Hanuman Jayanti 2026 Date – 2 April

The birth of Hanuman

Hanuman was born to Anjana and Kesari, a chief of the vanaras, and is called Pavanputra, son of the wind god Vayu, who is said to have carried a blessing to Anjana. As a baby he mistook the rising sun for a ripe fruit and leapt to grab it; Indra struck him with his thunderbolt, injuring his jaw (hanu) – the source of his name. To make amends, the gods gave him boons of strength, wisdom and immortality.

Because Hanuman is regarded as chiranjivi, one who lives for ever, many people prefer the name Hanuman Janmotsav (birth celebration) to Jayanti (birth anniversary).

Why the date differs by region

• North and Central India – Chaitra Purnima, the full moon of Chaitra (March or April).
• Andhra Pradesh and Telangana – Hanuman Jayanti on Vaishakha Krishna Dashami, at the end of a 41-day deeksha that begins on Chaitra Purnima.
• Karnataka – Hanuman Vratam on Margashirsha Shukla Trayodashi (November–December).
• Tamil Nadu and Kerala – Hanumath Jayanthi on the new moon of Margazhi (December–January), under the Moola nakshatra.
• Odisha – on Pana Sankranti, the solar new year in mid-April.

Why Hanuman is offered sindoor

A well-known story says Hanuman once saw Sita applying sindoor in her hair parting and asked why. She told him it was for Rama's long life – so Hanuman covered his whole body in sindoor. That is why Hanuman idols are often orange-red, and devotees offer a chola of sindoor mixed with jasmine oil, especially on Tuesdays and Saturdays.

How the day is celebrated

Temples hold a special abhishek at sunrise, and devotees chant the Hanuman Chalisa – many repeat it 11, 21 or 108 times – or read the Sundar Kand of the Ramayana, which tells of Hanuman's leap to Lanka in search of Sita. Bhandaras (community meals) are common, and processions with large Hanuman images pass through many North Indian towns. Wrestlers' akharas, for whom Hanuman is the patron deity, hold special pujas.

Boondi laddoos, besan laddoos, jaggery with roasted gram, and bananas are the usual offerings.

Hanuman Jayanti puja samagri (what you need)

• Hanuman picture or idol
• Sindoor and jasmine oil
• Red cloth
• Red flowers and a garland
• Janeu (sacred thread)
• Boondi or besan laddoos
• Jaggery and roasted gram
• Bananas
• Tulsi leaves
• Diya with ghee or mustard oil
• Incense

How to do Hanuman Jayanti puja, step by step

1. Rise early, bathe and wear clean clothes, preferably red or orange.
2. Light a diya before Hanuman's picture or visit a temple at sunrise.
3. Offer sindoor mixed with jasmine oil, a red cloth and red flowers.
4. Offer laddoos, jaggery-gram and bananas as naivedya.
5. Recite the Hanuman Chalisa, Bajrang Baan or the Sundar Kand.
6. Perform aarti and share the prasad; many people also feed others or donate food.