Hanuman Jayanti


Hanuman Jayanti

March-April; Hindu month of CaitraHanuman, the Monkey God and a central figure in the great Hindu epic, the Ramayana, helped Rama rescue his wife Sita from the demon Ravana; for this Rama decreed the two always be worshipped together. He is revered by Hindus all over India in the form of a monkey with a red face who stands erect like a human. His birth anniversary is observed in the month of Caitra with celibacy, fasting, and reading the Hanuman-Chalisa . Hindus visit his temples, of which there are many, to offer prayers on this day and to re-paint his image with vermilion.
SOURCES:
DictWrldRel-1989, p. 294
FolkWrldHol-1999, p. 257
RelHolCal-2004, p. 186