Hanuman Puja
Lord Hanuman
When it falls
The date shifts because it tracks the moon, not the Gregorian calendar.
Calculated for India (IST) using precise Panchang astronomy. Dates can shift by a day at locations far to the east or west.
Why Hanuman Puja Is Observed
Hanuman Puja is the focused worship of Lord Hanuman, the vanara (monkey) deity best known for his devotion to Lord Rama. In the Ramayana he crosses the sea to Lanka, finds Sita in captivity, carries Rama's message, and brings the Sanjivani herb to revive the wounded Lakshmana. For most devotees he stands for three things held together: physical strength, courage, and loyal service to a higher purpose.
Hanuman is regarded as a present and approachable helper rather than a distant figure, which is why his worship is so closely tied to protection and steadiness during difficult times. He is also counted among the Chiranjivi — those said to remain present through the ages — so devotees turn to him not only on a single festival but through the year. In popular tradition he is linked to the planet Mars (Mangal), and Saturn (Shani) is said to spare his devotees, which is one reason his worship is associated with relief from hardship.
Unlike a festival fixed to one full moon, Hanuman Puja is kept on different days in different places. Tuesdays and Saturdays are set aside for him through the week across much of India; some regions observe a dedicated Hanuman day during the Diwali season, while parts of the south mark his worship in the month of Margashirsha. The thread common to all of them is the example he sets: serving without ego and acting with discipline when it matters most.
Rituals & observance
Observance centres on recitation, offerings, and temple worship, usually in the morning or evening. Practice varies by region and family, but the common elements are these:
- Reciting the Hanuman Chalisa, often repeated several times, alone at home or in group chanting at a temple.
- Reading or listening to the Sundarkand, the section of the Ramayana that recounts Hanuman's search for Sita in Lanka.
- Visiting a Hanuman temple for darshan and aarti, especially on a Tuesday or Saturday when his worship is traditionally strongest.
- Offering vermilion (sindoor) and oil along with flower garlands, in keeping with the tradition that Hanuman applied sindoor across his body out of devotion to Rama.
- Offering simple prasad such as boondi laddoo, bananas, or jaggery, which is later shared among family and visitors.
- Keeping a fast (vrat) for the day, with many devotees taking only fruit and milk and breaking the fast after evening worship.
Regional variations
How this date is determined
Observed on the Chaturdashi tithi of Kartik (Krishna paksha), reckoned by midnight (nishita kala).
Dates are computed to astronomical precision (NASA/JPL ephemeris), in line with traditional panchang.
