Hanuman Jayanti

The appearance of Hanuman — kept at sunrise, with the Chalisa and Sundarakanda, and offerings of sindoor and oil.

Hanuman is approached less for boons than for capacity — strength, memory, courage, steadiness under strain. That is why the observance is physical and early, and why the text read is the one about doing a difficult thing alone.

• Anyone who wishes to honour Hanuman may observe it; there is no requirement of initiation or priesthood for the home version.
• Families often keep the fast together, while children, elders, pregnant or unwell people take a lighter form — fruit, milk, or simply the puja without fasting.
• In many families the observance passes down through the women of the house or through a family tradition tied to Hanuman; follow your family's custom where it differs from the general description here.

1. 1Bathe, wear clean clothes and clear a small space for the deity.
2. 2Light a lamp and an incense stick, and offer water, flowers and a simple sweet from the samagri list below.
3. 3Say Hanuman's name or the mantra on this page eleven times, with your intention for the day.
4. 4Read the short katha on this page aloud, offer the bhog, and share the prasad.
5. 5Keep the day's food rule as far as your health allows, and end it gently the next morning.

Many keep a fruit fast for the day; Tuesdays and Saturdays carry the same observance through the year.

• ×Fixing the puja by the clock instead of the tithi. Purnima can begin or end part-way through the day in your city, so check your Panchang the evening before.
• ×Gathering samagri on the morning itself. Items such as sindoor and chameli (jasmine) oil and a red cloth or flag are often unavailable at the last minute.
• ×Breaking the fast heavily or at the wrong moment. Parana is meant to be gentle — water, fruit or prasad first — and is kept within the window your tradition follows.
• ×Taking one region's practice as the only correct one. North India keeps Chaitra Purnima; Tamil Nadu keeps Hanumath Jayanthi in Margazhi (Dec–Jan); Karnataka keeps it in Margashirsha; Maharashtra also keeps Chaitra Purnima.
• ×Rushing the steps without knowing why each one is done, which makes the observance hard to repeat next year.

North India keeps Chaitra Purnima; Tamil Nadu keeps Hanumath Jayanthi in Margazhi (Dec–Jan); Karnataka keeps it in Margashirsha; Maharashtra also keeps Chaitra Purnima. The Puranas differ on his parentage — Vayu, Shiva's amsha, or Kesari — and traditions hold these together rather than choosing.

Regional scope

Pan-Indian practice, with regional notes given above

Last reviewed

September 2026

Reviewed by

DharmaPath editorial team, from traditional texts and household practice

Explanations here are written in our own words from traditional sources; timings, muhurta and local custom should be confirmed with your Panchang or family priest.