A visit to Kashtbhanjan Shri Hanuman ji Temple of Sarangpur, Gujarat, India

Photo Copyright: Satyabrata Maiti

I was hearing about Shri Hanuman ji mandir of Sarangpur, Gujarat for quite some time but could not get an opportunity to visit the temple. However, predestined day of my visit materialized on 14-Mar-2024 when Dr. Geetha, one of my colleagues as well as my trekking companion proposed a visit after she came back to Anand quitting her coveted FAO-assignment. Suddenly we decided the date one day earlier. We left Anand at 6:00 am when it was quite dark then. I drove my car to Mandir via Tarapur, Vetteman circle, Danduka which was about 161 km and took about 3:30 hours with a little break for tea and enquiring the road directions. Mandir premises was a huge one and having good parking facilities.

About The Temple: Shri Hanuman Mandir, Sarangpur is a Hindu temple located in Sarangpur, Gujarat and comes under the Vadtal Gadi of the Swaminarayan Sampraday. It is the only Swaminarayan Temple which does not have the Murtis (idol) of either Swaminarayan or Krishna as the primary deity of worship. It is dedicated to Hanuman in the form of “Kastbhanjan” (Crusher of sorrows). A 54-feet tall statue made out of metals which weighs 30,000 kg. The statue, visible from 7 km away, was crafted at the cost of ₹11 crore (₹110 millions). Unfortunately, we could not see the statue since it was covered due to annual maintenance to be completed before Holi festival.

It is believed  that the image of this temple is so powerful that a mere look at it will drive the evil spirits out of the people affected by them.  Saturday is the designated day for a special ritual for those affected by mental illnesses and other disorders (evil sprits). The temple administration has hired a brahmin (priest)  householder for puja and vidhi (rituals) at the temple and conduct this ritual. After this, the person affected is instructed to circumambulate the shrine and repeat this after doing darshan a number of times.

Swaminarayan (સ્વામિનારાયણ) was a revered spiritual leader and the founder of the Swaminarayan Sampradaya, a vibrant expression of contemporary Hinduism rooted in the Vaishnava tradition. Born as Ghanshyam Pande on April 3, 1781, in the village of Chhapaiya near Ayodhya in present-day Uttar Pradesh, India, he later became known as Sahajanand Swami

In India, the Swaminarayan Sampradaya has several sects that follow the teachings and philosophy of Swaminarayan (also known as Sahajanand Swami). Here are some notable ones:

1. Swaminarayan Sampradaya: This is the main sectthat revolves around Swaminarayan. It is characterized by the worship of Swaminarayan as an avatar of Krishna or as the highest manifestation of God. The followers of this sect offer devotion to Swaminarayan and follow his teachings¹².
2. Uddhav Sampraday: The Uddhav Sampraday was the predecessorto the Swaminarayan Sampradaya. Swaminarayan was initiated into this sampradaya by his guru, Swami Ramanand. After Ramanand’s passing, Swaminarayan took over the leadership of the Uddhav Sampradaya and transformed it into the Swaminarayan Sampradaya¹.
3. Laxmi Narayan Dev Gadi (Vadtal Gadi): This sect is one of the two dioceses established by Swaminarayan through a legal document called the Lekh. It has hereditary leadership of acharyasand their wives from Swaminarayan’s extended family. They are authorized to install statues of deities in temples and initiate ascetics¹.
4. Nar Narayan Dev Gadi (Ahmedabad Gadi): The other diocese created by Swaminarayan, the Nar Narayan Dev Gadi also has hereditary leadership of acharyas from his family. They play a significant role in temple administration and spiritual guidance
5. Other Regional Sects: Apart from the main dioceses, there are various regional sects and temples associated with Swaminarayan. These include temples in Gujarat, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, and other states in India.

Each temple may have its own distinct practices and traditions .

Let us remember that Swaminarayan’s teachings continue to inspire millions of devotees across the globe, and his legacy remains an integral part of Hindu spirituality and devotion.

The complex has a good facility for overnight stay and food courts, one run by the temple authority and other one run by a private entrepreneur.

Our visit took about two hours. There were many satellite temples around main Shri hanuman ji temple. We left the temple by 11:30 am and visited one more Shri Hanumnaji temple complex on our way back since we took a different route to return. We reached back to Anand by 3:00 pm.

Finally, I pray to Lord Shri Hanuman ji to shower his blessings to the world for happy and healthy life full of bliss and satisfaction. May God bless all!

Satyabrata Maiti

Disclaimer:  No part of this blog is my original work. I have collected and compiled the information from the open source literatures and presented here only for information and knowledge.