Have Y'all Been To The Gigantic Hanuman Mandir At Jhandewalan That Is An Iconic Symbol Of Delhi?

If you're sitting in the metro on the Blue Line route towards Dwarka, the very next station after Karol Bagh announces itself and a huge statue of Lord Hanuman suddenly appears on the left hand side of the train, bewildering you and unless you're lost in a book or playing games on your iPad, you simply cannot miss it! This particular Hanuman Mandir lies very close to the Jhandewalan Metro Station and unlike other famous & historic temples such as Jhandewalan Mata Mandir, Kalkaji Mandir or the Hanuman Mandir in CP, it's not that old as it was built in 1997, to be precise. Read on!

A Pretty Strategic Location

Picture Credits: anujmedhavi

Its strategic location on the metro route, its gigantic size rising 108 ft above the railway tracks and its popularity with the residents and tourists alike have made it an iconic symbol of Delhi. Nowadays, many posters depicting the city carry images of this huge statue as a symbol of the city. Visitors and travellers out of curiosity want to take a closer look at the statue and feel like knowing more about the reason for placing it so close to the metro tracks, as the idol seems to almost be brushing against the overhead track! The Jhandewalan Mata Mandir devotees also make it a stopover on their way to the shrine of the goddess. All this has made this Hanuman Mandir very popular!

Artistic Observations

Picture Credits: ajayjaggus

When you roll past the huge statue sitting in a metro, it seems as if the tracks and the train are at the midriff level of the idol, bisecting it in half. The stunning and massive idol of Lord Hanuman is also very intricately carved and decorated, with the artist having filled up even the crown with a rainbow of colours and designs. The vibrant saffron colour chosen for the idol catches the eye of a bystander instantly, and it very much lives up to the many beliefs of the devotees. The artist has captured an iconic moment from Ramayan, where Hanuman has torn open his chest to show how Lord Ram exists within him, adding to its grace!

The Dramatic Entrance

Picture Credits: byebyebadman

The entrance to the temple resembles the open mouth of a 'Rakshas' or a monster, which has been slain and is in the throes of its impending death. It perhaps tells the story of one of the numerous such monsters vanquished by Lord Hanuman in his illustrious life in the service of Shri Rama. At the base of the statue, close to the feet of the idol, lies a temple dedicated to the Goddess Kali, which according to some experts on Hindu scriptures & religion is not appropriate. Well, we'll take their word for it!

Inside The Premises

Picture Credits: KhaoPiyojiyo

Tuesdays are special days for the Hanuman Mandir. The evening aarti (prayer) draws a very large crowd, all waiting with bated breath for the spectacle that unfolds in the middle of it as suddenly the arms of Hanuman which are held across the chest move back, the chest slides open and the beautiful images of Lord Shri Rama & Devi Sita slide out to give darshan (sight) to all the devotees - it's a mesmerizing sight indeed!

So now that we've painted you a beautiful word picture, do visit this mandir .

Where | Hanuman Mandir - Ashoka Pahari, Subhash Nagar, Jhandewalan