Chennai: Anjaneya Bhaktha Sabha at Ashok Nagar will celebrate Hanumath Jayanthi for two days from 25 December.
Located at 53rd Street, the temple has a 15-foot tall Hanuman Idol that is being worshipped by numerous devotees everyday for nearly two decades.
Speaking about the celebrations, sabha secretary and one of the trustees R Krishnamoorthi said, “Hanumath Jayanthi is celebrated every year for 10 days in a grand manner and this year it starts from 23 December with Ganapathy Homam. On 25 December, at 6 am, the idol will be decorated with garland made of laddu. It will be followed by Ekadhina Laksharchanai which will be held from 7 am to 1 pm and from 4 pm to 10 pm. Devotees themselves can perform the archanai with flowers and it will happen in 12 batches.”
“On 26 December, at 4.30 am special abhishekam will be done and at 6 am the temple will be closed due to Solar Eclipse. By 3 pm, the temple will be opened and the idol will be decorated with silver kavacham. At the end of the 10-day festival annadhanam will be given,” he added.
Upon entering the temple, people can straightaway get the darshan of the majestic idol in standing posture with folded hands. It is said that worshipping the deity will help get away with all kinds of doshas.
Speaking about the temple, Krishnamoorthi said, “The idol was first installed in 1994. But the temple was constructed by 2000 and the first kumbhabhishekam was done in 2000. The temple is functioning under the guidance of Rama Gopalan, founder, Hindu Munnani, who is also the trustee.”
The temple’s latest kumbhabhishekam was performed in 2012. The temple also has a separate shrine for Vinayagar and Bharatha Matha idol can also be seen.
“Everyday, abhishekam is performed to the idol. On Saturdays, the lord will be decorated with silver kavacham in the morning and in the evening it will be decorated with either butter or sandal,” Krishnamoorthi said.
“The lord is said to free the devotees from any kinds of dosha and numerous devotees visit the temple regularly. They worship by offering vadamalai either for the full idol, which is poorana vadamalai, or only to his hands, which is 108 vadamaalai. On Thursdays, lot of people offer beetle leaf garland as well,” he said while speaking about the specialities of the temple.
The Anjaneyar Bhaktha Sabha also conducts many social welfare activities. It is conducting free after school tuition inside the temple premises for government and government-aided school students for more than 20 years. Classes would be held from 6 pm to 8 pm. The temple trust also provides school uniforms and notebooks to the students. “Students who had studied here, in order to give it back to the society volunteer to teach here,” Krishnamoorthi said.
“Also every month special annadhanam is arranged where 1000 people are getting benefited. Mid-day meal is also given to nearly 800 students studying in government and corporation schools nearby. Medical camps too happen regularly and free tailoring classes is also conducted to women through the trust. The members of the trust also donate blood to the blood bank regularly,” Krishnamoorthi said.
For details, contact 044 2471 6010.