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The Story Behind Hanuman Jayanti

What is it?

Also known as Hanuman Jayanti; a Hindu festival that celebrates the birth of Lord Hanuman.

When is it?

Since it follows the lunar calendar, it typically falls in March or April. In 2024, it’s on April 23.

Where is it celebrated?

Primarily celebrated by Hindu communities globally

How is it celebrated?

Hanuman is one of the few chiranjeevi (immortal beings) still roaming the earth. It is said that Hanuman will remain as long as Ram’s name is chanted.

About Hanuman's Features

The Anatomy of Lord Hanuman: Known as the god of strength, devotion and courage.

Broken Jaw: "Hanu" means jaw, "Man" means prominent

Mace: symbolizes strength

Tail: Denotes he is part-monkey, and part-human

The Story & Characters

This is the story of how Hanuman was born. But first, let's meet the characters:

Kesari and Anjana: Hanuman's parents. Think of Anjana as a fairy, and Kesari as Mowgli in the Jungle Book. He was part-human-part-monkey that lived in the forest.

Next is Vayu: The God of the Wind. He is often also referred to as Hanuman's father for his pivotal role.

The last role is the Rishi: A sage.

One day, Anjana decided to descend upon earth. As she was roaming around, she came upon a Rishi, but in the form of a monkey. He was in a deep meditation.

She thought, "LOL, what's a monkey doing meditating?"

She began to act really obnoxious and laugh and throw rocks at him, in hopes of breaking his concentration.

Well, not only did she succeed, but she really pissed him off. So the Rishi put a curse on Anajana:

"You, too, will take on the form of a monkey. Only after you give birth to an avatar of Shiva, will your curse be lifted."

As soon as Anjana saw her body getting covered in fur and sprouting a tail, she panicked and began frantically running through the forest.

She came upon a hermitage, where she met Kesari, who she would eventually marry.

Once their "happily ever after" began, they decided to devote their time to worshipping Lord Shiva 24/7.

Meanwhile, in a land far away, there was a religious ceremony being performed to help married couples bear children. (Check out last week's #TheologyThursday on Ram Navami to see the mindblowing connection!)

Just as the priest was about to offer the couple prasad (a cup of pudding), Lord Shiva summoned Vayu to give a portion of the pudding to Anjana.

Vayu told her to eat it so she could be blesed with an avatar of Shiva. Nine-ish months went by and Hanuman was born to Kesari and Anajana.

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Modi Toys is a children's brand of toys and books inspired by ancient Hindu culture. We exist to spread joy and to spark curiosity in the next generation through our innovative soft plush toys, illustrated children's books and free learning resources. Our weekly Theology Thursday series covers a wide range of topics rooted in Hinduism to help us better understand the origins of traditions, the symbolic meaning of rituals, and the stories behind Hindu holidays and festivals. The more we can understand "the why" behind this 4,000 year ancient religion, and make sense of it in this modern age, the greater we can appreciate and preserve our rich Hindu culture. While we take great care in thoroughly researching the information presented, we may occasionally get some things wrong. We encourage a healthy and open dialogue so we can learn together. Please leave a comment below or email us directly at support@moditoys.com to address any concerns.