Hanuman

[Webimpulse]

Namaste HDF,

I recently learned from my local temple that in September they are hoping to put in a new murthi of Shri Hanuman. I volunteered to help in promoting the event, since my expertise is writing (and I also asked if there is any other way I can contribute). However, I have to admit I do not know much, if anything, about Shri Hanuman.

I still have much to read of the Ramayana, or Ramesh Menon's translation, anyway. I'll probably know more once I read more of that particular scripture, but is there anyone who can tell me about Shri Hanuman in the meantime? I want to make sure I'm knowledgeable about Hanuman for this event.

[ShivaFan]

Namaste Webimpulse
I would not go into a lot of detail, since this sounds more like an invitation to come and have darshan with the murthi of Lord Hanuman being installed officially at your temple. Most Hindus understand the background, history and Divinity of Hanuman, so there is not a need to go into all of such details and also the reason you may not want to do so is that aspects of Lord Hanuman’s manifestation as given notable significance varies from one tradition or one Sampradaya to another even though they all share “the basics”.

The dilemma in giving any specific “help” is that, the very NAME given to the murthi is vital information, and such usage varies between, for example, North Indian traditions and South Indian traditions. They may share common names that link the Divinity to some parentage or aspect of personality, and there are many other examples, but South Indians like to given certain names to Hanuman which differ from North Indians as beloved usage of such names.

For example, He may be called by names such as Anjaneya, Bajrang Bali, Kesari Nandan, Vayu Putra, Pavan Putra, Maruti, Radudreya, and different “Swami” names, depending ON WHICH REGION OR TRADITION. So first question would be, is your temple a South Indian tradition or North Indian, etc? The first thing I would do is ask the Pujari, what NAME will be given to Lord Hanumanji Murthi? Hanuman is also known as “Anumandan” in South India. I know this makes it sound a little “complicated”, but actually it is not if you inquire from the pujari what name will be given. It may be as simple as “Hanumanji”.

As far as keeping the “description” as simple as possible in the invitation, with references to having personal darshan with Lord Hanuman as the ardent devotee of Sita and Ram Whom live in His heart.

But first – the name?

Om Namah Sivaya

[Viraja]

I thought of a good idea. Here is for example, an English translation of Shri Hanuman Chalisa. You could go through this paragraph by paragraph, note down the points spoken of Shri Hanuman and then finally put them all together in your 'write-up' and as a footnote, offer thanks to this site's translation of Shri Hanuman Chalisa. If needed (which I doubt), more translations of slokas on Hanuman could be looked up on the internet to do a similar process.

[Kalicharan Tuvij]

The murthy could be even of the panca-mukhi Hanuman!
For any information I think Wikipedia will be sufficient for the purpose.Here and here are YouTube links for Hanuman Chalisa with English translation, one in the popular North Indian (male) and the other in a South Indian (female) rendering.