Hindu God Hanuman

The following is mostly from several entries in Wikipedia:

Hanuman is the Protector of the temple, the palace, and the king. He is one of the most popular deities and worshiped everywhere in India and Nepal.

He is a Hindu deity who was an ardent devotee of Rama (an incarnation of Vishnu) according to the Hindu legends. He is a central character in the Indian epic Ramayana and its various versions. He also finds mentions in several other texts, including Mahabharata, the various Puranas and some Jain texts. A vanara (ape-like humanoid), Hanuman participated in Rama's war against the demon king Ravana.

Hanuman was born to the humanoid creatures called the vanaras. His mother Anjana was an apsara who was born on earth as a female vanara due to a curse. She would be redeemed from this curse on her giving birth to a son. The Valmiki Ramayana states that his father Kesari was the son of Brihaspati and that Kesari also fought on Rama's side in the war against Ravana. Anjana and Kesari performed intense prayers to Shiva to get a child. Pleased with their devotion, Shiva granted them the boon they sought.

In another legend he helped Lakshmi. When Lakshmi is severely wounded during the battle against Ravana, Hanuman is sent to fetch the Sanjivani, a powerful life-restoring herb, from Dronagiri mountain in the Himalayas, to revive him. Ravana realizes that if Lakshmi dies, a distraught Rama would probably give up, and so he dispatches the sorcerer Kalanemi to intercept Hanuman. Kalanemi, in the guise of a sage, deceives Hanuman, but Hanuman uncovers his plot with the help of an apsara, whom he rescues from her accursed state as a crocodile.

Ravana, upon learning that Kalanemi has been slain by Hanuman, summons Surya to rise before its appointed time because the physician Sushena had said that Lakshmi would perish if untreated by daybreak. Hanuman realizes the danger, however, and, becoming many times his normal size, detains the Sun God to prevent the break of day. He then resumes his search for the precious herb, but, when he finds himself unable to identify which herb it is, he lifts the entire mountain and delivers it to the battlefield in Lanka. Sushena then identifies and administers the herb, and Lakshmi is saved. Rama embraces Hanuman, declaring him as dear to him as his own brother. Hanuman releases Surya from his grip, and asks forgiveness, as the Sun was also his Guru.

Hanuman is depicted with human form and a monkey face. He is worshiped in many places. I saw several small statues or shrines dedicated to Hanuman, where people worshiped.

You can find more information on the Hanuman page on Wikipedia.

All pictures are © Dr. Günther Eichhorn, unless otherwise noted.

Images of Hanuman

Picture of Hanuman the Protector on a house in Panauti, Nepal. (1022k)

Shrine of the Monkey God Hanuman, the Protector of the king, in Panauti, Nepal. (855k)

Monkey God Hanuman, covered with red paint, on the Chandeshwari Temple, Nepal. (878k)

Closer view of Hanuman in the Hindu shrine in Dhulikhel, Nepal. The red color is used to decorate Hindu temples and shrines. After worship, people touch their forehead with the red paint. (1055k)

Hanuman Dhoka Portal in Kathmandu Durbar Square, Nepal, the entrance to the palace with a Hanuman statue, clothed, with garlands under an umbrella. The gate dates to 1672. (825k)