His Story
Hanuman, son of the wind god Vayu, was divine from birth. The Puranas tell that as a baby, he saw the rising sun, thought it was a ripe mango, and leapt into the sky to eat it! As he grew, young Hanuman was so playful with his powers that the sages placed a gentle condition: he would forget his strength until someone reminded him. Years later, when Rama needed someone to cross the ocean to find Sita, the wise bear Jambavan reminded Hanuman who he was. Hanuman grew huge, leapt across the entire sea to Lanka, found Sita, and returned — his forgotten strength awakened by a good cause.
The Perfect Devotee
In the great war, when Lakshmana lay dying and only a rare herb from a Himalayan mountain could save him, Hanuman flew north. Unable to identify the herb, he simply lifted the whole mountain and carried it back on his palm. Yet Hanuman never took credit. Once, when asked how he saw himself, he gave an answer devotees never forget: 'When I forget who I am, I serve you. When I remember who I am, you and I are one.' He is a Chiranjeevi — one blessed to live as long as Rama's story is told on earth.
Worship
Hanuman Jayanti celebrates his birth. Tuesdays and Saturdays are his special days, when devotees visit his temples and recite the Hanuman Chalisa — forty verses of praise sung by millions every single day. He is prayed to for strength, courage, and protection from fear.
