Wednesday, November 23, 2016

Five Faced Hanuman Temple in Rameshwaram

Rameshwaram, as a temple town and one of the post important pilgrim centres in India, is pretty famous for its temples and religious sites. From the world famous Ramanathaswamy Temple to lesser known temples like Gandamadana, it has many attraction for Hindu pilgrims. The Five faced Hanuman Temple (or Panchmukhi Hanuman Temple) is another relatively lesser known but a unique destination for Hindu pilgrims, specially Hanuman bhakts.

 The Story of The Five Faced Hanuman Temple in Rameshwaram
Panchamukhi Hanuman

The Five Faced Hanuman Temple is located at a distance of about 2 km from Rameshwaram Temple and has an idol of Hanuman fully covered in Senthooram (vermillion. In 1964 after the cyclone of Danushkodi, idols of Lord Rama and Goddess Sita were brought from Dhanushkodi and placed in this temple. It is believed that the floating stone used for making the bridge across the sea to Lanka (Sri Lanka) is the same stone that is kept outside this temple floating in a water tank. These stones are oval in shape and have coarse texture with small craters.

The origin of the Five Faced (or panchmukhi) Hanuman can be traced to a story in Ramanayana. When Lord Rama was engaged in the final war with Ravana, Ravana asked Ahiravana, the king of Patala, to take Rama and Lakshmana to Patala Lok. Ahiravana, in the disguise of Vibhishana, the noble brother of Ravana, took Rama and Lakshmana to Patala to kill them.

When Hanuman got to know about this he entered Patala in search of Rama and his brother. There he discovered that the life of Ahiravana was hidden in five lamps which were placed in different directions and Ahiravana could only be killed by extinguishing these five lamps at the same time. To accomplish this, Hanuman took the form of Panchamukha Hanuman and blew out the five lamps in five directions. Along with Hanuman, the other four faces are Hayagriva, Narasimha, Garuda and Varaha.

It is this Five Faced Hanuman idol that is kept in the temple at Rameshwaram.
  
The five faces of Hanuman also signify the five senses (panch indriyas) over which Hanuman has mastery, as he was a great yogi. They also represent the five elements (wind, water, earth, fire and sky) which are the basis of creation.

Refer the Article Panchamukha Hanuman for more details.

Jai Sri Ram

8 comments:

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  8. Hanuman, the revered monkey deity in Hindu mythology, is celebrated for his unwavering devotion to Lord Rama and immense strength. Hanuman Statues can be found in various postures and forms across India and beyond, each symbolizing different aspects of his divine attributes. One common depiction is Hanuman carrying a mountain, symbolizing his heroic act of bringing the Sanjeevani herb to save Lakshman. Another popular form shows him with folded hands in a posture of devotion, reflecting his humility and piety. These statues, crafted from bronze, marble, and wood, are often placed in temples and homes to inspire devotion and courage. They serve as a reminder of Hanuman's virtues, such as loyalty, bravery, and selfless service. The artistry in these statues varies from intricate carvings in traditional styles to modern interpretations, making them both a spiritual symbol and a piece of cultural heritage.

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