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Anjanadri Temple In Hampi: Know About The Birth Place Of Anjaneya, Landscape And Best Time For Visit

A UNESCO recognised world heritage site and a popular tourist pot, one must have travelled to Hampi at least once if not more. But, not many are aware of the birthplace of Hanuman, as devotees believe, and it is just 5kms away from Hampi.

Anjanadri Temple at Hampi: Know About

Anjanadri Betta located near Hampi, Karnataka and is believed to be the most important place that witnessed the first meeting of Lord Rama and Laxman with Maharaj Sugreev in Rishyamuk Parvata, which is a part of the entire Anjanadri scenario.

The Anjanadri Hill in Hampi, Vijayanagara District, Karnataka lies in the centre of the Anegundi which is believed to be a part of the Monkey kingdom of Kishkindha. Hanuman's birth occurred on this holy hill. Around the idol of Hanuman carved on a rock, a pyramid-like temple with a small red dome is built, and the structure is whitewashed. So your focus during this visit to Hampi should be on the temple, the Anjanadri betta and blessings of Lord Hanuman and the divine vibrations that are felt around the entire area.

Anjanadri Temple: Architecture

At the heart of the Anegondi area, at the other shores of the Tungabhadra River, the hill by the name Anjanadri can be spotted as you trek along the Kampa Bhups's path. This hill is famous as the abode of Hanuman, who is otherwise called here as Anjaneya, the son of Anjana Devi and Vayu God. His birthplace, named Anjanadri, is very much conspicuous by its whitewashed walls and a white zigzag trail of steps leading all the way to the top. A red flag flutters in the air on the top of the temple, which is easily visible from a far-off distance. Alongside the icon of Hanuman that is carved on the rock one can also find the idols of Lord Rama and Sita enshrined inside the temple. This is a must-visit centre of pilgrimage for devotees of Rama as it is once in a lifetime experience for them.

Ramayana is recited in Hindi inside this temple. For those well-versed in Hindi and interested in Ramayana, this recitation rendered by the old Pundit seems like a feast to the ears. On ordinary days, when there are not many people around, grab the opportunity to sit next to this pundit, and savour the experience of listening to this great epic for as long as you want. This recitation goes on a daily basis.

All are allowed inside the temple, irrespective of caste or creed, but the doors are closed in order to avoid the mischievous monkeys from entering the temple and causing havoc. Kumkum and tirtha (holy water) are offered to devotees as prasad here.

Anjanadri Temple: Landscape

The temple offers mesmerising views from the hilltop, of the paddy pinnacles swaying in the wind, inside the vast canvas of the plantation, the tall and majestic coconut trees, planted one behind the other in a soldierly fashion, and the ruins of Hampi overlooking the rugged rocky terrains, on one side and Tungabhadra on the other side. Atop the hill, you can also take the breathtaking views of Rishyamuk hill, down below, which was the hideout of Maharaj Sugreev, a place where Lord Rama and Laxman met Hanuman for the first time. A thrilling journey back in time, isn't it?

The temple does not provide shops that sell food or water atop the hill and to top it all, it is a 575-step uphill climb that takes 45 minutes all in all and that is difficult to manage. However, it has a large number of steps and stone stairs to make your climbing journey a safe one. Hence, at the small stalls at the foothills, one needs to purchase snacks and water. At a certain point of your journey upwards to the hill, you can spot a naturally formed face of Anjaneya on a boulder which in itself is a miracle of nature.

Large-scale celebrations of Hanuman Jayanti go on annually and a huge crowd gathers here to take a darshan of Anjanadri and the Anjaneya which is the dwelling deity of this place of colossal historical significance.

At the top of the hill is a Lord Hanuman temple where devotees gather for celebrating Hanuman Jayanti and other related celebrations. On the temple premises, you can also view a huge stone with a Ram Naam imprint that was used to build Ram Setu. The darshan of the temple does not consume too much of your time. The admission fee is not levied on anyone. You can choose to offer coins at the Hundi. Other expected visitors are the monkeys that may attack your bags usually for food. As they are not domesticated pets, they can turn aggressive if teased or annoyed. You can leave only your footwear outside the temple as they are the only things that are not tampered with.

Anjanadri Temple: Best Time To Visit

November to February or winter can be the best time to visit this place. Summers are very hot and Monsoons do not allow trekking.

Anjanadri Temple: How To Reach

Anjanadri is a trekking heaven, as it offers a good climb that is usually organised by trekking camps and adventure clubs annually here. Aside from trekking, cliff diving and many other activities are arranged to provide a rush of adrenaline for adventure buffs at Anegondi. It is really a worthwhile experience for the fit and the enthusiastic to use this avenue to reach the temple. For those genuinely interested, and physically challenged for such adventures, can resort to the usual modes of transport as elucidated below. As renting a two-wheeler is right now banned in Hampi due to many mishaps that occurred late you can explore nature's bounty on a bike on the tough terrains of Hampi.

In order to reach this place easily, one must first cross the river on a boat from Hampi. Around 100 metres away, you will find mopeds and scooters on rent to ride upwards to the top, which is around 4 kilometres from this spot. If you prefer to commute the entire distance in your own vehicle, then you must take another way from Hampi which is 22 kilometres long.

To reach the temple, from Hampi one must cross the river using a coracle at the main crossing points at Virupapur Gadde (near Virupaksha temple), Kodandarama temple (coracle ferry + 2-kilometre walk/bicycle ride) or near the Vittala Temple (coracle ferry + 5-kilometre ride on a bicycle). In case you have reached the Virupapur Gadde area, commute through the main road that leads to Anegondi village towards the left from which you can spot the hills.

By Air: Taking a flight to the nearest airport of Bellary, you can reach Anjanadri which is about 64 km from Hampi. Avail of local transport to reach Hampi from here.

By Rail: Travel to the nearest railway station at Hospet as Hampi is easily reachable from Hospet due to the frequent buses that ply to and fro.

By Road: Hampi is well connected to several towns and cities through a good network of roads. At nearby places, One can find buses that connect Hampi to nearby places. Hampi can also be reached by private cars from Bangalore or Mysore.

Disclaimer: The information is based on assumptions and information available on the internet and the accuracy or reliability is not guaranteed. Boldsky does not confirm any inputs or information related to the article and our only purpose is to deliver information. Kindly consult the concerned expert before practising or implementing any information and assumption.

Image source: Karnataka Tourism