Hanuman Jayanti is the full moon of Chaitra. In Gujarat the day draws its largest crowd to Salangpur in Botad district, to the temple of Kashtabhanjan Dev, Hanuman as the breaker of afflictions, installed in 1848 by a disciple of Swaminarayan. Everywhere the day begins before dawn, since Hanuman was born at sunrise, and is spent in recitation of the Hanuman Chalisa and Sundar Kand.
The story
The Salangpur image shows Hanuman with a female demon of affliction, Panoti, crushed under his foot. People bring the troubled and the possessed there on Saturdays, and the temple feeds all who come.
Hanuman is the son of the wind and the servant of Rama, strong, celibate and deathless. Every village in Gujarat has his shrine at its gate, the image coated in oil and sindoor.
How it is kept
- Dawn aratiAt the hour of the birth.
- Tel and sindoorOil and vermilion are offered, with a garland of akda flowers.
- Sundar KandGroup recitations go on through the day.
- PrasadBoondi, gram and jaggery; and bhandaras that feed thousands.
Why this date
Hanuman Jayanti is Chaitri Poonam, on the day the full-moon tithi is present at sunrise.
Hanuman Jayanti in other years
| Year | Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Thursday | |
| 2027 | Tuesday | |
| 2028 | Sunday | |
| 2029 | Saturday | |
| 2030 | Thursday | |
| 2031 | Monday |
More Gujarati festivals
15 AprilRam Navamiરામ નવમી
7 AprilChaitra Navratriચૈત્રી નવરાત્રી
8 MayAkha Trijઅખાત્રીજ
14 JulyDevpodhi Agiyarasદેવપોઢી અગિયારસ
23 MarchHoli and Dhuletiહોળી · ધુળેટી
18 JulyGuru Purnimaગુરુ પૂર્ણિમા
Where to see Hanuman Jayanti
In Gujarat
- Kashtabhanjan Dev, SalangpurGujaratThe most visited Hanuman temple of Gujarat.
- Camp Hanuman, AhmedabadGujaratA temple inside the army cantonment, with queues through the day.
- Dandi Hanuman, Bet DwarkaGujaratOn the island off Dwarka, where Hanuman is shown with his son Makardhwaj.
Across India
- Hanuman Garhi, AyodhyaUttar PradeshThe fortress temple that guards Rama's city.
- SalasarRajasthanThe great fair of Salasar Balaji on this full moon.
- HampiKarnatakaAnjanadri, held to be his birthplace.