🚩 Hanuman Jayanti (Chaitra Purnima) Vrat Katha
The story
By the boon of Pavan Dev and the penance of Mata Anjani, at sunrise on Chaitra Purnima, Hanuman was born to the monkey-king Kesari — the eleventh Rudra-portion of Shiva, son of the Wind. Hungry as soon as he was born, he flew up thinking the rising sun a red fruit and began to swallow it; Indra struck him with the thunderbolt — the hanu (jaw) broke, hence 'Hanuman'; Pavan Dev was angered and the winds stopped; the gods gave many boons — ageless and deathless, invincible, form at will. By the sages' curse he would not remember his own strength until someone reminded him — Jambavan did, on the seashore.
The Sundarkand — leaping the ocean in search of Sita, the burning of Lanka, Rama's ring to Sita in the Ashoka grove; lifting the Sanjeevani mountain for Lakshmana in the war — 'Ram kaj kinhe binu mohi kahan bishram'; tearing open his chest in devotion to show Rama and Sita. Hanuman is a Chiranjeevi — wherever the Rama katha is told, Hanuman is present.
The sindoor story — one day Hanuman saw Sita filling her parting with sindoor; he asked 'why?' — 'for my lord's long life'. Hanuman thought — if a pinch does so much, smearing the whole body will make the Lord ageless and deathless — and coloured himself with sindoor. Rama smiled and granted that whoever offers sindoor and oil to Hanuman will have the grace of both Rama and Hanuman. Hence the sindoor chola.
Why this katha — the significance
Hanuman is Sankatmochan, the remover of trouble — 'Bhoot pishach nikat nahin aavai, Mahabir jab naam sunavai'; his worship is for protection from fear, illness, the afflictions of Shani and Mangal and the evil eye; women who want the safety of children/husband keep this day's vrat (women worship Hanuman; only the touching of chola and sindoor is done by men in many traditions).
The hour of birth is sunrise — so the puja is in Brahma Muhurat/at sunrise (time above); being a Purnima, the moon arghya and the Satyanarayan katha too. Even more special if it falls on a Tuesday or Saturday.
The sindoor story — seeing Sita apply sindoor, Hanuman smeared his whole body with it for Rama's long life; hence the sindoor chola; jasmine oil is dear to Hanuman; boondi laddoo and paan-beeda as bhog.
How the katha is heard
- Hear or read the katha after the puja, before the aarti — the whole family sits together.
- The one keeping the vrat should listen with a calm mind; keep a lamp lit and a little akshat-flowers in hand.
- At the end, offer the flowers at the deity's feet and bow; share the prasad with everyone.
📿 Hanuman Jayanti (Chaitra Purnima) puja vidhi (step by step) →
Frequently asked questions
When is Hanuman Jayanti in {Y}?
The date at the top is this year's Chaitra Purnima (the North-Indian tradition) — from panchang calculations; the Delhi times for sunrise (the hour of birth) and moonrise are shown too. The date differs in the south, Karnataka and Andhra (Margashirsha/Vaishakha).
Can women worship Hanuman ji?
Yes — flowers, bhog, lamp, Chalisa-Sundarkand and the fast are all fine; in folk tradition, in many places, offering sindoor chola to the idol and touching the feet is done by men (Hanuman is a bal-brahmachari) — it depends on the custom of the home and temple; the shastras do not forbid women's worship.
Why sindoor for Hanuman ji?
Hearing that the sindoor in Sita's parting was for Rama's long life, Hanuman smeared his whole body with it — Rama was pleased and granted that those who offer sindoor and oil would receive his grace; hence the sindoor-jasmine chola.
Hanuman Jayanti or Hanuman Janmotsav?
Many scholars say 'Janmotsav' instead of 'Jayanti' — because Hanuman is a Chiranjeevi (Jayanti is for the departed); both names are in use, the festival is the same.
Hanuman worship for Mangal dosha/Shani affliction?
Hanuman is held to pacify both Mangal and Shani — Hanuman Chalisa on Tuesdays and Saturdays, sindoor and oil, charity of jaggery-chana for Manglik dosha/Sade Sati; taking the vow from the Jayanti is best. See your dosha on the Kundali page.
🏠 Hanuman Jayanti (Chaitra Purnima) 2026 — date, muhurat, full page · All vrat & festivals