to Lanka, just in time to save Lakshman. With the help of Hanuman, Rama defeated Ravana and rescued Sita. He is the ideal devotee of Rama. Hanuman, is also known as "Bajrang" or strong like "vajra" ("thunderbolt").