DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.636#0233
Worship of Hanuman. 221
gods. Thus the Simian king Sugrlva was said to be a son of
the Sun, and another chief named Bali was a son of Indra.
Hanuman, on the other hand, was believed to be a son of
the wind (Pavana or Maruta). He could assume any form at
will, wield rocks, remove mountains, dart through the air,
seize clouds, and rival Vishnu's divine bird Garuda in swift-
ness of flight. His devotion to Rama's service was so great
that he is worshipped over a great part of India as the type
and model of a faithful devoted servant. Many believe that
when propitiated he can confer supernatural muscular strength
and bodily power. His images, which, to denote the reverence
in which they are held, are always smeared with vermilion
(sindura) and oil, are generally rudely formed, and often I
noticed that they were most common in the Dekhan, where
they are generally found outside villages. Not that there is
any lack of them in large towns. In the centre of Poona,
I came across a shrine containing a shapeless idol, which was
said to be an image of Hanuman several hundred years old.
It was set up under a Banian tree. A man was in the act of
painting it with bright red paint as I passed, and another
man was prostrating himself at full length on the ground
before it.
Again, I visited a large temple dedicated to Hanuman out-
side the town of Kaira. It is said to be well endowed.
Offerings of oil are constantly presented to Hanuman, and
eighty Maunds of oil had recently been offered to this idol.
Within the enclosure of his temple were shrines to Rama
and Krishna, both of which occupied subordinate positions.
Of course the worship of Hanuman is usually connected
with that of Vishnu, but here in this enclosure was also a
Linga shrine1, and another of the goddess of small-pox,
and all around was a cloister which served as a Dharma-
sala, or lodging for travellers.
1 According to some legends, Hanuman was a son of Siva.
gods. Thus the Simian king Sugrlva was said to be a son of
the Sun, and another chief named Bali was a son of Indra.
Hanuman, on the other hand, was believed to be a son of
the wind (Pavana or Maruta). He could assume any form at
will, wield rocks, remove mountains, dart through the air,
seize clouds, and rival Vishnu's divine bird Garuda in swift-
ness of flight. His devotion to Rama's service was so great
that he is worshipped over a great part of India as the type
and model of a faithful devoted servant. Many believe that
when propitiated he can confer supernatural muscular strength
and bodily power. His images, which, to denote the reverence
in which they are held, are always smeared with vermilion
(sindura) and oil, are generally rudely formed, and often I
noticed that they were most common in the Dekhan, where
they are generally found outside villages. Not that there is
any lack of them in large towns. In the centre of Poona,
I came across a shrine containing a shapeless idol, which was
said to be an image of Hanuman several hundred years old.
It was set up under a Banian tree. A man was in the act of
painting it with bright red paint as I passed, and another
man was prostrating himself at full length on the ground
before it.
Again, I visited a large temple dedicated to Hanuman out-
side the town of Kaira. It is said to be well endowed.
Offerings of oil are constantly presented to Hanuman, and
eighty Maunds of oil had recently been offered to this idol.
Within the enclosure of his temple were shrines to Rama
and Krishna, both of which occupied subordinate positions.
Of course the worship of Hanuman is usually connected
with that of Vishnu, but here in this enclosure was also a
Linga shrine1, and another of the goddess of small-pox,
and all around was a cloister which served as a Dharma-
sala, or lodging for travellers.
1 According to some legends, Hanuman was a son of Siva.