The Hanuman Dandi Temple is a

Hindu Hindus (; ; also known as Sanātanīs) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism, also known by its endonym Sanātana Dharma. Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pp. 35–37 Historically, the term has also be ...

temple A temple (from the Latin ) is a place of worship, a building used for spiritual rituals and activities such as prayer and sacrifice. By convention, the specially built places of worship of some religions are commonly called "temples" in Engli ...

located on Beyt Dwarka, an island off the coast of

Gujarat Gujarat () is a States of India, state along the Western India, western coast of India. Its coastline of about is the longest in the country, most of which lies on the Kathiawar peninsula. Gujarat is the List of states and union territories ...

India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...

, dedicated to the

deity A deity or god is a supernatural being considered to be sacred and worthy of worship due to having authority over some aspect of the universe and/or life. The ''Oxford Dictionary of English'' defines ''deity'' as a God (male deity), god or god ...

Hanuman Hanuman (; , ), also known as Maruti, Bajrangabali, and Anjaneya, is a deity in Hinduism, revered as a divine ''vanara'', and a devoted companion of the deity Rama. Central to the ''Ramayana'', Hanuman is celebrated for his unwavering devotio ...

and his son Makardhwaj. Situated approximately 5 kilometers from the

Dwarkadhish Temple The Dwarkadhish temple, also known as the Jagat Mandir and occasionally spelled Dwarakadheesh, is a Hindu temple dedicated to Krishna, who is worshiped in the temple by the name ''Dwarkadhish (Dvārakādhīśa)'', or 'King of Dwarka'. The tem ...

in Bet Dwarka, this temple is unique as it features idols of Hanuman and Makardhwaj, showcasing a rare depiction of Hanuman, who is traditionally considered a celibate, with his progeny.

Legend

According to

mythology Myth is a genre of folklore consisting primarily of narratives that play a fundamental role in a society. For scholars, this is very different from the vernacular usage of the term "myth" that refers to a belief that is not true. Instead, the ...

, during the battle of

Ramayana The ''Ramayana'' (; ), also known as ''Valmiki Ramayana'', as traditionally attributed to Valmiki, is a smriti text (also described as a Sanskrit literature, Sanskrit Indian epic poetry, epic) from ancient India, one of the two important epics ...

encountered Makardhwaj, who was born from Hanuman's sweat droplets consumed by a fish. The temple commemorates their meeting and represents themes of duty, valor, and familial bonds in the lore of Hanuman.

Architecture

The temple architecture embodies typical elements of Gujarati design but is notably simplistic, focusing on the sanctity of the idols rather than ornate embellishment.

Pilgrimage

Hanuman Dandi Temple is a significant

pilgrimage A pilgrimage is a travel, journey to a holy place, which can lead to a personal transformation, after which the pilgrim returns to their daily life. A pilgrim (from the Latin ''peregrinus'') is a traveler (literally one who has come from afar) w ...

site, attracting devotees who come to pay homage to Hanuman and explore the unique father-son relationship depicted between Hanuman and Makardhwaj.

Legend

Architecture

Pilgrimage

References

See also