Hanuman Jayanti
History & Mythology
Hanuman's story begins before the Ramayana itself. Anjana, a celestial apsara who had been cursed to live as a monkey on earth, performed deep penance and received a boon that her son would be an incarnation of Shiva. As King Dasharatha's sacred kheer was being distributed, a kite snatched a portion and flew over the forest, dropping it into Anjana's outstretched hands—and through the divine power of Vayu the wind god, Hanuman was born.
Born with extraordinary strength, young Hanuman saw the rising Sun and, mistaking it for a giant ripe mango, leaped into the sky to swallow it. Alarmed, Indra struck him with his thunderbolt, wounding his jaw (hanu = jaw, hence Hanuman). Vayu, furious at the injury to his child, withdrew all air from the cosmos. Life began to suffocate. Only when the gods restored Hanuman to health and bestowed immense gifts—indestructibility, strength as vast as the wind, the power to fly and shape-shift—did Vayu restore the breath of life.
In the Ramayana, Hanuman's leap across the ocean to Lanka, his discovery of Sita in Ashoka Vatika, his burning of Lanka's golden towers, and his carrying of the entire Sanjeevani mountain are eternal symbols: the mighty deeds that devotion makes possible when the self is offered completely to the divine.
Frequently Asked Questions
How are Hindu festival dates calculated?
Hindu festival dates are calculated using the Panchang — the Vedic almanac based on Tithi (lunar day), Nakshatra (Moon's asterism), and other astronomical factors. Most festivals fall on specific Tithis in particular lunar months. AstroJanamPatrika calculates these using Swiss Ephemeris, making dates accurate to the minute rather than relying on pre-printed almanacs.
What is Tithi in the Hindu calendar?
Tithi is the lunar day in the Hindu calendar, determined by the angular distance between the Moon and Sun in multiples of 12°. There are 30 Tithis in a lunar month — 15 in the waxing phase (Shukla Paksha) and 15 in the waning phase (Krishna Paksha). Most Hindu festivals are tied to specific Tithis, which is why their Gregorian calendar dates change each year.
Why do Hindu festival dates change every year?
Hindu festivals follow the lunisolar calendar, not the Gregorian solar calendar. Because the lunar year is about 11 days shorter than the solar year, festivals drift earlier each year — and an intercalary month (Adhika Masa) is added roughly every 2–3 years to realign the calendar with the solar year. This is why Diwali, Navratri, and other festivals fall on different Gregorian dates each year.
What is Shubh Muhurta for festival rituals?
Shubh Muhurta is the auspicious time window for performing festival rituals, determined by combining Tithi, Nakshatra, Yoga, Vara, and Choghadiya. AstroJanamPatrika calculates the precise muhurta for each festival based on local sunrise, Tithi end times, and auspicious Nakshatras.
What is Purnima and Amavasya?
Purnima is the full moon day (15th Tithi of Shukla Paksha) when Moon and Sun are 180° apart. Amavasya is the new moon day when they are conjunct. Both are highly significant in the Hindu calendar — Purnima for celebrations and Amavasya for ancestor rituals (Pitru Tarpan). Festivals like Holi, Guru Purnima, and Sharad Purnima all fall on Purnima.