Hanuman Mandir Aliganj

Getting there

• By air

  Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport, also known as Amausi Airport, is the nearest airport.

• By train

  Gomti Nagar railway station is the nearest railway station.

• By road

  Local buses, taxis and auto rickshaws serve the temple from the railway station, the airport and other parts of Lucknow.

Why devotees come here

Hanuman Mandir in Aliganj, northern Lucknow, is dedicated to Hanuman. Devotees regard it as a Siddha Kshetra, a place of special spiritual significance. Its Bada Mangal fair, held on the Tuesdays of Jyeshtha, draws devotees from many backgrounds.

Hanuman Mandir in Aliganj is one of the important temples of Lucknow. Every Tuesday of Jyeshtha, the annual Bada Mangal, also called the Mahavir Mela, brings devotees here. Legend says Aliya Begum was told in a dream to dig near an old temple. A svayambhu idol of Hanuman, a self-manifested image, was reportedly found there. The elephant carrying the idol sat down at the present site and would not move on.

The older Purana Hanuman Mandir was established in 1783 and is traditionally linked with Aliya Begum. The main shrine was commissioned in the same year by Lala Jatmal, a Marwari merchant associated with the trade in aromatic substances. Aliya Begum is also said to have installed a crescent and star atop the dome, and the symbols remain on the structure.

The complex is enclosed by walls and gateways, with shops along parts of its perimeter. On Bada Mangal, communal feasts called bhandaras are held, and people from all communities take part. The tradition of feeding the needy continued in Jyestha and grew into this festival.

Festivals

• Tuesdays of the Jyeshtha monthBada Mangal (Mahavir Mela)

  Devotees visit on each Tuesday of Jyeshtha, and some do dandavati parikrama, moving forward by prostrating along the route.

Tips for your visit

• The first Tuesday of Jyeshtha is traditionally considered especially significant, as local belief holds that Hanuman manifested at the site that day.
• Some male devotees take a vow to circle the temple with full-body prostrations, wearing only red loincloths.

Questions people ask