sarangpur-hanumanji-temple | Sarangpur Hanumanji Temple

Monday, 05 October 2009 10:09

Sarangpur Hanumanji Temple

About:

Hanumanji Maharaj at Sarangpur, is famed around the world for expelling spirits and Ghosts from people plagued with such problems. This was due to the blessing of Gopalanand Swami to Vagha Khachar, who invoked Hanumanji with his wand, to be ever present in the idol to drive out such evils. The kind Swami helped Vagha Khachar with such blessing as he readily served saints and devotees offering them hospitality. As a result his income had dwindled. Swami therefore decided to help him by installing the idol of Hanuman, which provided a strong source of income, which facilitated him to continue to render service to saints and devotees. Later on he dedicated the income permanently to the temple at Gadhpur.This service continues today as hundreds comes to Sarangpur at the feet of Hanumanji Maharaj to be rid of such problems.

Shri Hanuman Mandir, Sarangpur is a Hindu temple located in Sarangpur, Gujarat and comes under the Vadtal Gadi of the Swaminarayan Sampraday. It is dedicated to Hanuman in the form of Kastbhanjan (Crusher of sorrows). It is the only Swaminarayan temple to have Hanuman as a central deity. In other temples, the central deity is a human form with the shrine of Hanuman along with that of Ganpati at the entrance of the temple.

Location info:

Address:Sarangpur,Gujrat,India

District:Ahemadabad

Nearest City: Ahemadabad

Best time to visit: October to March

Climate/Weather:

Summers at Ahmedabad are usually very hot with temperatures rising up to 45 degree
Winters are also very chilly with temperatures dropping up to 5 degree centigrade.

History:

This temple is among the more prominent ones in the Swaminarayan Sampraday. The image of Hanuman was installed by Gopalanand Swami. According to author Raymond Williams, it is reported that when Gopalanand Swami installed the image of Hanuman, he touched it with a rod and the image came alive and moved. This story has become a charter for the healing ritual performed at this temple.The image of Hanuman here is a stout figure with a handlebar moustache, crushing a female demon under his foot and baring his teeth, standing among sculpted foliage full of fruit bearing monkey attendants.

Hanuman was born to 'Anjana', a female vanara. Anjana was actually an apsara or a celestial being, named 'Punjikasthala', who, due to a curse, was born on the earth as a female vanara. The curse was to be removed upon her giving birth to an incarnation of Lord Shiva.Along with Kesari, Anjana performed intense prayers to Shiva to beget Him as her Child. Pleased with their devotion, Shiva granted them the boon they sought.

Interesting things to do:

worship:
Lord Hanumanji is worshipped very widely in India by all the castes and communities as he is considered the god for all the human beings. There are thousands of Hanumanji temples all over the country. Even you will find Hanumanji temple in every small village3 in India. Moreover,Hanumanji statue shall be always kept in the temples of Lord Ram and Lord Shiva temples. However, there are very few most important and vital temples of Hanumanji in India. One of such most vital temple is situated at Sarangpur near Dhandhuka in the Central Gujarat. This Hanumanji temple is considered most holy and sacred, as the statue of Hanumanji is self produced and is not manmade.

Interesting things to Visit:

Jama Masjid:
The Jama Masjid was built by Ahmed Shah in 1423. The building materials were provided to this mosque by the demolished Hindu and Jain temples. The 260 columns support the 15 domes at different elevations. There were once two shaking minarets, but they lost half their height in the great earthquake of 1819 and 1957. The 2001 earthquake then took its toll, leaving cracks in the masonry and destroying several jalis.

Sidi Saiyad's Jadi:
Sidi Saiyad's Mosque, close to the river, was once part of the old citadel wall. Sidi Saiyad Mosque was constructed in 1573 by Sidi Saiyad, a sometime slave of Ahmed Shah and a general of Abysinian origin. This mosque is one of the Ahmedabad's most stunning buildings. This mosque is best known for its intricate perforated stone work and has beautiful carved stone windows or jalis which depict the intricate intervening of the branches of the kalpa tree.

Rani Sipri's Mosque:
The Rani Sipri's Mosque is situated to the southeast of the centre of the Ahmedabad city. This small mosque is also known as the Masjid-e-Nagira or Jewel of the Mosque due to its graceful construction, with slender minarets. It is said to have been commissioned in 1514 by the wife of Sultan Mahmud Begara after he executed their son for some minor mistake. She is also buried here.

Rani Rupmati's Mosque:
Rani Rupmati's Mosque is situated to the north of the centre of the Ahmedabad city. This mosque was built between 1430 and 1440 and was named after the Hindu wife of the Sultan. The minarets were damaged in the great earthquake of 1819. The dome is elevated to allow light in around its base. This mosque combines elements of Hindu and Islamic design.

Hathee Singh Temple:
The Hathee Singh temple Ahmedabad is a very famous Jain temple; one of the most popular Jain temples in Ahmedabad. The temple has been named after its founder Seth Hathee Singh, a prosperous Jain merchant, and is now one of the well known holy places in Ahmedabad.The Hathee Singh Temple is an architectural marvel in white marble. Hathee Singh Jain temple is a double storied construction that has a dome on the front side. The other two sides of the temple consist of lavishly carved out galleries. The Hathee Singh Temple Ahmedabad is one of the most beautiful Jain temples in Ahmedabad Gujarat and follows the typical Jain temple architecture commonly to be seen in the temples of Dilwara and Ranakpur in the neighboring state of Rajasthan.

Mobile range info:

How to reach?

Nearest Railway Station:Ahmedabad, Baroda railway line

Nearest Airport:Ahemdabad airport

Road Transport:State Transport and Luxury buses are available from Ahmedabad and Vaodara.

Nearest Visiting places:

Children's Park:
This is a good picnic spot for families, children and the youth. There is a lake and you may avail the boating facility provided. There is a mini train also which children may find very amusing.

SaritaUdyan:
Akin to the Children`s park the Sarita Udyan as the name suggests is a park and is a prominent picnic spot. The recreational facilities available here are one of a kind and is a must visit.

Deer Park:
Adjacent to the Sarita Udyan is the deer park. It serves as a perfect refuge for those seeking some calm and peace away from the din of the city. It’s not merely for the young but you can see older people visiting the place as well.

Craftsmen's Village:
The highly advanced capital city, Gandhinagar also has a distinct place which is dedicated to the art of Bandhani prints .The village is situated about 7 km form the capital city. It is popular not merely for the prints but also wooden blocks carved with exquisite designs on hand printed cloth. Those of you who wish to purchase some ethnic bandhani printed fabric must visit the
place as you get them at very reasonable prices.

Adlaj:
This spot is known to be famous for its step-well Called AdlajVav and during the ancient times this location was known as Dandi Desh, the spot pulls in tourist from far and near.

Koba Teerth:
During the year 1980 this holy shrine of Koba Teerth was built in memory of His Holiness Acharyashri Kailas Sagarsuriji Maharaj Saheb. The greatest wonder of this shrine is that, every year during the month May dated 22nd, the ray of the rising sun will pass through to the pinnacle and shine on the forehead of the idol of Bhagwan Mahavir Swami, this idol is beautifully placed in the shrine in the position of Padmasana and white in colour which enhances divinity to the pilgrims and visitors. This wonder temple of Jain pilgrim center is situated on the way between Gandhinagar and Ahemdabad and on the banks of the River Sabarmati.

Akshardham:
Akshardham is a unique cultural complex built in Gandhinagar in memory of Lord Swaminarayan. Inspired by H. D. Pramukh Swami Maharaj, Akshardham is a miracle worked by the service and devotion of thousands of volunteers. It is an intricately carved, majestic monument of 6000 tons of pink sand stone. The entire monument was built without the use of steel. Besides a 7 feet gold leafed idol of Lord Swaminarayan and his holy relics, there are three exhibitions on Indian Culture with light and sound shows, a multimedia show and an animatronic show. Games, rides and food refreshments are other attractions of Akshardham.

Hussain-Doshi's Gufa:
Hussain-Doshi's Gufa It is a gallery housing the collaborative efforts of artist M. F. Hussain and the architect B. V. Doshi. Here, art and architecture fuse to become a unique experience, both complementing each other magnificently.Located in the campus of the Centre for Environment Planning and Technology, the Gufa is a configuration of cave-like structures buried under the ground. This marvel of contemporary architecture was constructed using computer aided design and tribal initiative.

Sayaji Bagh:
Sayaji Baug (the famous park) is situated on river Vishwamitri and was built by Sayajirao III in 1879. Sprawling over 113 acres, it also includes an excellent zoo, the Baroda Museum and Picture Gallery, the Museum of Health and Hygiene and the Sardar Patel Planetarium.A major attraction for children is the 3.5 kms joy ride through the park on the toy train.

Fateh Singh Museum:
Maharaja Fateh Singh Museum houses a remarkably huge number of art works of the royal family. Maharaja Sir Sayajirao Gaekwad III during his several visits abroad collected pieces of art and stored them here. The most fascinating collection of this museum however comprises of host of paintings by European and Indian artists. In this collection, paintings of Raja Ravi Varma who was specially deployed by the then Maharaja of Baroda catches the limelight. His collections essentially comprises of the portraits of the Royal family and paintings based on Hindu mythology. Hindu mythology was the forte of Raja Ravi Varma.

This apart, at Maharaja Fateh Singh Museum in Vadodara you will also get to see the striking collection of sculptures in marble and bronze. This collection comprises of the representation of great masters in bronze specially made to order by the Maharaja and also originals by famous artists. Besides, you will also come across works of an Italian artist called Fellicci who not only decorated the museum with his fine works but also the Lakshmi Vilas Palace.