SRI HANUMAN
BADI (NEW), ALIGANJ, LUCKNOW, U. PRADESH
sri d r tripati, delhi and sri sivananth, lucknow
TWIN TEMPLES FOR HANUMAN IN ALIGANJ OF LUCKNOW
NEW HANUMAN MANDIR
Begam Rubia of Lakshmanpuri
Begam Rubia of Lakshmanpuri was not blessed with any
child for a long period after her marriage. The prayers were offered for the
blessings in many places of worship. She had been advised by many to offer
prayers in Hanuman mandir of Hanumanbadi (Aliganj), which is on the other
side of the river Gomathi. She was contemplating of doing the same. As she
was hesitating, she had a divine direction to visit the temple and offer her
prayers. She immediately proceeded to the Hanuman temple of Hanumanbadi and
offered her prayers and solicited to Him to bless her with a child. After
some time she was blessed with a child.
Ancient Hanuman moorti found
After giving birth to the child she proceeded to Hanumanbadi and offered many
new ornaments to the Hanuman of the temple. Poor feeding were arranged and
many cultural activities were arranged. While she was staying in Hanumanbadi
during this time she had a dream about a Hanuman statue which is lying below
the ground under a small hillock. The next morning she arranged for search
party to locate the hillock, giving the descriptions as seen her dream. Once
the hillock was located few miles away from Hanumanbadi, the bottom of the
hillock was searched, and to her amazement she could see the same
identification as she had seen in her dream. Now she ordered that particular
spot to be excavated, and the Lord Hanuman's idol was found in the very same
spot. She was thrilled of the blessings showered on her by Lord Hanuman. She
felt that a suitable temple has to be built for the Lord. After counciling
with her ministers it was decided that the temple would be built in Hasi
pudowla Himambade which is in Lakshmanpuri.
Ancient Hanuman moorti reestablished in new
mandir
 The idol of the Lord Hanuman was kept on a singasan (throne) mounted
on the top of an elephant. A grand procession was arranged to take the idol
to Hasi pudowla Himambade from the spot where it was found. With pomp and
show the procession started and proceeded. While the procession was near
Chandganj the elephant became tired. The procession halted for some time and
the elephant was given rest by de-mounting the singasan with idol.
After a while it was restarted but the elephant could not move with the Lord
Hanuman in the singasan mounted on it. But it was observed that the
elephant could move with ease with singasan alone. The Begam was
worried and asked for advice from the Mahant of the Hanumanbadi
temple. It was suggested by the Mahant, that there could be two
reasons for this one that Lord Hanuman may be wishing not to be away from
Chandganj or secondly He has no desire to go to Lakshmanpuri which is on the
other side of the river Gomathi.
Begam then decided not to take the Lord Hanuman's idol
to Hasi pudowla Himambade in Lakshmanpuri. Instead a grand temple was planned
for the Lord where the elephant had stopped in Chandganj. A Nawabi ordinance
was passed and a new Mahant was appointed for the temple at the exchequer
cost. Mohamadhabat reign had donated lands to the temple. Today this ancient
temple is known as New Hanuman Mandir of Aliganj and the activities are
managed by a Trust.
Begam Aliya and Lord Hanuman mandirs
Begam Aliya, Sister of Nawab Wajid Ali Shah was taken ill for some time. Many
Hahims and Vaidhs were called and best medical attention was given by Nawab.
But Begam Aliya's illness could not be cured. Prayers in the places of
worship were offered for curing Begam's illness. As per the advice of elders
Nawab Wajid Ali Shah offered his prayers in the (New) Hanuman temple and
pleaded for his sister to be cured of the mysterious illness. Like a miracle,
Nawab's sister was cured of the mysterious illness with in few days of his
prayers in (New) Hanuman mandir.
Begam Aliya
As gratitude towards saving his sister by Lord Hanuman, he organised a grand
mela in the New Hanuman temple of Aliganj on the Hanumath jayanti day of that
year, which also happen to be Tuesday. As per the tradition the Hanumath
jayanti is celebrated on the full moon day of the Jesht month of lunar
calendar. He had offered grand feast to many (known as 'Bada Bhog') on
that day.
The tradition of organising the mela during this particular day i.e., first
Tuesday of the Jesht month of lunar calendar had continued for years
now. Even now the Bada Bhog is arranged and many people are fed.
Though the tradition was started from the new Hanuman mandir, the old Hanuman
mandir also adopted this and the devotees go to both the mandirs during this
day, which is popularly celebrated as "Bada Mangal".
Bada Mangal festival
There is a peculiar tradition followed by some of the
devotees to come and attend the prayers in these two Hanuman temples on the
bada mangal day. The devotee makes a namaskar lying on the
ground with his folded hands above his head. A brick is kept where his hands
ends and from that spot the devotee once again makes a namaskar lying
on the ground with his folded hands above his head. The process is repeated
till the devotee reaches the Hanuman temple. This process of devotee
proceeding from his place of dwelling to temple on the Bada Mangal day
is known as 'sayana thapas'. This tradition was followed by many
devotees, and devotees use to come from many far off places like Sitapur,
Kanpur, Unaov, Hardooi, Bharabhaki etc. The tradition had more or less come
to stop now a day because of the heavy traffic condition in the roads.
Now tradition has been formed that whenever a new
temple for Lord Hanuman is built around Lucknow, the first cloth, weapon,
sindur for the new idol is initially offered to the Lord Hanuman of
either Old or New Hanuman temple in Aliganj.
The temple is small and the Hanuman murthi is
small, but it is seen to be believed that how Sri Hanumanji of Hanuman Badi
the protector and rakshak, protects the devotees from any all evils
hovering around them.
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